Burned.

So many little babes have been burned lately. They are so small and in so much pain, it's hard to bear their screams. This little girl was burned when boiling water (or alcohol) fell on her. It's estimated that 26% of her body was scalded in a matter of seconds.

Pray for her, she is in constant pain. She comes daily for wound dressings, and these pictures show her after a great deal of healing has already occurred.


There is another boy, about her same age, with an estimated 30% of his body burned in a similar fashion. Oh, it hurts just to look at them!

Burning for revenge....

A few days ago, a woman brought in a baby that had been badly burned (over 20% of her face and body). We had to completely sedate the child to even clean the wounds. It was hard to hear... let alone watch. The little girl was obviously in a lot of pain.

The next day another child showed up in a terrible state. He had scalding burns all down his neck and shoulder. This is unusual. We normally don’t see so many burns. How strange.

Only later did I learn that the two burn victims are neighbors. The young girl was playing at the neighbors house. She was either pushed by another child or fell into a vat of boiling water. The mother of the child was irate. She blamed the neighbor for the accident, saying it was her responsibility to watch the child.

So while the neighbor was at the clinic checking on the little girl. The mother went to her neighbor’s house and intentionally pushed that woman’s child into the fire -- thus the second victim.

I can understand being angry but ... to push a small child into the fire? To scar him for life? That... I cannot understand. I just can’t.

So every day since, we have had two warring families waiting in line to get their babies’ burns treated. The tension is so thick you can taste it.

Pray for forgiveness and reconciliation, healing and love.

Update on a few stories...

The young man who had a motor bike accident is doing well. (Read his story below: FACE OFF) He has been coming in regularly for wound care. No permanent damage. I wonder if he'll ever get back on a bike again.

Then the story about the woman covered in burns (See her story: BURN UNIT) is also doing fabulous. She has been coming to the clinic by herself these last few days. She comes crawling on the ground... scooting forward as the pain allows. The first time I saw it I was amazed and mortified... But she is strong. Thank you so much for praying for her. Most of her wounds are 80% better.

And sadly... I have to say, my badger is gone. The man who 'gave' him to us wanted money. I refused to pay so he took him back. The sad thing is, he probably won't even keep little Corriander alive. I miss his sqwaaaakkkk. :- (

Burn Unit.

A few weeks ago a woman was brought into the clinic on a homemade stretcher. She was whimpering softly to herself in pain. I was busy with prentatals but I figured it had to be serious. Later I found out she was burned by boiling liquid and 27% of her body was covered in 2^nd degree burns, possible 3^rd degree in some places.

We dressed her wounds, got her pain killers and then took her home. What struck me the most was how elderly she was. She must be in her 70s – frail and grey haired. (grey hair is not common here.)

She was supposed to come back daily for wound care but five days went by and she didn’t return. Jessica (the nurse in the wound care room) confessed that she thought she was dead because she hadn’t returned. To us the possibility seemed likely. When you have severe burns staying hydrated is very difficult.

But after 5 days of no care, Sabet found her and drove her to the clinic. She wasn’t able to walk and so didn’t come for the care she needed. Her family had no way to get her to us and may have just given up.

When she came in most of my pregnant patients went as far away from her as they could get. She smelled so foul it was hard just to be in the same building let alone the same room.

Her burns had pussed over and become septic. She was seriously sick and Jessica and Margaret worked hard to get her wounds debraided and cleaned. It was agreed that Sabet would pick her up daily and her wounds would be changed twice daily and then she would be driven home.

This has worked well and two or three weeks later the improvement has been remarkable. This last week she was able to move herself from the wheelchair onto the bed. Before she was carried everywhere on a mattress.

So praise God with me for this great healing. She’ll be scarred no doubt but she’ll live. I’m impressed with her pain tolerance. She is stronger than I think I’ll ever be.