Babies, babies, and more babies!

The time is flying by! at the beginning of October, my roommate Beth returned to the USA for a Holiday and to renew her Visa. She is gone for 10 weeks and will be back just after Christmas. Beth was fantastic at covering for me while I was on leave despite only being at Door of Hope for 7 months and really only knowing my role for the six weeks prior to me leaving. She stayed super busy while I was gone with 15 admissions in September! I thought it would slow down a bit once I was back but as soon as Beth left, it became crazy again! We have had another 15 babies in this month and we just can't keep up!

Unfortunately the adoptions have been really slow and so we have had to refer a lot of the kids to other homes. We did not have any international adoptions in the month of October due to the commissioners on leave so we are now trying to make up for lost time and get as many kids out as possible. We also have a few kids who have been matched with a family since July but due to paper work here, they are still waiting to be placed! It is so sad that they have to spend Christmas here but I am also a little thankful that I can have them for that much longer!

One of the babies we received was thrown away, found in a dust bin, premature and very sick. Since coming to us she has grown so much and is recovering very well! She now weighs over 2 kg! I gave her a name that means "Pearl" because that is what she is in God's eyes and even a pearl has to go through some hard times in the beginning to have such a beautiful outcome in the end. I know she will grow up to change the world one day!

I also have some very exciting news about my starfish! One of my little starfish has been waiting for a family for awhile and we had a few possibilities but they were not the right match but we have recently found his forever family and he will be leaving us very shortly! I cannot tell you how overwhelmed my heart is. I already find myself crying at random times during the day knowing that I will have to say goodbye to my little miracle very soon. When we first received this little boy, even our paediatrician said that he would never go for adoption, that he was too special needs and in just a few weeks this little boy is going to show the world that the impossible is possible when God is on your side. Words don't even describe how amazing this adoption is!! God is good, all the time!! The other toddler starfish has a possible family who if they say yes, will also go to her family before Christmas! Great for her, but very sad for me. I know I said it in my last post but my starfish are just so amazing and such blessing! Just last Thursday our very first starfish celebrated a 2nd birthday with her forever family. I missed her so much on that day and would love to see how big and beautiful she is now but I know she is being loved and cared for so much!

I also told you last time about one of my girls who is HIV positive but the update on her is that she is doing well. She was sick last week (which can be fatal at this stage) but she has responded well to antibiotics and has still gained weights. We are at the HIV every two weeks to make sure she is doing well and to increase her medication. The best part though, is that there is a possible forever family for this beautiful girl! She still has a long way to go but it is amazing to think that the kids who used to get stuck in a children's home now also have the option of a forever family! I am hoping all the countries that we work with will soon be open to these children. They are just as deserving as the rest of them!

On the staff side of things, we are very short staffed at the moment. There are only 4 of us on the leadership team and often times I feel as though I am doing all the jobs myself. I had a meeting with the director and she is trying to lighten the load but with a family of her own, there isn't much she can do. We have had sick kids, new kids, adoptions, and all sorts of things that kept me working for 14 days in a row both day shift and night shift. I am really praying that we get some help soon as I am feeling very tired at the moment. Please pray that God puts the right people in place at the right time so that we can grow and care for more babies. We are hoping to buy a new house next year and to make it a starfish house! However, before that can happen, we need a lot more staff!

So life goes on, tomorrow I have top tots, swimming lessons, HIV clinic, a meeting with a pregnant mother, a trip to hospital to visit my baby, paperwork, and then hopefully bed! At this rate, I will be ready for retirement by 30 but I am loving it!!

Here are a few pictures since it has been awhile!

My little fighter, overcoming the HIV!

My little Pearl growing so nicely!

My baby currently in hospital. I gave her a name that means "Life"

Fun in the shell! (sorry I forgot to turn it and now don't know how!)