Baby Angels

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.

Books I Read While Driving from Nairobi to Capetown

I traveled overland from Nairobi to Cape Town during my summer holidays this year. I saw amazing places, met amazing people and did most of the things you want to do. I also spent a lot of time on the road and luckily I was able to read. I brought two books with me and then I read other travelers' books and did a few book swaps at places I stayed along the way.

Here is the list of those I remember at the moment (in the order I remembered them):

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann (my favourite by far)

Dark Star Safari by Paul Theroux (a good read and even better when you are traveling through many of the same places he does in the book)

The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne by Brian Moore

Out of Africa by Karen Blixen (I haven't seen it but I think the movie is more interesting)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson (I had started it for a book club once and gave up but this time it was the only book around)

World War Z by Max Brooks (a friend brought it along because it was the freshman all-read book at the college where she teaches)

Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain 

Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

a novel about a white woman who grows up in Sri Lanka, marries a Sri Lankan and they emigrate to England (I've tried google to see if I can find it but I haven't been successful yet)

another book Ingrid brought

another book Louise brought

and possibly more that I have forgotten!

Other than Let the Great World Spin and Dark Star Safari I wouldn't suggest you rush out to read any of them.

What did you read on holidays?

P.S. I haven't bothered with links to the books because next to no one reads this blog and I haven't had breakfast yet.