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Update
from South Africa
Subject:
Update Dear Friends and family, I have been here in South Africa for nearly two weeks and have so much to talk about. I instantly felt I had come to the right place. This farm reminds me of home and they have a goat just like I always wanted! On our first day we didn't have to work since we had been travelling for so many hours. I couldn't stay in my cottage long before I had to go and spend time looking after the baibes, so I left my unpacking for the next day. We get up at 5.30 and start work at 6 when they all wake up. Many things have happened, including the arrival of seven new children. This includes a baby with water on the brain (I can't spell the real name for it), two white Afrikan speaking toddlers, a newborn baby who is here with her 13 year old mother, and several abandoned babies. Yesterday a new baby named Oriony arrived and she is their 300th child to stay with them. We now have 40 children which includes 23 tiny babies, and five toddlers who we have just started toilet training. Most of the older children have serious problems so have been adopted into the family. It's hectic and can be very stressful and frustrating. I love all the children, but of course I have some favourites. I particularly love the sick babies because I hate to leave them crying and like to sit quietly with them having a cuddle. Their expressions can be so sad and you just want to make them better. Etienne is five months old, he was born prematuraly because his mother had aids and her body couldn't cope. Soon after the birth she died. It's extremely likely that he also has aids, he has many of the symptoms and is smaller than most of the younger babies. About a week ago an incubator arrived. One of the volunteers is a nurse and she said to keep it on all the time so it is warm just in case. A couple of days later Zeke's temperature dropped dramatically and he wouldn't eat or stay awake. He has been to hospital on two previous occasions because he stopped breathing and had to be resusitated. This is all due to him being born prematuraly and his organs are underdeveloped. He also shows signs of having Aids. Out of 40 children only about 10 have aids, although more have relatives with Aids.
It's hard work having to juggle all our duties and catering for all their needs. We find when visitors come it's chaos as they keep asking questions and we have to run around fetching things for them etc. I'm getting used to that now, but it can be so frustraing. For example toddlers have a nap at 11 till 1 and people stroll through their room and make loads of noise and talk to them, and without all these distractions it's still difficult to get them all to sleep. There some exceptions as a few of the visitors can be very helpful and don't get in the way. It is also good for the babies as they can have more one to one attention. I'm really lucky to be with such a nice group of volunteers, we all go in and out of each others cottages, have BBQ's and go to the cinema etc. It's good to have time to relax and do something unrelated to work. Today is my second day off and it has been nice to go out and see different things with different people.
I'm learning alot and hope to experience as much as possible whilst here. Last wednesday a few of us went to help feed the homeless in the evening. It only happens once a week and we will go as often as possible. It's a similar experience to going to Rwanda because it gives the people something to look forward to and they know that people do care about them and that not everyone is ignoring their problems. It's good to do positive things as I always feel I should be doing more to help people. As I had imagined life is far more fulfilling here, which makes me happy. I haven't mentioned half of the things that have happened, but I'll try to include them next time. Take care Love *Katy Parsons*
P.S. It has taken me so long to send to everyone that I can now add the following: Etienne is much better now, when I first arrived he was so weak and everyone thought he was not going to live much longer, but he is now well enough to be taken out of the nursery for sick babies and can sleep with the healthy babies. Today Roberta was adopted by a local family and yesterday Barnaby went to a German family who also live locally. On Tuesday it is national heritage day and all the families who have adopted children will be coming here to meet up and see how they've grown. We will have a BBQ, swim in the pool, a bouncy castle etc. It should be good. Also I start nightshift tonight from 8-6 for a week -- |
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