For the past 6 months, Jackie has been my constant shadow. Most of this time she has been really sick, meaning that there has been an even greater attachment, or at least I feel that way. One thing I've been praying during those 6 months is for her mom to appear. For many reasons. Legal. Jackie's well being. To keep ties with the family.
She finally came yesterday. It was emotional for everyone, to say the least. She seemed to be very pleased to see Jackie at school, to see her looking healthy and happy, to be speaking English, to be loved. She repeatedly said thank you.
I'm not sure she really came on her own free will to see Jackie. I think it was Jackie's grandmother putting pressure. Jackie's mom told us that the grandmother was fearing that maybe Jackie wasn't ok or that the mom had just dropped her anywhere (which she did). The mother requested to go with Jackie to the village to see her grandmother.
Jackie's relatives (on her father's side) were not wanting her to go. They told the mom you have seen you child. You know she is doing well. You go and give a report.
My heart hurt to let her go but I didn't want the mom to feel like I was taking her child from her or to have hard feelings or to become angry. I told her that on my part I had no problem so long as she could give her medication. She said she would be willing to do that.
That led to our next conversaton: Jackie's health. I had to let Jackie's mom know that I had tested her and that Jackie is HIV+. The mom told me that she herself knew that she (the mom) was positive but that she didn't know about the child. I'm not real sure I believed her. Her mom was sitting there carrying a brand new baby. She asked me if I thought the baby was as well infected. The only way to know is to have the baby tested.
I asked the mom if she herself was taking ARVs. She told me that yes, she is. But a few minutes later, one of the uncles asked her and she said no.
I showed her all the medications, gave her all the instructions, she asked what foods Jackie likes to eat and they set off to the village. She is supposed to return Jackie to me on Wed. At that time, we are supposed to go to the hospital where Jackie gets treatment from to follow up with testing the baby.
Please be praying:
for my peace in these days
that Jackie will be protected, given meds on time daily with instructions followed, and that she will be returned on Wed.
for the mom- for her heart to be open, for me to be able to share with her Christ
the best interest of Jackie- Does this mean her mom will want to be reponsilbe and take over caring for her and I help from a distance with school fees, hospital visits, weekends, etc.? Or does it mean my adopting Jackie (which we talked about very briefly) and keeping a relationship with the family?
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