Some of you may remember me speaking about baby Anicette while I was at home. She came to us last year in Benin for fattening up so we could repair her cleft lip, she was with us on and off for months and pretty much the whole time I was here on the ship. After lots of loving and feeding and fattening up we were able to operate and fix her broken lip. We sent her home all fat and beautiful, just how she was meant to be. This is how I remember her.
Ani came back to the ship last week. I hardly recognised her, she literally had her skin hanging off her bones, she was easily irritated and she didnt want you to touch her. She weighed only 4 kilograms at 14 months old, anybody would know thats no good. This wasnt the baby I remembered from last year, the fat, beautiful, happy, smiling baby Ani. She was world famous on the ship last year and stole the hearts of all those she met and we were all excited to see her again when she was due to come back to have her palate repaired. What happened? I asked her Mama when I first saw her, I dunno? She replied to me in her broken english, looking broken herself.
Yesterday Ani left us, she went home to heaven. Sometimes this place can just be too much for my heart to bear, it hurts and I want to know why? How could this happen? Words like chronic malnutrition, and a possible underlying metobolic disorder that we hadnt diagnosed were thrown around. Words that arent all that uncommon on this continent. It just brings it back to me that where you are born impacts on your circumstances. Why was I priviledged enough to be born into a loving family, in a country where chronic malnourishment is something that is barely spoken about? Where we can treat and diagnose diseases so easily? I know that I have been blessed so that I can bless others and I know that someone far greater than me is in control of all of this but it doesnt mean that it hurts any less. Sometimes I just dont understand. We had put so much of our hearts and souls and hope into baby Ani. It just wasn't meant to end like this.
Please pray for her family as they grieve for baby Ani.
Beccy, so sorry to hear about Ani. At least you did what you could for her and her fanily, which is much more than we could do. Thanks for sharing this with us. We are praying for the knowledge of God and His peace and courage for Ani's family and for yourself.
ReplyDeleteChris & Lynette Bailey
Thanks for sharing these stories with us...helps us understand your world a bit and the African 3rd world. Praying for you and Ani's family.
ReplyDeleteLove Mark & Marnie & L & M
So sad Beccy, my heart goes out for baby Ani and her family. You are doing amazing work over there, sharing your love and nuturing those in need. Love you lots x x
ReplyDeletePaula