Baby Anna

After some confusion from the last post, we feel it necessary to clarify something. The nets over the bed are not for decoration. They are mosquito nets to keep our family from getting Malaria. They are also the most frustrating things on the planet. I tuck them in so tight every night because I am afraid a spider will crawl into the kids bed, and at least once a day someone pulls their net down and Zach has to rehang it.

Today, it was Addis. He was pretty proud of himself.


Right now, there is only one caregiver at the orphanage, and she hasn't seen her own kids in almost two months. We offered to take care of the baby a few nights a week so she could go see her family. The twin boys are staying with Kapalassa, the administrative assistant at the orphanage. Here is Anna in her new bed at our house. If it looks like a suitcase, it is because it is a suitcase.

Unfortunately, Anna is not the happiest baby in the world. She has spent most of her night screaming, and we are hoping that she might be done for a few hours. We gave her a good bath with soap, something that she has never had before! We had to pick the dreadlocks out of her hair, it was so matted together. Next up on the agenda, a cleanliness schedule for the care givers!

The remaining construction on Esther's House is coming along. It is very quiet there right now, but I have a feeling it won't be that way for long.


Tomorrow, we are taking Patrick, one of the local orphans in our non-residential care program, to the hospital. He has sores all over his body, and we fear he might be HIV positive. The good news is the hospital in Ntcheu gives free HIV drugs. We hope that the child sponsorship program will be able to pay for the transportation each week to receive the treatment. That is another thing that is on our agenda over the next few weeks. Lots of interviews with kids are ahead!

We hope to share some of their stories on this blog. Hearing the hardships that these kids have faced will make us all more appreciative of the life we have been given and stir us to do something to bring about change in theirs.

Good night from Malawi.