health care?

not so much. yesterday we took porage to the hospital. i was offered a cup and in an effort to be gracious, i swallowed it as fast as i could. it's made of cornmeal, flour, water and a tiny bit of sugar, but you can't taste it. you know when you leave cornflakes in milk for about and hour? imagine that, but warm and just a bit thinker. riiiight.

anyway, their hospital consists of a few small buildings broken up into wards. lindsey , steve and i were all in seperate groups, which allowed us to see more of the hospital. i went to the childrens ward and the burn ward. it was heart wrenching. in many of the ward there are not enough beds, so people are doubled up in a bed or standing. while it's hard to see kids sick, the burn ward was what hit me hard. there were so many kids, and just a few adults. since most people cook outside in big pots on coal and fire wood, that is where most of the accidents occur. many kids get too close or run up to their mother's while they're cooking and end up with boiling porage or oil spilled on them. one little girl in particular that i prayed for has stuck with me. she couldn't have been more than 4 or 5, and had been there for 2 months. she had been left home alone, and when she got hungry, she tried to cook for herself. her dress caught fire and there was no one there to help her. she ran through the street until a man finally saw her and put the fire out. she was burned from head to toe. she layed in the bed, not making a sound, staring blankly. when i sat on the floor next to bed to pray for her, her eyes caught mine briefly. i felt so helpless. she layed under a small metal arch that held the blanket up from touching her.

at two months, we in the states, have a very good chance at recovery. here in africa, the outcome is uncertain until the day the last sore is healed because of the widespread opportunity for infection.

the culture is so different here. the kids are virtually left to raise themselves and their younger siblings. they learn very quickly to move out of the road when a car comes...just after barely starting to walk. they seem so forgotten. i was actually told that many families have 7 kids, knowing they'll probably loose a few to illness or injury. it's so common place, some seem to not even mourn the loss. on our way out to majengo where yesuanaweza center is, there is a coffin maker on the side of the road. everyday, we see them in the yard, building, sanding and staining coffins of all sizes. it's a booming business.

please pray that God will speak to the people of africa. it's time for a change, and it won't be a small one. the entire culture needs a drastic overhaul.