I forgot....
Totally forgot to tell you all about the orphanage at Nong Khai. I went there last week with Christina and Emmy as it is an option for the volunteers there.
For some reason I think I was expecting older children but these were small babies - i think the youngest was seven months and the oldest about 18 months.
They were adorable. About 14 of them climbing over each other, playing with the toys, desperate for love. You could see the people running the place cared for the children and were affectionate and did their best. But it is a lot of children for just a few people to bathe, feed, play with and give attention to.
I walked in and a beautiful little girl toddled up to me, holding up her arms. She was so light and I scooped her up. She laughed. All the children wanted to be given attention, but she was constantly needing to be touched and hugged.
I found it hard. When you grow up and almost everyone you know has so much attention and love and affection given to them, it is hard to see a lesser degree of that afforded to a large group of toddlers. They need constant attention and affection and I found myself comparing their lot to mine, my friends and particuarly my nieces and nephews, all of whom I have played with at this same precious age.
I can't explain it but I just wanted to take them home with me. No wonder some people adopt a baby from impoverished countries. I somehow felt myself admiring of Angelina Jolie - a rare things for an Aniston fan!
At English camp I met two latter day saints missionaries from America who had been to more orphanages in Nong Khai and said there is one just devoted to children with AIDS. It is a huge problem here and it is not recognised - there is a huge taboo and safe sex is not taught here. Apparently they also hold big AIDS meetings in Nong Khai once a month for people with the disease - it's shocking how prevalent it is.
For some reason I think I was expecting older children but these were small babies - i think the youngest was seven months and the oldest about 18 months.
They were adorable. About 14 of them climbing over each other, playing with the toys, desperate for love. You could see the people running the place cared for the children and were affectionate and did their best. But it is a lot of children for just a few people to bathe, feed, play with and give attention to.
I walked in and a beautiful little girl toddled up to me, holding up her arms. She was so light and I scooped her up. She laughed. All the children wanted to be given attention, but she was constantly needing to be touched and hugged.
I found it hard. When you grow up and almost everyone you know has so much attention and love and affection given to them, it is hard to see a lesser degree of that afforded to a large group of toddlers. They need constant attention and affection and I found myself comparing their lot to mine, my friends and particuarly my nieces and nephews, all of whom I have played with at this same precious age.
I can't explain it but I just wanted to take them home with me. No wonder some people adopt a baby from impoverished countries. I somehow felt myself admiring of Angelina Jolie - a rare things for an Aniston fan!
At English camp I met two latter day saints missionaries from America who had been to more orphanages in Nong Khai and said there is one just devoted to children with AIDS. It is a huge problem here and it is not recognised - there is a huge taboo and safe sex is not taught here. Apparently they also hold big AIDS meetings in Nong Khai once a month for people with the disease - it's shocking how prevalent it is.
posted by charlie at 6:57 pm
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