We were too late.
11 days ago I got an email from one of our partners in India. In it, he told me about some of their immediate needs. There were two sick children who needed to see specialists, and a pregnant woman who wanted to give her baby to the orphanage.
But there was more to that story.
The woman was a prostitute, and of course she could not keep the baby. She was pregnant and starving, and she didn’t know where else to turn. She’d come crying at the orphanage gate a few weeks ago… but the house Mom and Dad had turned her away. It wasn’t because they weren’t compassionate…. it was because they just didn’t have enough money. They already have 30 little mouths to feed, and they’re coming up short $1,000 a month. What else could they do?
But when she came crying at the gate a second time, they did not have the heart to turn her away. She hadn’t had a proper meal in months and she was desperate. So they agreed to care for her, and sent us the information on her needs. The neonatal and birthcare expenses were going to cost $450. We began working to find the funding she needed.
Today, I got another email. When the subject line said “BAD NEWS” I was fearful to open it. When I did, these are the words I saw….
“I am sorry, I could not save the baby.”
Our house Dad in India explained that the woman went into labor in the middle of the night. He drove her to the hospital, but could only afford a government hospital. What she needed was a private hospital, and to be operated on immediately. Unfortunately, that would cost 5000 Rupees up front that he did not have.
5000 Rupees. That’s $125 to save the life of a child.
Without that $125, she was sent to a government hospital and she lost the baby. This woman didn’t have the care she needed in advance – the food, the prenatal care – it just wasn’t available. So, there were complications with the pregnancy. When she went into labor and needed an emergency C-section, the money just wasn’t there.
There wasn’t enough money, and we were too late. That’s the cruel truth we find in many situations in third world countries. That’s the reality that snuffed out the life of this precious little one in India…. that kills children too early in Africa… that causes 22,000 children to die everyday from preventable diseases.
We want to do something about it. We MUST do something to save the lives of these children! But we cannot do it alone. We need your help!
——————————————————————————
Jyoti is 6 years old. 3 years ago she was diagnosed with parasites in her brain. They cause her to have seizures and blackouts, and can cause scarring in her brain if they are not properly treated. In 2008, we raised the money for a 2 year treatment plan, but unfortunately it didn’t heal her. She’s having serious problems again, and her doctor wants her to see a new specialist.
Her initial appointment will cost $480. Will you help us save her life?
Aksha is 6 months old. She was abandoned in the hospital by her 17 year old mother, and came to our orphanage as a new born. She was recently admitted to the hospital because of a high fever. The doctors there think she may have a hole in her heart. She needs to see a pediatric cardiologist as soon as possible so that she can be diagnosed and treated.
Her initial appointment will cost $480. Will you help us save her life?
——————————————————————————
We’ve already lost one child this week, and we do not want to lose another. PLEASE consider giving to these immediate needs for our children in India!
To donate online to these needs, click HERE. Be sure to check “add a designation” and write “India – medical needs” in the box.
To give by mail to these needs, write a check or money order to: The Sound of Hope. Mail it to: 3130 Range Road, Port Huron, MI 48060. Be sure to write “India – medical needs” in the memo line.
<
Katie Graves
Have you looked into http://www.heartgift.org/ ? I realize there are other costs and you don’t know if she needs surgery but its worth looking into if she does.
Ericka Jackson
Thanks for that suggestion Katie! We will definitely check into that once we have a diagnosis.