1 June 2004

Wow! What a good day! I feel like a huge cloud has lifted and I can “see clearly” again. It helps me not be so homesick, too. :) As I mentioned, our driver really wanted us to find a baby at Kidane Mehret and I dreamed about that happening last night. I did know I wanted to check this morning to see if KM had any new babies. We also talked again about coming back in September, about taking one of the other children KM had available, etc. So, we first went to Kidane Mehret and saw Sister Lutgarda.... more

Monday, May 31, 2004, cont Wanna hear about the driving? Have you ever been to Eastern Europe? Then enough said. :) If not, there are no traffic “rules”, rather there are traffic “suggestions”. It is suggested you stay in a lane, but no one does much. It is suggested you stop at the stop sign before you enter the round-abouts, but no one does much. It is suggested that you use turn signals, but no one does much. It is suggested you cross at cross-walks, but no one does much. What they do do is use their... more

According to the World Alliance for Breasfeeding Action (WABA), we already have evidence of harm to infants when exclusively formula fed. In a 1 December 2006 (World AIDS Day) press release, they relate the following:

A stark reality check from Botswana early this year showed how horribly things can go wrong when bottlefeeding becomes well entrenched in an African country. When the national PMTCT programme was launched in 1999 a UNICEF-funded... more

Thanks to Sandra's question on my blog from the other day, I am posting more information on HIV and breastfeeding.

Worldwide, HIV-infection among young women is far outstripping infection in men and the health of tomorrow’s mothers is crucial to child survival.

Most HIV-infected women do not transmit HIV to their infants. A mother... more

Monday, May 31, 2004, cont We handed out some Frisbee's outside and played just a little, then came and picked up the boys for lunch. We asked our driver to take us to an Indian restaurant. It was great food, but thank GOODNESS we asked for mild! It was still so hot for me I had to order a lassi, drank about 4 cups of water and still hurt. As I said, it was great food – the most expensive so far, though – 350 birr, or right about $40. Most of our meals have been about $15 total. Greg and I have only been eating about one... more

When I saw this article from the New York Times, I couldn't resist blogging about it. After all, it combines information about two of my passions - midwifery (and related topics) and Africa! Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months has long been the recommendation for HIV+ women in developing countries. Now, based on several new studies just released, people are re-evaluating the recommendation that those babies be transitioned to formula and solids at 6 months old.... more

Monday, May 31, 2004, cont I could hear a little baby crying in the next room. They told us that all 3 were HIV+. I told Greg to take pictures of them and after a while, I went in and held the baby. He was just a newborn and was lying in bed crying. I picked him up, soggy blankets and all and just looked at him. He stopped crying right away and just held my eyes. Have you ever had a baby that can see into your soul? This baby was like that. He never wavered, never looked away, just looked deeply into my eyes. ... more

Monday, May 31, 2004 We started the morning by getting papers from KM. Sister Lutgarda advised us not to file in court until we had the papers from the other orphanage, so we spent the rest of the day paper-chasing (futilely, I might add). The driver keeps asking if any babies have been brought into KM. :) It is definitely easier to get kids from the same place, and again, KM is particularly good to work with. Anyway . . . we went to the city offices that have to give approval to adopt from the gov't... more

Memorial Day weekend, 2004

After church on Sunday, we went to Kidane Mehret and got the kids for a day trip. We just hung out in the hotel and played card games. Buzaneh enjoyed “Go Fish” and “Slamwich” - they are easy to pick up and pretty fun. It's really funny to watch Ashenafe lose because he is so dramatic. He throws himself on the ground, moans and groans loudly and pulls at his face. Anyway, that kept them entertained most of the afternoon. I actually even took a nap. Beti loved playing with sunglasses... more

The Amazing Change Campaign

William Wilberforce's work is far from finished. There are still an estimated 27 million slaves in the world today. Modern day slavery can come in many different forms. Entire families may work long days in rice-mills, brick kilns or on plantations. Children may be abducted and forced to fight in a rebel's army. We have all heard of the "sex slave" trade. I met a man in Ethiopia who had been kidnapped, maimed and forced to beg. All of the people in these examples are slaves—they cannot come... more