A new orphan was brought to the Child Center this morning. Her case was very strange and very sad. She is 9 months old. Her mother had gone out to look for firewood. Yes, that is one of the jobs of the women! The only tools these women have are a handmade ax and a machete. She was cutting a tree in a swampy area. She had her baby on her back and her son with her. Her son was not yet old enough to go to school or he would not have been with her. No one else was with her. When the tree fell it appears that her feet were stuck in the mud and she could not get away from the falling tree. The tree fell on her and killed her. The baby on her back was not killed. Her foot was hurt; she had bruising and open scrapes; she will not bear weight on that leg. The little girl used to crawl but since the accident she no longer will crawl. We suspect something is still hurting her. The continual crying of the baby alerted the farmers that something was wrong. The baby’s aunt has a 1 year old child that is still breastfeeding so she has taken care of her niece and is breastfeeding both children. The father of the child came to the Center with the child’s uncle. They also complained that the child’s ear is draining. Steve sent them to the hospital with the money they needed to see the doctor and get an x-ray of the leg. Steve gave them Cerelac (cereal with formula), weaning mix, and vitamins. He sent enough for the aunt to share with her own child too.
Nazo, the day man, told us today that he was afraid of the goat. He told us again that he thought that it was a witch. Mr. Iddrisu agreed that it could be a witch. If they really believe it is a witch they will not chase her out of the compound or do anything to annoy the goat for fear that she will cause bad things to happen to them. Please! Meri was also asking about the goat; she heard Nazo talking about it being a witch! We never mentioned that we had relocated her! Ha!
It has been trying to sprinkle off and on today. If it is raining when it is time for Bible study they will cancel it because it is nearly impossible to hear in the church building when it is raining because there is a tin roof on the building with no ceiling and no insulation.
Yesterday afternoon we walked behind the Child Center and noticed that Nazo was piling leaves and debris all over the back yard. There is a burn pile back there but he was dumping everywhere. When we asked him why he was not dumping on the burn pile he said that he was dumping the leaves on the little Nim trees that had sprouted. He was trying to kill them. Here is a novel idea, “pull the trees up when they first begin to grow”! He just made more work for himself.
Thank you for all the love, prayers and support.
In His Service,
Steve and Kandie
