For those of you who are following the happenings here I wanted to give an update.
The little Arab boy that was brought in by Naomi last week died in the afternoon the day after being brought in. I was looking for the mother when I was bringing the milk for the afternoon meal and I couldn't find her. Then other mothers tried to tell me in Arabic and other languages that the baby died. Someone finally said "mort" which means dead in French and I caught that word and instantly knew that she left here with her lifeless baby in her arms.
On Wednesday last week I went over to the hospital with Naomi to feed the babies. We had many things on the agenda for the day. We saw that the 12 year old boy sitting up outside enjoying the breeze. This is the boy that I said was a perfect example of an "Ethiopian poster child". Well he was up enjoying the day as though he had never been sick. My whole being was full of joy. I was so happy to see him up and smiling. Naomi spoke with him and he said, "a tall white man just came over to me and said that I should go home, there is nothing wrong with me". Naomi got tickled by the way he said it and just busted out laughing. I asked him if he could have anything to eat right now what would it be? He replied, boul! His family was making him boul which was a relief to me cause I don't know how to make it. We took some pictures with him and I sent him off with a few gifts I had at my house. They live in Bere' and I told him if he ever sees me in the market he should come say hi to me and maybe we could go shopping together. He gave a big smile and nodded his head ok.
We moved on looking for the woman that is pregnant due any day with the mal-nourished baby that is about 10 months old. We found her across the hospital compound by the bathrooms. She hasn't eaten for a day and has no energy to care for her other baby. Naomi asked a few personal questions and said she needed to be checked out by the doctor. I asked her if I could take her baby with me so she could take care of herself. She was perfectly happy with the thought. Naomi assisted her and I brought her little boy home with me. Naomi came back to my house and announced to us that the woman is in labor. Now remember this woman has no one so I took it upon myself to care for the baby. As the night went on I kept checking on her to see if she delivered yet. My last check was 11:00 p.m. and no new baby yet. I came home and set things up to sleep with the little one. I got NO sleep! Wow! It's been a long time since I have cared for a baby all night long. The next morning I made my way over to the hospital to visit the woman and her new baby. She had another boy! She was in a lot of pain and all alone with blood all over her. All the hospital staff was in a staff meeting and that will last for 1-2 hours. I didn't know what to do to help and I can't speak her language. Today was Naomi's day off but I really needed her. I sent Tony to go get her on the motorcycle. Shortly after Naomi comes to the rescue. When she saw the young mother laying there like that she got angry and then tears came running down her checks. "Why has no one cleaned her up?" She talked with the mother and said she has been alone since midnight after delivery. All Naomi said to me is I will clean her up and take her home with me. And so it was, 10 hours after birthing a baby this woman is on a motorcycle with Jamie heading out to Naomi's house. Naomi is walking with both children one on the back and one in the front in the heat of the day. I gather all the ladies things and pack them up and get Cory, Brichelle and Tony to help me carry everything to Naomi's. After everything and everyone makes it to Naomi's house she gets busy. She makes a place for her guest and then builds a fire and gets water boiling. She baths both the mother and the new baby. I don't even know what to say about this woman that God put here to be with me. I want to thank those that have donated a little money directly for Naomi and her family. After the storm we got a couple donations that was specifically to help Naomi rebuild her roof. We helped her get the metal roof put on her new home. God has provided a way for her to get her own property about 4 months ago. She has worked really hard making all the bricks to make two new homes and so we used your money to put the roof on her new homes instead of the house that was for someone else that she has been staying in. So now she is using the second house to help others. I thanked her for all she is doing and told her that God will bless her. God is really using this woman. There is so much more to say about this woman that I have to write it all in my next story. Just please continue praying for all of us and our work here.
Thank you!
Tammy
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