Sick-o-Ville

First, let me say, there is much worst then being sick. However, the Stout Family has been hit hard this week.

As Uncle Jim would say its Sick-o-ville at the Stout household.

CJ- bad cold that turned into a bad cough with whizzing.

Chad- High temperature for three days seems normal now but worrying about Dengue. He seems extra tired these days. Chad’s teacher is suffering from Dengue.

Chase- Came home from playing today with a splitting headache, not sure what is up there.

Charles- Three days of high fever, reaching 104.3. Looking a lot like Dengue. Dengue is a lot like Malaria but not as bad. It is caused by a virus that is spread by mosquitoes. No medicine cures it, but the illness goes away by itself in a few weeks. After three days of fever, a rash spreads to arms, legs, and finally the body.

Kevin (Daddy)- It has been a rough week for me. I have been diagnose with Hepatitis-A. I been very weak, vomiting, yellow eyes, Coca-Cola urine, headaches, and stomach pain. Hepatitis is a virus infection that harms the liver. A person is often very sick for 2 weeks (one week so far for me) and weak for 1 to 3 months. No medicine cures it- just rest and lots of liquids. You can eat nothing fatty. Which is everything except fruits and plain rice.

Nita (Mommy)- Let be real, with all of us sick above she can not afford to be sick. She is keeping us all well nursed.

With the floods in Bangladesh lots of people are sick around the country. We are not complaining but would appreciate your prayers. Thank you!

However, work goes on. I’m leaving Saturday night (tonight) for Colorado. I’m going to an orientation for my new position. I fly Dragon Air from Dhaka to Hong Kong they United Airlines to San Fran to Denver and rent a car to drive down to Colorado Springs. I will be in Colorado a week, then I fly back to Hong Kong for regional meetings. I return to Dhaka on 27 September.

Bangladesh’s Floods

We have seven projects affected by the flooding and we are responding with emergency aid- food and most important water purifying tablets and oral rehydration solution for the kids and family members with diarrhea. So far we have spent $20,000 on these projects.

Here is a note from our office to Compassion International:

As you know we are passing through a crucial time. Flood is a serious issue now. In recent years the frequency of abnormal floods in Bangladesh has increased substantially, causing serious damage to lives and property. It is now like an epidemic for Bangladesh as the people do not have the capacity to manage this disaster. Almost every year around August and September the Flood snatches many lives from Bangladesh. Official statistics say the floodwaters affected more than 4.5 million people in 38 districts out of the country's 64 districts. Some 250,000 houses were either completely or partially damaged while crops on over 140,0000 lakh acres of land were damaged. Besides, over 1800 educational institutions and about 12000 kilometers of roads have been damaged too. The projects are affected is as bellow:

Project Name # Children How much affected

Chalksingh Project (BD 301): 176 176 houses are under water

Talbari Project (BD 303): 172 126 houses are under water

Roghunandanpur Project (BD 318): 150 98 Children’s houses are under water

Roghunathpur Project (BD 319): 100 25% houses under water

Kuadanga Project (BD 309): 186 25% houses under water

Gonali Project (BD 307): 198 30 houses- washed away/damaged

Satarkul Project (BD 101): 158 40% houses are under water1140

Some children of the mentioned projects cannot come to the program regularly due to flood. Some houses are completely washed away (mentioned above). Some are staying in the disaster shelter center. The children’s parents cannot go to their regular work due to severe flood, they become jobless. Some children are suffering from the water borne disease like diarrhea. Diarrhea is becoming an epidemic in the flood-affected areas. Most children cannot attend the project regularly. Many children’s parents are now jobless, cannot go to their work due to the severe flood. In this situation they are suffering from lack of food, safe drinking water, especially the children are suffering from Diarrhea.