Nomsa

Nomsa
A Hospice Solution for Dying Children

No Child Should Live or Die Alone

This is a story about Nomsa and Donna.

The Picture that caught Donna's eye.

Donna lives in California. She was reading a story in a Magazine about Sparrow Village, South Africa and saw a picture of a little girl called, Nomsa.

Nomsa seemed so small, so weak, so lonely.

Donna could not forget her sweet face. She dreamed of her for days.

She found a number that introduced her to Rev. Corine McClintock, founder of Sparrow Village who told her the story of Nomsa...

Crib room at Sparrow Village

Nomsa was found in her dead mothers arms.

Her mother had died of AIDS 4 days before they were found. The doctors discovered that this 20 pound child was almost 4 years old and was very sick with AIDS.

They were going to put her in the dying children's ward. Here she would have minimum care, no food, no water, no human touch. With one 'nappy' change a day...she would die alone.

Someone told Rev. Corine about Nomsa and she came to the hospital, picked her up and made room for her at the already over-extended Sparrow Village.

Donna Meeting Nomsa

With love and care, Nomsa began to put on weight. But the funds were low and they could not give her the medicine she needed to give her energy and quality of life.

Donna heard this story and took what little savings she had and sent some money for medicine to Nomsa. With the rest she planned a trip to S. Africa with her yearly 2 week vacation.

Donna and Nomsa became great friends. Donna took whatever she had and sent it to Rev. Corine for Nomsa's care.

Nomsa with Donna 1 month
before Nomsa passed.

After many phone calls and letters the time finally came when Donna got to hold sweet Nomsa.

For the next two weeks they were like Mother and Daughter. Donna made up her mind she wanted to adopt Nomsa and care for her in America. She spent time with the authorities finding out that it may be impossible to adopt a child from Africa.

While Donna looked into adoption, she decided she would do everything she could to make Nomsa happy and help her forget her pain.

Nomsa just won Princess of the Day

Nomsa began to gain weight and started to play with the other children. She sang and danced all day long.

The medicine was improving the quality of life for Nomsa, at the same time it was destroying her liver and kidneys. But... Nomsa was like the other children at Sparrow Village, she never complained about pain or discomfort. They were so glad to have someone who cared for them, to go to school and to BE SAFE.

They were happy.

Nomsa died before the Donna could start the adoption paperwork.