Breaks My Heart

I am sitting in the Colorado Springs airport awaiting my first of 3 flights today. I will be going to Denver, then Houston, then Nashville. My first flight leaves @ 11:03 and my final arrival tonight is 7:13 Central time. So, my total travel time since arriving at the airport today is 9 hours.

It sounds a bit exhausting, but I am looking forward to the time alone. Time to reflect. Time to read. Time to journal. God is doing some big things. So big that I can't even fully grasp them at this point.

I just read an article from Swaziland that made me gasp. It was a "I can't believe this is happening and something has to be done" kind of gasp. I am kind of in shock just thinking about the ramifications of it. Here it is:

Babies dying like flies

By Sibonginkosi Mamba

Swaziland has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, the ministry of health has revealed.

Out of every 1 000 children born at the country's hospitals, 587 of them die. Chief Nursing Officer, Thembisile Khumalo disclosed the figures yesterday, noting that the number of babies dying at birth was worrying.

"We do hope that with the introduction of the health awards, health facilities in the country will fight to improve the situation," she said.

The recently introduced health awards are a product of the Quality Assurance Programme which it is hoped will improve health service delivery. The health awards have been the dream of the ministry, she explained.

They are in seven categories - best performing facilities and individuals will be awarded. Among the categories the best region, best health facility, best health centre, programme, maternity and clinic will be awarded.

All of those babies that never have a chance to really even live.

These are just the babies born in the hospitals. It doesn't include those who are born at home.

My heart is broken.

My two babies could have been part of that number.