Peru is one of the most malnourished countries in South America. ELI, Experiential Learning International offers an opportunity to volunteer with an organization in the city of Ollantaytambo which provides nutrition supplements and nutrition education to the community. Sounds amazing, the only catch, you need to have a knowledge of “advanced spanish” and have a related degree, preferably in nutrition.  It would also be helpful to speak Quecha.

VolunteerAbroad.com gives great information about the program: http://www.volunteerabroad.com/listingsp3.cfm/listing/56904

ELI which sponsors the program:
http://www.eliabroad.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=27&id=99&Itemid=487

According to their website, http://www.visayans.org/index.cfm: “Volunteer for the Visayan is a non-profit, established Non-Government Organization, CN200427692, that focuses on community development and international education.” Located in Tacloban City, which is 360 miles southeast of Manila, and is the capital of the large island of Leyte in the Visayas region of the Philippines.

Nutrition volunteer opportunities include volunteering in the City Nutrition Office:

“The City Nutrition Office faces the everyday problems relative to basic human needs while integrating the communities to help diminish the number of malnourished children. This government department oversees the food intake of the families in 138 local barangays and monitors the malnourished children throughout Tacloban City. Volunteers can work with the Barangay Nutrition Committee directly and organize nutrition education classes for parents, implement community and school vegetable gardens, as well as conduct weight surveys of the children in the different areas. Knowledge of nutrition is preferred for this placement.”

About Volunteer for Visayans: http://www.visayans.org/about-us.cfm

Apply:  http://www.visayans.org/volunteer-projects-apply.cfm

This is Bertha.  She is 32 months old and weighs 22 pounds. This is her fourth time with kwashiorkor.  She has 3 other siblings at home.  Her older brother brought her and her younger brother to the clinic last week.  They both had kwashiorkor. Bertha was worse and we admitted her.  We gave the brother some food and asked them to return in two weeks.  We are hoping by then that we will have sent a few kids home and will have some more space in the RC. This is Evline.  She is 14 months old and 22 pounds.  Her kwashiorkor is so bad that her eyes are swollen shut.  She has 8 siblings at home.  Her papa brought her down to the clinic.  When they saw that she was getting bad he took her to a “doctor” in the village.  The doctor made a some ointment to pass on her for the swelling.  It turned her feet and under her arm pits black.  It also did not work.  She is eating well and can open her eyes now.  This is Fritz.  He is 10 years old and weighs 46 pounds.  He is has kwashiorkor.  There are 7 siblings at home.  Three of his siblings have died.  This is Wideline.  She is 6 years old and weighs 32 pounds.  This is her second time with kwashiorkor.   She also has a fever, cold and vomiting.  This is Alma.  He is 6 years old and weighs 27 pounds.  This is the 5th time with kwashiorkor.  He has 2 siblings at home. This is Therese.  She is 15 months old and weighs 13 pounds.  She is suffering from kwashiorkor for the first time. Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message) ^28-30“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

“Don’t play with your food!”, an apple globe

(source, source)

More on famine. More on the right to food. More human rights maps.

WATER IS FLOWING AGAIN!

A five member team left Maiduguri on November 7^th for Dono-Manga, Chad to oversee the repair of out-of-service wells and to bring much needed medical aid to those suffering in this district in the depressed nation of Chad. They would also bring a message of hope beyond the suffering of this life and fourteen would accept the free gift and be born from above.

Team members included Sajou Katsala driver, E.A. Akpan and Ahanda Jauro, one of the Shepherds and a Deacon for the Wulari Jerusalem Church. Bikang Mohammed, Evangelist for the Damaturu Church and team leader Ebenezer Udofia Operation Manager for our Pompomari Training Farm. After a night on the road our team arrived in Dono-Manga at 9:30 PM on Sunday evening. “The brethren and others at Dono-Manga gave us a warm welcome with songs, embraces and handshakes,” Ebenezer said.

The following morning team members went to meet with the head of the

MISION TEAM WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT CABINET MEMBERS

 Dono-Manga District and area tribal chiefs. The Local Government Chairman gave a long speech of welcome.  He expressed his appreciation for all that was planned and at the same time made additional requests pertaining to the needs of the district. While noting that the most urgent need is water, he expressed that other needs are pressing as well. Among those were agricultural skills, health and general education.  Ebenezer reported, “He drew our attention to the havoc done to the community by HIV/ AIDS, water borne diseases and poverty resulting in a large number of orphans. He then issued a special request that we consider helping them to establish an orphanage as well as Basic English language classes to aid in communication.”

Ebenezer responded by expressing his thanks on behalf of the team for the warm welcome and shared that we have a desire to continue to help in the future. He then requested that the verbal requests made by the Chairman be put into written form so that it could be forwarded for consideration. The Chairman then assigned one of the cabinet members to accompany the team as they began the repair of out-of-service wells.

The days that followed were spent in repairing wells by day, and teaching by

VILLAGERS CELEBRATE AS WELL IS REPAIRED

 night. As repairs were begun it was learned that some of the wells were actually beyond repair and would require re-drilling. It was also learned that repair cost were under estimated, but in the end ten wells were repaired, some of which had been broken for more than five years.  Ebenezer said, “In each village we entered, the people came out in mass to receive us…In the area where the bore-holes were repaired people were full of appreciation for our organizations’ efforts in alleviating their sufferings. Some of the village heads presented chickens to us as a token of their appreciation.”

CHICKENS PRESENTED AS A TOKEN OF APPRECIATION

Although Dr. Eni, a medical consultant at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and a Deacon for the Wulari Jerusalem Church, was not able to make this second trip, he gave detailed instructions to Ebenezer about the dispensing of needed drugs and minor First Aid he might be able to provide while there. This was done in each of the villages where wells were repaired.

The Dono-Manga district is made up of 92 villages that contain a population of over 126,000. Some of the villages are 20-30 Kilometers apart and connected by bush paths and no roads. This area has been devastated by

BLOATED BELLIES A SGN OF MALNUTRITION AND PENDING DEATH.

 disease and malnutrition.  The number of deaths in these 92 villages this year is the highest ever. More than 50% of the children never reach the age of 5 and are the ones who suffer the most. Bloated bellies of children are not a sign of overweight, but just the opposite. It is a sign of malnutrition and a buildup of toxins in the body. Rather than a sign of health it can be a warning sign of pending death.

Ebenezer closed his report by saying, “These people will be eternally grateful for any and all efforts to rescue them from their present situation. The government is also very receptive and supportive of all who would be willing to help.”

The repair of out of service wells meets only the immediate emergency need to get water flowing again in parts of this district. New wells are the long term solution to this ongoing problem. Wells not only prevent water borne disease, they provide water needed for the development of agriculture. During the long 9 month dry season when no rain falls people suffer the most because they cannot grow food. Clean water and vegetables dramatically

CLEAN WATER GIVES THESE CHILDREN HOPE

 increase life expectancy and when followed by basic health education can save thousands of lives and open many hearts to God’s love for them.

Will you join me in prayer for the people of Dono-Manga? Will you also ask God to show us how we might be best used by Him to express His love and concern for the 126,000 + souls in Dono-Manga?

NEVER TO OLD TO BE BORN FROM ABOVE

(More details and pictures in our upcoming December Newsletter. If you are not on our snail mail or email list, email us at rabboniblog@yahoo.com, or drop us a note at Hope Springs, 118 Wessington Place, Hendersonville, TN 37075

What did you say Licia?

My papa is coming today…I am so super excited!

Remember my post about Emmanuel?  Well look at him now!  he is doing great on the medika mamba. We are so excited that he is getting better.  We are working on a long-term plan for this cutie.

I wanted to thank each of you that have prayed for us this past month.    We so appreciate it and we feel it!  We also want to thank each of you that have given in the past few weeks.  We have been blown away by the gifts that have been coming in each day.  We are so very thankful to God for all that He has done to keep RHFH going each and every month.

Psalm 37:25-26 (The Message)

 ^25-26 I once was young, now I’m a graybeard—
      not once have I seen an abandoned believer,
      or his kids out roaming the streets.
   Every day he’s out giving and lending,
      his children making him proud.

Stats on medika mamba program  started the last day of May 2009

73 children has been admitted to the program

26 are currently receiving treatment

32 graduated from the program

12 died

3 were removed from the program (2 did not tolerate it well, 1 the family took her home before treatment was finished)

Medika Mamba graduates going home

 Renista Sept 09 20 pounds                going home Nov at 25 pounds

 Enel Sept lowest weight 17 pounds   going home in Nov at 21.5 pounds

Dieuvlet (one of the four boys in the picture)

           In July at 12 pounds         going home in Nov at 18 pounds

 Milora in  Oct at 23 pounds                going home in Nov at 26 pounds

Other kids in the RC going home

Fenold in July 08   at 22          going home in Nov 09 at 34 pounds

we finally found his dad after 1 year

Julienne in July at 11 pounds (her lowest)    going home in Nov at 17.5 pounds

Limene was burned along with her brother (who died later at the hospital) back in July

She is healed up and went home this week.  A few blog readers sent funds for her family.  We were able to send these funds home with the mother, she was very thankful for the extra help.

Three kids died this week, Titincil, Dounia and Jonald. 

John 20:29 (The Message)

 ²⁹Jesus said, “So, you believe because you’ve seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.” 

School is heating up and the end of the semester is barreling down. Is it, can it really be, only 3 more weeks?! Continued blogging absences can be attributed to term paper commitments. It has become apparent that there is only one thing grad students are expected to love more than reading: writing. Thankfully writing does happen to be a hobby. But under pressure? Not so much.

That said, we have been given total autonomy in selecting term paper topics. This has posed the seemingly contradictory problem of plenty; where to even begin? While two are still in the idea formulation stage of development, one is decidedly dedicated to teasing out structural changes in agriculture that have contributed to the impending water scarcity crisis. Compelling research articles will likely be shared on the “Articles” page over the next few weeks. A potential topic for the second paper is a review of research into the higher nutrient quality of organic versus conventionally grown produce. Supposedly the scientific literature in this field is inconclusive? If this is true, for shame! If not, knowledge is power. Either way, organic is still far superior for all the other beneficial environmental, humane and health aspects conferred by its growth and management (WalMart/Kellogg/GM/Cargill/Unilever versions of organic NOT included). Stay tuned for research articles into this topic as well. The final paper will be devoted to International research, more specifically the factors that led to the food price crisis in Zimbabwe last year and the government’s response to protect its citizens from further food insecurity and malnutrition.

That’s a lot. Time to get busy. But first, some daydreams about the Costa Rican tropics and a movie with friends. The rabbit hole can wait…

This makes 9 new patients on the medika mamba program this week.  I will have some updated numbers soon on the progress of this program that is saving lives here in Cazale.
This is Jonald.  He is 15 months old and weighs 13 pounds. He has fever, diar, and a very stiff neck. 

This is Jolanida.  She is 2.5 years old and weighs 16 pounds.  This is the third time she has had kwashiorkor.  She has lost 3 pounds in 2 weeks.

Dounia went home in Sept at 18 pounds.  Back this week at 14 pounds.

This is Wadelande.  She is 2 years old and in the beginning stages of kwashiorkor.  She has a huge abcess on the back of her head as well.  She will stay to eat well and to receive daily dressing changes.

This is Walnelson.  He is 2.5 years old and is suffering from kwashiorkor, diar, vomiting, cough/cold.  His legs are very tight and painful for him to walk.This is Cherline.  She is 2 years old and weighs 22 pounds.  She is suffering from kwashiorkor, fever and open sores on her legs.

This is Ostelineda.  She is 6 years old and weighs 28 pounds.  She has been back and forth between dad, mom and grandma for several months.  She is in the beginning stages of kwashiorkor.  Her legs and feet are very swollen.  She should recover well if she continues to eat.

This is Marlene.  She is 13 years old.  She has just about the worse case of kwashiorkor that I have ever seen.  She has been sick for several months.  Her feet are split open and leaking water.  Her church gave the family money to come to the clinic.  She is very sick and very, very malnourished and anemic.

This is Maguerite.   She is 20 years old.  Her daughter just left the RC this week.  She is living with her father.  Her father is with another lady now.  Maguerite weighs 71 pounds.  She is very anemic and malnourished.  I asked her if I might send food back home with her to see if she could gain some weight.  She laughed and said first she could not carry a box of food and then that those living at her house had to eat too.  So she asked if she could stay with us for a while.  She is eating well and we are hopeful that she will begin to gain weight and recover.

Psalm 90:16-17 (The Message)

 ^12-17 Oh! Teach us to live well!
      Teach us to live wisely and well!
   Come back, God—how long do we have to wait?—
      and treat your servants with kindness for a change.
   Surprise us with love at daybreak;
      then we’ll skip and dance all the day long.
   Make up for the bad times with some good times;
      we’ve seen enough evil to last a lifetime.
   Let your servants see what you’re best at—
      the ways you rule and bless your children.
   And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us,
      confirming the work that we do.
      Oh, yes. Affirm the work that we do!

It’s been nearly two years since my friend Bear died. The hospital he was in, VGH in Vancouver, through unhygienic procedures infected him with C difficile. (He’s not the only person I know who received infections in the hospital: I know of two others who luckily didn’t lose their lives.) I’ve written about this before but I may not have gone into the quality of the food.

Part of the healing process for any person involves several factors. One is getting rid of the infection/disease or removing /fixing the problem. However mental health also plays a big part in healing. If a person is depressed or of a negative frame it can slow or even halt healing. Having experienced depression in the past I know that depression can even bring on problems. I ended up with elbow joint pain that no amount of therapy could fix. It went away with the anti-depressants.

That’s two factors: medical help and mental health. The third and important aspect is having a healthy body that has all the resources for mending. That means having adequate red blood cells, vitamins, nutrition, etc. I’m not a medical expert and there are many doctors that could tell you the specifics, however any deficiency can hinder health. So that third aspect of healing is having the proper nutrition to bring about a full return to health.

Malnutrition in any of a host of vitamins and nutrients can cause everything from deformity to death. It is a serious issue. My friend had several factors against him in regards to eating. They included being a celiac as well as a picky eater, and of course after C difficile took his intestines and shut down his kidneys, food just didn’t taste right.

I often showed up around his dinner time and his plate would include two stale pieces of rice bread, one incredibly thin piece of luncheon meat, maybe a pat of butter or margarine, sometimes one boiled egg, sometimes broccoli boiled to grey, and very little else. His dinners often consisted of a few chicken drumsticks (he was 6′7″) and maybe one small scoop of potatoes. I never tasted the food but his wife on one occasion did when he didn’t feel like eating and her report was that it was disgusting.

On other patients’ plates, in a healthier state, I would see meat, potatoes and gravy and very little resembling vegetables. Luncheon meat has little to no nutrient value and vegetables cooked to mush do not retain much that’s worthwhile either. One slice of luncheon meat hardly makes up a person’s daily intake of protein. Unpalatable meals are not a way to get a person’s appetite back, which is often subdued after a surgery. It is also the worst thing to do to a person whose system has been traumatized by illness or invasive techniques.

Between the food and the infection and resultant problems it’s no wonder that my friend died. If it wasn’t for his wife showing up everyday with home-cooked meals he probably would have died a lot sooner. It’s sad and criminal that someone has to bring in food to try and heal a patient. Many people stuck in the hospital don’t have that luxury of people bringing them good food or the energy to complain, not that it does much good anyways.

In BC at least, premier Gordon Campbell illegally tore up the contracts of union workers in hospitals. They lost their jobs and as the courts looked at the issue for four years, Campbell had the Fraser Health Authority hire the lowest bidders. Cheapest is not always best. Eventually it was found that Campbell’s government was in the wrong but not after it was too late. The damage was done and things like cleaning rooms contaminated with biohazardous waste or feeding people back to health were lost.

It’s too bad Campbell felt it was worth a few lives to save a few bucks and use a dishonorable way of getting rid of workers. It’s too bad the hospitals are so dirty now many people fear having to go in. I know I do and many of my friends do. It’s too bad the hospitals have forgotten one of the principles of health, a good and well-balanced diet. I would like to see a world where truly human life comes first and that even the sacrifice of a few should matter.

If you’re in an area where the hospitals are comprimising someone’s health with terrible food, complain and complain loudly. Involve the media, write your legislative members, blog, tell friends, do what you can so that another life need not be wasted because of such indifference. This goes of course, not just about food but about the cleanliness of hospitals too. It’s time to have people heal healthily and quickly and that involves good food.