Winnie was a just-the-right-size girl to receive a dolly in Oyam district outside Lira…the first dolly distributed in this area. She, like so many other girls, was tickled to get this small gift. Later in the day Winnie could be found among her entourage following me around…from a distance of course.
The next day, following my teaching in the seminar, Winnie came into the church. She found me, climbed up in my lap, and promptly fell asleep. No words were exchanged, no questions, no hesitation. Just simple safety and comfort. How do they do that? Okay, they don’t all do that but those who do..mmmMMMmmm.
This child was BURNING up with fever. I started roasting because she was snuggled so close and was SO hot. I begged Pastor Patrick to get medicine for her each time he wanted to take her from me (not knowing these children are my weakness). Malaria was the likely cause and malaria kills more children in Uganda than anything else simply because people cannot afford the medicine. Here’s money, please…let’s get this child well.