A few more days.....

Another eventful week at the Baby Home.  A little boy Alfie went home to Dar Es Salaam with his grandmother this week.  She had permission from Social Welfare to take him and came to pick him up.  However, this was very sudden and he did not know her at all.  He must have felt so confused as the Baby Home was his home for a long time.  But his grandmother loves him and will take him home and he will hopefully have a wonderful life.  He did not have a transition time at all and not enough time to say goodbye to his friends and the Mama's or to understand what was happening.

There is another little boy about to go home with his father soon.  He came to visit his son yesterday and that went well.  These are good stories - children belong with their families whenever possible.  Yesterday, one of the children's sisters' came to the gate wanting to take her - the children's father had just committed suicide an hour early.  This little girl was also to go home this next month and now has no father.  It is unlikely that the 18year old sister can properly take care of all of her siblings but at any rate, Amy felt it was inappropriate to take this little 2 1/2 year old girl to a funeral with people she did not know.  Apparently, there is a lot of wailing that goes on at the funerals here.  These are the sad stories that have to be dealt with daily here.

Last night, Zoe, Amy's sister had us for dinner and it was great.  Pascal, the little boy who is staying with her is having a very difficult time adjusting.  He was very malnourished, abused and neglected for more than a year.  Likely because he was so hungry for so long, he just wants to eat and eat - he can't seem to get enough.  He was having quite the tantrum because he could not have "all" the food Zoe prepared for her children and Pascal.  Things will get better for Pascal - it is going to take time.  This morning I walked with Zoe - something I have enjoyed so much.  She is a great person, raising her two children alone and doing a brilliant job.  I can relate to her so much as I raised mine alone, for the most part.

Amy took us this morning to another orphanage about 30 minutes away and it was as different as night and day from the Baby Home.  Forever Angels is like the "Hilton" of orphanages in Tanzania.  The other orphange has 72 children from little to age 19 years with only 3 staff and NO volunteers.  It is a grim looking place - the children have no toys and I am sure not nearly enough to eat.  They sleep several to a bed.  The director has no license to have an orphanage and even though they do get money for a Children's Fund - it is not managed properly.  I doubt that I could volunteer there - I would not know even where to start.  I was expecting it to be different and don't shock easily but it was very sad indeed.  He doesn't even have enough money to buy medicine to de-worm the children and cough medicine.  I told Amy that I would like to contribute that money so she can buy the medicine.  It certainly was the least I could do - what a helpless feeling - having all those big eyes looking at you.

Back at the Baby Home, I went to my favourite place - to feed the tiny babies - although they have grown so much since I came.  I am attaching a picture of me feeding the newest tiny baby and one of Noah, stacking blocks.  He came to the Baby Home two weeks before I came here - severely malnourished and weak - not walking.  He is now pointing, giggling, walking and stacked blocks for 10-12 minutes - so focused.  He is a very bright little boy.  Unfortunately, his brother Moses is not doing so great - has medical issues that will hopefully improve.............