European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 7, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A amp Stott Tomo tiny 2-month-old Juanito Mendez gets a lot of attention at Lakenheath Hospital from his brother Sergio and his parents Melanie and Johnny  baby just could t wait to be 1st of 93 by Nancy . Bureau Raf Lakenheath England Juanito Rico mind i is a big handle for a bitty baby but his name befits him. Juanito Means a Little Johnny in Spanish. He weighed Only 2 pounds 9 ounces at birth and two months later he tips the Scales at 5 pounds 6 ounces. Juanito was the first known . Baby bom at a military Hospital in 1993, but information about his birth initially was withheld by Raf Lakenheath officials out of concern for his parents Johnny Mendez and staff sgt. Melanie Mendez of the 48th logistics support so Maint training flight at Raf Lakenheath. A v it was not known whether Juanito would survive. A a he a one of the youngest babies we be delivered Here a a said or. Maj Gwendolyn Knuckles the obstetrician gynaecologist who delivered Juanito at Lakenheath Hospital. Juanito officially was born 16 minutes after Midnight Jan. 1, nearly three months before his due Dale of april 4. He immediately was hooked up to a breathing machine and placed in an incubator then rushed by ambulance to Addenbrooke s Hospital in Cambridge by a British medical team that aimed Lakenheath medical staff with the birth. Lakenheath is equipped with incubators but babies such As Juanito who require advanced intensive care Are referred to Addenbrooke a about a 35-minute drive from Lakenheath. A a he a still not out of the Woods a said capt. Barry Hunch one of Juanito s paediatricians at Lakenheath Hospital. A a he a very  however the most critical period has passed and Juanito has developed to the Point where he has been Able to return to Lakenheath Hospital. He is gaining about an ounce per Day and is learning to feed from a bottle Hench said. He expects Juanito to remain in the Hospital for at least another six weeks. A seeing him grow is like a Miracle Quot Johnny Mendez said. The last two months have been stressful for Juani to a parents and his brother Sergio who will turn 9 on april 3, the Day before Juanito should have been born. A premature birth was the last thing the family expected ajl Hough Sergio was born two weeks Early and Melanie Mendez was born a month ahead of schedule. Early on new years eve Melanie Mendez was preparing to make her first cake from scratch when she began having pains in her Abdomen. She put her a amps Dav dido Juanito Mendez a hand is dwarfed by his fathers. Baking aside about 9 . To seek medical attention. A it never dawned on me that i was in labor Quot she said. Johnny Mendez was attending a party with some fellow employees of the family support enter at Raf Mil Vennall so Sergio left him a note explaining that he and his Mother had gone to the Hospital. Johnny Mendez said he rushed to the Hospital thinking Sergio had been injured and was shocked to learn that his second son was about to be born. Since new years the family s life has entered on spending As much time with Juanito As possible. This has caused Melanie Mendez to spend some nights at Addenbrooke a and Lakenheath hospitals away from the rest of the family. Johnny Mendez has taken up cooking for the family occasionally and Sergio has drawn pictures and inflated scores of balloons to hang around his brother a Hospital crib. A i done to think we be come Down yet to Tell you the truth Quot Melanie Mendez said. Johnny Mendez said that he Wasny to squeamish about the birthing process nor worried about medical Bills but that he was frightened by memories of medical procedures performed on Juanito immediately after his birth. He said the sight caused him to pass out on the floor of the delivery room. The family expects the civilian health and medical program of the uniformed services to help defray costs from Addenbrooke a Hospital but said medical Bills were the farthest thing from their minds. A to say Money is no object Here is appropriate a Melanie Mendez said.  abuse Geneva apr the Sale of children for adoption marriage prostitution or their organs is Rife despite a Host of International conventions outlawing such practices a . Investigator said Friday. In a grim report to the United nations human rights commission visit Munt Arthorn said there were some 200,000 child soldiers worldwide a figure he described As  he said exploitation of minors by criminals and in sweatshops was worsening even in the United states and other wealthy countries. The thai Law professor said although Many devel Oping countries had tried to Clamp Down on the Sale of children for adoption the illegal Trade was on the increase in parts of Eastern Europe especially the former soviet Union. He cited the Case of some intermediaries demanding Between $10,000 and $50,000 for russian children. In Asia there seemed to be a a continuous process Quot of children kidnapped from Thailand and sent for adoption in Malaysia. Despite legislative improvements in Central and South America there were reported disappearances of children for adoption in Honduras Colombia Bolivia Panama Mexico and Brazil last year he said. His report said Lack of Federal controls made it difficult to prevent commercial adoption in the United states a one of the main recipients of children purchased from developing countries. Even More chillingly Munt Arthorn cited reports of children in latin America being kidnapped and even killed for the Sale of their organs for transplant operations. But he stressed it was difficult to find reliable information on the extent of trafficking in child organs. Muntari Bhom a 56-Page account cited an alarming Rise in child prostitution. He reported a big upsurge in the Sale of children for sex in China Cambodia Laos Burma and Vietnam. Many were lured to Thailand he said. He blamed sex tourists and paedophiles from industrialized countries for encouraging the trend. Munt Arthorn singled out saudi Arabia and the United Arab emirates Tor alleged use of children As Young As 6 years old kidnapped from poor South asian nations for use As riders in dangerous Camel races. In replies both governments denied the charges although the United Arab emirates said it planned to strengthen Laws to regulate Camel  gathers to View Virgin Agoo Philipp Ines apr an estimated 1 million people gathered in a Northern town saturday hoping to see an apparition of the Virgin Mary As roman Catholic leaders warned the faithful to be wary of claims of miracles. The vast majority of pilgrims curiosity seekers and hawkers who came to this tobacco growing town 120 Miles North of Manila said they saw nothing and instead listened to Judie Nieva a 12-year-old self styled Way the concerns of the Virgin for the Fate of the children of Somalia. Pra a several people began screaming that they had seen the Silhouette of a woman wearing a dark Waistband. A radio reporter Mon Francisco said Over Manila a a station Dexl he had seen the apparition and insisted he was not hallucinating. Government television reported 1 million people had come to Agoo to see the apparition. Crowds had been Miles Longs acc creating traffic jams up to 70 Shimant Orbke Abr so business Sling food water t police in the town of 42,000 people said they could notes image the turnout because they had no experience in estimating crowds so Large. Th5 Rte a Parmon would be sept. 8 and then the blessed Mother will disappear