Home for the Sick and Dying

Before going to Gertude's, we spent the morning at the Home for Sick and Dying children.  This visit is always the most difficult emotionally for me. It is hard to describe the condition of some of these children. When we first arrived, I headed to the room with the kids that were sick, but okay to be taken outside. I was struck by Pierre's smile the second I walked into the room. He is 21 months and was standing in his crib. We ventured outside and enjoyed swinging and then I let him wander around the open area. He enjoyed his freedom to roam about. Travis was captured by Laudia. She is a spitfire, but also extremely smart. Travis walked through the area with her pointing to all the pictures that were alongside the letters of the alphabet and he would say what it was and then Laudia would repeat it. Travis and I went back to the room, and grabbed three more children from their cribs and played with all of them on the floor. We were outnumbered, but we enjoyed the shared laughs and the kids playing with one another.

I held Ketrina, a 7 month old little one, the entire time we were in the room. She had a high fever and had a pretty intense cough. I fed her a bottle, but it was difficult getting her to take it because she wasn't interested. Once she got some in her, I got her to giggle and engage in what I was talking to her about. She babbled back to me, reached out her little hands to touch my face, and to grab Travis' shirt. She enjoyed the attention from Travis too. I got her to sleep, set her down, and then we headed to the room with the sickest children.

Words cannot describe how sick these children were. When walking into the room, I saw a little one that was just skin and bones. While in the room with the sickest children I want hold each and every one of them, to give them love and attention, but what happens is I pick up one baby and they cling to you and don't want to be put down. The second you set them down, they cry with such anguish that it breaks your heart. I ended up only holding three different children in that room for that reason.

It was a blessing to be able to help the nuns feed the children before we had to leave. We might have a chance to visit them later this week.