Mphasto - An orphaned infant is a gift to a new family

By Nancy Dimmock, Crisis Nursery Founder
The young woman stepped out of the dusty pick up truck holding a tiny, smelly bundle. Her husband and two-year old followed, along with a government Social Worker. As we sat together on the verandah, the story emerged.

This little bundle was her youngest brother, age 5 months. He was the last born of her mother, who had passed away giving birth to him. He was child number ten. The young woman was 20, married, and with a child. All of the remaining children (seven of them) had come to her after her mother died, because her father had run away. She and her husband tried to cope with all of the children, including the baby, but found that they couldn’t. So they had brought him to the government to release him, and hoped that he would have a chance at life.

At five months of age, Mphatso weighed 2.5 kg (6 lbs.). While extremely malnourished, he was otherwise healthy, and responded rapidly to the effects of regular feeding and lots of love and attention. He was smiling and responding in no time.

Mphatso turned 10 months in March and he has now been placed into a large, loving, Christian family. He is the eleventh child in his adoptive family, and all of his new brothers and sisters are proving to be just the therapy he needs for rapid development. He is showered with love and lots of stimulation and is unifying and blessing this special family – a real gift to them.

Hazel - Abandoned among the sick, she is now thriving

Coughing wracked her small frame. She had been suffering from TB for several months, and was now admitted to the Women’s TB ward at the Central Hospital. She shifted on the bed. Her eyes lit up as she watched a friend enter the ward and approach her bed. Visitors were few. Her friend sat on the bed and chatted awhile, bringing her baby around from her back onto her lap while they talked.

After a bit, she offered to get a cold drink for her from the vendors outside. The sick woman accepted gratefully. The friend left her baby on the bed and said she would be right back.
She never returned.

The sick woman tried to care for the baby in the ward for 4 months. Finally, she realized that she could not cope and that it was not a healthy environment for the baby. She called Social Welfare, who immediately brought the baby to the Crisis Nursery.

Hazel is about 15 months old. She has been with us for a month now. She was a very solemn little girl, obviously confused and traumatised. But just last week she smiled for the first time. It was like the sun breaking through a cloud cover. Now she giggles and laughs with delight if anyone tickles her or chases her around the house. She is mending emotionally, and we are grateful for God’s grace in her life