End of Day 4:

I still have much to write about yesterday, but not enough time to write it. So, I must start with what touches me deepest and hope that I will remember the rest another day.

At the end of our busy day, we returned to the old missionary house. As things were being arranged, I saw a baby in her mother’s arms. I had wanted to hold a baby all day. Now I asked to hold this one. She seemed so tiny, with big bright eyes. I prayed over her the prayer I pray for my children. May the Lord bless you and keep you… I asked some ladies the age of the child. They said 5 months. I thought how could that be. She is so small, maybe the size of a newborn. I noticed her forehead seemed narrow. Then Mark and Peter took pictures of me and Ester, the child. Peter also noticed this child seemed small. He evaluated the child and asked questions to her mother. Ester is the youngest of three, although her mother looks no older than 20. Peter says she has mild CP and microcelphus. Of all the babies, I saw today, this one I was able to hold. This one is very sick. I pray, oh how I pray, God led me to this child for life, not death. For hope and a future. Oh God, please, bless this child and keep her. Make your face to shine on her and be gracious to her. Give her a hope and a future. Amen.

Also, we gave away all ten birth kits today. I met Nancy, yesterday. She is Pastor George’s wife and an experienced midwife. She has an excellent midwife kit that is from UN, I think. It has more supplies than our simple kits, yet it lacks some of the disposable things. When they move into the new house, she will begin delivering babies in the kitchen because there is no midwife house in the village. However, delivering in the kitchen with a clean floor is much better than on a dirt floor, which is what they have now.

(Took a break for supper, rice and chicken again. This is the 5th time today we have been offered rice and chicken to eat.)

OK, it’s after supper now and I’m a little calmer now than I was before. I just had my first “bucket shower” and I feel refreshed, especially since we left Moko’s yesterday morning. I’m typing at Kristy’s laptop while my 4 gb of pictures and video download to a flash drive and listening to Chris Tomlin on Kristy’s Ipod in the middle of the Liberian jungle in the old missionary house with a generator for electricity and for that I’m really thankful. I did bring 5 small batteries-lanterns, they help at night. There is also a toilet here. Big bonus. I’m seen some interesting “bathrooms” on this trip.