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Anjela - Messenger of God

by Jodie Schooley, R. N. - TOA Medical Director

September 2008

The name Anjela means “messenger of God.” And the Lord has definitely used Anjela to speak to us. Almost every time I look at her, I think of the faithfulness and love of God and the tender care He gives. I often think back to how she was the first day we received her into the Treasures of Africa Children’s Home. She could barely open her eyes and was too weak to cry. Her arms and legs were so contracted that I couldn’t move them and her skin was covered in sores. She was having a very hard time swallowing due to a thrush infection in addition to the swallowing difficulties resulting from cerebral palsy. One doctor told me at that time that he didn’t expect her to live more than one year.

Almost a year and a half later, Anjela is not only still living, but she has improved greatly from the condition she was in last year. She is alert, making happy noises and charms every one with her big smile. She is receiving physical therapy twice a day at home and once a week at a rehab facility. Our workers have learned improved feeding techniques for her swallowing problem, which has helped to keep her lungs clearer, preventing aspiration pneumonia which had been an ongoing problem in the early days. The physical therapists at the rehab facility said to me recently, “Remember how much smaller she was when she first started coming here? She is getting so tall!”

Although Anjela has a lot of daily challenges dealing with both HIV and cerebral palsy, she has made a lot of progress. Her life is a message telling of God’s goodness and saving power. I thank God for our little Angel!

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