I apologize for my lack of blogging lately. I have taken on the role of Mary's nighttime caretaker and any extra time I have during the day is spent sleeping! She is missing her mom so much. Her mother must have fed her each night at 10pm and midnight, because, like clockwork, Mary wakes at those times every night. Since we are no longer breast feeding her, we are trying to break her of the habit of waking during the night. Unfortunately, we have no bottles here, so I have been spoon feeding Mary milk and water. Although 2 years old, Mary was always treated like an infant, so she acts like one, and as a result of the cerebral palsy, she has little control over her neck and extremities, which really makes her like an infant... a big infant!!
Mary is usually up for at least 1-1/2 hours each time she awakes. I think the nights are hardest for her. She misses that intimacy of just her and her mom, and that surety that whenever she needs it, milk is there. I am filled with remorse for Mary, for she is grieving the loss of her mother and is not too happy to find me at her crib side each night. I have recently realized that I have never given mothers and fathers enough praise and credit for getting up with their children during the night and then having the energy to get through the next day. I have been getting by on about 4 hours of sleep each night and then managing to get through the entire day with her and the rest of the kids and all my duties. I think there is a selflessness about parenthood that allows parents to put themselves and their needs last, and out of that sacrifice comes the strength to get through the day, and be up again the next night. Not that I consider myself Mary's parent, but I have a special connection with that tiny tot that pulls on my heart strings each time she cries.
On to other news... did you know it gets cold in Ghana?? I didn't! It is cold!! Now, I know in Buffalo, at least, there is a ton of snow and the daytime high is probably around 30 degrees ... I'm not talking that cold, but when you are used to temps in the 90's, 60 degrees is cold! The problem is that with the colder temps comes the wind and blowing dust. It has made almost all the residents of The Nazareth Home for God's Children sick with bad coughs and runny noses. One of our girls, Martha who is 4 years old, was just released from the Yendi Hospital for treatment of pneumonia, and Sister Stan says it is likely more children will get it. Joshua, who is about 8 years old, but because of malnutrition and a mental disability appears to be about 4 years old, has taken a liking to me. He did in January too... They call him Ohyea because "ohyea" is the only thing he says, over and over. He walks around, collecting sticks and stones to carry and is usually in his own little world until he sees me and then attaches himself to my legs. Well, I mention him now because he has this terrible runny nose, which he loves to blow on my pants. He just walks right up to me, sticks his nose on my leg and blows!! It was funny, like the first time he did it, but now I am tired of hand washing pants every single day. I have no idea why he does it at all, and to me and to no one else. Must be love!!
As we are getting nearer to Christmas, we have choir practice with Christmas songs and are preparing for the feast, although there are no Christmas decorations around. This is Advent, and here at the orphanage, much emphasis is put on the Advent season and preparing ourselves for the birth of Jesus. The decorating will come on Christmas day, the birthday of our Lord, and the celebrating will continue well into January until the official end of the Christmas season, which I believe is the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, but I may be incorrect about that. It is beautiful to focus on Advent fully and completely and not be overrun by the commercialism and hype of the holiday of Christmas, which really is a holy day, not a holiday at all. Don't get me wrong, I love the carols and lights, the festivities and parties, but it does take away from the true meaning of Christmas. I don't mean to get all "Charlie Brown" on you, but this year, my focus will be on celebrating the birth of the King of kings, and I am looking forward to a truly heartfelt holy day in which my Lord is the center.
Roundtrip ticket to Africa... $1,500.00 /// the preparing and purchasing personal needs for a year...$I don't know, but it's a lot.00 /// being taught by orphans how to truly celebrate Christmas... priceless!!
xo
