Hey Everyone! I had all good intentions of being really good about sending emails and stories of what's going on here at least once a week and as you can see this is the first one . . . . . . When Sarah and I got here there were 23 volunteers and 44 Babies (TLC is only supposed to have up to 30). We are now down to 7 Volunteers trying to keep up with what 23 were doing . . . It's not working very well and everyone is tired but new volunteers come on the 9th so we are counting down the days!
Christmas was fun - Sarah and I had come off night shift that morning so we were tired but we got to just hang around the nursery and watch all the action. It was nice and later that afternoon we went to a nearby squatter camp to hand out gifts (TLC had received way more than they could use so they passed it on) It was such a great experience and the one we went to was safe enough that we could walk around the streets. It was so neat to get a sense of the way the people live on a daily basis.
New Years Eve was also fun. Most of the volunteers went to someone's house for a party and spent the night but we didn't feel like doing that because we had already been working 13 hour days with no breaks for a week and we had to be on at 6am the next morning so I didn't want to be pressured to stay up late and sleep on a floor and all that good stuff so we stayed here and hung around with Thea's youngest daughter, Faith. It was really nice cause we never get to see her much cause we're always so busy. . . . We had a bon-fire and chatted and then went to bed around 10pm.
For those who don't know I have been made section leader for the Creepy group. There are 7 kids from 10 months to almost 2 years. They are extremely challenging because 5 of them are special needs. It's been a lot of fun working with them and I feel like we're finally getting to know each other and bond . . . They were all sick this past week though so it was a rough week and Im glad it's over and they are getting better. I'm with them most of the time so with it being 13 hour days I'm with them for at least 10 of those hours so it's really trying at times but very rewarding too. So I'm attaching some pictures of the Creepies so you can all see who I'm working with and hopefully it won't take me so long to send another update :)
Picture 9084 Is Jerome. Jerome was in the Nest (the youngest babies) last year when Sarah and I were here and he was very sick. He's HIV+ and He's also deaf but he's the most agile kid I've ever met. He's almost 2 and has the most wonderful personality! He's doing really well with sign language and has people that come to help him once a week. Unfortunately South African Sign Language is very new and they seem to have NO resources here! But it's closest to American sign language and I brought some resources with me. Jerome doesn't stop during the day - he's so active but he's got a very tender side too. The other day one of the other boys was bullying him so I moved the other boy to the other side of the room and of course he started crying. Jerome went over and sat in front of him and turned to look at me and put his hands out to the side as if to say "What did you do that for" and then turned back around to face to other boy and wiped his tears, gave him a hug and started playing peak-a-boo with him to cheer him up! It was one of the sweetest things I've ever seen. Can you really call him being deaf having special needs? I know he's special and he has special needs but he's definitely not special needs! He's obviously got a lot he could teach all of us!
Picture 9151 is Thomas - Thomas came to TLC as birth or shortly after. He's about 15 months old. He has fetal alcohol syndrome. He had some issues with food - he wouldn't eat things with lumps but he's doing great with it now which makes me think a lot of it was more volunteers freaking out and puréeing everything in sight for him so he never got a chance to get used to lumps. That's about the only thing noticeable about his fetal alcohol syndrome at the moment. He has the best laugh! I wish I could send an audio of it and he laughs so easily! You can just laugh and he will start chuckling and then it just goes on and on. His favorite thing is when I get down on all 4's and chase him around the room and tickle him - we could do it for hours! There is a possibility that he will get adopted at the end of next month but there isn't a date yet so it isn't for sure. Pray that he does because he needs a family - they all do. But I just can't even imagine the joy he would bring to his forever family! They will be so blessed!
Picture 9085 is Langa - Langa was also in the Nest when we were here last year. At the time they didn't know what was wrong with him and thought maybe blind. He does seem to have some kind of vision problem but doesn't seem to be major. He is also supposedly deaf but he isn't at all. He's the first one in the room to copy and mimic sounds and words. He does have some issues though but they seem to be social issues - maybe on the autism spectrum but if so it's very high functioning. He's not naturally a joyful kid like Thomas but when he does smile he just lights up the room! And when he laughs . . . . it makes my day!
Picture 9148 is Uriah - Uriah has also been at TLC since birth or shortly after. He is about 21 months old. Uriah has Daddy Walker syndrome. From what I understand he's missing part of his Cerebellum or it's very small. He isn't supposed to be able to crawl or walk. He gets around so well. He crawls everywhere and he's taken about 10 steps - that's his current record! It's very exciting! He also has been communicating quite well through sign language and trying his hardest to say words. He's used signs for more, please and finished and he always does it with a big grin on her face. He can be kind of a bully to the other kids but he's a joy and when he's not making someone else cry he's usually making us all laugh. . . .
Picture 9152 is Rupert - Rupert is considered one of the "normal" ones . . . To me they all have their own special needs cause they are all different. . . . Rupert has been here since birth too. He is a big buff kid but he can also be the most sensitive. If he doesn't like something you've said to him he will give you the evil eye and ignore you till he gets over it :) It's really funny. When he's in a good mood he's hilarious and very playful! He's starting to talk a lot but he also uses the sign language. He loves his food and cleans up his place at the table very well. When it's something he really likes he reaches over and takes from someone else's bowl before his is even gone - pretty clever huh? Then he eats everything that dropped on the table and into his bib. He likes being chased around the room and tickled too!
Picture 9109 is Dumisa - Dumisa just moved into the Creepy group a couple weeks ago. He is considered special needs but I don't think anyone has found out what's actually wrong with him yet. I'm trying to spend a lot of time with him because I feel like he needs a lot of attention. He does a lot of rocking and at night he bangs his head against his crib which really worries me. Everyone tells me he's always done it as if it's normal which worries me more because that means they've never bothered to do anything about it. Usually kids that are institutionalized tend to do things like that but no child at TLC should do that. . . . He may also be on the Autism spectrum but it's crazy because they don't test for Autism until about 8 or 9 years of age here. He doesn't make eye contact very well either so he's my little project at the moment. I've been giving him massages after his bath every night and just holding him whenever he's not engaged in something else. Pray for him.
Picture 9120 is Christine - Christine is the other "normal" one. She also just moved up to the Creepy group. She is the only girl in the group so of course I tend to spoil her a little. She's 13 months old and crawls around really well. She hasn't started standing yet but she has been pulling herself up on everything. She has a wonderful smile and when you walk into the room she just looks right at you and smiles! She's gorgeous! Christine is supposed to be getting adopted at the end of this month. I'm excited to meet her forever family. It will be so wonderful!
That's all for now!
