Another Not so Normal Day (Sept. 13)

Carlitos

Henry

and Elmer making good use of  "crib time

The pictures of the kids working during their time in their cribs says more than anything I can. . .They are becoming increasingly patient waiting for me to get around to them with new "trabajo" (work).  Today Heidi came back from "school" (really arts and crafts) and while I was outside with the other kids, dumped all the activities looking for the beads she likes to do.  This is pretty good for a kids with autism who rarely initiates anything!  She looked absolutely ecstatic when she found what she was looking for!  The other kids were telling me I should scold her for getting into my stuff, but somehow I couldn't bring myself to tromp on her initiative!

Shortly after lunch, Dick called me from Mazatenango where he'd been on a Hope Haven wheelchair distribution.  He told me he was bringing in another six year old to the malnutrition ward, and would I be available to meet them when they arrived in Antigua.  We both were "flashing back" to about a year and a half ago, when we brought in Lisvi, another six year old, who is now with Jesus.  As much as I wanted to "hide" from getting close to another starving child, there was no way I could say no when I heard the pain in his voice as he talked about her and her family.

While waiting for her, I took a number of kids out of their cribs and let them crawl around, or race in their walkers.  Ervin made his way over to the wheelchair swing, and had a great time climbing on it.  It was pretty amazing to see this kid who can't walk on his own, standing up, swinging, and loving every minute of it!


Tonight I met Jessica Vanessa and her mom.  I am always shocked when I actually hold these little ones. . .there was literally nothing to this child.  Our guess is she is somewhere between 15 and 19 lbs. at age six.  And she's beautiful.  And she has more energy that anyone in her condition should have, and she has the sweetest smile.  Mom is a widow, who was brave enough to come to the city with a man she had never met before, who didn't speak her language because she wants help for her daughter, and could see how much he cared.  I can't imagine how scarey this decision and trip were to her, but Dick said she never hesitated once she found out there was a place to help her daughter grow.  And Dick, I know, never hesitated to make this trip into the middle of nowhere to bring them to Antigua. 

So tonight she is in Casa de Fe, a hostel for those receiving treatment at Hermano Pedro.  We will be meeting her there early tomorrow morning, to begin the process of seeing a doctor and hopefully having Jessica approved for admission to the malnutrition unit.  We're praying tonight that she stays healthy (no fever or diarreah) or they won't admit her.  And she needs to be here now.  And mom is ready for her to be here, though I know it will be very difficult for her to leave Jessica to return home to her other five children.  Somehow this seems like a lousy time for me to be going to the States next week. . .yet I know she will be well cared for at Hermano Pedro, and I imagine Dick might find his way up to hold her once in a while during the time I'm gone.