Oh Sweet Caroline

I can't seem to think of a title for this post. I have a huge lump in my throat and I'm fighting back big tears. In all of this cholera stuff, I haven't spent much time with the kids in the Rescue Center and as I seem to do when I'm at home, I just kind of block it out (I'm sure you psych people would tell me it is a defense mechanism). And then two little boys quickly brought back that flood of emotions tonight. Maurency and Lesseo are very sick from what seems to be some GI bug other than cholera. Both have bad diarrhea and vomiting and are super dehydrated. To look at a very sick child who has overcome severe malnutrition and now is fighting this is so painful it hurts me in deep places. I look at these kids who are away from their parents and in the care of some great nannies and would give anything to take their pain from them. I would take it all on myself in a heartbeat. And they aren't even my children. I don't have kids yet and sure don't look forward to the day that my very own flesh and blood is in pain. It sounds cheesy and like Christian blah blah, but seriously it makes me realize how much our Abba Father loves us. It must be awful for him to watch us hurt, but to know He knows these pains, the pains of the dying kids, of heartbroken mothers and fathers, it comforts me. He took them all on himself so that one day, from then to eternity we will never know pain again.

This is Lesseo before we put an IV in.

3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:3-4

On a lighter (?) note. Here are some pictures from today...

Another skeleton without a pulse. This picture still doesn't do justice to how bad they look when they come in.

Squeezing 4 liters of LR as fast as possible. Stay tuned for miracle pictures tomorrow...

Enoch and Licia surprised me and brought the girl who I sponsor in the school sponsorship program!

Enelson is the tiniest patient in the cholera house. He was given prophylactic meds but he then puked them up so as soon as he had symptoms he was sent to the house.

I love this picture of Mireline. Her hands wrapped up in socks isn't stopping her from eating everything in site!