School a Princess for a Year
3.20.13
We discovered when we were filling out Princesses forms for our new diabetes clinic that she neither had a birthday nor a school. Princess had been born during Liberia's civil war and the time and horror of it subsumed the celebration of this new baby's life. Princess is grown up. When she became sick with diabetes, her step-mother took her out of school because she was scared. Besides, money was tight.
So we gave Princess a birthday (January 13th) and her first ever party at the hospital equipped with presents and crown hat to boot. We told her how much we loved her which meant in large part sending her back to school. Princess was ecstatic.
Help educate Princess and watch her learn through this site.
1.15.14
Princess is growing up. She actually asked me (through Augustine) for tuition. "This woman needs to go to school," she said. I am most proud of Princess for helping with the younger kids in diabetic clinic. She comes to diabetes clinic each week to give moral support and especially looks after Daniel when he is sick. I am hoping that she helps us figure out what is wrong with our care of Daniel. None of the other patients including Princess have been treated in the hospital for DKA since joining the program. Maybe Princess can learn Daniel's secrets or the other way around.
3.15.15
The Ebola epidemic has meant that Princess is out of school like the other children. The nation if not the world is wondering when the President will decide that it's safe to resume a normal life which seems harder and harder in Liberia. But Princess is her normal self: Cheerful, in regular attendance at the clinic, and shy.
I admit worrying about Princess beyond her diabetes. She only speaks when spoken to and her responses are never elaborate. I she is this way partly out of respect and partly because she still regards me as a "white man", even after four years. Of course I tell Princess that I am Taiwanese-American but she has yet to act on the difference. So we are still working on Princess and our hopes and wishes persist to rest on her.
2.15.16
The insulin shipment finally arrived! The last shipment was never sent so Augustine has had to buy insulin out of pocket for months for the now twelve children in the clinic, including Princess whom we won't be able to refer to as a child for much longer. I really have to pause to give thanks to Life for a Child Foundation which provides our make-shift diabetes clinic with free insulin and testing supplies. Without the foundation, frankly, I would be much poorer or the children not alive. The cost of one month of insulin exceeds the income of most of the families. Sometimes you need things taken away to be grateful.
To Princess, Daniel and the other children and Augustin, George and other volunteer staff, who help take care of them. It's been five years and counting! I have been there and it's still hard but great to believe.
