As the wife of a helicopter pilot, it is important to me first and foremost to support my husband and take care of the needs of the family. This takes more time and energy here in Madagascar than in Switzerland. In addition, I see plenty of opportunities to help people in need in my immediate surroundings. My desire is to help as much as I can. For this I need God’s guidance.
The poor medical care here in Madagascar is a constant concern. Those who have money have better chances. If you are poor, you may die from medical problems that could normally be easily cured. It is not always easy for me to accept this, even though I know that God is in control of everything, and everyone’s days are numbered.
A few months ago, I received the sad news that the 19-year-old niece of our household help had died just 10 days after giving birth to premature twins. Due to lack of money and poor medical care, the young mother died from internal bleeding, probably because of the cesarean section. Only rarely are causes of death investigated by autopsy here. All help came too late. On the day of this mother’s death, my heart was moved to somehow help the twins. I asked Tanja who runs a children’s clinic if she could take them in. This clinic is the best address for births in all of Madagascar. Since the family agreed, the little ones were immediately taken to the children’s clinic where they received medical care. At this point, they weighed less than 2kg (4.4 pounds)! The family of the deceased mother are simple farmers. They lost their belongings because they had to sell animals and possessions to pay for the medical costs. In addition, they lost a loved one far too early. With Tanja’s help and donations from Switzerland, we are supporting the two infants. We will cover the costs for at least one year. I regularly buy vegetables from the family to help them slowly recover, at least economically.
Katja
