March 19, 2004

Dear Family and friends,
One of the conundrums of sub-Saharan Africa is the fact of children starving while residing next to a forest where everything grows in abundance. The pygmy settlement of Byumba is no exception. This settlement abuts the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, which harbors some of the richest diversity of plant and animal life on the face of the planet. We have seen several cases of severe malnutrition at Byumba over the years.
While conducting a mobile outreach clinic at Byumba two weeks ago a six year old girl, Ompharie, was brought to us very swollen and having flaky hyper-pigmented skin; the hall marks of kwashiorkor. Two visiting seminarians from Trinity, Alan and April assisted us in talking at length to the family and giving nutritional instructions and supplemental feedings of fortified milk (cow's milk with the addition of sugar and oil), and vitamins. We expected this to be sufficient, as one year earlier a child who was a close relative had survived a similar disorder.
One week later Carol, Alan and April returned to Byumba and were horrified to see the grandfather slowly making his way up the hill carrying Ompharie. Her torso was supported but her head and extremities hung limply, flopping with each step of the journey. Initially the child was thought to be dead but on closer inspection Ompharie was breathing, she was still alive!
Ompharie was taken to a government hospital 1 ? hours distant where there is an inpatient nutrition program but sadly learned that the doctor had just left for a short vacation. Food was purchased, medicine supplied, instructions given and she was left in the care of the nurses. Upon returning two days later what was found was an angry and distraught group of pygmies demanding that Ompharie to be returned to their settlement to die. Apparently Ompharie had not been fed, no medicine had been given and she had continued to deteriorate. After a lengthy discussion they agreed that she could be taken to our facility at the Bwindi even though it is not equipped to handle over-night patients and as of yet has no in-patient nutritional program. Three visiting US exchange students assisted us in the arduous transport to the Bwindi facility. When we arrived the pygmies seemed relieved to be in an environment in close proximity to their people and where the clinic staff respects them.
Ompharie remains at the clinic today and is slowly improving but still needs your prayers. We are in the process of constructing the maternity/child care unit, which will be better able to meet the challenges of these unfortunate children. We feel excited about our eminent move into our new home next to this health center where we can hopefully give consistent and quality care to the pygmies and be a more intimate part of their lives. A guest room is available for anyone who wants to share in this adventure.
Thanks and God bless,
Scott and Carol