Our Babies are Dying

The problem in Shelby County is so tremendous it has made national news and been featured on prime time news programs. Memphis leads the nation in per capita infant mortality rates.

Of course, there are always babies born so ill that there is no hope for life. Grieving family gathers around many of those babies, loving them passionately for the days they do survive and honoring them in their death.

Too often the picture of infant mortality in Memphis if far more grim. Too often the babies die for no readily apparent reason. Too often the families cannot manage the expenses associated with death and burial. Too often our babies end up in pine boxes alongside several other pine boxes.

Nothing speaks horror like the idea of a mass grave. But, my dear readers, that is where many of our Memphis babies end up.

Finally, decades into this tragedy, someone is doing something about it, and I am fortunate enough to be a part of it. Not because of any special qualifications, not because I was singled out, but because a plea went out for volunteers, and I am in a position to be able to answer that call.

This afternoon I will meet for the first time with about 20 other volunteers to review medical/social records for these babies of ours that are dying. Together we will look for gaps in care, education, resources, etc., that may have led to neonatal death. From that we will envision ways to fill those gaps and another team of volunteers will turn our vision into reality.

I have no idea what to really expect today. I bring no technical or clinical skills to this table. This is not an area I have any experience in. What I do bring, however, is a passion for giving voice to the voiceless (which in this case includes the families of these babies) and influencing the world with Kingdom values.