Two days ago, on Facebook, a friend from high school posted that he and his wife had just had a baby daughter. Yesterday he posted that it looked like she had jaundice. Today he posted that the baby died.
My brother and sister-in-law work with children and reach out to people who live in poverty and the afflictions that go with it at their place in Manila, Gentle Hands. They see babies whose mothers live on the street or in squalor and who don't have enough to eat or money to pay for medical care. Many of the babies they take in they are able to rehabilitate but some are too weak or too sick or have congenital defects and those babies don't make it. The deaths of those babies sadden me but for the most part I understand why they have lost the struggle.
It seems that, until today's Facebook post, I had forgotten that babies die in developed countries too. Countries with healthcare, where mothers get enough to eat and have good housing.
Faith is very strong at Gentle Hands and everyone talks about the babies who die being held in Jesus's arms. My friend and his wife are both United Church ministers and I hope their faith and the support of their churches provides them with solace and strength.
God bless all the baby angels.
