Yesterday when Meri came to work I noticed that she had lost quite a bit of weight since last time we were here. Meri is one of the interpreters/workers at the Child Center. This morning I asked Mr. Iddrisu if he had noticed that she was growing lean. He agreed that she was losing weight. I asked Meri if she had been well. She said that she was well. I told her that I could tell that she had been losing weight and asked her what was wrong. She told me that her son Hussein had been sick for a long time and that she was worried about him and could not eat. I asked her why she had not taken him to the hospital to see what was wrong with him. She said that his health insurance had expired and she would have to wait another 3 weeks for it to be renewed. She said that they did not have the money to go to the hospital without health insurance. She said that instead of going to the hospital she went to a friend of the family. He advised her get some blood tests and Hussein tested positive for Typhoid Fever. A couple weeks later he was no better; he just lays around complaining of stomach pain. Meri then took him to see someone else and he took additional medicine. Still today he was no better. Meri was very emotional about the condition of her child and the thought of having to wait another 3 weeks before he could be treated. I cannot imagine how horrible it would be to have a sick child and no means of helping them. He is about 5 or 6 years old. After much discussion and figuring we decided that the best thing to do for the child was to back our ears and pay for him to go to the hospital and get the proper medicine to treat his illness. Steve gave Meri enough money to go to the hospital, pay the doctor, and buy whatever medicine he needed. I took Meri to her house and picked up the sick child, who was so weak that he needed assistance getting into the van and took him to the hospital. Meri called later this afternoon and said they had seen the doctor, gotten the medicine and were on their way home. Meri was so grateful for the help! We pass her thanks on to those who give us money to help the children.
As soon as we got up this morning we started making diaper rash ointment. We ran out yesterday. Diaper rash ointment is a coveted item in the Child Center. Seriously, the mothers love it and all it is made from is shea butter and baby powder.
Dawda, the mason came first thing this morning and started working on the platform for the poly tank. Steve spent a good portion of the day hauling block and running back and forth helping with the work. Tomorrow we will be hiring some additional help to haul the gravel from the back part of the property. When Nazo and Mr. Iddrisu raised the mounds to plant the cassava they dug up the road and there is no way to get the truck or the motor king to the gravel. The guys will have to haul it wheelbarrow by wheelbarrow; that would be job #110 in Ghana that I do not want!
Have a great day! Keep us in your prayers!
In His Service,
Steve and Kandie
