Truth be told, if I had to raise a child in someplace other than the western world I would probably stink big time at keeping them well and personally not going mad trying to keep them alive. Sad truth. SO many woman try and succeed at this very impossible task! Humility. What amazing women! I wish I could give them all a day or a week or month off of that stressful and weighty task, some how.
During the depths of my self-drama over my "sick" kids, I got an email from our contact at the ministry that oversees Ezra's care. It all reminded me how lucky/blessed we are to live in a place where very few children run the risk of dying of preventable things under the age of 5, but nearly 1 in 10 do in Uganda.
We got his picture of Ezra looking sick and extremely thin!
He was running a dangerously high fever and malaria was suspected.
I was alarmed because just a few months prior he looked fat, happy and healthy. Honestly I had to double check they had sent the right photo and that this wasn't some other kid. But it was him.
The ministry nurse and social worker decided to take him to a pediatrician that day, where he had a blood test that found he had no malaria in his blood, but a very serious bacterial infection (which was exactly what Thea had the first week I had her in my care, it was scary stuff... one of her orphanage mates died of it 3 days after we arrived... it was horrible!) They got him on antibiotics, daily injections of something to help him and they also got a month worth of milk that his aunt could pick up for him daily at a local milk supplier.
Yesterday I got this update photo... He has gained weight and is already looking so much better!
He had taken his last dose of the anti-biotic that morning, and the nurse said that his aunt had been very careful to follow all the instructions and to cooperate with the doctor's orders. Yay Aunty! Yay family! I am filled with hope and pride today... I am so proud that this family is surviving... and thriving! Best of all, I love how Ezra is cuddled up on his aunty's shoulder. He is loved and is giving love! He has never spent one day of his life in an orphanage and he is being cared for by people who take personal responsibility for his needs!
Families CAN care for their children... even when it seems very very challenging!
~Post Script~
Very interestingly, two years ago tomorrow was when I held Ezra and heard his family's story... we surrendered the idea that adoption was the only solution and moved forward with the task of keeping Ezra in his loving family, despite his double "orphan status" and his legitimately risky circumstances in life.
God is good!
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