Prepare Your Heart

Because this post is about BABIES!  Babies of Harvesters to be exact.  Smiling, dirty, jabbering, wobbly, curious babies.  Out of the nearly 150 children who live here only a handful are under the age of three, so I thought I'd introduce them.

Susan Poni

Susan Poni was born a healthy 10-pound baby on November 3, 2010, the same day her mother died from giving birth to her.  A local commissioner was attending the funeral for Susan's mother and discovered that the family was going to bury baby Sue alive with her mom.  While this practice is horrific and unfathomable, it's not uncommon because oftentimes when a mother dies from childbirth the father is unable to afford baby formula and thus can't care for the baby.  Fortunately Susan Poni was rescued by the commissioner and brought to Harvesters where she is now thriving, as you can see from her chubby cheeks and giggly smile.

James Michael

Rejoice Lilly and James Michael

Like Susan Poni, baby Jimmy was brought to Harvesters as a newborn because his mother died as a result of childbirth complications.  Jimmy will turn 1-year-old at the end of May and during my three months at Harvesters I can't remember a single time when I've seen him cry from discontent, he is that sweet natured.  He's also surprisingly strong and I don't dare leave my hair accessible when I hold him otherwise he'd make me bald. Jimmy can pull himself up onto benches and stares inquisitively at anything in front of him before crawling to chase it down.  He's just adorable.   

Benjamin Lorube

I realize it's probably unfair to have favorites, but I do and Benjamin is one of my favorites (but not by much).  He's a beautiful baby who is also at Harvesters because his mother died from bringing him into the world.  This month he'll be 15 months old and he is thisclose to walking.  If I stand him up, take a step away from him and hold out my hands he'll take one tentative step toward me before falling to his knees and crawling.  He has the most perfect, white, little teeth, which he shows often, but he also has a serious scowl when he's unhappy about something - like eating food when he'd rather be sleeping. 

Rejoice Lilly Ama 

Rejoice Lilly Ama was the only person who survived on the day of her birth; her twin and mother died from the difficult delivery.  When Rejoice was brought to Harvesters she weighed less than four pounds and was fed sugar water with an eyedropper until she could eat on her own.  Almost 16 months later she is unrecognizable from the skeletal baby she once was.  She can't quite pronounce my name and calls me "Mimi" and is a curious and brave little girl.  When the bell rings at 5:00pm she knows that it's dinner time and she'll stop whatever she's doing and will waddle quickly to wash her hands so she can eat.  She has an infectious giggle but also gives a serious stink eye when she's told to do something that's disagreeable to her. 

Ruben Mayom

Ruben and Rejoice

If sweet Ruben was given an award it would surely be for "Best Personality;" he can lift any spirit with one of his all-encompassing hugs or incessant smile.  Ruben's mother is mentally ill and neither she nor his father can adequately care for him so he's one of Harvester's kids.  He spends his days squealing on the playground, following the big kids, and making dirt piles with Rejoice.  I can't wait until he's able to talk because I can just tell that he has SO MUCH that he wants to say.  

Sikili Abraham

Sikili (pronounced sick-ee-lee) is two-and-a-half going on 12, but in the best way.  Her mother was killed by the LRA (the Lord's Resistance Army, a militant rebel group that terrorizes villages in Congo, Uganda and Sudan) leaving her father unable to raise her. Sometimes I catch her leading Rejoice somewhere or trying to carry water like the big girls.  She says "Melly" instead of Mary, but is a proficient talker and has, on more than one occasion, volunteered to say grace before dinner.  The kids were seated at their assigned tables in the dining hall, restless for their rice and beans.  Josephine asked if anyone wanted to bless the food and little 2 1/2 year old Sikili raised her hand then stood up and said a short, whispered prayer in front of 150 of her brothers and sisters.  Beyond precious.

Learn to do good. 

Seek justice.

Reprove the ruthless.  

Defend the orphan. 

Plead for the widow.  

Isaiah 1:17