In many ways our trip to South Africa has been a bit sheltered. We are admittedly staying in quite and affluent neighbourhood filled with swimming pools.....and gates and electric fences (that's a whole other post). We are close to a multitude of shopping centers filled with high end clothing stores, fresh (organic) produce, and parking lots filled with Benz, Jag, and other luxury car models I know nothing about (we would be the family sporting the Toyota Corolla....even here!).
Every now and then we get a glimpse of the real South Africa. In conversations with serving staff on wages....had a conversation with a check out teller who informed us she was paid well (at just over $2 CAD an hour). A seemingly misplaced shanti settlement in the midst of mansions. People begging....everywhere. Poverty, injustice, such striking differentiation between the wealthy and the poor.
This week it hit a little closer to home. A little man at the Westville Baby Home has been sick. At two months old he was admitted last week to the same state hospital Ada was born in. Admitted on the weekend there was no physician to see him....all weekend.... sick enough to be admitted to the hospital but no doctor to see him. He was eventually discharged a few days later....but soon became sick again. This time in the midst of convulsions he was taken to a private hospital. This time seen immediately by a pediatrician and send for a lumbar puncture. This little man was later diagnosed with a type of bacterial meningitis. One that by his age he would have been vaccinated for, but the time at which he was taken for routine vaccination they were out of stock. A little bean, on state medical care.....now facing hearing loss and brain damage due to poor medical care. Had he received the care initially he would be doing much better.
Understandably this hits close to home. Up until last week our baby girl was under state care. Up until two weeks ago she was in this home, being loved and cared for but at the mercy of limited funding for health care, healthy food, etc. This little man born into circumstances he could not control has had his life altered once again grossly by injustice. My heart breaks.
We have two beautiful children. One born into prosperity, one not. Both now given the opportunity to flourish, to access medical care, healthy food, a warm home. Processing this reality, the many children who will not have forever families....is staggering.
Every now and then we get a glimpse of the real South Africa. In conversations with serving staff on wages....had a conversation with a check out teller who informed us she was paid well (at just over $2 CAD an hour). A seemingly misplaced shanti settlement in the midst of mansions. People begging....everywhere. Poverty, injustice, such striking differentiation between the wealthy and the poor.
This week it hit a little closer to home. A little man at the Westville Baby Home has been sick. At two months old he was admitted last week to the same state hospital Ada was born in. Admitted on the weekend there was no physician to see him....all weekend.... sick enough to be admitted to the hospital but no doctor to see him. He was eventually discharged a few days later....but soon became sick again. This time in the midst of convulsions he was taken to a private hospital. This time seen immediately by a pediatrician and send for a lumbar puncture. This little man was later diagnosed with a type of bacterial meningitis. One that by his age he would have been vaccinated for, but the time at which he was taken for routine vaccination they were out of stock. A little bean, on state medical care.....now facing hearing loss and brain damage due to poor medical care. Had he received the care initially he would be doing much better.
Understandably this hits close to home. Up until last week our baby girl was under state care. Up until two weeks ago she was in this home, being loved and cared for but at the mercy of limited funding for health care, healthy food, etc. This little man born into circumstances he could not control has had his life altered once again grossly by injustice. My heart breaks.
We have two beautiful children. One born into prosperity, one not. Both now given the opportunity to flourish, to access medical care, healthy food, a warm home. Processing this reality, the many children who will not have forever families....is staggering.
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