Newborn Baby
Imagine that you are walking down a dusty red-sand road. The smell of campfire smoke is in the air from homes that are cooking, the sun is high in the sky, and you are the minority of in the population. People are standing in front of their grass huts, holding their children. Some people are working in their gardens, watering vegetables. They hope to sell these vegetables at the market to support their families. All around seem to temporarily stop and watch as you walk down the road in front of their homes. The low chatter of a whispered foreign language murmurs in your ear. It seems that they may be talking about you, as they point and talk to the others around them.
As you walk, children smile and wave as you pass by where they are playing with old tires and kites made from potato sacks. A parade starts to form behind you including the neighborhood children of all ages as you continue on toward your destination.
This was my day yesterday. I was on my way to check in with the Mary and Jacobi (The grandparents that we are trying to help). I was on my way to see if they were able to get some of the paperwork completed, that is need to get water to their property.
As I neared their house a boy that was maybe seven or eight years old saw me from half a block away. I smiled and waved at him, and he instantly sprinted toward me. As he neared I could see that his skin was very dry and scaly. It was apparent that he hadn’t bathed for a really long time. He stopped in front of me and wanted me to hold him, but he was way to big for me to pick up and hold. I took his hand and he seemed to be content with walking along side of me as I continued to the grandparent’s house. He stayed with me and continued to stare at me the entire time that I was talking through my translator to Mary and Jocobi about their water situation.
After I was finished talking to Mary and Jacobi, I asked Mary if she knew where the boy lived. Mary said that he lived just down the street, and added that his mother was really sick. The boy led a few of my teammates and myself to his mother. Their house was back and off the road, and through field of tall grasses. As we weaved through the grasses, I wasn’t really sure that the boy understood that he was supposed to take us to see his mother. We all just blindly followed him, and finally arrived at a fence that was made out of tall reeds, sticks, and rusty pieces of metal. We slowly walked to the rusty metal door that was hanging by only half of it’s hinges. He shouted that he was home in the family’s language, and his father came out of their cinder block house to greet us.
We were quickly invited into sit with the family, and I realized that the mother was more than sick, she had just given birth to a new baby boy. Luckily, the three people that were with me from Oklahoma were all nurses. What a Godsend! After taking her pulse, other vitals, and assessing the situation, we decided that she was severely dehydrated and had lost a bunch of blood during the birth.
The baby had been born on Sunday, and two days later still hadn’t been able to drink any milk. His mother was not producing milk because of the lack of food and her severe dehydration. After talking with the family we decided that we would return with a re-hydrate water mixture, baby formula, and bread for the family.
After talking with Pieter and Rika at the baby house, we also were able to offer to help the family by taking care of the baby for the 2-3 weeks. We hope to be able assist them with baby formula and teaching the baby how to eat. It would give the baby’s mom a chance to recuperate and get her health back, and give the baby a chance to learn to eat and become stronger.
The father took all of the families food money, and spent it on baby formula, so they didn’t have food for the rest of the 8-9 people that were living in the house.
Today, the father came by the baby house, as we were headed out to deliver food to families and stop by to give more re-hydrate to the mother. He had a nice visit with Rika, and needed to go home to discuss their options with his family. I hope that we can help them with the baby. It is beautiful and needs to start eating soon or else it will pass away. The father said that he would let us know their decision later today.
As you walk, children smile and wave as you pass by where they are playing with old tires and kites made from potato sacks. A parade starts to form behind you including the neighborhood children of all ages as you continue on toward your destination.
This was my day yesterday. I was on my way to check in with the Mary and Jacobi (The grandparents that we are trying to help). I was on my way to see if they were able to get some of the paperwork completed, that is need to get water to their property.
As I neared their house a boy that was maybe seven or eight years old saw me from half a block away. I smiled and waved at him, and he instantly sprinted toward me. As he neared I could see that his skin was very dry and scaly. It was apparent that he hadn’t bathed for a really long time. He stopped in front of me and wanted me to hold him, but he was way to big for me to pick up and hold. I took his hand and he seemed to be content with walking along side of me as I continued to the grandparent’s house. He stayed with me and continued to stare at me the entire time that I was talking through my translator to Mary and Jocobi about their water situation.
After I was finished talking to Mary and Jacobi, I asked Mary if she knew where the boy lived. Mary said that he lived just down the street, and added that his mother was really sick. The boy led a few of my teammates and myself to his mother. Their house was back and off the road, and through field of tall grasses. As we weaved through the grasses, I wasn’t really sure that the boy understood that he was supposed to take us to see his mother. We all just blindly followed him, and finally arrived at a fence that was made out of tall reeds, sticks, and rusty pieces of metal. We slowly walked to the rusty metal door that was hanging by only half of it’s hinges. He shouted that he was home in the family’s language, and his father came out of their cinder block house to greet us.
We were quickly invited into sit with the family, and I realized that the mother was more than sick, she had just given birth to a new baby boy. Luckily, the three people that were with me from Oklahoma were all nurses. What a Godsend! After taking her pulse, other vitals, and assessing the situation, we decided that she was severely dehydrated and had lost a bunch of blood during the birth.
The baby had been born on Sunday, and two days later still hadn’t been able to drink any milk. His mother was not producing milk because of the lack of food and her severe dehydration. After talking with the family we decided that we would return with a re-hydrate water mixture, baby formula, and bread for the family.
After talking with Pieter and Rika at the baby house, we also were able to offer to help the family by taking care of the baby for the 2-3 weeks. We hope to be able assist them with baby formula and teaching the baby how to eat. It would give the baby’s mom a chance to recuperate and get her health back, and give the baby a chance to learn to eat and become stronger.
The father took all of the families food money, and spent it on baby formula, so they didn’t have food for the rest of the 8-9 people that were living in the house.
Today, the father came by the baby house, as we were headed out to deliver food to families and stop by to give more re-hydrate to the mother. He had a nice visit with Rika, and needed to go home to discuss their options with his family. I hope that we can help them with the baby. It is beautiful and needs to start eating soon or else it will pass away. The father said that he would let us know their decision later today.
Labels: africa, cause for concern
posted by justin at
4:10 PM
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