kasensa sept 2011

Kasensa - October 2011


Greetings from Joy, Timmy, Abigail, Molly, Alex and Michael (pictured above) and Jack, Twaambo and Aggie and our new wee ones – Rozina and Michael.

Richard and I returned to Zambia at the start of September. Kasensa was well cared for in June and July by Wes and Doreen Mann and then until we returned by Albert and Marianne and their adult children and spouses. Great work everyone!

Kasensa’s number of children was reduced at the end of 2010 during the transition time of the Calders family leaving but is now starting to creep up. Last week 2 babies were added: Rozina and Mikey #2. As well, one more – Abraham - is possibly coming today. The mom is HIV +ve and very physically depleted. Her cd4 count is extremely low and she’s on antibiotics for some opportunistic infections.

Jack and Twaambo have been preparing for their big exams – grade 7 for Jack and grade 9 for Twaambo. Twaambo is very serious about his performance and Richard has been tutoring him and his friend Colin some afternoons in mathematics.

Aggie – being the teenage girl she is loves to spend lots of time with her girlfriends. She is quite helpful in the Sunday school program and helps in the kitchen here on Saturdays.

Joy has started crawling and she is a joy. She has the best smile! Abigail keeps us busy trying to keep her skin in tact. She was the worst case of eczema that I’ve seen. We slather eucerin on her many times a day and also apply hydrocortisone 1% . If anyone knows of better ways to treat extreme eczema please send us additional information. She’s been tested twice for HIV and so far is negative. But…we shall test again when she’s over a year old. She baby talks in a raspy voice! A doctor visited us last week and he said likely she’ll become asthmatic as time goes on. He couldn’t think of anything we could add to her slathering regime.

Molly and Timmy are now 3 years and 3 months. I’ve seen their parents many times now and they are very incapable of caring for them. Other family members have also failed to take responsibility for them. So…what to do? We are praying for a Zambian family to open their arms very wide for these 2!

Michael needs to have hernia surgery soon – so maybe we can get that scheduled yet for October or early November. Alex is a busy 15 month old boy! He has a sweet smile – but he is tricky! He keeps the aunties hopping. When music is put on he jumps to action and starts dancing. We have discharge planning meetings set up with family in two weeks time with Alex’s family and as well, Joy’s family.

Rozina came to us last week. She’s 6 ½ months old, but is so tiny! She’s a spry and very alert wee one. Her mom died 2 weeks ago and the family just do not have the capacity to look after her. I spoke with an uncle today – a lawyer. He and his wife have raised 12 children and they also now care for several of the grandchildren. He was at the funeral for Rozina’s mom and assessed that if Rozina stayed with the family she would be neglected and likely also die soon. The uncle plans to accompany me to the family village in about 3 weeks.

Michael (2) is 31/2 months old and he’s quite opposite of Rozina. He’s a brick! He’s already 15 lbs. Both parents are alive – but mom is very sick with TB and cannot seem to get her strength back as they also have a set of 2 year old twins and a 4 year old. The dad works full time for a tobacco farmer, which means 6 days a week of long hours. The grannies are not strong enough to care for the twins, the 4 year old and the new baby.

Prayer

Thank you Lord for these precious ones! Each one is uniquely created by you!

We grieve with the ones whose mom’s have died and for those who are separated from their families because of sickness. We pray Lord that we can help ease their loneliness and that we can be the best substitute parents that we can possibly be.

Also, God we pray for the families of all of these wee ones. We pray that each family can be preparing to receive them home and that we can have much wisdom as we work with each family. We pray for wisdom to know how to best help in each situation.

Thank you God for your protection and for your guidance!

Lovingly,
Kasensa staff