warning...this post is a grim reminder of the sinful, fallen, broken world in which we live.
the first time i saw baby "o" he was emaciated and lethargic. we weren't sure if he would live through the weekend. and yet, he was a hungry baby and as soon as we started feeding him, he perked up and ate as well as he could. he came to us with a cleft lip and palate and because of the feeding difficulties these cause, he was literally starving. his mom's milk had dried up because he didn't eat well. so, he came to us for a few weeks here on the ship. as he was growing slowly but nicely on a feeding program, we sent him to the hospitality center to feed and grow until he would reach a weight of 3 kg (6.6 lbs) so he could have his lip repaired. (the palate repair would come a few months later). soon, it was time for his first surgery. baby "o" didn't seem to know what to do with his "new" lip at first but quickly adapted and started putting on weight even more rapidly. and so baby "o" and mom went home until it was time to return for the palate repair.
today, we received news from the local hospital that baby "o" had passed away...that he had literally been starved to death. medical illnesses are often viewed as a curse here. and though now baby "o" looked more normal, his village still viewed him as cursed. and mom had no support apart from the social worker at the local hospital. and so she stopped coming for formula and stopped feeding him and he died...an innocent baby, not cursed but with a common birth defect that is so easily repaired.
i have to be honest, i don't understand. it is a terrible thing that happened in this broken world we live in. but i am not despairing...i know WHO wins!!! and it is NOT the prince of this world. though he wins some battles, he will ultimately lose to the God of all creation, the God of the universe. and He will one day remake this broken world and there will be no more tears and no more heartache. and it is not mine to sit back idly and just wait...i am to fight on my knees and thru His love and by His grace.
About Me
- natalie
- ok, who am i? i am a believer in Jesus Christ, a daughter, a sister, a sister-in-law, an aunt, a friend, a nurse. i hate wearing shoes, i would go barefoot most of the time if i could. i don't really have a set style, one day it's all about being girly, the next its' about comfort and i wear pajamas and houseshoes in public, and the next it may be jeans and a punk shirt, it's all about the mood. most days, i can honestly say that when i got up and got dressed, i didn't think about you but just about what i wanted to wear (as long as it fits within societal norms). the most important thing in my life is my walk with God. some days i'm better at it than others. the next most important thing in my life is family and friends. being an aunt has been so rewarding but no more so than being a sister and a daughter, a friend. my friends live all over the world (literally). by profession, i am a nurse currently serving as a ward nurse on the m/v africa mercy.
No comments:
Post a Comment