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Published: October 31st 2006
Happy Halloween
from the missionary children in TanzaniaThe end of a long exciting month is finally upon us! With it being Halloween today the missionary kids decided to dress up in costumes for last night's devotional over at The Smelser's house. Dr. Danny & Nancy have been such a blessing to have around. This is their last week in country here with us, please be praying for them as they return home this coming Sunday- Monday! The Kids were all just precious and had a great time parading through the living room sharing with all the adults just who, or what they were supposed to be. we had a Witch, a ghost, a queen candace, a queen's servant, a cheetah, a chinese cook, mary the mother of Jesus, and stuart who was just himself! We are so blessed with our dear sweet children!
The reason I couldn't wait to write to you all again was that, Today I was able to go and visit the Cradle of Love Orphange near Usa River for the first time.
AAaaaaawww the babies, oh the babies! 29 of them are living there right now. All under the age of 2 and all unique and precious
Visiting the orphanage
Julie at Cradle of Love in every way! Each one has its own sad story, some had been found abandoned in various places or just left at the hospital, some tested positive with aids and some who have not. One little boy, about 5-6 weeks old, a tiny little thing, specifically that I was told about was found under a bush in a coffee bean plantation, and another one was just abandoned at the hospital; he was found and brought to Cradle of love and is now named "lucky" in swahili. It just breaks your heart to peices.
But we went hoping to see what needs there might be that we could possibly meet in whatever way we can. Blankets, clothes, toys, food etc... It seems to be an indepenantly run orphange with no religious affiliation, very neat and clean in appearance, which was a great blessing to see, and full of smiling happy babies who are just longing for attention and craving to be held. 29 babies and not enough workers to hold them all at once... You can imagine the ladies working there basically run shifts of changing diapers and feeding babies. So the babies were in swings, bouncers, and laying around
on mats in a play room. I told Brent I could have just sat there all day holding and rocking babies and been perfectly content.
One little boy named Ben about a year old, came walking up to me and crawled up in my lap and cuddled himself to sleep, I guess I must have been comfortable (as my gracie would have put it!) There was another little boy named JJ... happy as can be playing smiling, having a great time with the few toys around the room. You get attached so easily.
Several people back home had asked me about orphanages and adoption processes here in tanzania and I had no idea what to tell them, it had been something that I hadn't had the oppertunity to go and check out until now.. I did find out that the coutnry of Tanzania does not allow international adoptions for whatever reason, but only locals and residents who have been here for 2 or more years... Hope that answers any questions you may have had in that area.
we plan on going back as often as we can, to just simply be there to help hold and cuddle
Fast Asleep
Little Ben crawled up in my lap and fell fast asleep all those sweet little ones and see what we can do to make their lives a little better in every whatever ways we can. I know Emily wants to go on a regular basis to visit all the babies.
Its been a blessed day, I smiled, I cried, I prayed for the health and saftly of all those little ones, and for homes to be found for them to live in and be raised in, with God watching over them continually throughout their lives.
please, Thank God for the Children you have, and see what you can do to help out the children around you who may not have the same oppertunities and simple basic needs of life that we do..... There's so much good that can be done and needs to be done in this world!
You can read all obout the kids at Cradle of Love on their website:
www.cradleoflove.com
Love you all dearly!
Julie
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Shasta
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Blankets for the Babies
I had talked to Teresa Rachels who came last summer and her daughter inspired me to make our first "Sew Be It" Project to make blankets for the children there!! SOOOO .. once your container arrives with all that fabric we'll get to work!