Helping Babies Breathe

     We have had an interesting week with some humanitarian missionaries from the States here in Quelimane to do an HBB (helping babies breath) training for four days.  This is part of an outreach in the humanitarian focus in our church.  In four days they trained over 110 different health care providers in the important field of neo-natal resuscitation.  Each day they had a group of about 20-30 people from the city and outlaying areas spend the  day learning and practicing these techniques.  Then they are tasked with teaching five others these skills in the next year.  The church does follow-up to see if that is accomplished.  Apparently many babies in third world countries are pronounced dead, when they only need their airways cleared or some stimulation.  The percentages of infant deaths really goes down in places where the training is held.
     This was exciting for our province as it is the first time it has been done here.  We didn't have to do anything but bring our truck full of supplies from Maputo after our trip to South Africa, but we have really enjoyed meeting these missionaries.People who attend get a housing stipend and a bag full of supplies to take to their village as well as great meals catered each day.
        Heidi is a Nurse Practitioner in a women's clinic on Orem, Autumn is a nurse in a women's hospital in Nashville and John is Heidi's dad and is the project manager.  Both women are returned missionaries who speak Portuguese.  Heidi served in Portugal and Capo Verde and Autumn served in Brazil.  All three provide such great service and work with our local humanitarian missionaries, the Wollenziens.  They were so fun to get to know and we loved John's Australian accent.  The Church is very committed to this program, spending about $5 million dollars a year on it throughout the world.

Heidi, John and Autumn in our spacious living room.

This is neo-natal Natalie.  Note the clear penguin like squeeze bottle.
It is the refined version of the old blue bulb syringe for clearing noses from my children's era.

After the training the professionals are graded on their abilities
to get the mask on right the first time.

The babies are inflated and their is a cord attached that you
push to simulate a heart beat when things are done correctly.

There were doctors, nurses and mid-wives attended the training.