Lately we have been working mostly with the Children’s home here in Manila. It’s a nice break for the staff who work so hard. Since we have arrived four new children have arrived at the home. Three of the kids are siblings (Alex, Tyra, and Chris) and the other child who arrived is a two month old baby named, Heartlyn.
The first night that Heartlyn was at the home she was sent to the hospital, so I never got to meet her when I worked in the nursery. I did get to work with Tyra, who is two, and her brother Chris, who is 10 months old when I worked in the nursery on Saturday night. When I met Chris he had a temperature of over 100F and was just miserable. He also only weighs about 7 pounds. When I saw him and realized he is 10 months old, I was amazed. When my nephew was born he was the same size as Chris, which just goes to show how incredibly malnourished he is. The same night I met him, they took him to the hospital and admitted him because he was so sick.
His sister Tyra is very timid. She likes to have her own space and does not enjoy the other kids all that much yet. When I was in the nursery on Saturday she sat beside me and kept putting her hand on my leg, then she would crawl onto my leg, and then finally she sat in my lap. She definitely goes at her own pace and you can’t rush her. She is so innocent and sweet though. I worked up there on Sunday as well and she kept saying something that I didn’t understand. Her older sister Alex was sitting beside her and I asked if she knew what Tyra was saying. She told me that Trya kept saying “Mom” over and over. It broke my heart!
I can’t imagine the pain, confusion and fear that goes through these kids heads when they are dropped off at a home and don’t know where their parents have gone. Tyra is the most beautiful little girl, but when she looks up at you with those eyes, you can see how hurt she is. I know all of the staff and volunteers at the home as well as everyone on the Race who works there want to love her so much that the fear that’s in her eyes disappears. I’ve come to the realization that I can’t do that. I can’t take the fear and hurt away from any of these children. The only thing I can do is pray for them and love them and hope one day they will realize they are so incredibly loved! I pray that so many people pour love into their lives that the fact that they don’t have their parents with them doesn’t hurt quite as bad.
Today is now Monday and I am sitting in the hospital room with Heartlyn and Chris. (I now see that the health care in the states is AMAZING!!!) Heartlyn is going to be discharged this morning and we are hoping that Chris will be discharged tomorrow. I just started working with all these kids a few days ago, but you can’t help but want to protect them. Most of them have been through and seen more than I have in my life, but I still feel the need to protect them from what I can…even though most times I realize the only way I can protect them is to pray for them.
