Mozambique Miracle Baby

Transcription

1 Mozambique Miracle Baby Reading Level 8 Years It was a miracle in the Mozambique floods. Above the waters, Sophia Pedro, pregnant, clung to life for three days before giving birth on a tree branch as the filthy waters swirled below. The brave mother and her baby were saved by a helicopter crew. The rescue was filmed by a television cameraman and seen around the world. Sophia s life changed. She had never been to school. She had spent her life working on the farm. Now she was famous for her courage as a mother. When the Limpopo river overflowed Sophie took the children, Benito, two, and Celina, four, to a nearby tree. It was a tree like an Irish ash. They climbed into the branches. Their home and all their belongings were swept away. Sophie, 23, holding the baby, said - When the flood came I just thought of the children. I strapped Benito to my back like I do in the fields. I carried Celina, holding her above the water which was swirling around my chest. We were all terrified. We thought we would die. We had seen the bodies of our neighbours in the water. I prayed to be saved and yet I couldn t swim. With no time to think, we all clung to the lower branches of the three big trees nearby and climbed as high as we could. Page 1

2 We somehow found branches to rest in. We stayed there, waiting for help. As night fell, I became afraid for my children and for my baby. We were all so hungry. We had nothing to eat and nothing to drink but drops of rain. It was hot and damp and all the while the floods were rising. Salvador s mother never left me. We tried to comfort the children by singing and praying. If we slept we would fall and drown. We all worked to keep each other awake. After the first day Salvador s grandmother, in her 70s, slipped into the water and was drowned as the others looked helplessly on. We prayed for her soul and for each other, Sophia said. We are Christians. We sang every hymn we knew. At dawn on the third day, Sophia felt the familiar pain of contractions. I knew the baby was coming. I was frightened. I knew we could not get to a hospital and we could get no help. I did not know what would happen. Salvador s mother comforted us. I had given up hope. Then, I couldn t believe it. I heard a helicopter. Out of the heavens had come help. I didn t know what was happening, I thought they had come to rescue all of us but they only wanted to take the children. I didn t speak their language and couldn t tell them I was about to give birth. Page 2

3 The helicopter took the children to safety. They brought back a male nurse. He was let down into the tree just in time to cut the newborn s umbilical cord. Then they pulled Sophia and baby to safety. The TV man filmed the scene. They were worried that the wind from the helicopter would blow the trees away. I knew this was something that I might never see again, he says now. Sophia and her baby were checked up in hospital. Rositha weighed about 5lb. They then joined the other family survivors at the Wenela refugee camp in Chibuto. Page 3

4 Mozambique Miracle Baby It was a miracle amid the misery of Mozambique s floods. Above the rising waters, heavily pregnant Sophia Pedro clung to life for three days before giving birth on a tree branch as the filthy flood torrents swirled below. The brave mother and her newborn were then plucked to safety by a helicopter crew in a scene captured by a television cameraman and beamed around the world. It transformed Sophia, who has no formal education and has spent her life hoeing vegetables on a tiny farmstead, into an international icon of courage and motherhood. Newly reunited with her husband Salvador, who only learnt of his wife s ordeal weeks later, Sophia revealed her fears and helplessness at the pain of the contractions, her struggle through the process of giving birth and her awe at experiencing a human miracle which moved millions around the world. The drama began when Sophia carried her children Benito, two, and her four-year-old daughter, Celina, to the branches of a nearby mafura tree, similar to an Irish ash, to escape the overflowing Limpopo river that swept away their home and possessions in a remote area of the country. Speaking through an interpreter Sophia, 23, with baby Rositha in her arms, told the Irish Examiner: When the flood came all I could think of was saving my children. I picked up Benito and strapped him to my back, as I do when I m working in the fields. My daughter I just carried in my arms, holding her above the water swirling around my chest. Page 4 Reading Level 11 Years

5 We were all so frightened. Surely we were going to die. We had seen the bodies of our neighbours in the water. I prayed to God to save us and yet it would be impossible for me to swim. With no time for any discussion, all of us clung to the lower branches of the three big trees nearby and scrambled as high as we could. We somehow found branches to rest in and stayed there, waiting for help. As night fell, I became terrified for my children s lives and for my baby. We were all so hungry. There was nothing for us to eat and nothing to drink but drops of rain. It was humid and steamy and all the while the floods were getting higher and higher. Salvador s mother never left my side as we tried to comfort the children by singing and praying. If we slept we would fall, maybe drown, so the family. worked to keep each other awake. After the first 24 hours, Salvador s grandmother, in her 70s, slipped into the water and was washed away as the others looked helplessly on. We prayed for her soul and for each other, Sophia continued. We are Christians and we sang every hymn we knew. As dawn broke on the third day, Sophia felt the familiar pain of contractions. I knew the baby was coming and I was terrified. I knew we could not get to a hospital and there was no way we Page 5

6 could get help. I did not know what would happen. Salvador s mother comforted me and the children. I had given up hope and then, unbelievably, come the sound of a helicopter. Out of the heavens had come help. I felt confusion because I didn t know what was happening, I thought they had come to rescue all of us but they only wanted to take the children. I didn t speak their language and couldn t tell them I was about to give birth. They flew away with my children and my relief turned to despair. There I was, still on the tree, about to give birth. I consoled myself that at least my son and daughter would survive this. The birth was over quite quickly. It is a painful experience anyway and in the tree it was dreadful. There was blood everywhere; a terrible mess. But nothing can take away from the joy of seeing a new life enter the world. Salvador s mother, also named Rositha, recalls the moment equally vividly. I held her, with nothing to wrap her in but the clothes I was wearing, all of us covered in perspiration, rain and blood. Emergency crews from the world s aid agencies were giving priority to children but, as the South African helicopter winched a man down to save Benito and Celina, he had realised the young mother was in labour and needed urgent help. Page 6

7 The helicopter took the children to relief workers half an hour away and collected a male nurse, who was flown to the scene and lowered into the tree just in time to cut the newborn s umbilical cord. A few minutes later Sophia and baby were winched away to safety. The TV cameraman captured the scene despite the fear of his own helicopter causing a down-draught which threatened the stability of the trees. I knew I was witnessing a moment of humanity that I might never see again, he says now. Sophia and her baby were briefly treated in hospital. Rositha was weighed at about 5lb. They then joined the other family survivors at the Wenela refugee camp in Chibuto. Page 7

8 Mozambique Miracle Baby Reading Level 13 Years It was a miracle amid the misery of Mozambique s floods. Above the rising waters, heavily pregnant Sophia Pedro clung to life for three days before giving birth on a tree branch as the filthy flood torrents swirled below. The brave mother and her newborn were then plucked to safety by a helicopter crew in a scene captured by a television cameraman and beamed around the world. It transformed Sophia, who has no formal education and has spent her life hoeing vegetables on a tiny farmstead, into an international icon of courage and motherhood. Newly reunited with her husband Salvador, who only learnt of his wife s ordeal weeks later, Sophia revealed her fears and helplessness at the pain of the contractions, her struggle through the process of giving birth and her awe at experiencing a human miracle which moved millions around the world. The drama began when Sophia carried her children Benito, two, and her four-year-old daughter, Celina, to the branches of a nearby mafura tree, similar to an Irish ash, to escape the overflowing Limpopo river that swept away their home and possessions in a remote area of the country. Speaking through an interpreter Sophia, 23, with baby Rositha in her arms, told the Irish Examiner: When the flood came all I could think of was saving my children. I picked up Benito and strapped him to my back, as I do when I m working in the fields. My daughter I just carried in my arms, holding her above the water swirling around my chest. Page 8

9 We were all so frightened. Surely we were going to die. We had seen the bodies of our neighbours in the water. I prayed to God to save us and yet it would be impossible for me to swim. With no time for any discussion, all of us clung to the lower branches of the three big trees nearby and scrambled as high as we could. We somehow found branches to rest in and stayed there, waiting for help. As night fell, I became terrified for my children s lives and for my baby. We were all so hungry. There was nothing for us to eat and nothing to drink but drops of rain. It was humid and steamy and all the while the floods were getting higher and higher. Salvador s mother never left my side as we tried to comfort the children by singing and praying. If we slept we would fall, maybe drown, so the family. worked to keep each other awake. After the first 24 hours, Salvador s grandmother, in her 70s, slipped into the water and was washed away as the others looked helplessly on. We prayed for her soul and for each other, Sophia continued. We are Christians and we sang every hymn we knew. As dawn broke on the third day, Sophia felt the familiar pain of contractions. I knew the baby was coming and I was terrified. I knew we could not get to a hospital and there was no way we Page 9

10 could get help. I did not know what would happen. Salvador s mother comforted me and the children. I had given up hope and then, unbelievably, come the sound of a helicopter. Out of the heavens had come help. I felt confusion because I didn t know what was happening, I thought they had come to rescue all of us but they only wanted to take the children. I didn t speak their language and couldn t tell them I was about to give birth. They flew away with my children and my relief turned to despair. There I was, still on the tree, about to give birth. I consoled myself that at least my son and daughter would survive this. The birth was over quite quickly. It is a painful experience anyway and in the tree it was dreadful. There was blood everywhere; a terrible mess. But nothing can take away from the joy of seeing a new life enter the world. Salvador s mother, also named Rositha, recalls the moment equally vividly. I held her, with nothing to wrap her in but the clothes I was wearing, all of us covered in perspiration, rain and blood. Emergency crews from the world s aid agencies were giving priority to children but, as the South African helicopter winched a man down to save Benito and Celina, he had realised the young mother was in labour and needed urgent help. Page 10

11 The helicopter took the children to relief workers half an hour away and collected a male nurse, who was flown to the scene and lowered into the tree just in time to cut the newborn s umbilical cord. A few minutes later Sophia and baby were winched away to safety. The TV cameraman captured the scene despite the fear of his own helicopter causing a down-draught which threatened the stability of the trees. I knew I was witnessing a moment of humanity that I might never see again, he says now. Sophia and her baby were briefly treated in hospital. Rositha was weighed at about 5lb. They then joined the other family survivors at the Wenela refugee camp in Chibuto. Page 11

12 Mozambique Miracle Baby Worksheet 1. Pretend you are a reporter from R.T.E. and you have gone to Africa for a story. One of your group may pretend to be the helicopter pilot. Decide together what questions you will ask and what the pilot s answers will be. Then conduct an interview with the pilot for the Six O clock News 2, On the map of the world look for Mozambique. Then look for Ireland. Which country is biggest? Name the country that is nearest to Ireland. Name one of the countries that is beside Mozambique. 3. Look up the meaning of the following words: humid survive Make sentences using these words. Page 12