The Green Family in Malawi: The Death of Mada's Twin

On Thursday, Oct 4, we received a call that Mada's 19-month old twin brother had just died from unknown causes. So unexpected. So sad. Such a surprise when Joseph was considered to be the healthy one of the two.

Our last visit with Joseph, sitting next to Mada, just 3 weeks earlier.

As we learned more, it appears that Joseph died from dehydration. Here's the story we got from his aunt Mary: Joseph developed a temperature on Wednesday. On Thursday they took him to the hospital -- a 3 hour trek on a bike under the blazing Chikwawa sun. It was about 110 degrees that day. As typical in Malawi, Joseph would have been carried on the aunt's back wrapped in a blanket. When they got to the hospital, he was tested for malaria. His test was negative, so they sent them home with instructions to come back on Monday if he was still feverish. So off they went...another 3 hour, sweaty hot journey. And as we've seen this family travel by bicycle many times, they never carry water. With a high fever and no water, he most likely began to suffer from severe dehydration. He was dead just two hours after they arrived home.

So sad, so unnecessary and just so preventable.

This is the dirt road the family travelled on bicycle

for 3 hours to and 3 hours from the hospital.

Joseph died at 3pm on Thursday. At 5pm, the family was all packed and set out on foot to travel to the village of the deceased mother, where Joseph would also be buried (Mada and Joseph's mom died about 9 months ago).

The family of 5 (Mada's aunt and uncle and their 11-year old daughter Gracie, and Mada's siblings - 10 year old Matale, 7 year old Chamanza and 3 year old Thomas) walked for 5 hours and arrived to their destination at 10pm.

My heart breaks to think of the family and those little children making that long trek with Joseph's limp body.

Here are a few pictures to tell the story of Joseph's goodbye:

We met up with the family early the next day, and paid our respects to sweet little Joseph who lay in this small house. The Aunt met us with sobs, taking us into the house and uncovering Joseph from his baby blanket. As you may recall from the first blog on Mada, Aunt Mary took Joseph into her home when he was just 1 month old, because his mom was ill and could not care for both twins. The mom died months later,

but Aunt Mary was the only mom Joseph ever knew.

We brought a 50Kg bag of maize (corn), beans and dried fish that would be used to feed the many mourners who joined the family for the funeral.

Although we could not stay until the afternoon when the funeral was taking place,

we did spend time under a shady tree with family and villagers who were gathering

to comfort the family.

Don, with translation help from Godwins, tells the attentive audience

about Jesus' love for children, for baby Joseph who died yesterday.

He tells about the promises of heaven, the joyful reunion Joseph now has with

not only his mama who died last year,

but also with the only Father he's ever had...the one who created him.

Joseph's family listens to this message: from left:

sister Matale, cousin Gracie (with Mada on her lap), brother Chamanza.

3-year old brother Thomas was eager for cuddles.

These ladies sat off by themselves making beautiful wreaths

for each of Joseph's siblings to put on the coffin.

Brittany and Kevin were pulled into this emotional day on just their 3rd day in Malawi. They were familiar with Mada's family because of stories we'd shared for the last few months. Brittany, who said she had the "Santa Clause Fever," had gone clothes and shoes shopping for each of Mada's siblings. We had a visit to their village planned for later to deliver these special gifts. Unfortunately, the visit came too abruptly, sadly. Still God's timing can't be wrong.

The clothes were a little bright spot on a heartbreak moment.