Update on Big Brown Eyes

It´s been over three weeks. The doctors said he was supposed to be dead by now. He was listliss, barely breathing, losing weight, and not eating. All the odds were against him. But God had something else in mind for baby Hector.

Hector appears to be improving. He still has trouble breathing on occassion for which we have to nebulize him, but for the most part he´s doing better. He loves to smile a lot now and coo. I think he´s a little flirt. He is also learning to love bath time by splashing around and smiling. He also does this new thing of folding his hands together like he is going to pray, but still interchanges that motion with his famous ear tugging.

This past week I got to take care of Hector for the night. He is such a precious baby, but a lot of work. He has more medicines than some old people, which have to be given around the clock. Needless to say, I had a tiring night. He would wake up fairly often hungry. I think I got a total of 2 hours sleep that night.

Hector got to spend two nights with us out at 38, away from his nebulization things. I´m hoping that´s a good sign.

Well, this was just a quick little update. Please keep praying for this baby, his parents, and our team that we can make wise choices regarding the care of this precious child.

Name Calling

Emily and I were on our way to another class. It was hot and sunny when we got out of the taxi and crossed the road to enter the community we were holding the health classes. People were all around sitting and chatting with one another. However, one woman in particular look at us, saw us approaching, and got up to walk away. We didn´t really think anything of it and continued on to class.

After class that day one of the ladies asks us if we have been hearing any rumors going around about us. Of course we hadn´t heard anything. Well, the whole class gets interested in this conversation and begins to tell us all this gossip we have stirred up in the little community of 2 de diciembre.

Apparently, it turns out that Emily and I are the antichrist come in lambs clothing to deceive and kill the residents of the community. It was spreading around that we bring medicines and free things just to get the people to like us so that we can go and kill them later for their organs and fat. You see, they think we can use their fat to run our ¨white people airplanes¨. Thus, making us the antichrist. Well, we denied these accusations and had a good laugh about it.

The lady who I mentioned earlier that walked away from us is one of the ladies that believes this and is scared of us. I saw her the next time we were there and said hi as we crossed paths. Either she wasn´t too scared or has changed her opinion.

For the most part the people of the communities we go to are very open and welcoming to us. While we do sometimes have difficulties, they aren´t anything to hinder our work. We finished the program in that community we a good send off. God knows our difficulties but he always has doors open somewhere for us.

Hector Daniel

The first time I saw Hector was at church. He was a really sick looking baby. He was ashen gray and did not move much at all. He also smelled of vomit and urine. Anita had informed Jenni of this baby and they went out to visit it the following Sunday. Jenni came back later saying the baby was really malnurished.

That same night the whole family of the baby, mostly aunts, came to hand the baby over to us so we could care for him. While they were there we found out they were feeding this 4 month old baby cows milk, flour with water, tea, and I saw them give the baby a bottle after giving it to the monkey. Basically, they were trying to keep it alive on whatever they could. The mom of Hector got really sick and was unable to care for the baby. So the aunts and uncles were looking after it. Unfortunately, nobody has proper money to care for the baby.

Jenni took him to the hospital that night. The baby got amitted with severe dehydration and malnutrition. I don´t remember how long he was there, but we were all having to take turns to stay with the baby. The nurses don´t really do much but give the medicines. So usually the mom stays and cares for the baby.

When my turn came to care for the baby i was all nervous. I had never really been around babies too much. Well, this was a good crash course. Hector was started to get some strength back when I took care of him. He was following me with his eyes and eating fairly often. He was so precious and just melted my heart with his big brown eyes.

He got discharged a few days later. We were going to keep him until he got stronger and the mom got stronger. But the baby got sick again. This time he had pneumonia. I don´t remember if he was admitted or not to the hospital, I think he was. However, many of the antibiotics weren´t working. They finally put him on a combination of vancomycin and something else. The poor thing was having trouble eating and would get so frusterated. However, he seemed to be doing better after a bit.

Not too soon after, Hector started to go downhill. He wasn´t eating well and having abnormal breathing patterns. After another trip to the doctor the test results came back that Hector was HIV positive. He was soon started on retrovirals to slow down the virus. This last Sabbath, the same day he started his HIV treatment, we were all with him and he started to have trouble breathing. He couldn´t get any air and was turning blue. He was then taken back to the hospital. The news came back that little baby Hector was dying.

We are not sure how many days this precious child has left. We are all very saddened by this news. It is really sick how sin has plagued this world. Even the most innocent of babies can´t go unscathed. I pray that God´s will be done in the life of Hector Daniel and that he feel no pain or discomfort.

I ask all who read this to pray for the family of Hector. There is a lot of sadness coming there way. Turns out the mother of Hector has full blown AIDS with a possible TB. Her husband and two other little boys are going to get tested today.

After experiencing all this tragedy I cling to the thought that Jesus is coming soon. Soon there will be no more tear, illnesses, death. Only a forever of happiness with those we love and especially con our Lord and Saviour.