Baby Orphanage

My blogging about Africa wouldn't be complete if I didn't mention the baby orphanage. I only got to go a few times, but the volunteer team goes there every morning for an hour. It is an unforgettable experience. When we first walk in, all of the toddlers are out in the yard, and when they see us, they scream and swarm all over us. They just want to be hugged, touched, held. If you sit down, they will swarm your lap, jostling for a position that puts them close to you.

Doesn't this video make you want to get on a plane to Africa right now?

You can also choose to go upstairs to visit the little babies. They are all in cribs side by side in two rooms, one for the 0 - 6 month-olds, one for the 6-12 month-olds. Sometimes we get to help feed them (always the same: oatmeal mush), but more often we just hold them. The first time I went I cried--it broke my heart to see all these babies just sitting alone in their cribs, without stimulation, without one-on-one attention. The workers are the orphanage are incredible, and very caring, but it's hard to invest a lot of time and love into when they're are so many little ones to care for.

This picture shows me trying to get Mateus (Matthew) to smile. He's a hard nut to crack--I played with him 3 days in a row, and I only got him to grin once. The other picture shows me holding, I think his name was Francisco. He's a little mischief maker, climbing into neighboring cribs and such.

The orphanage is right on the beach, so sometimes I would pick up a baby, go stand at the window looking out at the ocean, and softly sing hymns. I loved visiting the baby orphanage.