In Memory of George Young, the Zambia Container Project
The Juliet Story
I returned from Lusaka, Zambia, Africa, August 30, 1999. It was like waking up from a dream because everything I saw and experienced was so far from what I know as reality.
But I cannot forget Juliet. Of all that I saw in Zambia I have not been so moved with compassion than with Juliet.
Juliet is just two years old and cute as she can be. She makes me think of my own two year old daughter. Juliet is like any other child running around the house, playing games children play and generally having a good time. Barefooted, like the other children, not because she has a choice but because most children in Zambia are.
As Juliet rounded the corner running through the kitchen she ran headlong into her cousin carrying a large pot of boiling water. Juliet is severely burned throughout her face, shoulders and arms.
Juliets parents have no transportation so there is no way to get her quickly to the hospital. Fortunately however, Jennie and Sandra, who I am staying with and are my mission partners in Zambia, answer the call for help shortly after 5:00 p.m. Friday, the 20th of August. Jennie and Sandra rush her to the hospital. I stay behind because I have other things to do and hey, I would not be able to help even if I went.
About an hour later Sandra comes rushing into the house tearing through the cabinets, the bathroom and bedrooms looking and asking for burn medication.
The hospital has no medication on the shelf for baby Juliet!
It is after 5:00 p.m. and the prescription the doctor wrote can not be filled since the pharmacy is closed and will not re-open until the morning. Worse, the hospital has no I.V. for Juliet and no pain reliever.
Juliet is in a state of shock and Jennie and Sandra is sure Juliet will die.
Somewhere in all the confusion I am getting a wake-up call. Things here are not the way they are in the states. Jennie and Sandra had asked me to bring some
Children's Tylenol and my wife and I did pick some up from Costco. But it had already been distributed and was no longer available to us.
As I scrambled through my toilet articles I found a small tube of Neosporin. I also had a small bottle of aspirin, only about ten left in my computer bag.
The severity of the situation remains touch and go through the weekend. My travel guide, Emanuel and I go to the hospital to see how Juliet is doing on Monday. By chance, she has just checked out and we are able to catch up to them as they are filling a prescription.
We learn from the mother and sister they will be just short on the fare to take a cab home. The money they have is all they have. Immediately we make and cover the necessary arrangements. The total fare is less than two U.S. dollars.
Over the next few days special care is given to Juliet and her state improves but the mother does not seem to truly understand the continual need to keep the flies off the open wounds. Its an educational process. They simply are not aware of the associated risks.
We purchase a mosquito net for Juliet to sleep in and mission partner, Mike Mealey carefully washes the wounds with water that has been cooled off after sterilizing by boiling. Mike knows well the cleaning process, as he is a double amputee himself. A hero in his own right, he is now a hero for Juliet, despite her protests and cries throughout the careful process of cleaning the wounded areas.
Juliet will make a full recovery as of this writing, September 10, 1999 and her survival and quick healing is somewhat of a miracle.
Since her recovery, it has become a project focus to provide more medical supplies through one of our project partners, MAP International. Medical supplies will be taken in bulk to this nation, Zambia, to hospitals and the crisis nurseries.
One person really can make a big difference through leverage giving. Depending upon availability at the time of purchase, $375 buys these children medicines through MAP International,
from Tylenol valued at more than $4,000.
Working together we can make multiply that many times over. You, your company, your employer, your church or some other entity you know of should sponsor one or more "Travel Packs".
Pure Works
Foundation
178 South Boulevard
San Mateo, California, USA 94402-2462
phone: 888-673-3142 facsimile: 888-673-3143 or phone: (001)650-638-3611
facsimile: (001)650-638-3636
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8/99
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August 1999, Summary Update
September 1999, Summary Update
Project Key Team Members and More About Pure Works
USA - Today May 24, 1999 - "Zambia: The cradle of Africa's orphan crisis." Copyright 1999, USA Today. Reprinted with permission
USA Today - May 24, 1999 - "Virus Makes Families Pay Twice" Copyright 1999, USA Today. Reprinted with permission
USA Today - May 24, 1999 - "Time Bomb Ticks - US Urged to Confront Reality." Copyright 1999, USA Today. Reprinted with permission
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