Wrapped up in a blanket...

As we were driving to church through the hills,
I noticed a man walking on the side of the road.
It was a beautiful Sunday morning;
A perfect day for a walk.
Or so it seemed at least.
The man was holding something in his arms.
So, as we drove past I turned my head to take a closer look.
It was then that I realized what he was carrying.
I could be mistaken but am almost positive,
That he was holding a child wrapped up in a blanket.
A child, who was no longer alive.
This was not a leisurely walk.
It was a walk of sorrow and grief.
It made me wonder how often these walks take place here.
And also reminded me of the child we lost in the clinic two weeks ago.
When I myself was wrapping up a small child, in a blanket;
Waiting for her parents to take a look, one last time.
They too had to take away a small child, wrapped up in a blanket.
Unfortunately I think this is all too common in Sierra Leone,
A country where 1 in 4 children do not reach the age of 5.
Grief. Sorrow. Loss.
All a part of daily life.
And so I spend my day trying to offer a little hope.
Trying desperately to change reality.
Making a difference in the lives of individuals.