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Ghana- Naming Zenabu's Baby [1]

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Date: 2023-02-27  

Zenabu went through a very difficult pregnancy while living with her husband Haddi in the Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana. John in Ghana helped as he could and the baby was finally born, to great joy and relief, on January 31st.

The above is a photo of Zenabu with the little baby girl, taken shortly after she was released from the hospital (there were complications and Zenabu stayed almost a week after birth. If she looks somewhat haggard in the photo there are good reasons for it.)

It is almost a month after the birth, now, and they are doing reasonably well. The little family is extremely poor and there is little food for the nursing mother and of course nothing like formula, diapers, etc, for the baby. But they are alive and making it, which is the main thing.

The baby had a fever and cough for a few days but is doing better, thanks to John’s help to buy some medicines.

The next step is the naming ceremony. This is extremely important in Ghana. According to wikipedia (take it for what it is worth) this is usually done on the eighth day after birth and is the day the baby is given it’s ‘outdoor’ name.

All of the friends and neighbors gather, the child is named in a small ceremony, and everyone gives gifts for the new child. It is like a combination of baptism and also a baby shower but after birth.

Oddly enough this is so much taken for granted there that John doesn’t understand why I don’t know all about it, so it hard to ask him questions.

It is so important that Haddi, who is Muslim, apparently believes he will go to hell if he doesn’t name the child. This is taken extremely seriously in Ghana.

Well, because Zenabu was so weak after birth we didn’t do it immediately. And frankly we just didn’t have the money. We are going to try to pay for a small ceremony as soon as possible next month but there are so many needs there….

Anyway this is the current status of Zenabu, Haddi, and their little baby. I thought you might be interested in hearing how they are doing.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/2/27/2155233/-Ghana-Naming-Zenabu-s-Baby

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