Jesse

So there was a new four months old baby at Fatima Orphanage this weekend named Jesse. But, thank God, he was not there to stay! Jesse was only visiting his dad at work; his father is one of a group of Liberian men who are working with us to remodel a few of the buildings within the orphanage.

Sidebar: Mercy Ships works to partner with local groups for projects. We would like to work with the people and, often, educate them on better ways of doing things (whether it is construction, agriculture or medical) rather than just coming in and doing everything for them.

So I watched Jesse for the day while his father worked. It was so much fun playing with a little baby again. And it really made me miss Khotso, who was the baby at the orphanage that I "adopted" while in Lesotho. As my friend Jay stated over dinner "you really love children". Which is true...I love children! But while it was fun watching Jesse for the day it was also a reminder of how blessed we all are simply because of where we live, the medical treatment that is available and all the other blesssings that are easy to take for granted.


Jesse's story: Jesse is actually the only surviving baby out of the triplets that his parents had; there was a second baby boy and a baby girl. The mother had a very difficult delivery and the baby girl died at the hospital. The mother and both boys were very sick and after a month the baby boy died. Sadly, the mother never recovered from childbirth complications and she died a week after the little boy. Hearing this made me ask myself "when was the last time I heard of a woman dying from childbirth complications?". Children are delivered so often that, I know for myself anyway, I forget how amazing and dangerous childbirth is. But I also forget how much is available through Western medicine in case there are complications, which were not available to this little family in Liberia.

Jesse and his father are doing fine. Jesse is a beautiful, healthy baby boy with plenty to say! And I hope to see him again over our last few weekends in Liberia.

Laughing at some of the ladies who say I look "comfortable" with Jesse. I love children and Africa but am not ready to become a Liberian wife and mother!

Getting some help from Josephine (one of the orphans) and Vern (a fellow crew member) as Jesse spits up on me!