A Double Blessing

A few days before the New Year, we received a double blessing in the form of a set of twin boys.

The little man on the left weighed 13lb when he was admitted and his brother weighed 16lb and was walking. Both boys are very thin. The smallest twin, though, is several centimeters shorter than his brother, which may be a sign that he has been malnourished for longer period of time.

In Haiti, where daily life is often a struggle to survive, many families are unable to cope with the burden of not just one, but two extra mouths to feed when twins are born. Consciously or otherwise, mothers tend to favour one baby over the other. The favourite twin is given a bigger share of the family's food supply. The other twin is neglected. This is a harsh reality, and it is not my place to judge, but it hurts me. Deeply. And it stirs up a fierce emotion I can't name.

We can 't know at this point, whether favouritism made one of our boys three pounds heavier than his brother. If after a few months, the the size-gap narrows, a great many heads will nod.

In the week since they arrived, both boys have gained a pound. This is remarkable given that they were refusing food when they first got here. The boys are receiving high calorie supplements, and Medika Mamba, which is a blend of ground peanuts, powdered milk, sugar, oil, vitamins and minerals. Their progress is a testament to all we are are able to do for them here, and to the loving care they have received from Jocelyn, a wonderful nanny who works in the big nursery at the baby house.

I am grateful that these boys were not born into a family that is living heart-deep in voodoo. If they had been, one of the boys would certainly have died; voodooists belief that the birth of twins brings a curse upon the family that can be broken by the sacrifice of one twin's life.

No, we rejoice that both boys have lived, and that they have arrived at a place where people of faith will treat them equally, believing that that each boy is equal in the sight of God.