Baby Yonda stayed with me for three weeks in June. Her mother died shortly after the baby was born and no wonder because the birth was obviously a traumatic affair. As usual the details are sketchy but we do know the that mom was in labor for a very long time before they ever took her to a hospital and then the Dr, instead of operating, forced baby Yonda into this world and severely damaged her head and brain in the process. Baby Yonda’s head is way too small and full of bumps and ridges. She responds to touch and it seems like she can hear but her eye sight at best is extremely limited by what we can tell. Yonda obviously has cerebral palsy as well, her tiny body is stiff and spastic.
When she came to me she was 9 months old and weighed 6 lbs! Her body felt cool and she was so weak her eyes kept rolling back in her head and she wasn’t able to suck on a bottle. For the first three days I fed her with a syringe, 1 oz of milk every two hours. I couldn’t believe how quickly she gained strength and soon she was drinking from a bottle with a regular nipple and she definitely wanted more than 1 oz at a time!
Veronika and I both got very attached to sweet, little, honey. Often when I looked at her I thought of heaven because she reminded me so much of a little angel.
She seemed so pure and perfect, so innocent. and helpless. She was totally unmarred and incapable of doing anything wrong.
Since her mom died, Yonda has been cared for by a family friend and it seems like her family genuinely loves her and cares about her but somehow she was not getting the nutrition she needed. In the three weeks I had her she gained 3.5 pounds. But it took a lot of intense, around the clock, care. If someone is not really interested or doesn’t feel like getting up at night Yonda is the one who has to go hungry. Dear child, Jesus loves you so much!
Yonda loved music, it soothed and calmed her. I played classical music and hymns for her day and night.
Baby Yonda returned home to her family and the friend who had been caring for her. Last week she was admitted to a children’s hospital to be treated for an infection but has since been released and seems to be doing ok. She went there with a referral to do a scan of her head and brain but of course the Dr. released her and never even checked her head!! Such is medical care in Haiti so we trust God to lead us and give us wisdom to know how and where to pursue more help for her. In the meantime we will keep checking on her to make sure she is getting the nutrition she needs. Keep this little angel in your prayers! May your will be done, Jesus!
