Update:  Matilda

 

It seems to be time for an update on Matilda, the 9 yo (more the size of a 5yo) who was dying of spinal TB when we stepped in to help.  At the beginning of April she came to our house (the guest house where the Schwartz family lives) so that we could tend to the wound she had from a very bad burn on her leg.   During the last 5 weeks, she has been in our home, the wound is almost totally healed.  A ministry in Lusaka has given her a shiny red wheel chair, just her size, and free physical therapy to help strengthen her legs for walking and to prevent future fractures in her hip, legs, and knees.  She knows how to cook on our stove and makes her own eggs (a favorite), shema, and relish.

 

On Sunday, Matilda's mother came to visit.  We made the offer to either continue to have Matilda live in our Village of Hope where we could continue to help with the PT, or to have someone come to their home 2x a day to do the exercises with her and to take her 1x a week to Lusaka for her treatments if she thought Matilda should come home.  Her mother, Alice, said she was very grateful for all that we have done for Matilda and that she is not able to manage her.  She accepted our offer for her to remain here at the village.

 

So our plan is to have her be the first child in the next house, and begin work with the new housemother who will arrive on Monday.  Today Mr. Phiri, who lives in the same Nyrienda village where Matilda's mother lives, saw her outside coloring with some of her friends.  He said what a big improvement there has been in her since she has been here.  He said it was so good that she had come. 

 

So once again God has led in areas we had not considered.  Now we have a child with a major disability who is part of this family.  All the children love pushing her in the wheelchair and having her around.  It sensitizes them to the needs of those with disabilities. 

 

I think the big challenge (and you can pray for us) will be Matilda's strong will.  Her will has helped her survive, but it also can be used when she doesn't want to do what she doesn't want to do.  When school starts next week, she is going to have to fit into a schedule like she has never done before.  But I'm expecting great things to happen!