The dream becomes reality

Welcome to Pedacito de Cielo NCV's daycare and orphanage with children with compromized immune systems. This transition into an orphanage hasn't been "smooth" but it has finally been successful. We currently have 3 babies staying in our home around the clock. For the sake of privacy I can not list their real names. However I can tell you a little bit about them, so here we go.

First of all we have Guillermo.

Baby G is currently in the hospital recovering from an infection that he had before he even came to stay with us. Here is an excert from a friends entry about his condition.
"He was abandoned early on by both his mother and father and then shortly after, his grandparents. He has battled chronic pneumonia and malnutrition. Guillermo just turned one year this month, but he is small and underweight for his age (about 16.5lbs/7kgs) due to early neglect as an infant, and also because of a heart condition he has, tetralogy of Fallot. This is a rare congenital defect that causes blood to not be oxygenated properly (find out more here- http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/UVAHealth/peds_cardiac/tf.cfm). There is a connection between alcohol and drug consumption during pregnancy and tetralogy of Fallot, and since Guillermo was originally found lying on the street next his passed out mother, this is a definite possibility.

On Sunday, Guillermo started turning blue, so we brought him to the hospital so he could be put on oxygen. He had just left the hospital after having been in for four months battling pneumonia, so we were very sad to have to put him back in, but his blood oxygen levels were dangerously low, compounded with a severe infection. He is doing better now, but is in poor spirits as he’s very bored and uncomfortable. We have round the clock staff caring for him in the hospital, trying to keep him happy and distracted, but it’s a difficult task.

Guillermo is in desperate need of surgery. We knew this was going to be a reality for him, but we didn’t think it was going to be needed so soon. Because he is so underweight, we wanted to get his weight up, and then plan for the surgery, but after several consults, we’ve been advised that the risks of operating on him sooner outweigh the risks of waiting for him to gain the weight.

While we are looking into several charities that provide services at a lower rate, there are long waiting lists for these, and we do not have that kind of time. We’ve been advised that the costs will be at least $5000 for this surgery. This is an extraordinary cost here in Bolivia, but as we are working with the best cardiology department in the country, and this is a very rare surgery, we knew that the costs were going to be high. The government has already stated that the universal healthcare for children under 5 will not cover the surgery, so we must cover the costs."

Even with all the hardships in his young life he is such a happy baby and I want to see him have this surgery and get better and live a full long life. His smile is worth a thousand words don't you think?

And then we have Pablo.

He is 8 months old but very developmently behind. He can't roll over or sit up by himself. He is one of our babies that is at-risk for having HIV but its to early to tell. A doctor came to visit all our kids when they first arrived and then came to check on them again just yesterday. He didn't recognize Pablo as the same baby! Good, that means he getting chubby :)He is currently struggling with a very bad cold and is not sleeping well. It doesn't seem to have affected his appetite though! He also has a smile that will steal your heart :)

And lastly we have Raul.

In this picture he is holding hands with his "girlfriend" who is one of our girls that comes for daycare. He is almost 2 years old and I often feel like he is a big boy trapped in this little body. He is about the size of a 12-18 month old. At other times I see a glimps of just how much of a "baby" he still is. He is very thin, quiet, and stubborn too. Sleeps like an angel though, thank God for that. He has a tendency to throw himself backwards when he is having a tempertantrum, and not always on a soft floor. He had severe intestinal problems when he was a baby and is malnorished and develpmentally delayed. He doesn't speak at all.

Good News! Our daycare kids are slowly starting to come back! Th mothers recognize that their children were fatter and healthier when they were coming to us. There have been issues with a partnering organization and so they stopped bringing us their kids. And now nearly half of them are back again, Praise God!

I love this baby home more than I can say. I have been taking my turn on a rotation and sleeping at the home. Sleeping is a bit of stretch though as Pablo wakes up 2-3 times per night. And when he looks at you with a huge smile on his face at 4:30 AM... yeah, thats not so cute! If you would like to contribute financially to this home please see www.ninosconvalor.org for more details!

La Moda Loca!!!

"Crazy Style" really does say it all! Yesterday, Ninos con Valor had their third annual Moda Loca and it was quite possibly the best day I've had in Bolivia yet. What it really is is a fashion show but with the craziest clothes we could find. NCV also hired a DJ with loud speakers. These pictures say more then I ever could! BTW, I took almost 70 pictures, these are just a sampling. First there was the prep time This is my crazy fashion getup. And this is our director, Tyson. And a couple of our girls.

And there was dancing, oh yes, there was dancing! This is one of our Tias This is the girls' psychologist Doin' the train And one of our short term team members

And after the craziness died down and we had the girls walk the fashion runway we were all starving. We had homemade pizza and icecream sundays At the end of the day we were all exhausted but very very happy!

Vote

Another vote has come and gone and the city is still standing. We don't know for sure the results of the vote and when or even if anything will change. But when I know something so will you!

This and That

Random is good. Random makes up most of my days. For example, all the girls in the home received christmas card type ornaments from a church in Canada (it was some sort of a fundraiser). All the cards had a message written in English. So the cards where given out and then I heard a House Tia say " and Kim will translate." All of a sudden 22 girls are crowding around me shoving christmas cards in my face demanding "what does this say?" Thankfully, many of them said just said Merry Christmas. But others had a short message that I was doing my best to translate correctly. Subjunctive in Spanish is difficult and doesn't exist in the same way in English. But it has to do with when you wish something for someone. So yeah, that was a challenge as I translated all the Christmas wishes.

The daycare has been going ok though we'e been short 2 babies for the last 2 weeks. That makes me sad cause I know they are not geting the nutrition they need in their homes. But 3 babies are easier to handle then 5! A random thing from there is this. One of my babies, I called her my escapee before, is a very sad quiet child. Rarely does she smile or laugh or really do a whole lot of anything. Except to escape the room of course! She is developmentally behind and is 1 year 3 months and not walking or talking. I randomly put her in a walker and she started walking around, she had the biggest smile on her face, showing all of her crooked teeth! I finally let her escape into the hall another time and she walked along all the walls and gates. And she loves it! She's fake talking, walking (with help), and having a great time of it. I've never seen her so animated. She stands all by herself and we work on walking with just holding on to one of my fingers. I have a lot of hope for this one. I think she'll be able to walk on her own very soon!

There is a vote this Sunday, lot of propoganda for vote YES and vote NO. Nobody really seems too worried about this one but of course, I'll let you know the result when I know it. I will of course be staying indoors on voting day which is what is recommended to all white folks.

More stuff coming soon, I promise!

wet again

The streets aren´t safe anymore. Your walking down the street, minding your own buisness and SPLAT! your the victim of yet another waterballon attack. It could be worse, and believe me, it gets worse! This is the month for Carnival, a national holiday in many latin american countries. Carnival is actually at the end of February but the waterballoons started flying as early as December this time around. Its now getting worse. I live near several main roads and walking almost anywhere is risking getting a good soaking. I was walking the 15 mins to my language school yesterday when I took a direct hit on my shoulder. I worry mostly about my glasses getting broken (or my nose!). The balloons may be filled with ice and/or other more disgusting liquids. There is no respect in these waterballoon attacks, I draw more attention being white, but everyone is a target, young and old. So for now, I take public transportation when I can and avoid places where there are waterballoon wars on a regular basis. Although, waterballoons have been known to fly through the bus windows too!

El Campo

Saturday @ 4AM I woke up to join my team as we headed out to the mountians. Our destination, a community at more than 14,000 ft above sea level (7,000 ft higher then Cochabamba). Our purpose... to bring a little belated Christmas cheer to a poverty strickin community in the mountians. Was it worth it? Oh yeah.
First no one was there. What in the world were we going to do with all the toys and food? Then I learned, if you bring it, they will come! And believe me, this doesn´t show even half of the kids!

And it wasn´t just kids, it was mothers and fathers too.


My team, along with six of the girls from the home, handed out toys to the kids and hot Api (a common bolivian drink) and bread to everyone. Also, about 75 families received garbage bags full of rice, flour, oil, and other such food from us as well.


Remember, these are mountian folks. Some walked for miles to come to us, they are dirty and smelly, and live in complete poverty. Giving them cheap toys and bread and drink seems like such a small thing, but to them, I would hope anyway, they saw a little bit of Jesus.

The girls home

ok, so its been a while since I´ve posted an update. Blame it on being too busy! And then being too exhausted to do much of anything else. I have been spending time in both the daycare (see previous blog) and at the girls home.

The girls home is kinda a controlled chaos, a very well controlled chaos. The girls have a pretty set schedule that includes chores,


english class (and homework classes as well),

And plenty of time for girls just to be girls.



I am in the progress of taking over half of the english classes from another volunteer and also begining some bible study type activites with the girls as well. I sometimes help out with lunch preperation and am spending a lot of time watching the girls to makes sure they aren´t cracking their skulls open with their crazy antics.

One of the hardest things that happen this week was when one of our younger girls had a migraine. She had been in bed for 2 days with this headache and was literally in agony when I saw her. She was crying non-stop and her whole body was reacting to the insane pain in her head. Sitting there next to her trying to keep her calm yet being able to do nothing was the most horrible feeling in the world. Less then an hour later, one of the house Tías took her to see a doctor where she got an injection and some pills. She came home a completely different girl!

On a brighter note, I have enjoyed watching the girls´ spontanious creativity as they put on puppet shows with barbies and act in a play. I am very nearly done learning the 22 names but I still goof up every now and then!