My Heart Went Out

                                                                                                                           February 3, 2013

It’s hard to write with the helicopter fan blinking shadows under the fluorescent light. My eyes have never liked that effect.

Last week Jamie told me about a woman who came to the hospital with postpartum bleeding. She died, leaving behind an eleven day old baby. The family cannot afford formula, so their solution is to have an auntie who has seven month old twins to nurse the baby.  The consensus at the hospital is that the baby will be back, hopefully before it’s too late.

People here take care of orphaned children, but it seems that the orphans are not equal to their biological children.  How could they be? Most people struggle to feed their own.  Malawians tell us that they have many children so that when some of them die, they will still have children left.

A couple of days later there was a woman in labor in the hospital, fully dialated, but would not push. Jamie broke her water and saw meconium. The clinical officers took her to c-section. The baby aspirated meconium and died.

This morning Jamie ran for the hospital at 6:30. A pregnant woman seizing! With aching heart I prayed for her and the baby, and for Jamie.

Just then a man in a threadbare, frayed shirt knocked on my door. “Please, Madam. I need work.” It seems that most Malawians have a sad story, and they do not hesitate to tell us. A man with a wife and two or three (I couldn’t figure it out) children who hasn’t had a job for four years. He lives in a village near the hospital, and there’s really not much other employment close by. He worked at Malamulo until the funding stopped or slowed. We’ve met several people who lost their job then. “I’ll do anything. Daily pay is fine.” That got my attention. He is the only person we’ve interviewed that has not balked at daily pay. My heart went out to this man who is desperately trying to care for his family. 

I cried out to God, "The people are hurting! They have so many needs! Please show us how to best help them. I can't carry this alone." How grateful we are that we can cast all our cares upon God, for He cares for each one of His children.