Who cares about these babies?

 

This week I got a call about a newborn baby boy left outside of a hospital on a bench who needs a home, then a set of triplets whose mom is a teenager with a toddler and no way to provide for any of her children and lastly a baby girl who was near death.

 

While Social Welfare officers are working on the first four babies (doing medical reports, family assessments and getting legal paper work in order) the baby girl was placed with us for immediate care. Ian and I were taking a holiday in South Africa so nurse Anthony and Auntie Shongwe went to assess and pick up the baby. We are calling her Victoria, named in honor of Anthony’s mother.

 

Victoria is in critical condition. She just turned 1 year on October 27^th and she weighs 11 pounds. There was no birthday party for this little one, instead her young mother was begging Social Welfare and the doctors for help. Victoria is severely malnourished with muscle wasting called Marasmus. She appears to be blind (her eyes dilate, but she is unresponsive to light or objects), and unresponsive to sound, but both of those symptoms could be a result of other underlying conditions that have gone untreated. She is in pain when touched or moved and hasn’t eaten in a very long time.

 

Our crack team of nurses and doctors, including Dr. Dlamini at the Baylor clinic, worked on a comprehensive and immediate care plan and our incredible team of Aunties are now on high alert as they watch over, care and pray for this little life, but she is in really bad shape. There is no way of knowing whether she will live, catch up or thrive, but we will do our best to provide all we can.

 

Some days I struggle more than others with how terribly abused so many Swazi children are. They are being starved to death, denied access to life-saving medication and suffer desperately from the lack of love, care or even touch. Why aren’t these babies being cared for? There are so many socio-economic reasons, but poverty, sickness and hopelessness are at the core of the abuse.

 

You can by the image above how emaciated Victoria is. We took her photo between two babies who came to us at birth, also from severe circumstances, but at least we got them when they were very small and they have been able to develop well. Mark is 13 months old and weighs 30 pounds. Victoria is 12 months old and weighs 11 pounds. Shepherd is 11 months old and weighs 25 pounds. 

 

Who cares for these babies? 

 

We care for these babies. 

 

Will you help us? We will take them to the hospital. We will syringe feed special F100 formula. We will give the antibiotic injections to keep pneumonia at bay.  Will you help us fight for the lives of these babies by sponsoring Shepherd, Victoria or Mark today? Every dollar helps and every prayer is heard.

 

Child sponsorship in Canada:  http://bit.ly/hfahopestartsca

 

Child Sponsorship in the US:  https://www.heartforafrica.org/HOPESTARTS/

 

In a world of turmoil and uncertainty, please help us provide hope for one child.

 

Live from Eswatini … praying for Victoria.

 

Janine