I am a child of God

Carma and the kids got in late Monday night.  They arrived around midnight with gigantic smiles on their faces.  The first thing they did was run to my room to sneak a peak of Kirabo through his mosquito net.  There he was, curled up, just like any other 3 year old boy sound asleep.  After the collective “oohs” and “ahhs,” they all collapsed exhausted in bed.  I tucked all three in bed in their mosquito nets and headed off to my own bed.

All together!  Carma is taking the picture :(

Kirabo's first bed when he came to Nsambya

Tuesday, after taking care of some business with my lawyers and trying to collect my paperwork for my visa file, we headed to Nsambya Babies Home to show them where Kirabo spent the last year and a half.  I was worried about how Kirabo would do but he seemed o.k.  He certainly never cracked a smile but he seemed to be somewhat confident he belonged to me now and this was just a visit.  

The eating area where we first saw Kirabo and he saw us

bathtub

potty training toilets

nighttime bathroom, by the bunkroom

toilet

We got a tour of the home and then went to the yard where the children were playing.  Most of the children had only shirts on and very runny noses.  Many of the children who did have pants on had soiled through them.  The children were excited to play in the small bin of soapy water full of bath toys.  The mamas give baths before lunch time but don’t use soap, so Carma and I wondered aloud if this soapy water was meant to compensate.  They quickly got into a water fight typical of any group of children gathered around water.  The atypical part was that when the younger kids were repeatedly dumped with soapy water by the older kids, they would just sit there, close their eyes and take it.  We weren’t sure if we should intervene as some of the little ones would blow bubbles out their noses and mouths. They were all covered in soap and didn’t seem to be breathing very easily!  Eventually one little girl named Memory started crying.  The 3 mamas continued to sit there on their bench gazing out toward the hill beyond completely unphased.  Finally, Carma went over and tried in vain to wipe her face off with her hand.  Charlie and Kate noticed over and over how if the children cried, no one would come to help and give comfort.  This really bothered them and I think they began in that moment to understand with deeper empathy what Kirabo’s history was like. 

Carma and Memory

Charlie was really drawn to this little girl, Josephine, sitting by herself in the corner away from the activity.  He went over on his own and talked to her and stayed with her.  He wanted to hold her but realized she was sitting in a puddle of her urine and her pants were soaking.  She was the cutest little girl you’ve ever seen.  He rubbed her arm and kept her company.  He was in a somber and contemplative mood as he sat and took it all in.  We had just seen two babies a few weeks old who had been found on the side of the road.  One of them was picked up by Justine right after our court case on November 1^st and had been 1 day old.  They were laying on a cot side by side.  Long after we had left the babies’ room, Charlie had lingered, unable to process how that could ever happen.  It was difficult to see these sweet babies just laying there with no one to hold them and love them.  He sat there now, next to this darling little girl, desperately wanting to take them all home. 

Charlie and Josephine

Meanwhile, Kate was right in the middle of the action.  She was at the tub of soapy water playing with the children with the biggest smile on her face.  She was giving it all she had with absolutely no thought in her mind of who’s face was covered with yellow mucous, who had a deformity, or who lacked clothes and who smelled of urine.  She bounded toward the little girl Charlie was sitting by, picked her up, twirled her around and held her tight, soaked pants and all.   She joyfully exclaimed, “Mom, I’m just so happy, this is the best day ever!”

Kate and the little girl

My heart was full.  This opportunity helped facilitate what I want for my children.  How important it is for them to have an idea of the world around them.  How I want for them to have a sense of duty to their world, of ownership. I want for them to have a sense of life outside the cushy suburb of Orinda, to be able to relate to all people despite differences.  That is what I want for them.  Even if it was for a brief moment today, I was touched that sweet Charlie and Kate both really understood, in completely different and unique but very real ways, how we are all God’s children and every single one of us deserves to be loved.

 As I rocked Kirabo that night and sang my nightly song to him, “I am a Child of God,” I was overcome with more conviction then ever before, how true it was for everyone.  And I knew my children felt it too, in a very real way. 

Charlie in the bunk room where Kirabo slept

Charlie and Kate playing with the kids 

Kirabo playing with his friends after some hesitation on his part

Kate, Kirabo and Nurse Anna

Betty and Sylvia