Patricks Blessing--An Epilogue!

-------------Photo taken from the GIFUMBIA Hills toward Kisoro, where I live.

Dear Friends

Last Sunday the 24^th of August, I just happened to be in the Pediatric Ward, which is rare for a weekend. I noticed a familiar face which I was unable to place, until she entered the room where I , Sr. Justine and Sr. Bonnie, as well as my helper, Bernedette and a very ill Baby Michael were congregated in an effort to lower Michaels temperature, which had been much too high for several days and not responding to medications or frequent tepid sponging.

I soon realized she was the mother of Baby Patrick, who is featured in a recent Blog, “A Call to Save Babies in Distress” detailing his remarkable recovery.

Following some conversing in Rufumbira, it was translated to me that she had WALKED from Gifumbia (some 9miles of mountainous terrain) to the Hospital, just to thank me !

I was overwhelmed and shocked by this news, as I have been to Gifumbia several times by vehicle and though the ride is breathtakingly beautiful, it is also very long and arduous.

Now I was to somehow believe that this slight woman walked this distance., with an 18mo. old baby on her back , carrying a large basket full of Irish Potatoes, on her head!

---------------------------Unbelievable!!

I was concerned about her starting the walk home, when she relayed that, indeed, she was not alone in her pilgrimage, as many in the village had accompanied her, so she would not need to travel alone.

Justine told her of how I had baptized her son Patrick, after my grandfather, as I was unable to remember or even say his name. She smiled sweetly and repeated” Patrick” several times.. When I found out her name was even more unusual and difficult to pronounce, I dubbed her Brigid, after my grandmother, which gave us all a reason to laugh causing Michael to open his eyes , giving us hope for his recovery..

While I bounced a healthy looking little Patrick on my knee, she retrieved the Irish potatoes from her basket, gifting me in more ways than simply potatoes.

It crossed my mind how symbolic was her gift to me as I had named she and her son with the names of my very Irish grandparents;Brigid and Patrick...

It was then, and only then, that Michael’s temperature began to drop and, Praise God, hasn’t risen since that time. Yes, he has Malaria AND Pneumonia, yes he will be on pretty strong treatment with numerous potential side effects, but he IS on the road to recovery, which, please God, won’t be as long a journey as the road to Gifumbia.

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The colorful women of Gifumbia come from very far each month to have their children immunized.