The Davies Update

I got to go to the hospital with my second Mama the other day. She had high blood pressure and so she was preparing herself for the possibility of an emergency c-section. Well the hospital has some strict rules and I am actually not allowed in with the patient except if I am the only one with her and she is in the final stage of labor and ready to deliver, which doesn't make sense for what I am actually there for.
Anyway, when I arrived at the hospital, a security guard let me go up to the waiting room where this young woman's mother was waiting. While we waited my only contact with this scared young first time mom was through phone calls and texts of encouragement ( I am thankful for cell phones). You see my client was not in labor but she was put in a labor ward with many other women who were in active labor. So as you can imagine the sight of these other women was not helpful for her blood pressure. . . when we did get a chance to talk face to face she spoke of the most horrendous things that were happening in the labor ward; mothers being hit and yelled at by the attending nurses, she herself had been hassled and repeatedly yelled at for crying.

I was starting to really get fired up about the things she was telling me when we met another young woman who had just had her baby by c-section and she showed us her baby who had a very bad cut on his head, when we asked what happened she explained that they cut the baby when they cut her!
Now here I am sitting with all these stories and experiences and I don't know exactly what to do with it??? I came home feeling so upset that the people who need help are constantly the victims in places where they should be getting help. What do I do??? What can I do? Despite the fact that I just got certified by DONA as a Doula ( yeah!!) I don't actually have any credibility in these hospitals, and I don't know anyone who does!

I listened to a song that my friends Yasmin and Ben wrote when they had studied the book of Amos it says:

"If you remain silent
If you just turn your head
If you remain silent
What can I say to those who will cry
Where is our God when our children die?

Speak through Your Word
Let us understand
Their cries must be heard by both God and man

Do not remain silent"

I cry every time I listen to that song, but it helps me remember that no matter how small, no matter how few connections I have, I must speak, speak up for those who don't have a voice and continue to listen.
Please pray for the government hospitals in South Africa, there are many issues, understaffed over worked and millions of sick people without resources just don't make for a good situation.