Today Sister Wright invited me to visit government run Soweto Maternity Hospital, where indigents pay US$3.50 for delivery, are allowed to stay six hours in common cubicles for post-partum care, are issued one sanitary pad = several walk common hallway with gown wrapped between legs. Four of us distributed polar fleece blankets with matching caps (made by powerhouse S/Wright) to mothers (not necessarily "new" mothers). The director says many of the babies will be left on the hospital lawn when the mother departs (and the mother will show up pregnant ten months later). Midwives deliver all babies, except for C-sections, delivered by professionals (Pakistani guy, German woman). Their average rate of delivery is 60 per 24 hours. Wow! It was sobering to see so many babies come into the world in such grim circumstances, with so little hope. Some of the women expressed appreciation, others seemed to expect TLC. Think we can change the world?
Sister Dawn Wright
Sister Dawn Wright
Wow, humbling.
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