Dachena

 I was talking to someone the other day who just took her baby to his one month check up. We were both so proud that he’s already almost 10lbs at 4 weeks old and loves to eat! But it reminded me again how malnourished Dachena was being 13 months old and weighing 13lbs. A sack of bones. I mean how little do you have to feed a child to keep them alive but be starved to nearly deaths doorstep? How many days did she not get fed? If her mama was still alive I’d say poverty played a role. Which isn’t fair. But if daddy was in the picture I’d say neglect played a role. Which isn’t fair either. Either way, the repercussions of starvation and being neglected are becoming more and more evident with this girl. She requires a lot of patience, and love, and structured discipline too. 

But still to this day babies are starved and on deaths door step and we forget it’s even happening. It’s hard to imagine until that baby is on your door step. 

Although I had wished there was a way for you to have been able to stay with your biological family rather than have to leave them, that’s not always the healthiest answer and that wasn’t an option 5 years ago. Every story is different. 

But Dachena, I love you and your heart and your mind that I can’t quite understand sometimes, and your strength and your smile, and your eagerness to always help me around the house. 

Someone recently asked “what can you do for her?” My answer was “well if we lived in a 1st world she’d have doctors and therapists and medication and resources. But we don’t. We live in a 3rd world. So we have God. And prayer. And that’s it. And it’s ok. 

Life is weak but God is strong.