Reaping the Fruits of Others’ Generosity

(Patrick bathing with one sock on)

(Jacinta with her one year old son, Titus...As you can see little Patrick is still unborn at the time of the photo)

Early Thursday morning, a Suubi woman named Jacinta gave birth to a healthy baby boy. Her delivery story was about as routine of a birth as the next Ugandan woman. She walked to the nearest health clinic in her village around 9 o’clock the night before, racing against the final minutes of dusk so that the setting sun could light her path. She was in labor all night, and gave birth around 3am. And by the time the sun rose, Jacinta was had already left the clinic, and was walking back to her hut with her new baby boy swaddled in her arms. All within 12 hours Jacinta walked to the clinic, popped out a baby, and walked back home. No sweat.
Jacinta’s new bundle of joy will always have special meaning to me because she let me name her second born. She wanted to either name him after my father or my brother, so I let her choose between baby Richard and baby Patrick. She chose Patrick, so now this little tyke will grow up hearing the story of the origin of his name as this crazy Muzungu camera lady who had an older brother named Patrick.
Jacinta had no support leading up to the birth of her son. Her husband works out of town and she goes months without seeing him; and she alone has her hands full with a 1-year-old toddler named Titus. Jacinta knocked on a fellow Suubi woman’s door on her way to the Health Clinic, and this woman Joyce spent all night consoling her through a very painful and lonely birth. I tell you all this story to let you know that many of you did your part in America to ease Jacinta’s burden. Jacinta wasn’t given a baby shower before her delivery, in fact, no women in Uganda are showered with gifts awaiting the birth of their baby. And yet do to many generous donations from family and friends, we’ve been able to provide a necessity to 10 expectant Suubi women. In Uganda a woman has to bring a “birthing kit” with all her medical and hygiene supplies to the clinic in order to give birth. Most women are barely making ends meet, so even though they are given a 9 month warning to start saving up to buy a birthing kit, many woman fly by the seat of their pants. That is the case with Jacinta. She was actually 20 days past her due date, and did not have a pair of surgical gloves to her name.


(A while bunch of birthing kits)

With the support of many generous souls and the proceeds of a successful family garage sale, I am in the process of delivering 10 complete birthing kits to the homes of pregnant women in Suubi. Already one woman, Lillian who is 9 months pregnant, said it was such an answer to prayer she believed we were angels. I tell you all this to thank many of you for your donations and trust when you earmarked it as “do with it as you see fit.”


(Lillian and kids hugging her birthing kit)

I wanted to share this success story with you all so you too can feel good about how you’ve helped the women of Suubi. I may get the honor of naming the baby, but you all should feel honored to have helped ease these women’s burdens. Jacinta’s friend and first mate, Joyce told me that the birthing kit was unbelievable helpful for a smooth and safe delivery. In Uganda, once the labor pains begin, women are forced to think and act in survival mode. So any comfort or assurance they can have about their delivery brings these new mommies much needed peace of mind.