An overdue dinner date with an acquaintance from our London to Entebbe flight caused us to cross paths with Marvin. She called it fate. Others, luck. I consider it nothing short of serendipity.

Hannah and I have spent the better part of the past month searching for a good candidate for MANA. It sounds a little ridiculous, now that I write it down. “Searching for a good candidate for MANA…” With an estimated 21.8% of children under
five suffering from malnutrition in Uganda, you would think that it would be fairly easy to find someone with demonstrated need and begin distribution. A few weeks ago, Renee Bach (Founder and Country Director for Serving His Children (http://www.servinghischildren.org/)) helped us identify two-year-old Reagan as a potential MANA recipient. Unfortunately, though, his dehydration and aversion to food has delayed his start-date by several weeks.

The very same day that we learned of Reagan’s complications, we arranged to have dinner with our flight acquaintance, Dacia. As fate, luck, and serendipity would all have it, Dacia knew of a little boy (Marvin) with severe acute malnutrition from the
Arise Africa Babies Home. Coincidentally, Marvin was in town for a doctor’s appointment to try and diagnose whatever it was that was inhibiting his appetite and limiting his mobility. The next day and after Marvin’s appointment, Dacia met with us to share that the doctor attributed Marvin’s health complications to severe acute malnutrition and considered him an ideal candidate for an RUTF.

A mere 7.0 kg in weight, 27.2 cm in height, and 11.0 cm in MUAC circumference, Marvin is quite the site. While his round face and pudgy cheeks mislead one to consider him in good health, a slight glance to his legs or arms quickly dismisses such an idea. A few months past his second birthday, Marvin lacks the ability to speak and has never crawled or walked due to the unfortunate reality that his limbs cannot support his small body. For the first twenty months of his life, Marvin was
under the care of his grandmother. She suffered from her own health problems and struggled to care for herself, let alone an infant. Consequently, four months ago she resigned her guardianship and Marvin began to receive care from the Arise Africa Babies Home. While he has gained almost one kilogram since his stay there, he is still severely malnourished. Now, almost a week after starting the MANA regimen, he has gained nearly one kilogram and is beginning to lift his knees and wiggle his toes.

Fate? Luck? Serendipity? You choose.

Read on…