Snakebite Update - Zama

Speaking of snakes, I have an update on Zama (or Zamo), the baby who was bitten on her leg while she was sleeping in her hut in Swaziland. She and her mother, Sizakele, have now been in the U.S. for her surgery and treatment since May 27. She is scheduled for her third surgery to release the scar contractures that have developed due to scarring around the graft site. She is having trouble keeping the front of her foot down, so this will help her get more mobility at the ankle. She has had to stay longer than planned due to the scarring and physical therapy, so money is being raised to help with the expenses. A pancake breakfast in Loma Linda raised $1,050.00! Also, Dr. Bush hosted a multi-family garage sale at his home with the proceeds going to help and $1,550.00 was raised. Some children donated their piggy banks, which was touching. If anyone wants to contribute, the address is;

Medical/living costs: LLUMC Venom Fund #834
Sean Bush, M.D.
11234 Anderson St., Room A108
Loma Linda, CA 92354

Sizakele is 22 and has never had any formal education. She came here with an interpreter and is now fluent in English. She is learning her alphabet and is taking an aptitude test this week to see what reading level she has attained. She has made those around her pause to think about how fortunate we all are, even in these hard times. At the garage sale, she was amazed at how many clothes people donated and surprised that they still had more at home. In Swaziland, she had only three shirts and two skirts. Zama had only three outfits. They had to walk 30 minutes to the river to wash them and bring them home again.

Zama is thriving and can understand English and everything that is said to her She is now 22 months old and very mischevious. Dr. Bush's wife, A'me, will be returning to Swaziland with them next month. We are hoping to get some contacts and information about possibly doing adoptions and setting up an orphanage there. We are contemplating setting up a non-profit branch of our agency, A Gift of Hope Adoptions, called "Gifts of Hope" to fund water wells and orphanage projects in that region of the world. Due to the high incidence of HIV/AIDS, there are many orphans. We are hoping that we can get some of them into good homes and make the others much more comfortable. If you want to help or contribute in any way, there will be many opportunities to help. In the meantime, prayers are good!

They desperately need water wells. Can you imagine drinking dirty river water where people wash their clothes and take baths? Animals cross the river as well. Everyone deserves clean drinking water. I will think about that every time I sip from a bottle of purified water. If you or anyone you know (Make it a boy scout/girl scout project!) would like to help build a well in Swaziland, the fund contact information is;

Hug fund/Zama
All Nations African SDA Church
Verah Mthombeni
Box 1579
Loma Linda, CA 92354

Thank you!

News

For those of you who have been following the story of Zamo, the little girl from Swaziland who was brought to California by Dr. Sean Bush for surgery to treat a snakebite, I have an update. Zamo was to head home yesterday, but her trip was delayed due to some contractures of her new skin and she is going to need some additional treatment. She was limping and it was determined that there needs to be some physical therapy to stretch her new skin. So, she will be here a little longer. The bad news is, all of the funds that were provided by the drug company that provided money for her surgery have been exhausted. We're not yet sure how much physical therapy she will need, but it will likely be costly, so be sure if you need a tax write off this year to donate in her name to Loma Linda (previous blog article).

Congratulations to Katie and Dale on your recent match! You guys have my vote for parents of the year. After all those boys, I'm going to "think pink". You have a lovely family and the patience of saints! I don't know what you put in your cereal, Katie, but we all need some! Share your secrets. You amaze me!

Thanks to all of you for your prayers. Baby Austin is doing much better and recovering from his pneumonia. He's growing like crazy and making progress.

Thanks also to those of you who e-mailed me in support of the boycott of the movie, "Orphan". I hope the efforts of adoptive families around the country will convey a message to the media that adoption isn't a horror or a joke. Perhaps someone will tell a true adoption story which is real and heartwarming. I know where they can find quite a few!

Reminder: Our office is closed on Wednesdays for paperwork and projects. I do know I haven't produced a newsletter in a while and I am working on it, but it's slow going and my days run into nights very quickly. I'll get everyone a newsletter as soon as possible. For those of you asking, I'm glad you enjoy it and it's on the way soon!

Our waits have been a little longer than usual lately and I know families don't want to hear that, but it is the reality of our world today. Lots of factors contribute to this -- the lowest birth rate since the great depression -- the highest abortion rate in many years -- fewer birth parents who are harder to find. I think we have to find a way to educate people before they get to the abortion clinic. Not everyone is aware that there can be a happy ending to an unplanned pregnancy. I am doing what I can to let young women know that there are options. If anyone has any ideas about how we can get the word out to potential birth parents that there are loving families waiting for any baby, perhaps a few abortions would be unnecessary.

Happy Birthday to my BFF Laura on July 30! Do something fun because next year you'll be on the dark side of the century!! Where are those black balloons?

Update on Zamo

Last week, Zamo had successful grafting on the skin of her leg and foot. She's walking and doing well! She is even going up and down stairs now. Zamo will be returning to her native Swaziland next week, on July 20. She will have to keep her foot covered so that it will heal without exposure to the sun. For someone used to walking around barefoot, I'm sure socks and shoes feel a bit confining, but she's doing very well.

I am hoping to be able to assist Dr. Bush in getting some donations for Anti-venom for the part of Swaziland where Zamo lives. There are many remote villages that have no medical personnel, clinics, or doctors nearby. In the hours it can take to get someone to a hospital, they can easily die. With anti-venom available, there is the ability to buy time and save lives. Since many of these lives are children, I think it's important that we help where we can. Anti-venom costs $100.00 per vial for the type of serum needed for that area. It comes 10 vials to a case. I am hoping that by Christmas, we can send at least one case, and then go on from there.

Our local Rotary has given some gifts to Zamo, although she still needs some shoes and personal items so that she can keep her foot and leg clean while it heals. If anyone wants to help, please send me a note and I'll make sure we can get what is needed before Zamo goes home. Otherwise, we're going to start working on the anti-venom. It is tax-deductible through Loma Linda University Medical Center's non-profit status.

I'm thinking some of our adoptive families will have children's clothing and shoes to donate. We should be able to ship some things for Zamo's village later, so if you have any items you don't need that would benefit a child, please let me know.

Dr. Sean Bush and his wife A'me are the angels who have really assisted Zamo and her mother so that they could get the necessary care needed for her foot. I'm not sure how they moved the mountains to get her here, and I know it was a great undertaking, but through their efforts, they are sending a healthy little girl home. She didn't lose her foot or her life. I am humbled at the efforts made on her behalf and I hope we can all show them that there are lots of angels in the world. If we all do just a little, we can accomplish a whole lot!

My adoptive families and friends rock!