It’s Wednesday March 13 and we’ve not posted on the blog in a couple of days. We’ve had electricity but honestly have been too tired to write at night. I, personally, have been heavy-hearted over a baby named, Whitney. Little Whitney is 18 months old & weighs only 11 pounds!
We first met Whitney on Sunday at Bweya Community Church. After much worship through music, the children are led to the canopy of a mango tree, for children’s worship. There are two individuals, Muhammed and Jacob, who have taken the leadership of establishing a children’s ministry. Part of this children’s ministry involves providing a meal of porridge; a milky substance similar to our oatmeal, but much more watery. The porridge has very little nutritional value and looks like gray water.
Muhammed wanted us to meet Whitney and he shared that the parents of this child do not attend the church. However, his 6 year old cousin brings him every Sunday in order to receive food. No one knows who Whitney’s father is, but the mother is a local prostitute, who often leaves Whitney for days at a time, alone, with nothing to eat. Whitney is a defenseless soul, enduring the ramifications of this sinful world. He’s taking on pain and suffering, yet deserving of nothing but love.
As we removed Whitney’s clothing to get a better understanding of just how undernourished he was, I was immediately sickened at the gross neglect my eyes were seeing. I’ve traveled to Uganda many times throughout the last 4 years. One trip included traveling to the north to feed an area where 5,000 women and children are on the brink of starvation. But as I see the skin barely clinging to the skeleton of this child, I was again pierced by the tremendous injustices of this world. Not only was I sickened, but I was angered to a degree in which I had not experienced in a long time.
I was left asking, “What is wrong with us?” God has provided enough resources throughout this world such that no child should NOT endure this level of suffering. We are a selfish people, rising to such levels of financial blessings, yet it is to the expense of others, such as Whitney?
Many could immediately become incensed with his mom. However, I believe she's doing the best that she's known how to do up to this point. We greatly underestimate the level of education and "know how" of people in third world countries. We forget that due to past regimes, there are children raising children as well as young adults who have been ushered into adulthood without parents.
Muhammed has interceded and talked with the mother. She gave permission for us to provide Whitney a visit to a local doctor. Whitney was taken to the doctor where he was treated for a respiratory infection and the obvious was stated....”severe malnutrition”.
As we shared information and pictures of Whitney with MaryLee Bolitho (an american and close friend who serves as a missionary here in Uganda). Mary Lee expressed concerned of the potential of an intestinal blockage. She commented that the body appears to be eating itself. So, again, the mother has given permission for the baby to be seen by a physician...this time, a specialist. That appointment is today!
Please pray for Whitney, the physician as well as the team as we are all burdened by this situation.
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