Mirna (by Cheryl)

After the third day of my first mission trip experience, i finally feel able to put a few thoughts together. I have already seen so much and had so many different emotions it is hard to process it all. The children are beautiful. When they see you, you see genuine happiness and excitement in their eyes. They cling to you as if you have known them all their life. I could honestly spend my 12 days here with them. I am experiencing other things though, as so much help is needed here. The level of poverty is difficult to comprehend even when you are in the midst of it. Yesterday was definitely the most difficult day for me. My sister asked me to go to the mountain with her to check on a 19 year old girl who had a baby on May 18th. The baby died 8 days later and Mirna was just "not right" since then. Lori had taken her a week ago to the Public Hospital where they told her she had an infection, did a procedure and sent her home without antibiotics. When we arrived, i took one look at her and knew she was in critical condition. We told her we were taking her to the hospital, and she asked if she could "shower" first. Well a "shower" on the mountain is tough, as there is no running water. But she cleaned herself up and then insisted on walking down the mountain to the car. She would not allow us to carry her. We got her to a private hospital where she has been admitted and scheduled for a hysterectomy today. She had a massive infection that spread throughout her body and when she was treated at the Public Hospital they punctured her uterus. As if this is not sad enough,she is still silently grieving the loss of her baby. I don't think i have ever seen such sadness in someones eyes. Mirna has no parents, her brothers and sister take care of each other. So i guess Lori and I want to be near her now to fill that roll. I will keep you posted on her progress, and just pray i have the strength to be help her. Carly, we are coming back next year together.