Open Arms, Friday, January 11, 2008

Friday, January 11, 2008
This afternoon was another plethora of emotions. We went to visit Open Arms orphanage. It's operated out of a small house and it’s primary responsibility is to serve children from ages 1 day old to 2 years old. These children have lost their mother or both parents and there is no one else in the family who is able to care for them. The intention is that after two years of age, the orphanage returns the babies back to their villages. Infants demand so much care that often it is too overwhelming for grandparents or aunts and uncles, who are already caring for several other children, to take on an infant. This orphanage cares for 39 babies. As we toured the ministry, we had to be careful of where we stepped. Babies speckled the floor. I held Esther, the tiniest baby I had ever seen. She was 18 days old. Her mother is dead from Aids.

This visit was a highlight for Terra and Jordan. They loved holding the babies and the staff was great with the girls! Later that night Terra told us, it was like she had entered a huge nursery, where every room was full of babies. “A nursery,” I said, “only mama never comes back.” This was hard for Terra to hear. She buried her head in her pillow and told us to stop talking about that.
The ministry is powerful and so needed! They have a ratio of 1 "mother" (staff) to 6 babies and they are grateful for volunteers to come in and love these little bundles. Jordan got stuck holding a baby who "kept drooling and crying." Finally one of the "mothers" came and rescued Jordan so she could pick up the baby she really wanted to hold, Sarah. They bonded. Sarah clung to Jordan.
Terra was naturally in her element and upset when I told her we would return next week. "You mean we aren't going to do this everyday?" She held babies, fed them and played with them. She became attached to a little 2 year old named Gift. It was a beautiful sight. I sat there quietly watching the girls, chocking back the tears. But then again, lately this seems to be a common experience.