Day 4 - Crew's Original Orphage

Crew’s orphanage:

Today we deviated from our travel group to go on a visit to Crew’s original orphanage.  It was extremely emotional for both of us.  It was so hard to fight back the tears.  I held it together until we got into the van to drive away and I just couldn’t anymore.  The orphanage Crew was originally in for one month is a government run orphanage.  It is for children who are abandoned only. Police or other responsible parties (that is what they called it, I’m assuming social service workers) bring children who are found abandon in the city of Addis.  It was in really bad shape with a lot of children in it.  We went to the baby room first and the smell was overwhelming when we entered.  We counted 25 cribs with almost two babies in each crib with two nannies.  Many of the babies, we’re crying with bottles next to them.  The nannies cannot hold bottles with so many babies so they prop them up with blankets.  The problem with this is that once they loss it they cannot get it back.  Justin and I walked around the room with a toddler in one hand feeding babies their bottles with the other hand.  This is when I really wanted to cry.  These poor children don’t get anyone looking at them while they eat.  It just made me think about how I would sing, talk to, and kiss my children while I fed them as babies.  I also thought about little three month old/7 pound Crew living there.  We definitely learned that he is a fighter.  After being abandoned and then surviving an orphanage like that he must be strong and we are excited that God has plans for his future.  Plus we get to see those plans happen which also makes us feel lucky.  After the baby room, we went to see toddlers (1 to 3 year old) and older children (4 to 7 year olds).  We handed out granola bars, gum, suckers, matchbox cars, and balloons.  The older kids were pretty aggressive with us but who can blame them when they have nothing.    

We rejoined our group for lunch and the afternoon visiting Crew.  He is so adorable and seems more comfortable with us every day.  It is going to be really hard to leave him.  We talked with one of our tour guides about where Crew was found and he said there is a big slum there.  Poor Crew, in a poor country he was born into one of the poorest areas in town.  This probably explains the abandonment with poor medical care for mom and no money to buy formula or food.    

Pray for our last day here (Monday, Jan. 24) we have court and have to say good bye to Crew.  We feel attached to him already which will make it very difficult to leave.  We also pray to pass court the first time so we have less of a wait until we can bring him home to join our family.  While we are on prayer requests, please pray for my stomach to feel better.  I started feeling sick just before lunch today and haven’t gotten rid of it yet.  I’m not sick enough to lie in bed all day but definitely need to sit down at times.  I’m hoping to sleep it off.   Thanks for all the love and support we have felt through the blog.  It really makes us feel good and makes being away from home much easier.