Yesterday, Madame Sharoya, the principal of the secondary school, took us to The New Life Home Trust in Kisumu. This “Home” was started by a British couple in Kenya. Their motto is “Caring with Compassion”. The organization takes in infants from the area that are been abandoned after birth. These babies are found in dumpsters, in the bush or just left on their door step. The home is currently caring for 50 babies. The organization began with the intent to aid abandoned children with AIDS and HIV and that is still their mission though they do also accept babies who are not diseased. They have wonderful staffing round the clock to care for the children’s needs. Madam Sharoya informed us that the home is always looking for volunteers to just come and hold the babies or help feed them. Clearly, we jumped at the opportunity to play with more children!
When we first arrived I was overwhelmed and had to hold back tears. These children do not have any family. None at all. No mother. No father. No grandparents. No family. They were unwanted and so they were discarded. The children can be just days old when they enter the home. When we arrived there were three children who had been brought in earlier this week. One of them was in an incubator and the other two in basinets. Others stay in the medical care room much longer because they have complications. There are nurses and physicians at the home who care for their illnesses.
The woman and men who work at The New Life Home are all blessings. They are caretakers and angels to these little, innocent children. These babies are shown so much love and attention. They are played with and sung to by the nurses and volunteers. They laugh and they smile! All toys, clothing, food and supplies at the home are provided through donation.
Like so many of the children at OLG, these babies are orphans. The difference between many of them is that the orphans at The New Life Home never knew their families where as some of the children at OLG knew their parents or guardians and then suffered their loss. I do not know which would be more difficult; To have loved and lost family or to never have been loved by them at all. I suppose there really is no comparison between the two. At the end of the day, both situations are incredibly heart breaking. The commonality between the two is, however, that the innocence of these children in both “homes” shines through. They are just that, children. They did not choose these lives; they were merely born into them. It is not the choices that they have made throughout their lives that has brought them to their current situations, they inherited them. They have no shame, guilt or sin, they are just innocent children. And for that reason my heart goes out to them.
When we arrived at the home we were first taken on a tour to see all the children and their facilities. First we saw those that were younger than 6 months. They were all lying on mats and in bouncies or in the arms of nurses in their “play room”. Two young British girls and their mother were singing and playing guitar. They have been volunteering at the home for about a year. The next room we entered was designated for “the crawlers”. These babies were between 6 months and 18 months. They too were playing when we came in. Two little boys crawled over to me and used my legs to stand themselves up. With wide smiles they tugged on my skirt as they bounced before plopping down on their bottoms. I fell in love! I had to tear myself away from them to finish our tour.
We then ventured down stairs to where the children with special needs play and sleep. There are 7 children at the home with special needs. Lenorah, was our tour guide through this section of the home. She showed us her classroom before running outside to play. As we walked into the playroom we were greeted by 5 year old Kurt. Kurt was lying on the mat as a nurse held his hand and swayed with him. Kurt is blind and cannot talk. His nurse, with a smile on her face, was bestowing the ministry of presence. She sang to him softly and was there with him. She was showing him love and care which, I am sure, was what he needed most.
After finishing our tour I was itching to wash my hands so I could go play with the kids! I headed back into “the crawlers” room. The British family had made their way over and were now singing and dancing with the nurses and babies in this room. I spotted a boy sitting alone and went over to him. I sat and placed him on my lap and we began to sing and dance too. He was a bundle of joy with the sweetest smile and bright sparkling eyes beneath long curling eyelashes. His name was Peter! Peter has the most infectious giggle I have ever heard! He made my heart happy. I spent the rest of my time at the home with him and his friends. Tommy and I fed three babies dinner (mashed beans with white bread) and helped them drink their milk before we took them for baths. All 12 of them were bathed and while they waited for their baths they sat on their individual training potties singing to each other! It was quite a sight! After baths we joined the assembly of nurses who dry, diaper, clothe and put the children in their cribs.
When we finished I went to each other cribs and spoke to them before I left. I wanted them to know that they are angels and thank them for playing with me. Leaving was very difficult. I hope to get back their before we leave in two weeks. How fast this time is flying! Though my heart ached for these children, I can smile knowing that The New Life Home shows them love and compassion. These babies are so loved! They are given big doses of the best medicine each day; Love. When the babies are stable (medically, emotionally, etc.) and have reached a certain age they will be available for adoption. If the kids are not adopted then they will be taken to another home associated with New Life and taken to school.
God Bless the men and women that give these children new lives.
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