Real Stories

You have probably heard me talk about our program for infants in distress here in Burkina Faso,  which provides orphans and infants in distress under the age of two with powdered milk, medical care, health and hygiene education, compassionate care, and the Word of God. An orphan by definition here in Burkina is a child who has lost their mother, father, or both. An infant in distress is any child who has been abandoned or whose mother is unable to adequately nourish the baby due to illness, mental illness, or a milk problem. That's when we step in to provide the resources that these moms, caregivers, and families need to help their babies grow and thrive. 

You may have heard about these precious babies, but today I want you to meet two of them. It's one thing to hear about the program, but it's another thing to see the faces of these little ones and their families, who are so dearly loved by the Lord and by us. 

Meet baby Namwinsobon. His name means "God knows him", and he is 12 days old today, born on September 29, 2015. Several days before his birth, his mother had a severe headache and chest pain. She went to a local clinic, but they told her to go home because she was not in labor. At the house, her symptoms did not improve, so she decided to return to the clinic. When she stood up, she immediately gave birth. Her placenta was retained, and she began to vomit blood and died shortly after, the same day of Namwinsobon's birth. His father is still alive and works the fields. He has three older brothers and sisters. The family is a member of the evangelistic church association (the church movement our team started 11 years ago) in the village, so when the local pastor heard about their situation, he referred the family to our milk program. They came yesterday to our milk distribution for the first time and were warmly welcomed. He weighs 2.45 kilograms, just around 5 pounds. Pictured here with him is his aunt, who is acting as his primary caregiver. With the gift of milk, medical care, and health and hygiene education, we look forward to seeing Namwinsobon grow stronger each day. Please remember to pray for him, that God would protect his fragile new life. 

Now meet Sandrine, an infant in difficulty whose mother is suffering from high blood pressure related to pregnancy. The postpartum affects still leave her sick, weak, and unable to fully care for her infant. Sandrine is 4 months old, born on May 29, 2015. (Ps. That's my birthday, yall!) Sandrine is the ninth child of her family with five older brothers and four older sisters. One of her older sisters, pictured with her below, was a student in the second grade, but had to be pulled out of school to stay at the house and help her mother take care of Sandrine. Also pictured with her is her father who is a cultivator. The mother is also a member of our evangelical church association, and she was referred to our program by the pastor of her village. Sandrine also came to our milk distribution yesterday for the first time and received a gift of milk, a medical check-up, and health education to help her continue to grow strong. Please pray for the health and wellness of Sandrine as well as her mother, that she will recover completely. Pray also for her sister to be able to return to school to continue her education. 

So many times, the work of our program is not just to offer the gift of physical resources. It's also the gift of hope. Their stories are real, their suffering is real, but the hope we have to share in Jesus is just as real and is even more powerful.