Update on Mzati Banda

(I could not log in to our blog site yesterday to give an update)

On Thursday morning after Chapel, we took some teachers and students over to the Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) to visit Mzati. He was in on of the "paying" rooms ward. (All treatment and medicine at KCH is "free" except for a few fee paying rooms. The room he was in was similar to one at the ward at our clinic on the mission compound.) He had finished his blood transfusion around 3 AM that morning.

When we saw him around 9:15 AM and his spirits were quite high. (He said that he gave the thieves a 4 out of 5 for their performance. That's Mzati!) He also looked a lot better than I was expecting him to. When we were there, we were told that he still needed two more units of blood. I am unsure of whether this happened our not. (Side note: One of the blessings of this time has been our Upper School Science teacher, Gail Guidice. Gail knows a lot of Chichewa and was appointed a co-guardian for Mzati by his grandparents. It is scary to think what would have happened to him, if she was not there advocated for him and making sure that he was tended to!) They ran out of blood at the hospital but the blood bank was next door. I know that Gail went there to try to work something out, just not sure if it ever happened.

Mzati was discharged, again thanks to some serious advocacy and intervention by Gail, around 2 PM yesterday afternoon. He will go back for a check up on Tuesday.

Please continue to give thanks that God spared his life! Also, continue to pray for his brothers, Limbikani is a Senior this year and Shingi a Third grader, and for their mother who is out of the country currently. They live with their grandparents and their dad is not in the picture. These are three great boys! Pray for spiritual comfort and growth for them during this time.

A number of people have responded with inquiries about assisting financially. I do not believe there is any need for this, but thank you so much! The community here has been very supportive and encouraging.

I will update again after his check up on Tuesday, unless there is someing to report before then.