Acceptance of death in Rwanda is notably
different than what I have noticed in America. Last night, a mom lost one of
her twins. The umbilical cord was trapped in the birth canal before delivery
depriving the infant of oxygen causing severe brain damage. As a result, the
infant would not consistently breathe without support and subsequently died. The baby was removed from the incubator and
placed in a box. The box remained under
the incubator all night while the mom continued to care for her living
twin. Some people say there is a
different value placed on life here. I
am not sure that I believe this to be true.
I tend to think there might be a greater willingness to let go when the
time comes. Here there are no extended services to support occupational and
physical therapy or funds to assist the parents. There are no special education services,
assistive technology, or roads conducive to wheelchairs. I am not sure what the future would have held
for this baby had he lived, but perhaps the mom knew. It is difficult not to view cultures through
our own cultural eyes, yet to do so might skew the reality. It has been a wonderful experience to witness
the dedication and commitment demonstrated by the moms here. They sleep on the floor by their baby’s crib
while extended family members bring them any food they might eat. There are no cafeterias for patients or
family members. It is true that emotion
is not displayed in the same manner we show it, but that doesn’t mean that a
deep love is not present. In a country
where life expectancy is age 50, perhaps acceptance of death is critical for
hope and survival to be present in those who remain.
Richard
M. Whitehurst, Jr.
No comments:
Post a Comment