Give Thanks

Mother Teresa's!

This week was my third visit to Mother Teresa's and Kaitlan came with me. On the way to town that morning, it took us 3 hours to get into Nairobi because the bus was 'spoiled' aka it broke down on the highway. We were able to get onto another bus but the traffic was also horrendous that Friday. Oh well...we eventually arrived, and stopped at Java for coffee, so all was well with the world.

At Mother Teresa's there is a sister who works at the front gate. She has dealt with a lot of sickness in her life and has never been able to complete her vows due to this. She has served in many places but has been in Kenya for quite some time now. I want to say over 10 years. She is a sweet woman who wears a pale yellow knit cap on her head. I have a hard time understanding her name because it is not an English name and she talks very softly. It’s not even so much that her voice is soft, but that it is gentle; as if she spoke louder she would be disturbing something sacred.

Every week we chat with her for at least a half hour waiting for Maina to come pick us up. Don't tell Jeff, but I purposely have Maina come a little late so I can listen to her talk longer. She is one of the wisest, caring, loving, content, and encouraging women I have ever met.

When you ask her why she does what she does, she explains that she is blessed to have legs to walk to water, eyes to see water, and hands to pour and hold the water for those who cannot do those things on their own. She thanks God for keeping her humble and thankful for the simple things in life. She thanks us over and over and reminds us that we are also a part of God's work at Mother Teresa's.

This week I tried to find out more about the girls and the ministry.

I asked if the sisters who live at Mother Teresa’s have to go through any special training or have past experience to work with the girls. Although there are social workers and therapists who come to the home, she said that the sisters mostly just learn from observing the other sisters and what they do. She explained that many of the girls have been there for such a long time and that when you spend so much time with them that you just learn how to do it and that you learn what they need. I observed this first hand. The sisters and the girl’s relationships are so strong that the sisters can tell you exactly what they want by just an eye glance or other form of communication that they have adapted to. It is truly amazing. The quality of the care given at this place astounds me. There are so many girls and I have not once noticed any of their needs being neglected. It takes some skill, patience, and perseverance to be able to cater to the vast amount of needs. I am sure it is not always perfect and someone may wait an extra twenty minutes to get their nose wiped, or a dry bib, but for the most part, it runs so smoothly, efficiently, and impressively.

I asked where most of the girls come from and if their parents are in the girl's lives. She explained to me that many girls are found abandoned, taken from hospitals, or brought to the home by parents. She said that there are many disabled children in Kenya but that there are also government homes. When the government homes are full, then they ask Mother Teresa’s to take in children. She shared how blessed the girls at this home are because they are loved a lot and all their needs are met. She said at many government homes there is much need for assistance and that the children lay in beds all day and are not interacted with and fed meals alone. Mother Teresa's is the complete opposite of that. She told me that no parents visit the girls because many are deceased or did not want them. This breaks my heart. I could hang out with those girls all day. They bring such joy to my life and this world.

I asked if any of the girls get adopted. Her response touched my heart. She informed me that there is another home for boys and also an orphanage for children without disabilities. She told me the story of a man from Germany who married a woman and lived by Kenyatta. They would come to the homes every day to volunteer. If they could not come together, they would split the morning and afternoon shifts. They then decided to adopt. She told me that they could have adopted any normal child they wanted but they chose to adopt the most disabled boy at the home. They moved back to Germany but return to visit so that he can say hi to his friends and so they can continue to volunteer.

Mother Teresa's is a place that makes me think of 2 specific Bible passages:

Matthew 25:40 "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

Matthew 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

The light shining at Mother Teresa's is bright indeed. 

This same day at Mother Teresa's, I witnessed my first seizure. I noticed a girl twisted on her bed that seemed really stiff. I went up to her and stood next to her bed. She looked up at me and I started massaging her hands the way that the social work intern had shown me. After a short while she loosened up, but then immediately tensed up again and began seizing. She seized for about a minute. A few sisters went to get her medicine and told me that it had happened yesterday as well and not to feel afraid. She was breathing heavy from exhaustion and drifted off into a heavy sleep. It was such a relief when she stopped seizing and relaxed again. Praise God that she is in a place that gives her the care and love she deserves and that they can afford her medication. That whole experience sort of seems like a blur. I feel like I should have been nervous and a little freaked out but I was so calm and stayed with her the whole time. I don't say this to boast, but I really surprised myself. I did not think there was another option but to be strong for this little girl. I feel so blessed that God gave me the opportunity to be the one to hold her hand through that. God keeps showing me all the time that I can handle much more than I ever thought I could and that if I trust Him, I really can do anything He calls me to. 

God is so good. All the time. I am really going to miss the people at Mother Teresa's when I go back to the States in May. They all will forever hold a special place in my heart and will be a daily reminder to be thankful for the little things in my life.