Do you see these little faces? So cute, perhaps worried, sometimes laughing, at times so ill they have no expression at all. These are the faces of malnourished children. Children who each have a story, maybe their mother has died and they did not get proper nutrition from breast milk, or perhaps their father is ill and there is not the money to buy proper food to eat, maybe their family does not have the knowledge of what are nutritious foods! Some are very thin and weak, others moon-faced with swollen limbs, yet others so pale you might mistake them for a “blah” baby. Whatever the case when these children are placed in the hands of the Mis she is supposed to fix it!
I feel so incapable to help these children! “Will the liquid iron help, and not be too strong? “ I wonder. “Will the mother’s milk be enough or shall I supplement with mamba or milk too?” “Dr. Felix, what do you think?” “God please give me wisdom I have no experience in this area!”
I give out dozens of bags of “medika mamba” (a very high protein peanut butter) each week. Teach parents and other care givers what to feed or not feed these dear little munchkins. Sometimes I have to give some stern lectures when I see them often giving their children junk food, or when they “forgot” the child’s appointment. I love the interaction with the children, and love to see the progress made in their health. But, it’s not always easy to determine who needs help or who doesn’t; or what to do when a child doesn’t respond well.
Please remember our malnutrition program, pray for these little ones as they grow and pray for the nurses because we need wisdom! And if the Lord puts it on your heart to donate funds they will be much appreciated. We are able to provide enriched nourishment for these children because of the gifts of others. Thank you for your prayers and interest!
Extra Thoughts
God is good all the time! Every birth, every death belongs to God he planned it all! Do we truly believe these things? I have wondered how many more deaths I can take… a very tiny preemie, who lived for 17 hours then was taken to sing with the angels above; a neonate depressed when she was born and though my teammates worked with her for 2 hours her life on earth was not to be; the old neighbor man who had become my friend though confined to his bed; a lady on my hypertension program whom I had also been treating for a serious foot unexpectedly died; another preemie who was very cold and weak when placed in my hands made very good progress for the first week then his candle was put out; an eight year old girl came in with kidney failure and more, we did the best we could but it was the end of her time here on earth. I really am not sure how to describe the thoughts and feelings of holding a little girl struggling, fighting to breathe hungry for oxygen and there is nothing more you can do. Yet another woman whom I had worked closely with during her difficult birth of twins that ended up being born cesarean section in another place and not living also passed away. Oh Lord, how am I supposed to handle all of this? His answer, “My grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
I had a discussion with a friend recently about whether a child of God, fully trusting in Him should be stressed. He said maybe we become stressed when God is trying to show us how limited our strength is. If we give or concerns or troubles completely to Him in total submission He is able to show Himself strong through us bringing glory to Himself instead of us. Or perhaps stress is when we let Satan tempt us to look at life through the way we feel and not how god can work through miracles. I think that is too often true, at least with me. I get caught up in how I feel about a situation or something I am going through and don’t remember all things are possible with God! He is always ready and willing to give us the strength and grace we need once we ask. So if you’re feeling stressed know that all things are possible with God! Don’t wallow in your own feelings, ask God for strength and He WILL give it!
His servant,
Mis Kayla