I was glad when Friday arrived this week. I spent every day in the car, out and about in villages. The driving I find, actually the most difficult and the most exhausting part of the day. The villages and areas of Lilongwe district naturally are not designed for cars, just bicycles. The environment changes daily and the driving conditions are hugely dictated by the weather.

At the beginning of the week I went with Mother Superior from the’ Mother Theresa’ orphanage to visit a particularly deprived area of Likuni just outside Lilongwe. She visits fortnightly to give food to the mothers for their children. There were over 60- 70 women waiting for us and over 100 children. I had never seen such malnourished cases. I now recognise the signs and those who need immediate medical attention or if left they would die. We took 4 children and their mothers in the back of the pick up to the hospital. All four were kept in for blood transfusion, hydration and treatment of sorts.

I spoke about setting up a feeding station run by volunteers in the area and feeding the children three times a week. It would only cost MUMs about £80 per month once it was up and running. This idea was greatly appreciated and so I have started the ball rolling. This feeding station will be closely kept an eye on by the nuns who will continue to visit.

Beatrice and I visited Kauma this week and spoke with the village chief to get his permission to set up our second feeding station. He naturally was delighted and will give us a list of all the orphans and vulnerable, malnourished children in the area. All the new leaders I have appointed as volunteers to help the two feeding stations are meeting this weekend. I can see these will be up and running before I leave in June and the finances organised with trustworthy people. All going well I will feel that ‘Mums Recipes’ is playing a very sustainable role in these children’s lives.

We visited the triplets this week as we had heard nothing from the nurse at the clinic. It took us three and a half hours to get there. We had to abandon the car, as the river had broken through and we had to walk through the fast flowing current, carrying milk and scales. What a picture that was. We of course had lots of people helping and then went in a pick up truck the rest of the way. I have never been so glad to arrive. There was no suspension in the pickup and the driver just drove over potholes. I thought I was going to die! Thankfully the triplets had all put on weight but were wearing filthy clothes. We only stayed for about 30 minutes as we had the long journey back to Bwaila and the driver had stayed with us to take us back to the river.

When we arrived back at Bwaila there were two grandmothers each with a twin in their arms and the uncle, waiting to see us. The mother had died at 4am that morning in the back of an ox and cart while giving birth to the twins. She had bled to death while the second placenta was still in. The grandmothers had come to give the nursery the babies. The nurse had given the babies a cup feed of milk before we arrived as they had not fed and it was explained that because the babies were well they could go home with support from Beatrice and I.

If the twins had stayed they would have developed infection and it would have been a big job to get them back to the village. We promised we would visit the next day. We made up a flask of milk for the babies, gave them cups and instructions how to make up the milk. I gave them their bus fare and off they went. It was so sad.

The nurse also told us of another problem we had to follow up. A grandmother had come in during the day with twins. Her daughter of 20yrs had died the week before and left twins of 10months. There was no father to be seen and no family support. This grandmother had no milk, no money and needed help. This was a visit for Friday.

I got home on Wednesday at 1730, tired, hot and hungry with the mind buzzing.

We went on Thursday to visit the new twins. It was the worst drive yet and took over an hour, through mud I felt we were going to get stuck in. The village was expecting us and there was great feeling of sadness between everyone we encountered. We said’ papani’ which means sorry to the family who came to greet us. This was the day of the burial so we did not stay long. There were hundreds of men in one area and women in another area all gathering for the funeral. The mother left another 5 children apart from the twins. We were told the mother still had the placenta attached to her womb and that many women blamed witchcraft. We will visit again in a week.

Yesterday we visited the older twins called Janet and Jennifer, they were beautiful. This grandmother had nothing. I mean no food for her and no means of getting any. No family support and no milk and very little porridge left for the babies. The babies obviously had a strong bond with her and were so good. We left milk and I left some money for her to buy maize and we said we would be back next week. What a desperate case and I cannot see how we can help long term. Yes short term I can bring vegetables, maize and the babies will get their food from the food programme but is there a long term solution? I am sure there are lots like this grandmother and yes they will survive until the next problem hits them.

Oscar is still in the nursery. I have been in touch daily with social services and the bottom line is someone in the family needs to sign over Oscar to the care of the state. The mother was HIV positive and unmarried. So this week twice someone has gone to the village to get a signature and no one has come forward. There is a huge stigma and no communication. Now The Village of Hope is working with the dept and Oscar is a priority. They are sending someone next week to the village I will hear more on Wednesday. There does not seem to be any rights for the child in this case and if there is no signature what happens? However there are many people waiting to foster and sponsor new babies so there is a good life waiting for him.