Baby Isaiah update

Just found out tonight that baby Isaiah's mom, who abandoned him at birth, is infected with HIV. All this time I thought it was terrible that he was never breastfed; turns out that it may be the biggest blessing of his life!  Only about 25% of babies contract HIV from their mothers in-utero, but the odds of contracting it through breast milk are much higher. We got him blood tests last week and he showed negative for HIV, but the nurse said I need to take him to District Hospital to make sure. Since he's so small, their tests can sometimes be inconclusive. I will take him sometime next week to get the blood test. Please pray that he does not have HIV.


I took him back to Sister Freda's clinic today for 3 immunizations: polio, whooping cough, and pneumonia. All three cost me 25 cents. I could not believe how dirt cheap it was to get this precious baby protected against these killer diseases. 


The best news of the day was that he has gained almost a full kilo since Friday! Pamela, his Grandmother, said that he's eating well and sleeping well, and getting very strong. Today while we waited at the clinic, he was talking to me and cooing, and I even got some smiles out of him. I'm absolutely in love. 


Also found out that Pamela still owes the hospital (where Isaiah was treated last month) 29,000 Shillings. That's about $365. Since she couldn't pay his bill, she is going to the hospital every Saturday (with Isaiah on her back!) and cleaning the hospital and doing laundry in order to pay off her bill. At a pay rate of 200 Shillings per day, it would take her 3 years to pay off the bill. Please pray with us for Pamela, and the 6 other people she supports. She has no other income, and has 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren living with her in a mud hut. Despite her circumstances, she is a lovely person who I've come to adore. She loves her family, and takes really good care of her grandchildren despite having almost nothing . . . some days not even food. I'd like to just pay the bill for her, but there are so many people in her same situation and we have to be careful about just handing people free money. We're trying to figure out a way to help her get a job or help with the baby, etc. In the meantime I'm buying formula for him, and we're helping get his medical care. Please pray that God would show us a practical way to help her get out of debt and provide for her family.  Thank you for caring and praying!