Lucy is one of the Maddison House kids. She is the older sister of Dennis Karaoke – the little 5 yr old that Simon and I fantasize about adopting. Their story: The neighbor to Lucy and Dennis heard crying from the house next door, for days on end. This was 2 years ago. When she finally stopped by, she found a deserted home, with little else other than Lucy and Dennis sitting on the floor in tears. The mother, a widow, with no means to support two children, had left them there and ran away.These children are so amazing. With this last month behind us, I have had many chances to chat with Aunty Betty – both about herself and the children. “Aunty” as all the kids call her is 35 years old, grew up far from here in a small poverty-stricken village. She became pregnant at 16 and had a daughter named Gladys (now 19) who is in her final year of secondary school and visits Maddison on the weekends. She walks 2 hours to get here, and makes the same walk back on Sunday afternoon.
Gladys spent her childhood with her grandmother until she moved to Nairobi with Betty while in her teens. Although Betty was not much of a mother to her own child until more recently, she is now the ‘mother’ of 32. And she is a GREAT one. Right now, Betty is potty training the youngest, Lydia, who is 2 years old. Little Lydia could not understand nor speak even a word when she came to Maddison a couple of months ago. Her mother, 21 yrs old, became paralyzed during childbirth and for the first year and a half of Lydia’s life, she spent it sitting on the mattress her mother was confined to.Aunty Betty has become very close with all the children and most of them have confided in her the stories of how they came to Maddison. There are 3-4 older boys who came after an extended life on the streets (3-8 yrs). Many others have a single parent who was incapable of caring for them. 
Then there are the very sad stories like Lucy and Dennis. But even worse, is Audescia’s story. As much as we are not ‘supposed’ to have favorites, she is most certainly mine. Audescia has the most horrendous scars I have ever seen on anyone let alone an 8 yr old child. She has one large scar above her right eye, which travels a quarter of the way down her nose. She then has raised thick, painful looking scars that envelop her entire back. There are more that cover much of her clavicle and upper chest area. Two years ago, Audescia’s mother became angry with her and threw boiling hot water all over her unclothed body. This past week, Audescia’s father died. She was taken to her mother’s home in order to attend the funeral. When I was told where she was going and who she would be with, I cringed. But there was nothing I could say. In America, a child would never be sent back to a mother that had the capacity to do that – not even for a day. She returns Tuesday and I cannot wait to see her.
Then there are the very sad stories like Lucy and Dennis. But even worse, is Audescia’s story. As much as we are not ‘supposed’ to have favorites, she is most certainly mine. Audescia has the most horrendous scars I have ever seen on anyone let alone an 8 yr old child. She has one large scar above her right eye, which travels a quarter of the way down her nose. She then has raised thick, painful looking scars that envelop her entire back. There are more that cover much of her clavicle and upper chest area. Two years ago, Audescia’s mother became angry with her and threw boiling hot water all over her unclothed body. This past week, Audescia’s father died. She was taken to her mother’s home in order to attend the funeral. When I was told where she was going and who she would be with, I cringed. But there was nothing I could say. In America, a child would never be sent back to a mother that had the capacity to do that – not even for a day. She returns Tuesday and I cannot wait to see her.
WOW.....
ReplyDeleteOh, what wonderful parents you will one day be! Much love to you and your extended family. Love & Hugs, mw
ReplyDeleteI'll admit, this one touched me...hit close to home in some sorts
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