Our children are the future!

Every week we hear these words from women and men here in South Sudan! We can certainly identify with this sentiment - so often we look to the next generation to find ways and inspiration to help make this world a better place in which to live - whether we live in the USA or in Africa, or any place we are planted! Since our last post, we have shared the joy of doing health screenings on nearly 130 children in a local children's home! I realize what joy I feel when I see a healthy child's face, and what a privilege it has been to work in healthcare with children around the world over these past 30 years! An 18 month old boy was taken to this same home just 6 weeks ago - very malnourished and sick, since his mother had died when he was only 2 months old. He was unable to sit on his own. But, with the love and care of many adults and other children in the children's home, he is now a smiling child with the strength to sit and will soon walk! James 1:27 says: "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." We are seeing the fruits of pure hearts who care for others in this way - but what a challenge to us all! A few weeks ago I wrote about "Trainings" and their importance in this country. We have just completed 5 trainings with Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) where we taught them a new skill - to use simple bulb syringes to suction the mouths and nostrils of newborns with problems breathing after delivery. This week we heard the testimony of one of these TBAs - she helped a mother on Tuesday, where the baby came out very flat and not breathing. After suctioning and stimulating the baby, the infant started breathing and crying! Praise God for opportunities to empower these very special TBAs who assist women in their communities to bring each

precious child into this world in a safe way. HOPE FOR THE FUTURE!

DEATH to LIFE

September 2012...... DEATH TO LIFE Statistics in South Sudan indicate that 1 in 7 women die due to complications of labor and delivery AND 1 in 4 children die from common, often preventable,diseases before the age of 5. STARTLING STATISTICS! Many of us cannot comprehend what that means for a family and for a community as their lives are impacted by death nearly every week. We are beginning to understand a little better what these statistics means by experiencing with our South Sudanese colleagues and friends the fine balance and fragility of life in this setting. In the last 3 months one of our MCHW/TBAs (maternal child health worker/traditional birth attendant)lost an 18 month old daughter, probably to malaria, and just 2 weeks ago, one of our co-workers lost his 3 month old son, probably to pneumonia. No matter where or how hard we worked as doctors, we would not have been able to prevent these deaths and this grief. Many of our colleagues have experienced deaths by suicide among their extended family members in the last year. Grief, trauma, tears.... The words from Psalm 116 spoke to me this week: "I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: 'O Lord, save me!' The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you." (vs. 1-7) We are seeing the Lord's grace and compassion at work here, through the people who care and love on those who have experienced such grief and pain. We, the church of Jesus Christ, are to be present in this world, where death is common and life is not easy. It is not comfortable for us - but it is possible, with God's strength and spirit. I recently read the following words from Betsie ten Boom (sister to Corrie ten Boom, author and survivor of Nazi Germany) that touched me - I hope it touches you too: "The most important part of our task will be to tell everyone who will listen that Jesus is the only answer to the problems that are disturbing the hearts of men (and women)and nations. We shall have the right to speak because we can tell from our experience that his light is more powerful than the deepest darkness...How wonderful that the reality of his presence is greater than the reality of the hell about us."