MIDWIFE MONICA

Posted on Apr 12, 2007

MONICA

Monica was an elderly woman who had come to the clinic that day for treatment of a skin condition. Her assessment had been completed and she was returning home with medication. She had known Susan, the nurse midwife for most of her life. So Monica stopped by Susan’s house (our temporary home) for a visit before returning home.
She had beautiful mahogany-colored skin with remarkably few wrinkles in her face. Her eyes appeared clouded and we suspected the appearance was due to cataracts. When I inquired as to her age, Monica stated that she was born in 1926. She didn’t know her age. When I did the calculation and made her aware that she was 79 yrs old, she seemed delighted!
Monica was the village midwife from a young age. She described her first experience as a witness to a birth. She had been employed in the home of an Italian businessman and was instructed to walk to the closest hospital with the cook who was pregnant and ready to give birth. The two set out. The young pregnant woman did not make it to the hospital for the birth. She gave birth beside the road. Monica remained at her side until someone happened by and took the two of them to the hospital. This was the beginning of Monica’s life-long work as the village mid-wife. When Samaria Health Care Clinic came into being, Monica was pleased to refer the villagers to the clinic for care. She felt that the delivery of infants at the clinic was safer for both the mother and the baby.

Monica told us a story.
As a young woman, Monica left her home to go into the forest to cut bananas. She was carrying her machete and making her way through the undergrowth. She came upon an antelope giving birth. The mother lay quietly as Monica stooped over her. The mother was in obvious distress with shallow breathing. Two of the baby antelope’s feet and legs were visible. Monica recognized that the position of the legs was abnormal. She pushed the legs back into the mother and rotated the young antelope. She waited only seconds until the baby was born in the usual manner. The mother’s distress abated as her breathing improved. The baby antelope was vigorous and active at birth.
Monica proceeded deeper into the forest for her bananas. When she returned, the mother and baby antelope were gone. She was delighted that she could assist humans as well as animals in the birth process.
Monica spoke only Kikuyu which was the only appropriate language for such a story!

Contributed by Judy Richardson who visited Kenya in March, 2007