As I opened this page to start typing I was filled with joy, because I have so many wonderful things to say about Ryan. He is still gaining weight, and now he's even started to smile and laugh. He can sit up all by himself, when we first saw him he could barely even move. His skin no longer hangs off of his bones. He is really warming up to all of the staff and students, he's no longer afraid of white people and he is able to sleep peacefully now.
That joy has become mixed with sadness. Maria, the Mangyan caregiver had a stroke Sunday afternoon. Her grandfather was ill and she had gone home to see him when she collapsed .She just died in hospital. She was only 20 years old. She was such a sweet girl and was great with Ryan. We all got very close in the few days that she was with Mercy Link. The team here did everything they could for her, paid for all the medications and tests, and visited her a few times a day.
Please pray that Maria's family and tribe will not blame Mercy link for this. Death and illness is a punishment from the gods in Mangyan culture. They could think that Mercy Link is cursed and maybe even take Ryan away. Even though the stroke would have happened whether she had been with us or not, there is no way of proving that to the tribal leader. This is the second Mangyan woman since Mercy Link has started that has fallen seriously ill while working for at the base here.
Also pray for the students here. When things like this happen we are always left asking why. There has also been a lot of tenison in the house between some students. Just the regular frustrations of having roommates, being away from home and being sick. We have less than two weeks left, it would be a waste of the last five weeks if some of us left angry and unhappy.