Monday, February 11, 2008

THIS is why we go to Honduras

We go to help Pan American Health Service find and treat malnourished children like these:



Precious little Maria Suyapa is 15 months old yet weighed only 7 pounds upon admission to the nutrition rehabilitation hospital. Seven pounds is too small even for a 3 month old baby, let alone a 15 month old who should be an active toddler. After two weeks of treatment, she was beginning to have enough energy to move her little arms and legs around and to observe the other children at play. Her poor ignorant mother was feeding her on coffee and koolaid.


When 8 year old Wendy was first admitted she was too weak to do much more than rest in bed. Now she has strength enough to spend mornings attending school. Due to her malnutrition, her hair had turned blonde and broken off. Now, with treatment, her hair is starting to grow in again. Her edema was caused by protein deficiency and, with proper nutritional support, will eventually disappear.

Protein deficiency (Kwashiorkor) is shown by edema or puffiness, especially in the cheeks, as well as lightened hair. Marasmus is a wasting disease of starvation shown by painfully thin limbs. These precious little girls are being treated in the PAHS nutrition hospital.


It's lunchtime for the now healthy but abandoned children who are growing up on campus. Most meals are composed of rice, beans, corn tortillas and vegetables. Thanks to unselfish donors, these children now have hope and a future!

2 Comments:

Blogger Sunny said...

Glad you got back safe. This weather must be hard to take after being there.

9:59 PM  
Blogger Marilyn@A Mixed Bouquet said...

I read this when you first posted it on The Swap. I had to leave the computer and just made it back to leave a comment.

I cannot tell you how these pictures and your story touches me. We will be donating to them annually.

May we all realize how rich we truly are and quit our whining.

Bless the two of you for doing this!

2:17 PM  

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