recently found out from Donna, Caleb's mom, that one of the babies I helped deliver while I was down at Omo in January was named Joanna. Well, to say I helped 'deliver' this baby is a tad inflated. It's more like I crouched in the dimly lit hut and watched while Donna and a local midwife wrestled this first-time mom into a position suitable for a safe delivery (this lady was being uncharacteristically resistant to the process over-taking her body), and I simply happened to catch the squirmy, slippery little girl who made her debut into the Daasanech world. I'm sure her eyes were blinded by glaringly white face peering into her little face the moments after she was born, but since the mom was 'angry' at this little being who caused her so much pain and refused to hold her, I was the one to clean her up, cut her cord, and whisper to her those sweet nothings that you can only say to a brand new babe.
Naming babies after the Swart family has been a long tradition among the Daasanech, there are more than a few "Donnies", "Rays" (for Caleb's grandfather Giles), "Shelahs" and "Leahs" (Caleb's sisters), and "Calebs" running around up and down the Omo River. I'm sure it won't be long before we hear of little "Elsas" and "Ezras" running around, too.
I suppose if we accomplish nothing else by living among the Daasanech, at least we can say we've added pages to their "What Shall We Name the Baby?" book.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment