"BEHOLD YOUR LITTLE ONES" ~~~ ETHEMBENI ORPHANAGE 7 July 2016

When Misti was here we went to the Ethembeni Orphanage.  I loved the spirit there and the happiness of the children so much that I went again with some sisters from the area office on Thursday, 7 July.  I am going to rewrite what I wrote on my previous blog about Ethembeni because I feel that it deserves a blog by itself.  What a sacrifice the people make that serve these special "children of God".

The Ethembeni Children's Home house around 70 chldren from the ages of 0 - 36 months all of whom has suffered emotional, physical or medical abuse or have been abandoned.  Many are HIV positive.  Ethembeni is a Xhosa word, which means "Place of Hope".  The home opened in November 1995 and nearly 1000 babies have come through the doors.  The children are brought to Ethembeni from various places.  Some are found in black rubbish bags, in dustbins, on rubbish dumps, at taxi ranks, or left at the hospital after delivery.  Most of them arrive as newborns.  As the children grow, they divide them into age groups.....0 to 6 months, 6 to 12 months, 12 - 18 months and then 18 - 36 months.  Once the child turns 3 years old, they are transferred to another home.  But they do work toward having the children adopted or fostered into a caring home.

This is Ethembeni Children's Home - a "Place of Hope".......

After registering, you enter a room where the 18 - 36 month old children are playing or watching television.  The moment they saw us they ran with their arms uplifted for us to hold them (I wish I had that moment captured). We were changed forever!!!

 There were not enough of us to hold them.  Look at the smile on the little girl that Sister Graf is holding...second from the left.  Pure JOY! And in contrast, the little girl that is waiting her turn.

 There are around 40 in this age group.  Some where outside playing...

The angels that give of their time to provide love for the children.

The kitchen where the children receive three meals a day.  How would you like that responsibility of feeding nutritious meals for 70 children (the food comes from donations)?

 A sample of the room where the 18 - 36 month old children sleep.  Look how clean and it was 9:00 a.m.!!!

 The toilets....

We wanted you to realize how really small these toilets are.....so cute.

 Playroom when it is too cold to play outside.  So cheerful.

 This is Ruth.  She makes 400 - 500 bottles a day by herself.  I asked about the nighttime feedings for the newborns, and she said that she refrigerates those for the night volunteers. The definition of an ANGEL,

Imagine this many high chairs in your home?  Where the 12 - 18 months eat.  The patience the children must learn as they wait for their food.

Next stop was the NEWBORNS - twelve of them.  Ages 0 - 6 months in this room.

I was in heaven pretending this was our new little Luke Lombardi that was just born 13 July 2016.

 Sister Mary Louise Beckstrand

 I was rocking some with my foot.....

 Each newborn has their own bed with their name and birth date marked above. There were three little babies that had moved onto the 6 - 12 months since I was there with Misti.

 Sister Jann Powell

I left the newborns and found the 6 - 18 month olds crawling, walking, sleeping, playing, getting their hair done in two rooms.  I found pure joy on the floor with them.

 Snack time......I was sure glad that I was leaving before clean up time.

Look at the little boy on the above picture sound asleep.  The others were accidentally falling on him and he continued to sleep......

...and then finally this sweet little bundle of joy woke and was so full of excitement to join the others.

 She just woke up....the most precious little face.

Look everyone.......I can stand!!!!

Sister French entertaining...

This cute volunteer was doing hair and gave us lessons.  I will never figure out how the children sit so calmly while their hair is tugged, pulled, yanked and twisted.  But they do!

 I am so sad that my group pictures seem so blurry.  But this is the group that was "touched forever" by these sweet miracles from heaven.  I know that the Lord has a plan for them where they will find love......maybe we are part of that plan!

 We joined the band of "ANGELS" that day.

"And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them."  3 Nephi 17:24