Friend of the Poor

 

On the African plains a young mother weeps for her hungry child,

She prays he'll survive.

With tear-filled eyes she looks up to heaven and calls Your name,

She pours out her pain.

You know her name and You hear her cries.

Friend of the poor, help me through the night;

Help me in the fight, come to my rescue.

Friend of the poor, take these skin and bones,

Make this heart a home, come to my rescue,

Friend of the poor.

 

~ Friend of the Poor by Andy Park

 

This is a picture of Vikpenidie and his mother, Yaa. They live in one of the sub villages of Kalsagri. His mother came to us last Sunday after service saying that Vikpenidie was too small, there is no breast milk. So, Rashid, the Nutrition Officer at the Lawra Methodist Clinic went to the village to see them. He encouraged Yaa to come to the clinic the next day. He would show her how to mix a special formula that would help Vikpenidie gain weight. On Monday, when they came, the baby was weighed. He is six weeks old and only 2.6 kg.! (That's 5.72 lbs. to my American friends/family.) Vikpenidie has Marasmus, a "dry" type of malnutrition. His skin is falling off his body because he is wasting away. He has sores all over his little body. Rashid gave Yaa a zinc oxide creme for the baby's body. He showed her how to make the special formula and how to feed it to Vikpenidie. Rashid also encouraged Yaa to stay at the Children's Centre for a week, just so she could get into the rhythm of making the formula and feeding Vikpenidie eight times a day. Monday and Tuesday she refused to stay. By the middle of the week, she still refused, but has promised - and kept her promise - to come every day to stay and learn how to prepare the special formula her baby needs. She came and learned and fed him, many times a day! She wants to see her baby survive. She wants him to grow strong. It will take time for Vikpenidie to gain weight, to be a healthy baby. But, with God, all things are possible! Rashid is a good nutritionist. He will do his best to make sure Yaa leaves with all the information she needs.

 

Please, pray for this small child to survive, and, not only survive, but live a life that will reflect the Father's joy, grace, love and mercy. And pray that when he is strong and older, he will glorify God because he has survived!