We started cutting wood and piling brush this morning at 6:00. The weather was beautiful! The sky was covered with rain clouds, even though we did not get any rain the sun did not come out until about 9:00 and there was a breeze blowing the whole time we were working!
We filled the motor king and Steve took a load of firewood to Papa Zacharia the night watchman. He was so happy with the wood. We piled the fresh leaves on top of the firewood. Steve just left a few minutes ago to take a load of firewood to Nazo’s (the day man) house. He has to get that motor king emptied so we can start all over again tomorrow morning.
The wood cutter came back again this morning. We thought he was coming to cut up and take away the sticks but when he got here he thought he was going to get to cut up and haul off the firewood. I guess it was another case of the “Language Barrier” problem we have. His English is good and we were able to explain that the only thing we did not want were the leaves and small sticks. Instead of cutting up sticks we had him trim the mango tree that is behind the small round houses on the back side of the Child Center. Then we had him climb in the big mango in the front yard and cut out some of the dead branches that Steve cannot reach with the ladder.
The ladies that are taking care of the new set of mother-less twins came back to the Child Center. We were happy that both babies had gained a good amount of weight. These ladies came from a village near Bimbilia which is at least 1 ½ hours away from Yendi. Since the babies looked good and had gained weight we sent enough formula for the babies so the caregivers do not have to come back for 2 weeks. The ladies brought a friend with them. Their friend had a small child that was very low weight. We did not even have to weigh the child to know that she was seriously underweight. The little girl was 9 months old and only weighed 3.5 kilo which is about 7 ¾ pounds. Some new born babies weigh more than 7 ¾ pounds. The mother was concerned about the child’s weight. The child is a finger sucker. We see a direct connection between thumb and finger suckers and low weight children. We gave the mother weaning mix (corn – soybean porridge), oil, PPP (peanut butter that is fortified with dried milk, sugar and salt) and liquid vitamins. The mother is to bring her back in 2 weeks and get more food for her.
This afternoon Steve worked on the tract he is making on marriage. Well actually the tract is answering marriage questions he has been asked through the years. Marriage always generates a large number of questions.
Our son Aaron is supposed to get to go home this afternoon; he is in quite a bit of pain but it is not back pain but site pain from the surgery. Thank you for your prayers for the surgery and doctors; please pray for a speedy recover.
In His service,
Steve and Kandie
