Baby Freecall



Freecall having malaria treatment

This is baby Freecall. She’s an orphan, her Dad died of Ebola and and her Mum died giving birth to her. She is around 9 months old but is the size of a 2 month old – she’s tiny.

She is being bought up by her aunt who is struggling to provide food for her. I recently put an appeal on facebook for financial help to provide formula for her and through the generosity of friends we are now able to get the food she needs. Unfortunately though, she was already malnourished and has recently been suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea and has lost the little bit of weight she had. Her Aunt bought her to see us last week and we took her to the Adventist hospital at Waterloo to be looked after by our great friend, Dr Koroma.

When the doctor saw her he admitted her straight away and diagnosed malnutrition and malaria - she was also starting to have convulsions and was very sick. She’s been at the hospital for almost a week and is has vastly improved since she’s been there. To start with she was very lethargic and hardly had the energy to cry…….now she is as bright as a button, very aware and hollers when she needs attention! She loves to be cuddled and doesn’t like to be put down. She is still having trouble keeping her food down and the doctor is investigating the cause of that.



Looking Brighter!

When I first met Freecall her aunt came to me to give her to me as she just couldn’t manage to provide for her. I can’t take her, I know virtually nothing about babies and I come and go to England regularly……it just wouldn’t be fair to her. Her aunt loves her and wants to take care of her and now that we are able to help with formula and her other needs she is happy to provide the maternal care that she needs.

Please, if you can, pray for this little one and send good thoughts and blessings her way – she’s had a tough start in life but with help we can give her a brighter future.

If you would like to give financially towards her medical bills please get in touch.

Visitors

I have a bit of company with me here in Sierra Leone at the moment - Jan and Nancy, who both sponsor students under the Transform Salone sponsorship scheme are spending three weeks helping me on our projects.

We have been really busy since we all arrived in Freetown together just over a week ago. We have been to the SDA hospital in Waterloo three times once to visit the doctor and the other two times to visit a baby we have admitted there for treatment for malnutrition and malaria. Today we also admitted a girl who had been bitten by a dog.

Most afternoons we are at the school I work out of and while I’m catching up on office or sponsorship work Jan and Nancy are helping the sponsored students with their reading or the times table.

This past Sunday we attended church at the Murray Town Army Barracks where my friend Colonel Kargbo, the Chief Chaplain of the Armed Services was preaching. In the evening we treated ourselves and went to The Hub restaurant.

It is lovely to have some company and both Nancy and Jan are a great encouragement and support to me. I so appreciate them and the help they are giving me and I hope this will be the first trip of many!