Her baby had come months earlier than expected and to her surprise, there were two of them.
Born via emergency Cesarean section, the twin sisters fought to live. They were very small because Ingrid had only been pregnant for six months.
At their birth Lindsay was three pounds and Esteisy barely tipped the scales at two pounds. There were days of intensive care, but they slowly both began to gain strength.
For weeks, Ingrid stayed by her premature baby girls as they struggled for life behind the plexiglass cover of their incubators at the national hospital in Santa Cruz del Quiche, Guatemala.
During this time, Ingrid’s husband gave up his drinking as they prayed, hoped, waited, and prayed some more. Ever so slowly they saw their little girls gaining strength.
When they were able to, this young mother carried her babies close to her body in a pouch that helped keep them warm as she encouraged them to grow.
After days and nights of fears and hope, the happy day finally arrived when they were able to go home. Linday and Esteisy were then two months old.
“They are miracles--works of God.” Ingrid said.
About a month after she got the babies home, Ingrid’s husband returned to his drinking habits. There was no money for helping provide for the twins.
Ingrid was not able to produce enough milk to feed both girls, so she knew she would need help with these hungry little ones. That’s when a pastor told her about ASELSI’s clinic and the Milk Program for undernourished babies – a place where she could get help.
With that information, Ingrid left her village of Patzibal and carried her twins to ASELSI. They were placed in the Milk Program that has helped hundreds of babies gain weight in those early years of life so they can develop and thrive.
“ASELSI helped me a lot with what they give,” Ingrid said. “For me [this program] is very important.”
Each month, Ingrid received formula, or milk and cereal to feed her babies.
Although statistics show improvement in the infant mortality rates since 2000, Guatemala still has the sixth highest infant mortality rate for children from birth to one year old in the Western Hemisphere.
That first time Ingrid brought her daughters to ASELSI was three years ago. Now those tiny twins are healthy little girls. Lindsay is 27 pounds and Esteisy is right behind her at 25 pounds.
Ingrid’s fears for her babies have transformed into dreams for their future.
“I thought they would die, but now they are big,” she said. “My dream is that they’ll be students, respectful, not going down the wrong road. That they’ll be Christians following Christ.”
Simple dreams, but big dreams for two twins that only three years ago didn’t have enough milk to grow in to the healthy girls they are today.
I’m happy with my girls,” Ingrid said. “I give thanks to God for the help ASELSI gives me.”
Through the support of donors, ASELSI continues opening the milk program to provide formula, milk, cereals and medical care to undernourished babies. Currently there are 116 children in the ASELSI Milk Program.
-------------------------------------------------------
By giving to ASELSI you help provide Milk for babies like Lindsay and Esteisy, as well provide medical care, physical therapy to special needs children, and Bible training to pastors and leaders.
Click here to help ASELSI help more women like Ingrid.
Ingrid with her growing daughters, Lindsay and Esteisy, in front of the ASELSI Milk Program Office.
