Sunday, September 6, 2009

Reality

I have wrote before that I do not think the Lord is done using us as His vessels--that day will come when the Father calls us home. Since Elyssa and now baby E have joined our family I have had such a heavy heart for all the other children in the country suffering from the same life threatening disease, sickle cell.

I decided to do a little more research on the prevelance of the disease in this county. And what I found has brought more heaviness to my heart.


"About 25,000 babies are born with sickle cell in Uganda every year and up to 80 percent of these do not live to be two years, Prof. Graham Serjeant from Jamaica has said.

"Uganda has one of the highest sickle cell prevalence rates in Africa although the exact numbers are not known. "

"The disease cannot be cured so what can we do?"

"Between 10,000 -15,000 of Ugandan babies born with sickle cell disease each year are dead by the age of two years and that the median survival is of the order or one to two years"


I have personally spoken to Ugandan's with sickle cell disease and every one of their stories is heart breaking. When diagnosed, usually at or around infancy, these individuals are shunned from the family. Because the disease is terminal and deadly, parents often do not want to send the child to school seeing it as a waste of money, since the child will die anyway. Medical treatment and prevention is withheld for the same reason. There is a sickle cell treatment clinic in the city, where sicklers can get free medical care but it is often not enough as they go back home to where they are denied their basic needs.


What would the Lord have me (us) do? I am still praying through this. But one thing I do know, I have been commanded to "rescue" and to "redeem."

6 comments:

"Are These Kids All Yours?" said...

Blessed are those who follow the commands of Christ- praying that God inspires you as you inspire us about what God would have each of us do for Him!!!!

Adeye said...

Oh my goodness, friend, that just breaks my heart.

Unknown said...

I wish it was as easy as just filling a 747 with kids and bringing them here. Thank the Lord for your heart for these little ones.

Michelle A said...

Praying together with you Summer. The children of Uganda have been heavy on my heart ever since we came to visit and I am praying that God would give me direction on what he would have me do next!

Sarah said...

Thank you for caring for these precious ones.

Anonymous said...

The statistics are heart breaking..:( But God is faithful to those whom He calls...Who knows through you both, how many children will survive and thrive in the life that God has given them? We don't get all the answers, but we know who holds us!..