One week ago I moved out to the Suubi Children’s Village, which is located about an hour outside of the city. I knew that a highlight in moving out here, would be the opportunity to see a number of babies (now toddlers) and Watoto kids that I have met over the past several years. As soon as my first shift finished, I headed out for a walk to the lower village to see if I could see a couple of special little ones. What a joy to see them growing up, happy and healthy!
Makeda was a baby that I worked with in the Bulrushes when I was here in 2009. At that time she was a part of the special needs group of babies and I spent the majority of my days working with her. She could not sit up, and could barely crawl, but was a very bright little girl! We’re probably not supposed to have “favorites”, but wow did I grow attached to her. Missed her desperately after I came back to Canada... kept a picture of her on my desk at work. This is a picture of her taken just before I left Uganda in 2009.
Now she is living down in Suubi II and looks so so good! She is walking, talking, singing and will start school next term. Can you tell by the smile on my face how much I enjoyed that moment?
Next up is Rubi... also one of the Bulrushes babies from 2009. Here she is in November ’09.
A couple of dear friends back home now sponsor her, so they sent along a birthday gift for to me to bring her. Here she is the day after her 3rd birthday and looking all grown up!
One I my favorite volunteering opportunities with Watoto is working with the choir teams that travel to Canada once a year. I have been volunteering with them since 2009 and have really enjoyed getting to know the kids as they arrive in Canada and start their tour. The team that came to Canada was in the BC area for an extended period of time due to the 2010 olympics, so I had the chance to really get to know that particular group of kids. Here is a tour shot after they had just arrived to Canada!
Now living here in Suubi, I am right down the road from 4 of the girls from that group. I loved going to their houses and hearing their girly teenager screams when they saw that I had come to visit! Looking forward to many visits with them over the next few months.
I am currently working in the oldest toddler room at Suubi (ages 18 months +) and the other day I realized that Patrick and Patricia, a set of twins that I met back in 2009 are still living here. This is a picture of them as little Bulrushes babies.
And here they are today. Crazy how much they look (and act) alike... great little personalities on these two.
And last, but certainly not least, here is a very special little girl. Many of you would have heard me talk about little Meg. She came to Watoto as a very premature baby, weighing in at only 760 grams. When I left to come home to Canada, she was around 3 months old, and doing very well thanks to the incredible care of my friend Sarah and the rest of the Watoto team. This is a picture of her within a few weeks of her arrival to Bulrushes.
Today she is living in one of the Watoto villages and looks AMAZING! Here she is with her new mumma. She still has the same feisty personality and definitely knows what she wants!
I feel pretty honored to be able to see so many of these kids again, and it certainly makes my heart happy to see how well they are doing thanks to the care and investment that Watoto has made into their lives!
No comments:
Post a Comment