January 15, 2017
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| Emmanuel and his friend Jonas playing ball |
A Clinical Case to Start Off the New Year & Reflections of the Previous
Year
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| She is getting stronger every day |
We had a very emotional admission to our malnutrition program this week. This year we had two deaths in one family from malnutrition, Francine and Moise. After paying a home visit to this family, a 10year old hungry child was found. On the home visit, our nutritionist and community advocate learned the reasons the family is struggling: depression, lack of planted crops, an absent father, and a mother trying to get by by selling a local alcohol. You name the difficulty and this family has been through it. There is no food in the house and they do not know where their next meal is coming from. It is a sad story and one we hear too often.
We agreed that this family was in crisis. There was some doubt if the mother would come
to the outpatient nutrition program with her child this week. She did not come, but the 10year old boy was
found on the road walking to attend the program alone. He said his mother was sick and his father
was not at home. He was desperately
hungry. He gratefully accepted a meal,
milk, and porridge. We all agreed to
find a woman to care for the child overnight and to send a message home.
The following day on rounds the young boy’s mother arrived
and we talked together. She was in full
support of the boy’s admission and recognizes that they need help.
I ask myself what can we do to really help this family,
trapped in poverty? MWe CAN provide a
safe refuge where the family will receive food, hear the Gospel, and receive
love from our staff. We CAN involve
community organizations that support local farming efforts. We CAN talk with the local church leaders and
chief of the village. We WILL do all of
these things over time. We WILL pray for
the family to be freed from this trap, of physical and spiritual poverty.
As we care for those in true need we are ministering to
Jesus Himself. Whatever we do to the
least of these we do onto Him. It is a
holy calling to give physical and spiritual care. It is my prayer that the Lord is pleased with
our daily work.
New Mothers
Looking back on this past year, we have admitted five women
to the feeding program. The thing these
women have in common is that they were new mothers. Many of them stopped lactating and their
babies were failing to thrive as well.
One young woman was diagnosed with gestational diabetes as the reason
for her severe weight loss. Another had
a re-activation of her tuberculosis with her 11th pregnancy. Most of these women beg for help to prevent
future pregnancies. On average the new
mothers gain >10kg over about 1-2months.
Pregnancy and motherhood are supposed to be joyous times in
life, although it is often during these times that women struggle to stay
healthy in Congo. I am proud to say that
the hospital meets the needs of these women during a nutritional crisis.
I am often reminded as I care for patients in need that I am
ministering to Christ. His identify is
seen in their beautiful faces. These
women are truly in need, cry openly, and are grateful for the help they
receive. It is not just about providing
for a physical need, although this is important. More completely, it is about loving people
who need support. I feel honored to be
part of these women’s lives.
Matthew 25:45 "The King will
reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these
brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'
Proverbs 14:31 He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker,
But he who is gracious to the needy honors Him.
Proverbs 19:17 One who is gracious to a poor man lends to
the LORD, And He will repay him for his good deed.
Matthew 10:42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he
will never lose his reward."
Matthew 25:34 Then the King will say to those on His right,
'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world.
Serving in Iraq
Thank
you for many of you who are praying for Warren and the work of the trauma
hospital in Iraq. The injuries are
severe, no respecter of age or sex. Over
100 lives have been saved through the efforts of this hospital in the past
week. The hospital was dedicated this
past week in the presence of Iraqi officials, World Health Organization and the
United Nations. Many organizations were
asked to provide help in this conflict, many refused. Samaritan’s Purse answered the call, true to
the parable of the Good Samaritan who stopped to help the wounded on the side
of the road after others passed by. My
husband’s skills acquired with trauma in residency in Chicago, and with many
war-injured in Sudan are being used to provide oversight/wisdom/skills to the
surgical team. I am proud of him and
what he can offer.
For
updates on the situation in Iraq, see the Samaritan’s Purse webpage:
Keep praying for us, for quick resolve of the conflict in Iraq, for the field hospital, for the continued work here in Congo.
Many blessings and love,
Lindsey for the Coopers
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| Dreaming about airplanes with 3 toy airplanes in his hands! |
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| Our Sunday morning crew. Thank you Angel fand Sheryl or all your help with our kids |
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| Thank you Angel! |
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| Dinner with our friends the Jacobssons |
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| High heels again |
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| Playing with Cocoa, an airplane in each hand |
