Today was Saturday. So much happens here all the time that it's hard to put every thought into words. I can't count how many diapers I changed or mouths I fed. And, that's a good thing. Because, if I could remember, I might not be too motivated to get up and do it again tomorrow! In all reality, though, it is an attitude of servitude that one adopts. Or, is it servant-hood? Spell check corrects me, so I don't know.
Such helpless little babies with only 3 main needs: to be fed, loved and changed.
When we wake at 6:30 (which is when the sun comes up behind the mountain outside our bedroom window) we begin with personal devotions and prayer. I shower and Charley and John usually have breakfast waiting on the table downstairs when I am dressed and ready for the day. We read devotions together over breakfast and then I, Jackie, head over to the Home. On a sunny day I ride my bike. I have a little basket on the front that holds my water and purse. I turn left out of our apartment complex and ride over to the lake, Plum Blossom Lake. There are usually several people walking, riding bikes or taking their dogs on a stroll. It's a lovely ride except for the impending Temple above the lake that shouts interesting music, pounding drums or fireworks all hours of the night and day. It's part of the culture and I embrace and appreciate this. But, the things that the Temple represents cause me to shudder!
I ride by our little market street to get to the Home. There are usually 6 or 8 stray dogs loafing around. Another two left turns and I am on the little palm lined drive of the Home.
I need to interject here - most days it is NOT sunny and I drive over or Charley takes me. IT RAINS HERE A LOT, FOLKS. A LOT. A LOT. A LOT. For instance, it's been sunny 12 or so days here since October of last year. LAST YEAR!
Back to the regularly scheduled programming...
Now begins the fun...waking the babies at 8:30 and changing diapers. Bottles and 4 servings of solid food is passed around and there is, of course, more diaper changes and kisses and gurgles and coos.
Play time is next on the agenda. All the bright lights overhead and sweet music on the cd player keep us all alive and kicking. Lunch time rolls around and more diapers, bottles and burping.
While the babes we walk over to the orphanage side where we eat the lunch that the housemothers have made. Nap time provides an hour or so of checking on my boys at home, taking a little siesta if the kiddos have worn me out, or reading.
More of the same in the afternoon: feeding, diapers, love, singing, laughing, playing, making silly faces and strange noises. Around 5 more solid food goes down the hatch for the 4 little ones who are over 6 months.
Stop. Would you like to know names of these precious little ones!? Even if you can't see faces on the world wide web, names are appropriate! There is precious 8-10 month old Anastasia, Anika, and Blaise. Then there is sweet 6 month old Trip...who is truly a trip! Next come Luke, Josiah, Robbie, Cassie, Rossie, Eden, Ethan, and Mary is the newest, smallest addition to the troupe. They are all precious and each is endearing in their own ways. I am ashamed to admit that I am forgetting several someones. For the life of me, I cannot remember every little life in the nursery! Yikes! I am getting old.
Dinner finds the babes asleep at around 5:30. 6 o'clock is dinner time on the orphanage side and it is truly a blessing to be able to eat and fellowship even though we don't speak the same language. I'll save dinner stories for another time. It's late and I must get some rest in order to wake up early with my little man. After dinner we are too pooped to pop. Or, as John says, "too popped to poop." We turn in to bed before evening devotions. We are sad to miss that time of fellowship, but John is exhausted by 7pm. (That was his usual bedtime in the States.) We head home, spend a few minutes together as a family and then head to bed in order to rise again early and do it all again! Thursdays are our days off. Last Thursday we were blessed by an intern, Word, a great young man who is an intern. He volunteered to play with John so that we could have the better part of the day to ourselves! It was great to be able to have some time to ourselves to talk without having to filter and spell out words to each other.
My fingers are falling asleep and my head is lolling onto my chin as I write. Goodnight!
P.S. I am sure there are typos. Please forgive.
2 comments:
So do we need to bring you some galoshes or a rain coat when we come over to pick up Eden?
Great description of the day, Jackie! Sounds rewarding and exhausting! Thanks for taking the time to write about it! It helps us picture better what you're doing! ;-)
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