a bali baby

when we were in bali, i worked very closely with a nurse unlike any nurse i had ever seen. here is a picture on one of my last days at the clinic. a second later he told me that it's bad luck to take a picture with only two people. i had no idea and feel kinda bad b/c it was me that asked if i could have a picture.

somehow, he was capable of doing more in a day than i ever thought possible. he was always present to help in any way. i cannot tell you all how many times i thought, "why is he doing that? isn't that somebody else's job?" this nurse had skills but was not proud, at all. he smiled a lot and really seemed to enjoy his job...or jobs. he would start an IV and work to manage a severe post-partum hemmorage. he would do nipple stimulation until the mom's contractions were steady and she was pushing. one day, i even watched him clean out the fish pond! he always sterilized instruments after a birth. he would clean the tubs quickly after the water births. he would gather flowers for the moms while they labored in the tub; these flowers where then placed on top of the connected placenta in the bowl where it rested next to the babe and mom as the wee one nursed for the first time.

well, this amazing person became a father earlier this spring. His wife was so taken care of in labor, i will bet you. congratulations, mimi and liman!

From the Bumi Sehat newsletter:

"Mimi, our dear translator spent three days and nights in labor. Another mom comes in and has her second baby very quickly. Her first had been born at Bumi Sehat in the early days following the Tsunami, when our clinic was but a shack.

Finally Mimi’s courage and determination pay off, she and Liman have a beautiful daughter born at Bumi Sehat. They named her Talitha Nadif Halilah Wijaya. I felt like my time in Aceh was complete… I had delivered the baby of my loyal staff, this baby is like a granddaughter to me.

Bumi staff nurse Liman proudly planting a mango tree along with his newborn daughter’s placenta."