Today seemed to be one of those days....too much 'telling off' of Staff for doing things they KNOW they shouldn't be doing....too many sick children - all ill with random fevers but no other symptoms!......too much waiting around in Hospitals and yet another pointless visit to Social Welfare!

Well, it has been SUCH a rainy few weeks here....it never seems to stop. Our road is a river with water pouring down it and taking the dirt / stones / rubble away with it....this is the Baby Home road as it looked yesterday!! If the rain carries on for many more days - we will be housebound as the road will soon become unpassable!

All this rain means that clothes and nappies do not get dried quick enough and that the children have to stay indoors for the majority of each day which is not fun for anyone!!


Georgie had his surgery on Friday and is doing well. His problems are more complex than originally thought and so they were not able to create an anus for him, but the surgeon simply reduced the size of his colostomy. It is now SO much better and should not be such a restriction on his life. It may well be the case, that he needs to live with a colostomy for his whole life if the reconstruction proves to be too dangerous.

He is such a smiley, content little thing so it was so awful to see him in such pain in the hospital on Friday. He is much happier today though and eating again so we hope to bring him home early next week.


Thank you for keeping him in your thoughts.

It has been (as always) a busy couple of weeks at the Baby Home.

Today, March 15th 2010, Alfie went home to live in Dar es Salaam with his Grandmother.

We had no idea he was going to be leaving Forever Angels and we only had about 20 minutes notice of his departure - but Alfie now has a family who loves him and for that we must be happy.

Alfie's Mum ran away and left him alone with a neighbour about 18 months ago. He was brought to Forever Angels on September 23rd 2008 as a very malnourished child - but he thrived with us and soon became a happy and healthy little boy.

Apparently his Grandmother only recently found out that Alfie had been abandoned and it took her a while to make the journey from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza. She seems to really want to take Alfie home and she has a big family who will help to take care of him.

There was a time last Easter when Alfie was very sick - he was admitted to Intensive Care for many days and I truly thought we were going to lose him. Meghan and I sat by his bedside for hours on end watching him deterioate and it was one of the hardest times I have had since opening the Baby Home. Thankfully our good friend Doctor Rob, saved his life.....Alfie pulled through and in his recovery he made everyone fall in love with him again.
Watching him so close to death somehow made me love him even more and I know Meghan feels the same way....

Sometimes I really struggle when children leave with no notice - for me obviously it is heartbreaking to bring up these children for so long and then lose them in an instant....but more so for the child who is sent to live with total strangers. It is so hard on them.

Saying 'goodbye' to some of our children is so much harder than saying goodbye to others.....and Alfie was a hard one. He was one of the most beautiful children I have ever known and we will truly miss him at Forever Angels.

Alfie - we will love you always - but you deserve a family of your own and I am grateful that you finally have that.
I love you wewe.....



Pascal Update:

Social Welfare today agreed to admit Pascal back to the Baby Home for one month. I am hoping it will be a little longer than this as he will need more time that that to recover - but it is a start.
He is staying with my sister Zoe so he can get one to one love and care and hopefully recover more quickly.
He is having a hard time adjusting to being loved and cared for and can be quite violent at times - but he must be so full of anger and pain.

His father really does seem to care for him and wants to start a new life without the Step-Mum. He left her on Friday night as soon as we took Pascal away so I do believe he has good intentions and although we can question why he waited so long to get help - we must be greatful that he did before it was too late.

This little boy is so sick and needs so much love....truly heartbreaking.

Here are a couple of pictures of Pascal the day he left Forever Angels.....and a couple of photos of him today.

Some days are hard at Forever Angels. Some days are tiring. Some days seem to be a constant struggle. Some days are emotionally draining. A few days are fun, fun, fun.

Some are simply heartbreaking and today was sadly one of those days.

I am sure many of you remember Pascal? He was Forever Angels' 4th child - our first actual baby to come to the Baby Home (he was just 9 days old). His Mum had sadly died in childbirth and his Dad was just 19 years old and unable to cope.




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwashiorkor

He is barely able to walk and his once beautiful afro hair is now grey and very malnourished. He has mouth ulcers and numerous scars and a permenantly sad look now adorns his once sparkling face.

Pascal's Step-mum is abusing and neglecting him. According to his Father and the neighbours, at the age of three, Pascal is left alone all day, every day from 7am to 7pm. He is rarely given food and he is beaten daily. This little boy is a shell of the boy I once loved and cared for.

After a long conversation, his Father asked me to take Pascal back to Forever Angels for a few months to keep him safe and get him away from his Step-Mum while he leaves her, moves house and starts a new life.

You may ask why Pascal's Father has allowed his wife to treat Pascal this way - I am asking that too - but all sorts of cultural issues come into play. I guess I should just be greatful that he asked for help for his son now before it is too late.

We went to Social Welfare, but of course on a Friday, it is hard to find anyone working! We were told by a Secretary what I thought they would say....come back on Monday. I was unable to send Pascal back to a home where I knew he would be starved and beaten again and his Father begged me not to. I was also unable to bring him to Forever Angels as we are only really allowed to admit children referred by Social Welfare.

So - I have a house guest for the weekend. (Actually - he is sleeping at my sister Zoe's house tonight as she has fallen in love with him!)

It breaks my heart to see Pascal this way. He was a happy, loving, charismatic toddler - healthy and energetic. Now he struggles to walk (through pain or lack of energy?) and I have not yet seen the sad expression leave his beautiful face.

On Monday, I will return to Social Welfare with him and try to get him re-admitted to the Baby Home in the hope that this will give his Father chance to leave his wife and start a new life elsewhere for him and Pascal....I just hope Social Welfare agree to us helping this little boy again because I am in no doubt that if we do not, he will soon die.

In the meantime, I hope that Social Welfare will report Pascal's Mum to the Police and have her charged with child abuse. That is what she deserves....although I am not sure where that leaves her own baby daughter who she does love and care for well?

As I said at the beginning - some days are heartbreaking and this was one of them.

I can not look at this little boy without tears welling up in my eyes and I can not even begin to comprehend the torment and abuse and torture he has faced in the last 6 months of his little life. Sometimes, even when we think we are doing what is best for these wonderful children - we are still somehow failing them.

Tonight, Pascal went to bed with a full stomach and a hug and a kiss....I just hope we can ensure this is what he will receive every night from now on. My beautiful little man at least deserves that?

Today we received a new tiny bundle by the name of Theresa Denis. Theresa is 12 days old and she does have parents, but she was sadly thrown into a toilet septic tank after birth by her Mother.
Her Mother is now in Police Custody.

Obviously, it is very sad, and I do of course feel for Theresa - but I think that the poor Mum needs help too...and probably will not get any. No one here is diagnosed with Post-Natal depression - it just doesn't seem to exist....but this Mother was obviously feeling very desperate to do that to her baby.

Theresa is sick with Malaria and stomach infection as well as skin and eye infections - but she looks to be healthy apart from that. She is a beautiful little thing, weighing 3.12kg.

We hope that her Mum will receive help soon and that Theresa can be returned to her family in the future - but for now, she will receive a lot of love and cuddles as our youngest baby at Forever Angels.



We have had a bunch of sick children recently - lots of diaoreah and vomiting going round. We actually hospitalised Anthony and Lilly as they got so sick and just would not keep their medication down - but they are both home now and doing fine.

Noah and Moses are now both so much stronger and happier. They are both walking round the Baby Home now and smiles are much easier to get!

Yesterday was a great day.....Charlie finally got his Forever Family!

Charlie has been at the Baby Home since January 10th 2007. For over three years we have cared for and loved this little boy at Forever Angels. And Charlie is not just any little boy - he is one of the most friendly, funny, intelligent and loving little boys I have ever known. I have dreamed of a Mummy and Daddy for him for so long and now it has finally happened.

Caroline, Neil and Charlie

Neil and Caroline will live in Tanzania, in Songea, with Charlie until his adoption is finalised and then our little boy will become Scottish! This morning he is headed off on an aeroplane with his new Mummy and Daddy and he was just so excited.

The adoption process is a long and hard one. An emotional roller coaster for everyone involved. Some adoptions are harder than others and sometimes it feels like every hurdle possible gets in the way of trying to make a family (right up to yesterday with Neil and Caroline's flight to Mwanza being cancelled!) But adoption is also one of the most wonderful things and I feel privilaged to be a small part of this wonderful family.

Neil and Caroline - this has been a tough few months for you both, but I could not pick more loving and determined parents for our little boy. Thank you for perservering and for giving Charlie, what will be, a wonderful life. I know he will be your sunshine always.

Charlie - I will miss you forever. You have been a constant joy at the Baby Home and being a part of your life for the the last three years has been magical. You are a lucky boy and I am a very lucky 'Mamma' to have spent the last three years watching you grow into an amazing little boy.

Goodbye sweetheart - we love you always.