Life After the Haven

Today we had an opportunity to go to a local bush community to see one of the babies that has gone home from the Haven. Lola has been home for about 2 months now and is 3 years old. She continues to look healthy and clean. Kathy M. and Meagan occasionally go to check on the children that leave the Haven and go back to their families. Lola lives right inside Kalomo, out in a bush area. We stopped on our way to purchase ‘sweets’ and soap for Lola. We were greeted as we arrived by lots of smiling children’s faces. They giggled and enjoyed the cameras we all had out. We saw inside the small hut where Lola lives with her family, it’s about the size of the clinic workroom, maybe smaller and not as tall. She recognized Meagan, but didn’t say much. Meagan told us that she was extremely talkative when she lived at the Haven, and on occasion, because of looking at flashcards and asking what sound a lion makes, would growl everything she said. =) There was a picture of Meagan and Lola inside the hut on the wall. Little Kathy (4) went with us to the bush. She had been good friends with Lola. It was sad to see that after only a short time there was no interaction between the little girls, as if they didn’t know one another. Overall, it was neat to see what happens when a child goes home from the Haven and what type of living environment they have to go back to.

This evening I discovered that we had new guests staying with us when I heard through the shower wall Aladdin’s: A Whole New World sung loudly by two gentlemen. It was tempting, and quite frankly I wanted to join in course with Jasmine’s part! =) But decided against it. These two gentlemen, Joseph and James, are very nice, as we found out at dinner. And anyone who enjoys singing loudly any Disney song is okay in my book! They are college students who have come several years in a row for medical missions. We also met Ellie, a remarkable woman who has helped with all our arrangements from room and board, to transportation from Livingston, and even our go between with the missions, etc. Her son, Kell and another man, Will who is here for the medical mission were a part of the group that arrived this evening also.

After dinner tonight, Ellie told us she had one more dessert for us to try… Dried caterpillars!!! And I have to say.. I don’t know if with pride, but yours truly was the only ‘Makua’ (white person) to eat one! Mainly because I knew my husband would never believe I did it!! But Mrs. McLain has proof!! Hehe. Rachel, one of the girls who helps Leonard with cooking and washing dishes, however, ate them like ‘sweets’. =) They definitely don’t taste sweet, more like burnt mini wheats.. without the frosting!!

Well we have 2 full days left at the Haven… only 2!!! It’s going to be hard to say good-bye! I think I speak for us all when I say that these children have impacted our lives in many ways.
-Mary Tom