Fighting for His Life

A bit ago, this baby's mother was hospitalized after contracting TB and HIV+. She is fighting for her life. So, baby John was brought to the Dream Centre for care. (The Dream Centre is one of the top care facilities registered with the Kenya government!)

The moment I laid my eyes on Baby John, I knew he was going to require a lot of care if he was going to live. As I unwrapped him from his oversized clothes, I couldn’t believe how tiny he was. He weighed 2kg (4.4lbs). His little hands were shaking when the cool air touched him. In the morning hours, I took him outside into the sunshine. When the sun shone on his tiny bare legs, he stopped shaking and fell asleep. He looked so perfect! And yet this precious little baby was so sick!

I couldn’t stop looking at his tiny feet and legs. His skin was flaking badly as he had not yet received a bath since birth. The doctor said we should wait at least a month before bathing him due to his skin being so flaky. I massaged his legs with a generous portion of oil and noticed the flaking was getting less.

As I was putting the oil on his little legs, I couldn’t help thinking about all the strong drugs that he had been exposed to. I was so moved wondering just how this baby’s body, tiny as it is, and so vulnerable, would react to more drugs (medication) to help keep him alive. We started giving him small doses of formula from a bottle, since breastmilk is not an option. I was feeling a little overwhelmed because I have seen several other babies succumb to death because their health conditions were like those of baby John. Babies who must fight so hard to live is both sad and inspiring to witness. Baby John is fighting for his life.

These babies who are abandoned, rejected and entirely at the mercy of well-wishers are so precious to God. There are caregivers who give formula and medication to these babies and who spend days and nights holding, feeding, bathing and just being there for the helpless tiny little ones that keep coming to the Dream Centre. These are the people who would never give up on a baby, even if it was the last child, they saw alive. We must take one day at a time when it comes to caring for baby John and be hopeful that each day will be better than the day before.

He needs special care and lots of medication to overcome his condition…

I have seen so many stories like baby John’s story over the last twelve years I have been managing the Home of Hope Dream Centre. So many babies have been rescued from very hopeless situations/conditions. So many tiny and very sick babies who have overcome their sicknesses and conditions and lived and are now strong and thriving fully.

Many of these children are now in school and or are in foster families. The committed, consistent, and generous giving of so many sponsors have helped so much over the years for us to be able to care for these children. Over 400 babies and children have been rescued over the years. What happens with the babies, you may ask. Many have been reintegrated back to a surviving relative who opened the door of their heart and home to receive them. Others have been formed into a Family Unit with other rescued children and a caregiver/mother. Others are still living at the Dream Centre. And still others have been fostered into loving Kenyan families.

Click here if you would like to sponsor a baby like John.