K....

K... is a fourteen year old girl who is in Grade 9. We noticed that she has been gaining weight and becoming much more reserved. We finally talked with her Friday. She says she was raped by a bus driver in December and has not had her period since then. There is also a step father involved in the picture so it may be something like that as well. She has been unable to talk to her mother so has been shouldering this burden all alone for the past months.

We tried to get a pregnancy test done yesterday but the power was out for the morning and most of the afternoon. This morning, Yeni took her and had the blood test done. The result was positive (although, in this case, I rather think it is very negative).

Manuel, Yeni and I talked to her today and gave her the results. We tried to reassure her that this was not her fault and that she should not ever think it was. We also arranged to visit her home tomorrow and talk with the mother.

The results were, in a way, a bit of a relief for K... Now she can address the situation and work with it ... as much as any 14 year old child can do so.

There are so many children who get pregnant here in Honduras. It is one of the very sad realities. I know of more than one 32 - 35 year old grandmother. When you factor in the damage that will be done to the child/mother as well as the chances that her child will become learning disabled because of malnutrition and inadequate mothering the future for both is very dim.

One small blessing. We have Where There is No Doctor and Where There is No Doctor for Women in digital form. We also have several recently written and translated booklets on the nutritional benefits of green leaves. So, Yeni will work with K... to make sure she reads these materials. She is almost finished Grade 9 and has already achieved a passing grade should she have to drop out.

So, a heavy week so far.

On the brighter side ... and cute picture time. Yeni asked about a school "uniform" for her daughter, Ady. When I went to order the uniforms, there were, of course, none in that size. Manuel and I rushed to a baby store, found a suitable shirt and had it done up with the "uniform" logo. Yesterday, Ady came to school to show it off. I am wearing mine but Ady is blocking the logo. :))

I will be in Canada for 3 weeks so will be off the blog.

TTYL
BB