Christmas Eve - Kibogora Hospital

On Christmas Eve I went to the obstetrics ward of the hospital. I was moved by the sight of young mothers with their babies. Some babies were a week or more old because the mother had to be recovered enough for her trip home, which could mean walking many many miles.

I thought of the Christmas story and how Mary had journeyed so far before Jesus was born. How he was born in such humble circumstances and after he was born she wrapped him in "swaddling clothes." I don't know what swaddling clothes look like, but my imagination tells me that it was whatever Mary had that would keep her newborn child warm.

As I talked with the new mothers (with Carol interpreting,) I asked one mother if I could take a picture of her and her new baby. I told her I wanted to share the picture with my friends back in the United States. She agreed to let me photograh her baby, I turned my digital camera so that she could see the picture. I shared the results with the other mothers in the ward. All of a sudden all the mothers were getting out of their beds and coming over to me to take a picture of their baby also. I was more than glad to do this. I photographed all who asked and showed them the results. My throat had a lump in it as I felt so much like I was right in the middle of Bethlehem. It was truly a blessing for me to be able to spend some time with these women.

It is my highest honor to share these pictures with you.