Week 2 Recap

I know this is late – we didn’t have power on Sunday and when it came back on at 9 pm, our internet wasn’t reset because no one was here to do it for us in the locked office.

 I LOVE working in the babies room. All 10 of them have my heart in the palm of their hands. I’m pretty much there to love on them….and love on them I do. The local ladies who work here are called “Mama”. They work in pairs and rotate every 3 days. The mamas I work with are Mama Betty A. and Mama Betty N. and then Mama Dorothy and Mama Esther. These are hardworking women who are very faithful in the jobs the Lord has given them. I do whatever they tell me to do.

When I first go down, the babies are still napping…most of them anyways. The oldest two are normally up, standing in their cribs, and talking to each other…so I naturally join in. It’s probably one of my most favorite times of the day. The smile on their faces when they see me is priceless. I’m there in the morning for their milk and then for lunch. In between we get the kids out and allow them to play. After lunch they go down for their nap and I’m done for the morning. I try to get into the office at this time to help in any way that I’m needed.

Morning milk-time

We are given a two-hour lunch break – which is actually really nice. Afterwards I go back down to help the babies for an hour, which normally consists of feeding them again. The next hour and a half after this changes on a daily basis. Two days a week we take the older kids on an outing – to give them an opportunity to see the “outside world.” Another afternoon we’ll do an activity with a group of the older kids, whether it’s swimming or this past week we went to the aquarium. One afternoon we do a one on one activity with a child and then end that afternoon with the babies.

Christopher and I at the Aquarium

 This is a much “easier” schedule than most of you have, I admit. However, I’m very thankful for being able to recharge my batteries. I commend the mamas who work here for their constant work with the kiddos. I don’t think working in the nursery will be such a horrible task for me anymore…oh, did I just admit that?!

This week several of the babies and a few of the toddlers had to get immunizations. Yes, each child cried. One even cried with an oral vaccine! On the second day the nurse that works here had us take little John to the clinic again because his frontal lobe was bulging more than it normally does. This poor boy! They pricked his finger and he cried. After running tests, they determined that he had meningitis. They decided to put an IV in his hand so that his meds could go straight to his veins instead of something oral. They could not find a vein. They tried several times on both his hands. He cried and cried and cried. They finally gave him a little break and I walked him around the clinic and sang to him to calm him down. I prayed over him the entire time. Finally they called us back again and I prayed that this time the guy would be able to get it in without any troubles. Success!

All that was for nothing though. We ended up taking the IV out and he’s been fine ever since. He didn’t have any symptoms of meningitis. I’m just praying that I don’t get sick while here….

Saturday we went to Budondo village where a children’s program is held every week. Didn’t understand a word except for "temptation" the entire time. But, I got to see the gospel shared with these kids who need a Savior! Played a little bit with the kids afterwards. Even though I couldn’t understand what they were saying, laughter is universal! The ride there was another story. It’s been raining a lot lately and the roads are just dirt. We saw a truck blocking the road, so we had to go a different way. We all got out of the van for fear of it tipping over. I grew close to God on that ride!

He needs Jesus!

She cried when she first saw me...then warmed up!

If you’re praying for me, thank you! I desperately need it! Right now I feel as if my focus is not on God and His kingdom work…but on me. How utterly selfish! I have nothing to complain about – I’m a child of God and blessed beyond anything I can think or imagine! May He be glorified in all I do and say.