This is one of the saddest things I’ve heard in some time. Thanks to my friend, Hannu for this story.  My last post talked about the tragedy many people experience who live in extreme poverty. This is real life for a young mother infected with HIV:

“At least I held and loved her
once”
Little Esther did not have the chance to
grow up. She had already been underweight for a long time. Even though she was a
year and 2 months old, she weighed about half of what was normal for her age. We
heard from her grandmother, Paskalina that Esther had been sick for one week.
She refused to eat. We also heard that her mother Molly had given birth this
week to a boy child. We were concerned of this young mother, her sick child and
of the newborn baby. Molly is HIV+ and last time we saw her, she had lost a lot
of weight.

In the afternoon we received a telephone call
informing us that Esther had passed away. We did not make in time to help her. My assistant, Rian
said “At least I held and loved her once.” Esther’s mother, Molly is one of our
ladies that makes beads. Last time Molly came to sell the beads she had made,
she came carrying Esther on her back. When Rian had seen them, she felt that she
had to treat Esther especially well. She had seemed so weak and pitiful. Rian
had carried Esther around for a long time.

She was given medicine but it was too late, nothing
could be done any longer. On the way home from the doctor, the grandmother realized that her
grandchild had died in her arms as they waited for their scooter ride. She
bravely rode silently home with the deceased Esther in her arms. The driver
would not have given a ride if he had known that the child had
died.

That week two visitors had visited in that
small room: life and death. There with the assistance of her mother, Molly had
given birth to a boy child. Now she was sitting on the floor beside the lifeless
body of Esther. As we drove home, I was thinking how could we have helped. Molly
needs besides nutritious food, people around her who love and care for her and
the whole family. She needs God, who is full of grace and
loving.

“God is in the slums
In the cardboard boxes
Where the poor play
house
God is in the silence of a
mother
Who has infected her child with a
virus
That will end both of their
lives
God is in the cries
Heard under the rubble of
war
God is in the debris of wasted opportunity
and lives
God is with us
If we are with them.” (Bono)