I wanted to thank each of you for your kind words and most important your prayers. We are better, and we will make it by the grace of God.
Our family took the day off today. We have not left Cazale together as a family since we returned from the states in April. It was a great day for the whole family. I needed a day off, needed to get away.
If you have written to me in the past couple of day, I will get back with you tomorrow. Thanks to all of you again.
I know many of your pray. I need some prayer. For me, for Enoch and for our family. Will you please lift us up in prayer.
Prayer lays hold of God’s plan and becomes the link between His will and its accomplishment on earth. (!!!!!) Amazing things happen, and we are given the privilege of being the channels of the Holy Spirit’s prayer.
~ Elisabeth Elliot
Last Sunday all the churches in the Cazale area came together for a day of prayer. They walked several miles over the Cazale area and the surrounding villages. There focus was to pray for the area and ask God to be with everyone in their times of need.
Here are some pictures from the day. The stopped outside our gate for about 30 minutes. The prayed and sang a few songs.
A new way to carry your Bible.
5 My steps have held to your paths;
my feet have not slipped.
6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.
7 Show the wonder of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes.
I have had three people contact me about Rosena, but no one has comitted to her yet? Keep praying…..I know God has a family for her out there. Is it you?
A times when I am having a bad day, or week, God is always faithful to come through and lift my spirits.
This little lady came to pass in the clinic yesterday. Somehow she made it through two main doors with no one seeing her and found me coming down the stairs from dad’s house. She said hey white lady, and being there is one two white ladies for miles around, I looked over to her. She said she needed to talk to me. I went over and she had a ripped up plastic sack she was carrying for her bag. She has several other little plastic sacks and bags inside the first bag. It took her about 5 minutes to dig down into the bag and find a small little piece of plastic. She pulled it out and started to untie it. It was wrapped in such a way that I thought it was something of importance. She got it opened and it was $3 haitian, about $0.40 US. She explained to me that she did not have enough money to pass in the clinic. So we went and got it all taken care of and got her a place in line. While she was being seen by the nurses, I got a little bag together for her. It was a bag that came in on the semi trailer, and dad had just hauled it to the house that day. Lori and I filled it with soap, cream, PB, and other goodies. When I gave it to her she was so happy.
We talked for a while and she wanted to give me some leafy greens that she had picked on the way to clinic. The picture below is me telling her to keep the greens and eat them herself. I asked her if she thought she could do that and get big like me? She looked at me shocked and said “well I guess I can try”.
Nagette died last night. I had been checking on her on and off during the day, she at times did not seem to be breathing. The ladies called me and said she was bad, which means, she is almost dead. When I got there she was already dead. I carried her swollen body across to the clinic in front of many patients waiting to be see. Several people saw her and just said Jesus, Jesus. When I layed her on the table to bathe her there were tears running down both of her cheeks. Her parents were called late last night, and again, this AM. We waited as long as we could for them to come but we had to bury her. An aunt and uncle came in about 30 minutes afterwards. They family will return tomorrow for pictures and the death certificate.
Kelly died as well. He has been here a over a month. He mother and father were both dead. We believe that he was blind, deaf and had many other problems as well.
Someone had asked me to share about telling Chabina’s dad about her death. He came on Tuesday. The ladies told him that she died, he was shocked and said he did not bring her here sick. We explained to him that she had a very high fever and we did everything we could here to help her. He said that she often had fevers at his house as well. He took the pictures and death certificate and thank us. There was not emotion that he showed here with us. Losing a child happens so often here.
This is Fenold. His mother died in December. His father, who is working, took him his mother-in-law’s house, he went to visit him this week and he is in the beginning stages of Kwashiorkor. He has had one other child that has died. The child died the first day it was born.
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This is Jn Edword. His mother and father have had 3 children. They have lost one to Kwashiorkor. The mother and father are split-up and the father is having a hard time finding food to feed everyone in the house. He was admitted yesterday.
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This is Chrisemene. She is 13 months old and weighs 13 pounds. She was sitting next to a kerosene lamp, the lamp fell over and the gas spilt on her and caught on fire. She is staying due to her burns but she is also malnourished. Chrismene’s parents have had 11 children. They have lost 6 child to Kwashiorkor.
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This is Nagette. She came to the clinic yesterday. She has been coming to the clinic since she was 10 months old. She has been malnourished since her first visit. Her mother is the one that always comes with her. She has made 15 visits to the clinic. She has been given peanut butter, milk, or rice on 9 of those visits. She is 3 years old. She was here on July 2nd and she weighted 14 pounds at 3 years old. Currently she weighs 20 pounds 9 ounces. So in 20 days she has gained around 6 pounds of water weight. This has greatly affected her body and its ability to function. She is dying. She cannot breath well, she cannot open her eyes because they are swollen shut. The picture below is yesterday morning. The mother came to the clinic and said she needed vitamins and milk for her daughter. The nurse spent a long time talking to her and she was laughing and said there was nothing wrong with her child. The nurse got so frustrated with her she called Lori. Lori spent a long time with her as well. She just kept saying there was nothing wrong with her but a cold. When I came down I talked to her as well. I also called two of my ladies from the RC. They talked to her a long time and she told us to hurry up she had to get back home. She said the father did not want us to keep the child, that is why she did not want to leave her. I thought of calling the judge, but decided to just let her go. I did put the word out that I would like to talk to the father of the child if anyone saw him.
The picture below is two ladies that have worked in the RC since 2002. Talking to the mothers and trying to get the child to drink some milk.
So first thing this AM the father was here with the mother and Nagette. He talked to me for awhile, and told me he has asked the mom to ask us to take the child into the RC. They had totally opposite stories. He was upset with her and said she lived in the “sticks” so she did not have education to understand when someone was talking to her. I disagreed. But the father wanted us to take her. He explained to us that the mother leaves everyday before daylight and gets home after dark. She is always gone taking produce to the market. He said he would rather have his daughter die here with a little hope than to die by herself at home. I am 99% sure that she will die within the next few hours. Only God can help her now. She was admitted this morning. Nagette’s parents have had 3 children die of Kwashiorkor.
She is awake here but cannot open her eyes.
See how shiny her legs are…..They are so swollen the skin is pulled so tight.
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I want to point something out. We have admitted 4 children this week. All of them have had siblings that have died.
Fenold-1 as a newborn
Jn Edword-1 from Kwashiorkor
Chrisemene-6 from Kwashiorkor
Nagette-3 from Kwashiorkor
So these four children have all together lost a total of 11 siblings. Four families losing 11 children. 10 of those kids to Kwashiorkor.
Read more about Kwashiorkor here, and here. Below is a small chart on how starvation affect the body.
HOW STARVATION AFFECT THE BODY
|
Area |
Effects |
|
Digestive system |
Decreased production of stomach acid Shrinking of the stomach Frequent, often fatal, diarrhea |
|
Cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels) |
Reduced heart size, reduced amount of blood pumped, slow heart rate, and low blood pressure Ultimately, heart failure |
|
Respiratory system |
Slow breathing and reduced lung capacity Ultimately, respiratory failure |
|
Reproductive system |
Reduced size of ovaries and testes Loss of sex drive (libido) Cessation of menstrual periods |
|
Nervous system |
Apathy and irritability In children, mental retardation (sometimes) Mental dysfunction, particularly in older people |
|
Muscles |
Reduced muscle size and strength, imparing the ability to exercise or work |
|
Blood |
Anemia |
|
Metabolism (body processes to convert food into energy or to synthesize needed substances) |
Low body temperature (hypothermia) Fluid accumulation in the arms, legs, and abdomen Disappearance of fat |
|
Skin and hair |
Thin, dry, inelastic skin Dry, sparse hair that falls out easily |
|
Immune system |
Impaired ability to fight infections and repair wounds |
Tuesday is the busiest day of the week here. We have so much going on. It is market day, which brings a big crowd in for the clinic. Today the clinic saw well over 400 patients. There were two children admitted today in the RC. Tuesday also brings many parents that come and visit their kids. Several emergencies and dressings changes. There were things we could not help and we had to send on to a bigger hospital. There was a lady with a terrible growth coming out of her eye. Very sad. We gave out several boxes of food, we took pictures for some school sponsorship children, we answered many, many questions. We prayed, we read the Bible, we loved on kids. We got the new flush toliet opened for the RC, and many more things. Lori and I were talking about a cases that came through this AM and she was like are you sure that was today? It seemed so long ago.
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We have been getting ready for Enoch’s upcoming visa appointment on the 29th. It is very stressful for both of us. We have heard many stories this past week about people NOT being issued a visas. Some not even getting into the facilities. Not good news. I just want someone to tell me it is all going to be okay. But no one can do that. Carmelo’s whole adoption is on hold, we are trying to see if he might be able to get a tourist visa as well so that we might travel with him. But when you go and make an appointment it is for almost 3 months away–the end of October. I would like to get it moved up closer to when Enoch’s is. It is all very frustating. I feel like I am in overload mode right now. Just trying to make it through the day. Just trying to hang on. I would greatly appreciate your prayer in this matter.
Tomorrow is a new day. A day the the Lord has made and beleive me I WILL find something to rejoice about. Pictures coming up tomorrow.
Love
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[b]says the Lord. 20On the contrary:
”If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[c]
Senye,
Ede nou pa atache ak batanklan.
Nou ka gen kat wob jodi a,
men petet l’a gen yon jou
ke nou pa gen ditou.
Ede n’ atache nou a pawol Bondye.
Lord,
Help us not to connect ourselves to things,
we may have four dresses today,
but maybe there will be a time
when we won’t have any.
Help us to connect ourselves to God’s Word.
Papa, Li sanble ke yon fret angoudi nou
Vlope nou nan lenn pawol ou e chofe nou.
Father,
A cold wind seems to have chilled us.
Wrap us in the blanket of your Word and warm us up.
