Pictures: Top: Timo holding the baby with grandparents. Second: going through the bush to LC–Becky, Timo, KrisAnn, her daughter Emily, and Jackie. Third: LC in the middle, Dan to his right with the legal pad; Jackie foreground and Timo holding the baby. Fourth: Jackie bathing baby in my kitchen.
We have been concerned for quite some time about a very ill little baby in the village of Nama. The little boy was abandoned by his parents and left in the care of the grandparents. We discovered him in January of this year, but didn’t know the full story. In May we found that he was seriously malnourished and dehydrated. We took him to the hospital, bought medicine and food and gave the grandmother instructions for his care, but on subsequent check up visits we found him still suffering and often alone or in the care of small children. Dan and Timo had discussed the possibility of bringing him to the orphanage in order to nurse him back to health. Although there are no babies at the orphanage, the director, Margaret gave her permission for us to bring him. Timo and Dan also received the permission of the grandparents for us to take him. Jackie, Margaret’s 25 year old granddaughter, who is also my houseworker, agreed to care for him. So on Wednesday, Dan, Timo, the missionary KrisAnn, her two children and Jackie and I loaded up in my vehicle to go to Nama and make all arrangements.
First, we met with the grandparents who were eager for us to take him; however, we wanted to meet with the LC, Local Chairman of that village, to prepare a document so there would be no misunderstandings as to our intentions. He is free to go back to the grandparents at any time. The LC was attending a burial ceremony, so we all tramped through the bush to find him. After preparing the document and stamping it with his credentials, we were on our way. We brought the baby to my house where we gave him a good bath with Johnsons baby soap. We bought baby petroleum jelly to put on his very dry skin and scalp. Kris Ann happened to have a can of powdered baby formula and one 3month size onesy outfit, which ironically had written on the front: “my mom is the best.” Although he is 20 months old according to the grandparents and has a mouth full of teeth, he is very underdeveloped and quite small. The 3month outfit was too big and we had to ducktape the size large diapers we had picked up. (we have since bought size small) The only clothes we could quickly find in the village market in Mityana were also too big for now. But we will manage.
The child’s name is DEO, but Timo had suggested that we give him a new name. He and Kris Ann decided on David, which of course, was fine with me. Henry calls him King David.
Timo remarked to me as we were walking out of the village with the baby, “Maybe one day, this baby will grow up to be a great man.” (It is important that you know, that Timo became an orphan at age 2 and has grown up in his grandmother’s orphanage. And all who know him believe that one day, he, too, will be a great man of God.) Please pray for David. He has a very long way to go to begin to stabilize. Thank goodness, the missionary family is going to take him tomorrow through the weekend to carefully monitor his food and liquid intake.
I am praying that David will grow emotionally and physically in his new home. I showed this to some of my work study students here at the Children's Campus — so different from the chubby little ones we see everyday. How wonderful that God sent David to the orphanage where His love and goodness will surround this child through all of you.