| FROM “BUSH BUNNY BRENDA“ DATE: OCTOBER 21, 2023 PROTEIN PARTY GIVEN BY CIS COMPANY Last Saturday our 55 resident children were treated to a fabulous high protein meal, thanks to the CIS Company of Balama District. CIS representatives visited our office several months ago to ask how they could help our children. Their company provides the meals for the local graphite mine, just 6 miles from our base. We explained that increasing the protein via meat was our biggest concern. We expected a 1 time gift of meat, but instead their leader agreed to providing a high protein meal for the children twice monthly! WHAT A SURPRISE! The CIS people brought a spread of goodies including beef, chicken, rice with veggies, and salad plus tiny cupcakes for dessert. It was a great party and really lifted the spirits of the children!  CIS team preparing to serve food to our children  Our BIG FAMILY singing as they wait for their high protein lunch from CIS https://youtube.com/shorts/cGoEBGIIDkA?feature=share How long this will continue is uncertain. But our great thanks goes out to the CIS Company for making this meal a feast for our children. BABY #26 NOW IN OUR CARE On Thursday, baby girl AFUSA (ah-foo-sah), barely 1‑year-old, was removed by Social Services from her Aunt’s care due to severe neglect. This little girl has consistently lost weight over the last 8 weeks at our baby weigh-in, and developed severe diarrhea 7 days ago. The hospital staff discovered that the Aunt had neglected to buy the medication needed to treat Afusa’s diarrhea after a Balama MD had prescribed it for her at the hospital last week. The Aunt was given the money to pay the 5 meticais (3 cents American) for the medication. After a week of no diarrhea treatment, the little girl presented on the 19th at our INFANT MILK FORMULA PROGRAM in very poor health. She is in the severely malnourished category as she only weighs 6.5 kg/14.3 lbs. at one year of age AND HAS 3 ILLNESSES.  An unhappy Baby Afusa held by Mariamo in hospital Needless to say, I took her directly to the Emergency Room for treatment. A finger stick test showed she had malaria, on top of her severe diarrhea with dehydration, and a sinus infection as well. Social Services placed the infant into our care, and the Aunt was dismissed. IV medications and fluids were immediately given, but this little one is not out of danger yet. Malaria and severe diarrhea together are a lethal combination to an infant. Please pray for her to recover quickly and completely. I will update you next week on her progress. PEMBA INSPECTORS LOVE PLAYING WITH OUR CHILDREN A surprise inspection found us hosting 3 separate teams of wonderful people from the Pemba Social Service office this last week. Talking and playing with the children, it was easy to see that each team enjoyed the children very much.  Provincial (state) Director of Social Services in red and white dress talking with the foster mothers and the children  One of the inspectors interacting with our toddlers The 3 teams came on different days this last week to inspect our orphan homes and to make sure all our orphan records were complete. Each team had a special task to do.  Our visitors really enjoyed the babies Seems a National Team of Inspectors will be coming soon to check our orphan homes and records as well. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE THROUGH YOUR FAITHFUL LOVE GIFTS! BUSH BUNNY BRENDA LANGE AND THE BALAMA TEAM |
