Reality Check

From the moment I woke up yesterday I kept thinking "I need to go see Joyce and find out how Faby is doing".  Joyce and her husband Amos live here on the ten acres with their two daughters Juliette and Faby.  Amos takes care of the grounds and security at Zungway (the 10 acres).  Developing a relationship with them over the past 6 weeks has definitely been a highlight for me and I have grown to care about their family very much.  Both of their daughters were born with genetic abnormalities, the most obvious of which is that one (or in the case of their youngest Faby both) eyes are covered over with skin.  Juliette has one good eye that she is able to see out of however, it is very uncertain at this point if Faby will have vision out of her one eye.  Besides the emotional toll on these young parents, there is the financial difficulty of how to get proper care for their girls.  This is some background information....let me continue.....

Joyce and Faby were on my mind and finally at around 3 or 4pm I saw that they had come up and were sitting with the Mama's, so I made my way up to say hello.  I had barely sat down when I noticed Faby was wimpering and so I took her from her five year old cousin who was holding her and right away I knew she was not well.   The wheezing sounds coming from her, combined with the fact that she was extremely hot set off warning bells in my head.  I quietly spoke to Joyce asking "do you think she needs to see a Dr.?"  Eventually Joyce told me that "yes, she does, but we do not have any money today to take her". After quickly conferring with Scott, we called a Boda and Joyce, Faby and I headed to the "Double Cure Medical Clinic".  For 3 years I have chuckled at the name of this clinic and now I was going to get a chance to see it first hand.  

We arrived and after a short wait we were taken into a room where a nurse checked Faby out and suggested that the first order of business was a Malaria test.   I was skeptical about this, but what do I know.  We then went to the "lab" (a room across the hall with a microscope that looked like one my sister got for Christmas when we were children).  Within moments I was whisked away for a "tour", which turned out to be a proposal for us to get our 52 kids into their medical program.  If they only knew that I have absolutely no say on any of these issues, but as a white person there is often some special treatment often followed by a plea for some sort of help.  Eventually I was reunited with Joyce and Faby and we were told that Faby had "severe malaria".  By this point her breathing was getting worse and she had begun to vomit.  Faby is 7 mths old.  I kept asking about her breathing and was repeatedly told that it was just from her "cough".  I asked about Pneumonia and soon enough we were told "yes, she also has pneumonia".  I am still unsure if this was my diagnosis or theirs, and the Dr. out for the day, nonetheless, we were told she needed to be admitted and be given IV meds for both the Malaria and Pneumonia.   I soon realized I did not have enough money to pay for this and Joyce was covered in vomit so off I went back to the 10 acres for money and clothes.  In my trips back and forth we also dropped off and picked up 3 other kids from here that also had come down with Malaria yesterday.  That is a whole other story....these kids, some as young as 5 yrs old are dropped off at the clinic by the boda driver, they see the Dr. on their own and then are picked up by the boda driver and taken home, a small envelope of pills in hand!!  By 7 pm I felt like I was in a daze.  I was uncertain about leaving Joyce and Faby at the hospital....would they get the care they needed??  What if she got to the point where she wasn't able to get a breath at all??  She had a high fever, vomiting and difficulty breathing.....I was worried, but I also knew I needed to get home and that there was no way I could spend the night in this hospital.  I told Joyce that if she thought Faby was getting worse or had any concerns she needed to get the nurse right away and then I said good night.  Cartenday (my favorite boda guy) took me home after picking up two of the kids on the way and by the time we arrived at the 10 acres it was dark out and everyone was heading to bed.

I had a restless sleep, waking every few hours wondering "is Faby okay?"  Finally morning came and I was able to find out that Faby had made some improvement through the night.  I was relieved.  However, one cannot walk this path with a friend and not ask themselves a lot of questions.  What would have happened to Faby if I had not noticed how sick she was?  How can I leave this mom and child at a clinic/hospital that I would never take my own child to??  What would it be like not to have $1 to take my sick baby to a Dr.??  The total cost for 2 days in this private hospital, plus all the medication both in the hospital and upon release came to $25.00  That is all.  For this family, that is half of their months wages.  They could never have afforded this and some weeks I drink this amount in coffee's.  I want to help these people.  Both those who have become my friends and those who are strangers.  Last friday I sat in the home of a beautiful young mom and listened I heard that her 2 yr old son had just died of Malaria.  She cried and my heart broke.  The need here just amongst those I have met is bottomless.  Everywhere you turn there is another tragic story of loss, poverty and sickness.  The sad part is that if each of us would sacrifice (if you can even call it that) just little, we could relieve SO much suffering.  What would it be like if you couldn't afford to keep your child alive??  That is life for most here.  I am lost in my thoughts and I watch person after person become ill with malaria.  I am so thankful that for our 52 kids here they are able to get the medical care they need.  Thanks to all of you who have helped to make this a reality.