Crisna

This past week we received some donation boxes sent from Alabama. They included a donation of 60 pounds of pediasure. The pediasure I originally thought was formula and I had been thinking of some babies who could use formula. When I opened the boxes and saw it was pediasure age 1 and up. I started to think of any other kids I knew who were malnourished but over a year old.

 

I thought of another little girl who had been sent home from the House of Hope because she would not eat for the nanny. She was enrolled in a rice and milk program to monitor her weight but would be cared for by her mom.

 

I ask a nurse volunteer to go visit her house with me and take her some pediasure. On the walk over to her house only a few blocks from mine I was very nervous about what we are going to find.

A few weeks little 18 month old girl who was sent home weighing 13 pounds.

 

What would she look like today?

 

We walked up to this little wooden shack with dirty children happily playing outside. We saw her mom sitting outside with her 7 children but no Crisna in sight. My heart dropped a little as I thought here it is -my biggest fear she died. We ask through a Miskito translator where the baby is. Since I don't know what they are saying and no one moves I start to panic inside. The translator then tells us she is just sleeping inside. We ask for her to please go get her and bring her outside. The mom returns with a lethargic baby in her arms way smaller than the girl I had seen a few weeks ago. My nurse friend lifts up her shirt to reveal her tiny skeleton like body. I look into her unresponsive sunken in eyes and see a baby who is not done fighting. I put a few drops of pediasure in her mouth and she gags because she is has not eaten in so long.

 

My friend and I both say we are taking her back to House of Hope.

 

She now weighs a mere 10 pounds at 18 months old.

 

Please pray for sweet Crisna and those fighting with her.

Thank you

This week I have been getting a big lesson in being thankful… from my 2 year old.

Grace has been learning to say thank you.

She has taken saying thank you to a new level. Believe me when I say she says "thank you" for and to EVERYTHING.

So I have started to think. What would it look like if I were to be that thankful?

Thank you Lord that I get to change dirty diapers all day long because it means I have a healthy baby who gets more than enough food and bottles each day.

Thank you Lord for the dirty dishes piled in my sink because that means we had food today.  Thank you Lord that we have dishes to eat off of and utensils to eat with.

Thank you Lord for this hot sunny day that allows my clothes to dry in a few hours.

Thank you Lord for the rainy days that cool things down and fills our well with water.

Thank you Lord that we have so many clothes that I had to think about what I was going to wear today.

Thank you Lord that we have electricity that allows us a little family time after dark each night.

and the list goes on.

 

What would it look like if you were thankful for everything?

"Be Joyful always; pray continually,

give thanks in all circumstances"
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Since I am bragging on ministries let me brag on two we get to serve along side right here in Puerto Lempira.

A few years ago I searched the UMVIM  website for a place to go on a mission trip I came across a place called House of Hope  in Puerto Lempira, Honduras. That summer I came for a two week visit that changed my life in every way possible. 

House of Hope is a short term home (although they do have some long term kids) for partially handicapped and malnourished children. Thousands of children have received nourishment from House of Hope and hundreds have been sent out to the city for surgery.  House of Hope was founded by Dr. Tom Brian and run by missionaries Katrina and Roger Engle who have lived in La Moskitia for 20 years now. Katrina is known by the whole region as “Mama Miriki” or American mother. She is our go to person for any missionary and cultural advice.   Katrina and House of Hope have paved the way for all the Americans and ministries in this jungle town.

Novelina weighed 13 pounds at 3 years old. This is her a month after being at HOH.

Another great ministry is Reach Out Honduras founded by Laura and Alex Waits. The Waits family and their 5 kids are our neighbors, family, and friends here in Puerto Lempira. I have said a million times I don't know if I could make it here without the Waits family.  They work in the areas of discipleship, education, and sustainable solutions. They are starting a bilingual christian school that will provide "private" education for those who can not afford it.  They have almost completed construction on the first room classroom!