A tale of two days.

May 20, 2010. I received a phone call at 0600 am, my heart dropped before I heard the words, somehow I already knew-- Michael was dead. 

Michael was an amazing boy. I had been spending a lot of time with him over the last few months as he struggled with complications of liver disease. He was 18. All he wanted to do was finish school, learn agriculture and help his country. Humble dreams. Instead he spent his last weeks in a horrible hospital room that he shared with as many as six other extremely ill boys. Crying, stench, depression all around. Even though he was weak and tired, Michael remained strong within. He wasn't scared. He encouraged me when I couldn't find the words to encourage him. 

The day before Michael died was my birthday. He had fallen into a coma, he desperately needed a blood transfusion. There are no blood banks in Liberia, if you need blood you have to provide it. We were able to find a match and start the transfusion. I left him like that to go to my birthday party. I didn't know it at the time, but, my last words to Michael were pleading with him to stay strong and fight. I may have been pleading for myself. Late that night I called to check on him, there had been no change.

I received the call in the morning. A wailing cry from his Auntie, "Michael died-o!" I rushed to the hospital, saw the empty bed, it was true. That started a surreal parade of events. There is no time to waste, things must be done-- order a casket, watch as cheap wood is nailed together haphazardly and covered with gold spray paint (Michael deserved better than this), bring the casket to the morgue, lift his body into it, nail it closed, drive to the grave site, carry the casket, lower it down. Words were shared, women wailed, I wept. It was finished. Now what do you do? It was mourning in fast forward. Somehow at the end of the day there was closure, but there was also still a huge hole in my heart.

Michael Dimhue
Died May 20, 2010

Not sure how I would handle it, I was dreading May 20th as it approached this year. I was planning to go to Michael's grave and spend some time honoring him there. I didn't know what else to do.

The day before was my birthday, I was out celebrating with friends in the evening and drank too much coffee. At 0440 am, I had only slept about an hour, when I received a text from my good friend and co-worker Matt, "We are at the hospital, this is not a drill." Matt's wife, Alvina, was in labor three weeks early. After texting back and forth for about an hour I gave up on sleep and headed to the hospital. As I made another early morning drive to the hospital, I couldn't help notice the irony. I spent the day with Matt and Alvina, didn't do much, except be there, but I knew that's where I was supposed to be.

That afternoon Alvina delivered. It was a boy! Perfect in every way. (as Avina put it, "all his parts are correct."

Kingsley Cramer
Born May 20, 2011

A few hours later, as Alvina was resting, Matt and I couldn't help notice the difference the day had made. We thought we would be remembering Michael, spending the day at a graveyard. Instead, we spent the day celebrating new life. What a difference. What a blessing. 

What a great way to honor Michael and redeem the day.

American Barvor

Last month Barvor headed to the states to get some much needed medical assistance for his eyes. No one really knew what kind of care that he would need, but the need for surgery was suspected. After two appointments with a specialist it has been determined that he will NOT need surgery. He is using a different kind of eye drops and has brand new specialized prescription glasses.

All in all he is doing very well—he is fitting in well with his foster family and LOVING all things America. He even made a trip to the Central Park Zoo in New York City!

American Barvor-- April 2011

For the contrast-
Barvor in Liberia -- March 2009

Baby Favor

Towards the end of September a baby girl was born in Liberia. For some reason we will never know, her mother decided to place her inside a cardboard box and discard her in a pile of garbage behind a latrine. There this precious new life sat, surrounded by flies, rubbish, and human excrement. No one knows how long she lay there. Hours, maybe a day. 

A woman was minding her own business that day. Rushing through her day, caring for her kids, trying to find meat to sell at her small booth in the market. The last thing she was expecting to find, as she stopped by the community latrine, was a baby. But that is what she found. Small, quiet cry. Dirty box. A decision.

Elizabeth chose to open the box. Inside she found a tiny newborn baby girl. No one saw anything, no one knew how long she was there, no one wanted anything to do with her. Elizabeth took her to the hospital, miraculously she was healthy. She went to the police who were unable (unwilling?) to help.

That brought Elizabeth to another decision. What to do with the girl? Bringing another mouth to feed into the family is not an easy thing in Liberia. She was already struggling to make ends meet as it was. No one would think any less of her if she decided not to keep her. But this girl had already been discarded once, Elizabeth couldn't do it again. It really wasn't a decision for her, she knew what she would do from the moment she opened the box...

She took the girl home and named her Favor because, surely she had received favor from God to survive, to be found, to be loved.

I met Elizabeth only a few weeks after she found Favor. The girl was so small, so vulnerable. Even though it is a story that I have heard before in Liberia, I was shocked. Shocked that someone could throw away their baby and shocked that someone could so selflessly rescue one. Honestly, there are probably more reasons here to get rid of a baby that to keep one-- resources are so scarce, food is expensive, school fees unimaginable for most.

I have had the pleasure of watching Favor grow over the last few months. She started so small, so shaky, always looking so fragile. Today Elizabeth brought Favor by for a surprise visit and I was blown away. The spunky, smily, chubby cheeked eight month old who greeted me today was too much. I couldn't stop thanking God for her. Thanking Elizabeth for everything she had done. Favor truly is a miracle. And I couldn't help but share her with you today.

Baby Favor

The Resurrection and the Life

An excerpt from-- Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Written by Lew Wallace.

“All the eyes then looking were fixed upon the Nazarene. It may have been pity with which he was moved; whatever the cause, Ben-Hur was conscious of a change in his feelings. A conception of something better than the best of this life—something so much better that it could serve a weak man with strength to endure agonies of spirit as well as of body; something to make death welcome—perhaps another life purer than this one—perhaps the Spirit life which Balthasar held to so fast, began to dawn upon his mind clearer and clearer, bringing to him a certain sense that, after all, the mission of the Nazarene was that of guide across the boundary for such as loved him; across the boundary to where his kingdom was set up and waiting for him. Then, as something borne through the air out of the almost forgotten, he heard again, or seemed to hear, the saying of the Nazarene,

“I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE.”

And the words repeated themselves over and over, and took form, and the dawn touched them with its light, and filled them with a new meaning. And as men repeat a question to grasp and fix the meaning, he asked, gazing at the figure on the hill fainting under its crown, Who the Resurrection? And who the Life?

“I AM,”

the figure seemed to say—and say it for him; for instantly he was sensible of a peace such as he had never known—the peace, which is the end of doubt and mystery, and the beginning of faith and love and clear understanding.”

May you find such Peace this Easter.  

Cecelia is out of the ICU!

After three tough nights in the ICU Cecelia was moved to the medical ward Sunday afternoon. She was smiling and laughing and licking a lollipop when I stopped by to visit. There is still some minor swelling in her throat and she’s still receiving IV antibiotics and steroids. However, she is drinking fluids and trying to eat soft foods, which is a huge step in the right direction. When I asked her what I could bring for her next time I visit her scratchy, raspy voice squeaked out, “Anything, Auntie.”

Thank you so much for all the prayers and messages of concern for Cecelia. Having a sick child is scary anywhere in the world, but here in Liberia where the health care system is lacking in so many ways-- where an ICU with 20 kids has only one nurse to care for them-- it is down right terrifying. Each night Cecelia was in the ICU a child in the bed next to her died. This is the hard reality of life in Africa. Orphan Relief and Rescue is thankful for the support we receive from you so that we can continue to care for children like Cecelia. 

Fighting for her life

A little girl named Cecelia urgently needs your prayers. She is literally fighting for her life right now. I just got back from seeing her admitted to the ICU at a local hospital where she is being treated for a life threatening condition called epiglottitis. She has severe swelling of her throat, difficulty breathing, a fever of 104 and severe dehydration due to the fact that she has not been able to eat or drink anything for a couple days. This is a rare and serious medical condition even with the best medical facilities available.

I was holding her as we waited to see the doctor in the emergency room and she could barely hold her head up. Exhausted from working so hard to breathe, she just kept looking up at me, big dark eyes pleading for help. So, now I plead with you. Please pray for this sweet girl who is struggling to make it through the night.

Thank you. 

Barvor's big adventure

On Sunday Barvor is going to start the greatest adventure of his lifetime. He is leaving Liberia for the first time and flying on a “big bird” to the United States for eye surgery.

We have known Barvor for about four years and almost from the very first day have been trying to get him help for his eyes. He has been to several local ‘eye specialists,’ worn special sunglasses, and used daily eye drops. His diagnosis is unclear, but it was clear that nothing more could be done to treat him in Liberia. I thought we had hit the end of the road.

Then we met Michelle Quinn. From the moment she met Barvor over a year ago she has been his greatest advocate. She has been in contact with doctors from all over the globe-- from Dubai to the states-- trying to figure out what could be done to save this boys eye sight.

Finally his day has come. On Sunday afternoon Barvor will be boarding a plane and flying to New York where a doctor and foster family are waiting for him. Due to less than adequate diagnostic equipment in Liberia, no one knows for sure what kind of treatment that Barvor will need. Arrangements have been made for him to stay in the states up to a year for recovery if surgery is required.

Please join us in praying for Barvor. There are many unknowns in the future for him. His biological mother and older brother are already blind. He has already been uprooted and moved to three different homes in the last nine months, now is the biggest move of all.

There are a lot of people to thank for making this opportunity a reality for Barvor. Thank you, Michelle Quinn and Sis Leonora Tucker from the MacDella Cooper Foundation Academy, your vision to help Barvor see is the only way we have reached this point today. Thanks is also due to Donna Barber from Global Orphan Outreach who has facilitated Barvor’s medical VISA, travel arrangements and is accompanying him on his flight to the states. 

(This was originally posted on the Orphan Relief and Rescue blog.)