Sweet A-Roma: Week with the babies

A few snap shots of my week! (These are only a few of the kids)

(My sweet little Adina)

(Stefan is 4)

(Tanya)

(Claudia)

The past several days have been eye opening. There is so much to be done here in regards to child welfare but there are so few people willing to take initiative. I’ve spent the week in a hospital ward for abandoned babies (Gypsy) and toddlers who are being cared for by “nurses” who aren’t even trained. I saw a malnourished 3 year old be fed the same amount as a 16 month old. 1 bottle of whole milk 3 times a day. Sometimes they cry for hours before someone comes to change their diapers and the nurses are right around the corner the whole time. It’s hard for me to write this without fully epressing my anger and bitterness towards the situation.

These children are left for months, sometimes years, by their mothers because they are either too poor to care for them, or they have too many children already. The babies and toddlers are too young to be put in to state care and when they become old enough it is often difficult to get their mothers to sign over rights to them. So, these precious 0-4 year olds sit wasting away in cribs with no one to care for them. After a few months of neglect, the developmental(cognitive and physical)damage is done.

When mothers hold their babies for the first time, it is a natural instict to slowly rock them back and forth. This slow and steady rocking is not only comforting for the child but it also creates stimulation. The babies at this hospital don’t have someone to rock him or her when they are upset, so over time they begin to rock themselves. They will either rock from side to side or forward and backwards. It’s heartbreaking to watch. Adina, who has stolen my heart, has only been at the hospital for a little over a month, and earlier this week she started “rocking” herself for the first time. She has been kept in a room by herself and therefore reverted to rocking for comfort. On Tuesday, when it came time for us to say goodbye for the day, I put Adina back in her crib and started to walk away. She started screaming and crying so I paused, and walked back into the room. She was on all fours rocking herself and crying. That about did it for me and I broke down as well…

While working with these babies is emotionally draining, it is also extremely rewarding. Maria, a specialist from the American team that is here, has been evaluating each child and training Gabi (the Livada staff member who consistently visits the babies) in therapy techniques. Georgiana, for example, is 3 years old and cannot walk or talk. We have been helping her stand and balance herself but yesterday she stood on her own, held her balance for a few seconds, clapped her hands (because we were all saying, “Bravo Georgie Bravo!), and then lost her balance. In only a few days she has made so much progress! That is encouraging.

(Georgiana standing!)

Several of the other infants have made similar progress as well. It’s close to impossible to place these children in foster care because the system needs a lot of work but you can definitely be praying for a miracle! These babies need homes.

Tonight we had Youth Group again with the kids from Livada’s two group homes. We thought it would be fun to set up a “photo booth” with all of our skit costumes and props that we use at camp. Judging by these pictures I would say it was a success. Ladies and Gentlement, I give you…THE LOC KIDS