max
Max Timothy is the twin brother of Brousse Daniel. After a traumatic birth, their mother passed away from bleeding. This happens far too often and contributes to the large number of orphaned children in Congo. Neighbors quickly jumped on motorcycles and traveled throughout the night, 115 kilometers, on very rough dirt roads to reach Mama Sabuli’s Children’s Center, the only place of refuge for these two. The father stayed back home in his village to bury his wife, and was unable to care for the newborns without milk. The twins arrived at the Children’s Center, not even one day old, with head colds. They were immediately bathed, fed, and soothed by the mamas at the Center. Their many new siblings came to welcome them and hold them. They will now grow up with lots of older brothers and sisters who will love and look after them.
THE HOPE
In some situations like this, Sabuli’s prayer and hope is to bring these babies to good health, and to a point where they no longer need milk on a regular basis. The hope is to have them rejoin their father and/or extended family again. Each situation is evaluated carefully and prayerfully.
FUTURE PLANS
Sabuli is working on a long-term solution to the tragic and recurring problem of young women dying in childbirth from PPH (Post-Partum Hemorrhage). This is the leading cause of maternal death. There is no easy solution for this currently in Congo and most developing countries. When a young mother dies in childbirth, not only does the newborn lose their mother, but there are often other children at home who are then at risk of becoming orphans.
HELP IS ON THE WAY - UBT
Along with Congolese physicians, Dr. Ngossa and Dr. Kangawa, and USA physician Dr. Sam Choi, Sabuli is bringing a UBT solution (Uterine Balloon Tamponade) to her homeland. This procedure, developed by physicians at Harvard/Massachusetts General Hospital, will have a significant positive impact on this tragic problem. A USA team traveled to Congo last summer (2018) and introduced this procedure and trained health care workers at Gemena’s General Hospital. Over 100 nurses, doctors, midwives and medical students attended the training and received the 300 UBT kits that were assembled and brought from the USA. Kits were distributed via motorcycle to area villages and mother’s lives are already being saved.
We’ll discuss this and other good news in future blogs on this site.