| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: FEBRUARY 25, 2023 BABY #19 AN URGENT RESCUE FELICIO (Fe-lee-cee‑o), now 11 months old, lost his mother back in April 2022, cause unknown. The only female in the family was his elderly grandmother, so she took over his care. All was going well until Felicio had frequent illnesses, and began losing weight in late January. His family claimed he was not digesting his food well, and was treated for his constant diarrhea. I suspected, but couldn’t prove, that his grandmother wasn’t feeding him properly, as our infants EXCEL when given this same diet.  11-month-old Felecio with Foster Mother Marcelina at the Lion House. On Feb. 16th, when the family brought Felicio for his weigh-in, he had lost weight even after the diarrhea had stopped. I immediately took them for a consult with our Malnutrition Specialist at the Balama Hospital. After his examination, the Doctor demanded the family bring this malnourished baby in for a 2nd consult the following week. He suspected the family’s story wasn’t totally true. On Feb. 23rd, the infant had lost 400 gms/0.7 lbs. IN THE PAST 7 DAYS! That now put him in a CRITICAL STATE as his 4.4 kg/ 9.7 lbs weight was just barely above his 3.16kg/7 lb. birth weight! REMEMBER, he is 11 months old! A normal weight for an 11-month-old is around 11kgs/24 lbs. The Doctor stated that the baby should be removed from this family immediately, and Social Services was called in. All were in total agreement that if the baby wasn’t removed from the current caretaker that day, there was little hope for his survival. After a long talk, the family agreed to release the infant into our care, so Felicio became urgent baby rescue # 19. Our 2 baby homes are too full of infants and under 3‑year-old toddlers to receive another critical infant. THANKFULLY, Foster mother Marcelina, who lives across the street from House #7, opened her arms and eagerly accepted Felicio since her 2 youngest orphans are now 4 and 5 years of age. These mothers do love to cuddle babies! There was no truth to the infant’s inability to digest food, as Felicio ate, drank, and soaked in all the love that the mothers of the LION HOUSE could shower on him. He was simply hungry and love-starved. RESCUE #19 WAS POSSIBLE BECAUSE YOU CARE. IF FELICIO COULD TALK, I KNOW HE WOULD TELL YOU HOW GRATEFUL HE IS TO HAVE A SAFE HAVEN WITH ALL THE NUTRITION AND LOVE HIS BODY DESIRES. ANNUAL PHYSICALS FOR OUR CHILDREN Each year, an annual physical by a Balama Doctor is required for all residents of any orphanage. It took about 5 hours to accomplish the task for all 51 of our children, but it is great to know that they are all healthy. Entertaining the toddlers was a blast, as some of the children experienced the swing sets for the first time!  Capena holding baby Joao just after his physical.  Three-year-old Adelide, an experienced swinger, shows Chebany and Salvador how it’s done.  Salvador takes his first swing with Chebany looking on.  Chebany’s first time in a swing! https://youtube.com/shorts/GcMDkYIUU1s  Me doing selfies with the toddlers. THANK YOU FOR LOVING OUR CHILDREN THROUGH YOUR LOVE GIFTS, AND FOR PRAYING FOR THESE PRECIOUS LITTLE ONES. BLESSINGS, BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
Monthly Archives: February 2023
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: FEBRUARY 18, 2023
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: FEBRUARY 18, 2023 A VALENTINE’S GIFT NO ONE EXPECTED NELCIA, the infant I spoke of last week, was released into our care from the Balama Hospital on Valentine’s Day! The reason: Nelcia’s family realized, after talking with the Doctor, that their Granny couldn’t care for such a fragile little one. Due to Nelcia’s mother passing away before this infant had any of it’s mother’s milk, her immune system became very compromised. That is why she became severely ill so quickly in her first week of life. We must keep her isolated from all other children for the next 30 days while her little body builds some immunity.  Baby Orlencia has just arrived at her new home. Nelcia, now called ORLENCIA, was renamed on Wednesday by her family when they registered for her birth certificate. Barely 19 days old as I write this, Orlencia is doing well with her new foster mother, Gilda. PRAY FOR ORLENCIA AND FOSTER MOTHER GILDA. Malaria is striking infants as young as 1 month, (malaria matures once a person is bitten in 10 to 14 days), so Orlencia’s protection from mosquitos is paramount.  Malnutrition Doctor comes to the car to check out our fragile little Orlencia on her 3rd day in our care. Foster Mother Gilda is holding her. SCHOOL DAYS IN FULL SWING! Our tutoring classes started this week after the students were settled in their new classrooms for 2023. A new face is on the scene as ALFERES, our 2022 teacher-graduate, is now getting practical classroom experience under the watchful eye of professional teacher, Pedro. Alferes is presently in the interview process for a job with the Balama school, but this takes lots of patience and time as we learned when Helder applied.  Teacher Pedro explains a point while Alferes and students listen and write. 3‑YEAR-OLDS JOIN THE PRESCHOOL! It’s fun and games for the teachers as they work with our 3‑year-old “tiny tykes” as they try their best to learn new games, songs, and Portuguese! Each child spends 3 years in our preschool preparing for first grade in the government school. Learning Portuguese and respect for others both in the classroom and at game time are key objectives that our teachers pass along to these under 5‑year-olds. The 4 and 5‑year-olds help teachers guide the 3‑year-olds in learning their first song. https://youtu.be/ShW2Aaxo-PY THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN US, AND PROVIDING THE NEEDS OF OUR EVER-GROWING CHILDREN. BLESSINGS, BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: FEBRUARY 11, 2023
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: FEBRUARY 11, 2023 5 INFANTS RECEIVED YOUR HELPING HAND On Thursdays, the infants in our milk formula program from all over the county/district come to our mission station to be checked, weighed, and given their milk formula and baby cereal. The following 5 infants all came to us this last Thursday. FIRST was the 3‑week-old orphan, Joao, whom you read about 2 weeks ago. Joao’s Aunt has her own 6‑month-old baby, and it was obvious that baby Joao was not receiving the care he needed. He had consistently lost weight since his Aunt took over his care three weeks prior, AND he has had a low grade fever for several days which she did nothing about. It was time for action on Joao’s behalf. Capena, our office manager, took Joao and the Aunt straight to the hospital. Social Services was immediately notified, and they came right over to see the infant. They agreed that Joao needed care that the Aunt wasn’t able to provide. The Aunt grudgingly allowed the infant to be admitted into our family once Joao’s other family members agreed he should live with us.  Newest member of our family, Joao/John, just 1 month old with Foster Mother, Mariano. SO WE HAVE 1‑MONTH-OLD JOAO NOW LIVING IN HOUSE NUMBER 6! JOAO/JOHN needs a $40/month sponsor since he will stay permanently with us. SECOND, the now 9‑day-old infant girl, Nelcia, who was admitted into the milk program as a 1‑day-old infant last week, is now very sick and unable to take a bottle. She was brought in with a mouth full of thrush (fungus), and an infected umbilical cord. BOTH are life threatening if not treated. She was admitted to the hospital, and our substitute mother, Mariamo, is assisting her. This story will continue as this little one fights for her life.  9‑day old Nelcia now in hospital for thrush and umbilical infections. THIRD, Noon time: A PREMIE NAMED JANETA, WEIGHING 1 KG/2.2 LBS was brought to us. Her mother died after being transferred from the Balama Hospital to the Montepuez Regional Hospital due to her complicated premature labor.  Premature Janeta, 8‑days old. Sadly, the bottle is bigger than her 1kg/2.2lb. body. This extremely fragile little girl could barely suck a bottle, so prayers are needed for her survival. She is in the care of her family, and her chances in this environment are not good. AT 3 PM, I thought my workday was done, when in walks a couple with their TWO-DAY-OLD TWIN GIRLS! This family was sent by Social Services to our mission station because the mother has multiple abscesses on both breasts and cannot breast feed. These girls, Roselda and Rosa, both weighed in at 2.7 kg/5.9 lbs. each.  Twin girls receive 1st milk formula as Fatima, Assistant Children’s Director, teaches the mother how to prepare the bottle. They should do very well if the parents are diligent in cleaning the bottles and using boiled water. Only time will tell. Needless to say, my staff and I were EXHAUSTED by the end of this day! But it was a happy tired, as we had helped 5 little lives, giving them a chance to survive. YOUR LOVE GIFTS MAKE THIS POSSIBLE, AND FOR THAT MY ENTIRE STAFF SENDS THEIR THANKS! SNEAKY SNAKE COMES CALLING This very fat ADDER (Rattlesnake family but no rattle) was hiding in the tall grass that had grown up in a few days around our Moringa trees. The foster mothers use the very nutritious Moringa leaves in our children’s food, so it is necessary to keep the grass cut down in the rainy season so they can safely get to the trees. Due to multiple days with heavy rains, we were unable to keep the fast-growing grass under control, thus it was over 1.5 meters/5 feet tall by this last Friday.  Sneaky Snake met his match! Sneaky Snake was enjoying his good hiding place in the grass as he searched out fat rats for his meals. We don’t mind him eating the rats, but because the ADDER is one of the biggest killers in all of Africa, his presence was unwanted. So, our men cutting the grass found him, making short work of this venomous killer. PREPARING FOR PRE-SCHOOL ON A HAPPY NOTE, toddlers Julio and Fatima are super happy as they get to start pre-school next week! Our original 13 infants are growing up fast!  Almost 3, Julio and Fatima start pre-school! BLESSINGS, AND MUCH THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND KINDNESS IN GIVING TO OUR PROGRAM. BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |
BUSH BUNNY BRENDA BLOG: FEBRUARY 4, 2023
| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: FEBRUARY 4, 2023 20-HOUR-OLD INFANT BROUGHT TO OUR DOOR ERMESIA, born on January 31, lost her mother immediately after she was born in her village. Ermesia, 2.7kg/5.9lbs. never nursed or received any fluids before coming to us at noon the day after her 4pm birth. This put her in a very dehydrated state. Our two Children’s Directors, Anna and Fatima, were at the market buying baby clothes for our fast-growing group of 16 infants and toddlers. While Capena, our Office Manager raced to fetch them, I sprang into action.  Bush Bunny Brenda feeding twenty hour old Ermesia. This baby needed fluids NOW! I quickly mixed up 2 ounces of formula and sat down to offer the bottle to the infant. Ermesia didn’t even hesitate! Sucking hard, she drank the formula with gusto! Anna and Fatima arrived, and gave detailed instructions to the Aunt on how to feed and care for her. Anna asked the Aunt to return the next day since they lived close, so that the infant could be checked. WHY? The first week an infant is on formula is CRITICAL as these Aunties and Grannies don’t understand the danger of feeding sour formula that’s been left in the bottle or in not washing the bottle between feedings. We like to check the bottles and infant with 2 days of entering the program, ESPECIALLY on a newborn like Ermesia. Sadly, the family didn’t come the next day as requested, so we must wait until they do come to find out if the infant is OK. Will update you on this story next week. MILK PROGRAM SAVES ANOTHER INFANT Older infants, like 3‑week-old girl, NILCIA, who was admitted Jan. 31 because her mother’s breast milk had dried up, usually adjust very well from being breast fed to being bottle fed. AGINA, the mother, is a refugee and family member of our Pastor Carlos who has 2 churches in the Kwe Kwe area of Balama. Without formula, this little girl would not have stood a chance at survival.  Nilcia getting first good feeding in several days. BOTH OF THESE INFANTS, PLUS THE 37 OTHER INFANTS IN OUR MILK PROGRAM HAVE A CHANCE AT LIFE BECAUSE OF YOUR LOVE GIFTS. THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE! 70-YEAR-OLD CHURCH MEMBER DOING HIS PART GENONO was carried to our office on a motorbike, as he can no longer walk the 3 km/1.5 miles from Rovuma to our mission station. But his hands work very well, as he still weaves very sturdy grass baskets for our church’s offerings! I’ll be distributing them to the newer village churches later this month.  GENONO brings us his handmade offering baskets for our village churches. At 70 he can still weave a great basket! Genono was blessed with an AWESOME HEALING over 15 years ago when we first began evangelizing the Rovuma area. A Muslim, Genono was carried to the tree where we met for church because his legs had no strength, but he wanted to hear about Jesus the healer. Receiving prayer at the end of our service, Genono stated his legs felt stronger, and he was able to stand. Within 2 days he was WALKING AND DANCING TO JESUS, for he had been healed! A devoted believer, Genono never misses a church service. PROVES YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD TO SERVE THE LORD IN WHATEVER WAY YOU CAN. BBC EVANGELISM REPORT With school beginning this week, the BBC’s saw increased attendance numbers LAST WEEK, as those children returned who had been helping their families plant their family farms. Here are two videos of last week’s activities, as both the motorbike team, and the bicycle teams saw an average of 200 ADDITIONAL children coming to their programs.  BBC TEAM really gets the kids excited before game time begins. https://youtu.be/DmNaCNQjf30  Bean bag toss is a game that challenges the throwing accuracy of the kids. https://youtu.be/nxka0OELu6c At the request of the village school officials, we canceled our program THIS WEEK so they could get the children focused and organized into their classes. Once the children settle into their classes, our teams will continue their village programs. MANY BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL AND KEEP WARM USA! BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA STAFF |