William H.A. “Billy” Willbond MSM, CD
Mollie Colson (above) and Billy Willbond (below) with Baby Faith. Their faces show great sadness after the death of the tiny baby in the next crib
SADNESS AND JOY
On a Sunday in March we visited the A.B.C.,
To the sick children’s ward went Mollie and me
Visiting a wee TB victim the Nurses called Faith
We brought nappies and baby oil to this wee waif!
The baby’s mother lay dying in a nearby sick bed
Just after we left, that baby’s mother was dead
Mollie went shopping for a rattle, bottles and clothes
And soap and disinfection powder and things like those
Faith’s dad he had died about two weeks before
The aids pandemic is a thing we hate and deplore
On Monday we brought items that Faith would need
Clothes, a rattle, an Izzy Comfort Doll, indeed!
In an alcove, in the next crib, there lay a wee child
The child looked at Mollie – then it quietly smiled
The big brown eyes closed as the breathing it ceased
The Mother and Granny then commenced wails of grief!
Faith was responding to the medical treatment for her TB.
Mollie she cried for the other, as wee Faith smiled at me
Faith now is an orphan, with no Mother or Dad
This is the story of Africa, where a Continent is sad!
We took dolls, nappies, bottles, pins and laundry soap
To the infant crisis centre where there is still survivor hope
We went to several orphanages where children smiled with joy
As we gave Izzy comfort dolls to each girl and boy!
©Copyright March 19, 2007 by Billy Willbond
A.B.C – African Bible College on the outskirts of Lilongwe in Malawi
Infant Crisis Centre – Looks after infants who’s parents have died
Above and below: Mike Comeau’s Kitbag filled with Izzy Dolls on its way to Africa with 2 barrack boxes are mine and were filled with stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs and medicines packed in dolls. The boxes are medical kits for the outreach teams to haul meds to the villages. I have 8 barrack boxes being used in this manner at the present but need more for future trips.
Mollie, of Mollie’s Dollies Fame – Gulf Island Director of ICROSS CANADA. Mollie Colson is a world class humanitarian who supports children and a School in Ethiopia. She is a major supporter of ICROSS CANADA, is a caring hands-on organizer of knitters, and she is active in raising funds for her causes. At present she is working on raising funds to acquire an X-ray Machine for the Canadian Medical Clinic at Ngodzi.