Saturday 6 October 2018

The Half Way Mark!

Its crazy how fast time can fly by when your so far away from family and friends.
Here at TLC us volunteers say: Each day goes slow, Each week goes fast and Each month fly's by.
I am already past the half way point, the Hardest the Happiest and most Confusing time of my stay!

Before I left my cousin who had previously done missionary work said that the middle mark is always the hardest, but being me I counted the months and realised that it was near my birthday so completely ignored the fact that it could be pretty difficult.

Little did I know it really would be a confusing time in my stay. Part of me is ready to go home and see my family who love me so much. So i'm counting down the months, but on the other hand the other half of me is dreading going home. Leaving these babies who I now class as my kiddies.
In total during both my stays I have been here for 9 and a half months. I could tell you most things about these children: What they like/ dislike, There sleeping patterns, There cry when I am in the room next door and there favourite toy and food etc. These are the children I got ready for school everyday and waited for them to arrive back in the afternoon. Waiting patiently outside for all the hugs as they ran towards me screaming my name in there playground before dinner, bath time and the bedtime routine.

Just thinking about leaving these kids in a few months is heartbreaking. It is especially difficult to leave the older children who I have spent most of my time with. The two to ten year olds. As I know that they understand that I will be leaving soon just like all the other volunteers that come into there lives and for me that is heartbreaking.

I am currently sat in the nursery managers office at 00:46 writing this blog after a 13 hour day with 4 of the oldest children including the oldest who has cerebral palsy who is 10 years old. Today changed dramatically after planning a whole day of activities for the girls walking into the nursery at 6am. I noticed one of the younger children fidgeting in an unusual way but checked him and made my way to the bears who I was with till 7pm on the schedule. However, about 15 minutes into my shift the volunteer on meds came to give one of my children her meds when she said she thought the other child was having a seizure. I ran to where he was laying and immediately face timed the manager onsite so she could see how sick this child really was, she arrived in minutes to the room he had just fitted in. After administering the appropriate meds the manager left me with a schedule of times to give the next 3 different types of medications throughout the course of the day and night. Hence why I am sat here typing now waiting for the next medication to be needed. During this time I was also handed another sick child of the same age group who was very weak but mostly just needed more sleep than the other children so I put her back into bed and sat with her until she fell asleep. Meanwhile all the older children where being patient waiting for me to prepare breakfast before a change of plan for the day.

Just this previous month, 4 of my children have been adopted or fostered and its the most amazing thing you will ever feel whilst being the most painful all at the same time. There teacher explained it like this: At there leaving party one of my eyes will be crying happy tears for them as I know this is for the best and that they will live a wonderful life with there new parents but my other eye will cry sad tears as I remember all the memories we had together and because I will miss there little character and for all there little friends as they learn to live life without there sister and brother at TLC.

The half way mark really does show many different emotions. Each hour and day that passes you feel something different whether thats happiness, heartbreak, confusion or peacefulness as you enter the next phase of your stay. The most challenging part is looking forward to going home but wishing that you had a longer time with these children to see all of there firsts and all there milestones whether they are small or big! They are still planted into your heart as you love every child as your own even if you have stronger bonds with some you still love them all through the wonderful grace of God!!

Please by praying for all the kiddies here as they encounter a very big change with there friends leaving and other children coming up into there different age groups. It can be a very unsettling time for some and a challenge for others. Just an update: The sick children are on the mend and seem a lot happier and healthier than this Morning :)
Thank you for taking time to read this!!


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