Baby Creche

Here we are at the baby creche that I wrote about a couple of weeks ago. (I am barely on the photo on right hand side! :-). I went 2 weeks in a row even though it nearly broke my heart. We bring these sponge put together blocks so we have a place to sit with the babies/toddlers and some ABC blocks and a few other toys each time we come. Sometimes there are a few older children of the workers as you see in the top corner. The cribs have sheets on them and about 10cribs are packed into a room about the size of a large bathroom in the States. (We move them to edge to make place  in the center. They wear cloth diapers that we must change usually the moment we get there as they are saturated with urine. Sometimes when one picks one up they are soaked completely through and the smell of urine and feces can be overpowering but one learns to look past that to their beautiful eyes and wounded hearts. I have tried not to judge. If I had to wash all diaers by hand in a bucket and hang to dry on shrubs or part of a clothes line, would I change them more frequently? (Hopefully, yes! but it is hard to not lose hope in this place.) Below is a friend trying to "hold" 3 little ones as is often the case when we are there. The little one on her tummy on the floor is one of the most malnourished ones with spindly arms and legs and hollow eyes. She is difficult to comfort at times and will throw herself out of your arms to be put on the floor where she "moans" or quietly cries. She has brought tears to my eyes and prayers from my soul more than once.

 Notice the sweet little girl in her "pillowcase dress" that ladies around Parkview make time and again! As you can see, there are many variations and now many are just pieces of material with ties at top, along the same line as all the pillowcase dresses that are everywhere here...the hospital wards, the orphanages, on the streets.

 This is the little guy that we can actually get to smile and laugh. A real cutie!

 Special to see two little ones side by side...the one on right is more malnourished, hollow sad eyes, big tummy, less trusting. May God bring them to Him and use us to give joy and hope to each of them.