The Baby Home

The Baby Home is amazing.  Amy and her staff have a routine and a schedule like no other I have ever seen.  She is passionate about the children and it's like she is the Mama to all of them.  Meghan, Zoe, another Amy, Jade  and staff all work very hard as well to make this orphanage a very smooth running spot.  It is like a 24-7 child-care except the children don't go home at night.  They are brothers and sisters to each other - sometimes nice to each other and sometimes not so nice - like all kids.  Children in Tanzania are raised much differently than children in the Western world.  You see little wee ones walking on the roads with cars buzzing by, little kids holding other smaller kids, kids without toys, playing the dirt with a stick but they do not seem unhappy.  However, many children are not protected from things they should be. Many children get hurt or burned by falling into a cooking fire.  A mud hut collapsed the other day near here, killing one child and seriously injuring another.

 Amy is adamant that her staff speak and act appropriately in front of the children.  A few recently have been let go because they were speaking about things that were inappropriate.  She pays them well above the minimum wage and offers them good benefits and opportunities as well as training.  There are many people out of work here so there are always many applications for jobs.

The children are so wonderful and I am getting to know them better every day.  There are so many volunteers coming and going - we get attached to them but they don't really get attached to us.  It is up to us to make their day interesting and fun.  We have had a lot of rain lately so they are stuck inside - and they get cranky like all kids do.  Since I have been here, I have watched Noah and Moses learn to walk.  They came to the Baby Home a few weeks before I came here.  Their mother died and their elderly grandmother could not care for them.  They were malnourished, have very low muscle tone but are catching up quickly.  When Noah walks, his whole face is smiling - he is so happy with himself.  They hardly smiled when I first met them but now are much happier.  I must admit, I have a soft spot for them.   We spend time with all the children but my favourite times are the quiet times feeding the tiny babies.  They just gaze up at you and it melts your heart - especially when you remember that many of them do not have families and might never get adopted.  Some of the kids have been sick with random fevers, skin conditions and coughs.  Amy and her staff just figure it out and give them the medication they need. 

While the children are at "Forever Angels", they are loved, fed well, cared for and educated.  This is a great foundation for them - to have the nourishment, attention and love that will hopefully help sustain them for whatever is in their future.  Life is not easy here, especially for children who are so vulnerable. 

This picture is of a very special little boy who will hopefully be going to live with his new Mom and Dad very soon.  I made songboards for the pre-school and the teacher Rosemary is doing the "If your happy and you know it" one with the kids.  I got such pleasure just watching how they enjoyed it - taking turns - sitting quietly and watching.