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 AMAZING RESULTS: UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
Madelina
Madelina's mother died of dysentery (deadly diarrhea) when she was 10 months
old. We suspect the mother had AIDS as Madelina showed all the classic signs of
an AIDS baby - most of all, a failure to thrive. She only weighed 10 lbs.
at 10 months old, and was unable to gain weight, even with six high protein meals a
day. She also experienced other common symptoms: constant respiratory
infections, diarrhea and malaria. It is a well-known fact that most AIDS
babies only live to be around 2.5 years old, but we hoped and prayed that
Madelina would somehow beat the impossible odds against her.
She was still too weak to even sit alone at 2 years, more than a
year after we started giving her food and medical help. Failing to gain any
weight, she still weighed only 10 lbs. We kept praying. In November of 2003, we
started her on a new food supplement called Hypo-Plus
that builds the immune system and reduces the viral count of HIV positive
patients. Her sicknesses stopped and she became strong enough to sit and play on her own, but still could not stand without help.
But, in September of 2004, Hypo-Plus
gave us packets of their new "mealie pop porridge" (corn meal cereal)
which contained Hypo Plus as well as vitamins and minerals for malnourished
children. In 4 months she gained 11 lbs, doubling her weight just in time for her 3rd birthday!
Again, she is well past the
normal lifespan for an AIDS baby, and is now walking independently, too!
What a miracle!
 Grandmas and Babies
In Moz. the extended family is expected to care for their own orphans, but in
many cases the grandmother is the only one who remains. We have many such scenarios
and the grandmothers are grateful for our help. They have the
assurance that when they die, their grandchildren will live on in our care and have a great chance at a future.
This woman, pictured on the left, is the typical example of a
grandmother who came to us with a tiny, malnourished baby badly in need of help.
We teach the women how and when to feed the child, including how to the boil
water, sterilize the bottle, mix the formula and hold the bottle, since most
have never seen one. We also provide the formula, which is very expensive
and hard to find in large quantities. (We must make the 14 hour round trip
drive to obtain it wholesale.) They are very grateful for our help in
saving their grandbabies.
 Too
Far to Walk
Americo, a 13 year old boy, reported that his grandma could no longer
walk the 30 mile round trip twice a month to get the food for him and his three siblings. We moved them from their remote village to one of our orphan homes
where the children can attend a better school. Grandma now feels more secure in
receiving our help each week and knowing the kids are in our direct care.
Can you help us rescue more children who are in desperate situations like
these? Please visit our sponsorship page
for more information. We will send you information and a photo of the
child whose life you help change.
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