What does hope look like?
Sometimes, it looks like a one-year-old child laughing and playing again after fighting for her life.
This month, our partner in the fight against malaria in Uganda, Healing Faith, shared the story of Teddy, a one-year-old girl from Nawapanda, Uganda.
When Teddy arrived at the Healing Faith/Young Living Foundation Malaria Center, she tested positive for severe malaria. Further testing revealed that her hemoglobin level had dropped dangerously low, meaning she urgently needed a blood transfusion.
Healing Faith immediately referred Teddy to St. Francis Nyenga Hospital, where she was admitted without delay. After receiving a blood transfusion and several days of treatment, she recovered and was able to return home. Our local team monitored her closely, following up at her home to ensure her well-being in the days following her hospital visit.
Recently, Teddy came back to the malaria center for a follow-up visit.
This time, she wasn't being rushed in because she was critically ill.
She was smiling.
She was playing.
She was simply being a one-year-old again.
It's difficult not to wonder what her future might have looked like if the malaria center hadn't been available when her family needed it most.
Stories like Teddy's remind us why this work matters.