Babbling and Smiles

Every night before I lay my head down, I carefully inspect my pillow and sheets sweeping away any unwelcome visitors. This place is plagued with strange flat-backed brown bugs. I’m not sure what they are, but the first time I saw one I thought it was a small stink bug. We’ve grown fairly tolerant of them (a luxury the spiders are not given), allowing them free range of the walls, and window sills, but on one’s pillow is just a little close for comfort. Occasionally I hear or see one fall from our thatch roof ceiling. This is apparently instantaneous death for the poor overpopulated creatures, as there are dead ones lying around all over the place.

I have just had my first warm shower of the week. A shower house with 6 solar-heated showers sits behind our house. Typically, the best time to shower is about 4:30 or 5 after the water has been sitting all day in the sun, but if there is no sun, it doesn’t matter what time of day you take a shower, it’s not going to be warm. This has been an unusual week, Sunday night I had a discussion with someone about whether or not it ever rained during the dry season. Around here, most people would say no, it never does. But Monday, we were proven wrong. It has been cloudy and cool with a good bit of rain most of the week. Only yesterday did it start to clear up again. Today we are back to our warm beautiful weather, and our lovely warm showers (which are so nice to have after a day of being peed and spit up on my the kiddos).

During the time we have been here, we have seen progress in our kids. But for many of the toddlers it is hard to know whether the increase in language that we have witnessed is a result of our efforts or simply because they have warmed up to us. This week Meagan Hawley’s return from her 3-week trip back to the States gave us some indication of real progress. Meagan has been living here for 3 years, working with the kids in the Haven and making sure each of them is well cared for. We had heard about her, but I don’t think any of us quite realized how big of a role she plays here. Her first day back she was busily making her rounds among the Haven children. With one tied on her back with a chitenge, she checked out each child and focused on getting medication for those who needed it. The next day she was at the Haven with a doctor, looking at the children which she was particularly concerned about. Meagan proudly reported to us how surprised she was when some of the children used words that they never used before, or were speaking more than before. She was also quick to explain to the aunties how to prop the babies up with the special pillows we had made for their feedings. Apparently every doctor that has come through has told them that the children should not be feeding on their backs, but with so few hands to hold the babies, they could not come up with a realistic solution. Meagan’s arrival has come at a very good time because by this point we have already established ourselves in the work we are doing and progress is being seen. Now that she has seen what we are doing, she and others who work with the children can continue to carry it on as they are able. Right now she is with our struggling baby Lydia at a hospital in another town. Her dedication and love for these children is both impressive and admirable.

Among other exciting news this week: Andrew, one of the HIV positive kids at the Haven, about 2 years old, starting walking today! Yesterday, he took a step or two on his own, and was standing up unassisted; but today he took 7 whole steps all alone. We are so proud to have witnessed his progress. He is in a more progressed stage of AIDS and often looks tired and unwell. But he is one that has starting talking more since we’ve been here and today he walked. We are thrilled.

Choolwe is one of the little boys at the toddler house. He often has a very serious face and he does interact, but quietly. During our session on Thursday, he was laughing and singing along to the songs and participating...not really with real words, but with word-like babbling, which is a step in the right direction.

Sheri is a little girl at the toddler house who rarely smiles and rarely interacts during the sessions. There have only been two occasions in the last 3 weeks that any of us have seen her laugh or even smile. Once was during a peek-a-boo game earlier this week, and then yesterday while I was playing with her, she was laughing and responding verbally, a big step for our straight-faced Sheri. Some of these steps, that I’m reporting, may not sound like a lot. But these children, do not get much interaction. They are rarely read to nor are they ever engaged in conversation, most of them are behind according to our developmental standards. Each step of progress that we see lifts our spirits and reminds us why we are here.

Thursday, Becca and I again had the opportunity to go to the hospital with Rogers to encourage the patients and family members there. We were happy to see some of the patients looking better, though there were some, that look worse. It is a sad place, but they were all grateful for our prayers and words of encouragement. I pray that God used our short visit to encourage them to cry out to Him.

We have one more week at Namwianga, before we head to Livingstone for our last few days in Zambia. Please pray that our last week will be productive and that we will be able to encourage the workers here. Please pray for the health of these children, especially sweet little Lydia.

Photos: Brittany holding Andrew, Choolwe and me, Sheri