Monday, January 31, 2011

a picture's worth a thousand words.

Some of my favorite picture moments from the last few months.

JANUARY 2011
Patricia- trying to figure out how to be a teenager, yet still a little girl.

Parachute! - love the colors.

Small Salome.

 DECEMBER 2010
Lucky and Kebbeh showing off their Christmas dresses.

Merry Christmas Sarah!

NOVEMBER 2010
Field Day at Fatu's.

Paul with the newest addition to the ORR fleet.

OCTOBER 2010
She LOVED her new boots!

Jumping rope with Ma Ruth.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

New Belly Buttons

Umbilical hernias are very common in Liberia. Everywhere you go you see the signature belly protrusion. It is something I never saw, or really even heard of before I came here. It isn’t clear why there are so many, for some reason weak abdominal muscles seem to be common in this region of the world. Often the hernia is merely a cosmetic problem, but in some cases, it can be very painful and, rarely, life threatening. The kids usually don’t mind them until they are older. In fact, often the hernia becomes a comfort to them and it is affectionately called their “liver.”
Kebbeh before.
Kebbeh after.
A surgical team with Children’s Surgery International (CSI) is currently working at a hospital in Liberia. I met them last year when they were here. They found the need so intense that before they left they were already planning to return. Some of our kids had been evaluated then, even though their hernias definitely needed attention, there were many other emergent cases at the time. We left that screening with the promise that we’d be on the top of the list when they returned.

On Saturday, I drove six kids to the hospital for their pre-op appointments. The kids were nervous and excited. An outing in the pick-up with Auntie Debbie is rare, but they also knew a big unknown was ahead. One girl vocalized what they were all thinking when she declared to everyone in the car, “They coming to cut our livers!” 
Dr. Dave examines Eddie pre-op.
 At the hospital the kids were evaluated by a pediatrician and the surgeon, labs were done and admission papers completed. Two of the boys tested positive for Malaria and started treatment immediately. They were showered with gifts by the nurses and other CSI team members. The surgeries were done on Sunday-- new belly-buttons all around. All six kids flew through with flying colors. They were a bit tired and sore, but were all discharged on Monday. I picked them up from the hospital and delivered them safely home where they were greeted with cheers from the other children. After a few days of rest they will be out playing again and proudly showing off their new belly buttons.
Eddie-boy after surgery.
(I borrowed this blog post from our ORR website blog. Please go to www.orphanreliefandrescue.org to see what else ORR has been up to in Liberia. Thanks!)

Monday, January 17, 2011

(A) Moving Day

Some pretty special kiddos started a new chapter of their lives today.

You may have heard me tell part of their story before. These kids were living in an orphanage that was, according to the government of Liberia, deplorable. Their living conditions were truly unforgivable. They were always dirty. Never in school. Usually alone. The eight and nine year old girls did most of the cooking, laundry, cleaning and caring for the younger children. Often they ate only once a day. We had pleaded with the director to feed them more, to send them to school, to have an adult live with them at the home. We had pleaded with the government to close the home, it was no home. For over a year, nothing changed.

Then there was a fire. The boy's "dorm" burned down. It wasn't really a dorm, it was a dilapidated mud-brick room in an already questionable school building with a few bunks. The fire was accidental. All the boys got out. One had a burn on his foot. Thankfully they were all alive. Suddenly the government is there, removing the children (finally). Seventeen children were split between three already crowded - but miraculously different homes. Food was served three times a day. The kids could play, go to school. Life, in their limited understanding of circumstances, couldn't get better.

Not knowing that this tragedy (blessing?) of a fire would change their course, we had already started looking for another way. A new boarding school was being built. A new hope for the future of these kids. Several of them were admitted, but the school was still being built.


Fast forward six months-- to today. The school is finished. Moving day is here. I had the privilege of driving some of them to their new school. At the, not so new to them anymore, orphanage they are all ready. Best clothes on, bags packed, one last meal with the other 80+ children at the home. Joshua and Arthur can't stop smiling, instinctively they know this is gonna be good. George and Varbah aren't so sure. This place had become a safe refuge, so much better than anything they could have imagined before and they are making friends. Paul and Joe happy to go along with whatever may come. Quiet Patricia soaking it all in.


The Seven file upstairs to say goodbye. The father of the home, who has known these kids for only six months, starts to cry. "This will always be your home." I start to cry. It has been a home to them, a constant, something they never really had before. We pray together. With a crooked smile, and wiping a tear, Mr Smith fist-busts the departing children. There are whispered and giggled goodbyes from the other children as well. The pick-up is loaded with seven excited-scared kids and a few small plastic bags that hold all of their possessions.


The hour long drive gives them time to adjust a bit to the adventure. The chatter in the back seat doesn't stop the entire time. Driving fast, passing cars, a monkey for sale on the side of the road, airplanes on the ground at the airport-- these are all new, resulting in comments and giggles.

As we 4x4 around the last sand-corner and the new school comes into view, spontaneous singing erupts from the back. Seven sweet voices greet their new home, their school, their hope for the future.


Somehow I know that there are many more chapters to come...

Monday, January 3, 2011

ten years younger

I love sharing good news.

I was finally able to get a picture to show off the new Oretha...

Oretha today. I love that smile!

Oretha before.
Her surgery was December 22. She did have some bleeding complications which required a second surgery the next day to close the incision and two days of being closely monitored. I visited her a few hours after the original surgery and didn't even recognize her, she looked so young and healthy (and that is after a major surgery and large blood loss!). She was discharged after a week in the hospital and will be returning to the clinic weekly for check-ups.

Oretha and her family are SO grateful for all the prayers and money that was sent so that she could have this life-changing surgery. Enough money was raised to fully cover all of her medical expenses with some left over to buy some new clothes and shoes (she didn't have any). 

On behalf of Oretha-- Thank you so much!