Happy Birthday to Karen

Karen Masso shines like a star in the universe (see Phil 2:15): a person whose life ONLY makes sense if the cosmos is infinitely larger and more spectacular and more glorious than the glimpses we get in the dark. Stars are quiet. They do not beat down their light and force you to take the cover of shade, or even notice them. Karen is like that, someone whose beautiful deeds are not paraded, who stands out in the darkness if one takes time to look. In her many years here in Bundibugyo (and her year-and-a-half in Mundri) she has provided gracious loyal unswerving friendship, countless practical helps, an ever-sympathetic ear and heart, skillful organization, courage and vision for feeding the motherless and infected, faithful fundraising, nurturing parenting of her own kids and ours . . . . and hundreds of somewhat smelly goats.

Bethany asked Karen's friends to organize tributes for her milestone birthday. We tried, but I realized today that God had organized a very fitting one. It was discharge mania at the hospital. NINE malnourished children departed, cured. That must be a record, not soon to be repeated. We certainly always have the hungry with us. And if two improve at a time, we count ourselves blessed. When nine go home at once, shooting up on their growth curves to arc over the cut-off line of survival, we have to take notice. This is the main arena where Karen poured out her soul in Bundibugyo, so it is very appropriate that we celebrate these cures as we celebrate her. Some examples: little preemie Isingoma, who took 70 days to move from 860 grams to 2 kg, being held by his warm mother's skin as his only incubator, spoon fed and protected. Asaba, smiling, whose grandmother almost gave up, home today after six weeks of struggle, plumped up. Bikorwa who was almost dead from TB ten days ago, turned the corner from anxious oxygen-deprived gasping to playful alert smiles, is well on the way to health. Faisi, motherless, with his dedicated grandma. A baby from deep in Congo, whose low-IQ mom just needed TLC herself for a couple of weeks to learn to care for him. And two sets of twins, one of whom has TB AND sickle cell anemia, and also took six weeks to achieve health.

All of these children salute Karen today, and together we wish her many more years of shining.