Go Bananas!

Today was Banana Day at Smile! Pastor Ruth tries to bring the children fruit once a week. Unfortunately this is the first day I have seen the children eat fruit…and what a celebration it was. Pastor Ruth announced, “The Lord has provided fruit!” Several of the staff began carrying out trays pilled high with big, yellow bananas. From a distance I could hear yelling and screaming, and I could see children jumping up and down! They were so happy! You would have thought the circus came into town. I had never seen such a reaction over a banana. It was so humbling. It was so beautiful. I wish they could eat fruits and vegetables every day, but that requires money. That is money they don’t have. I just have to rejoice in the fact that they did receive fruit today, and not dwell on the fact that they eat only posho and rice all the other days.

The children were in such good spirits all day. They look healthier and played harder today. I don’t know if it was the bananas, but it sure seemed like it. One of my babies, Lamorae, is the youngest of four Karamojong sisters. She is malnourished with her tiny arms and legs and bloated belly. She usually lays naked on the concrete floor under the pavilion and sleeps. When I first began holding her she seemed so unresponsive. Many times she was sleeping so hard in my arms that I would lean down and check to hear her breathe or listen for her heartbeat. It’s a scary feeling when the thought runs through your mind…is this baby going to die in my arms?

Her sisters, Maru (6 yrs) and Anilla (4 yrs) are her caretakers. These baby siblings carry her to school on their backs, feed her at meal time, change her, bathe her, hold her if she cries…it is truly amazing to see them be so responsible. For them, this is all they know. The sisters noticed I took interest in Lamorae so every morning I am greeted by the Karamojong sisters as they hand me “my baby”. [For those that don’t know, the Karamojong are a tribe that have traveled down to southern Uganda due to war and a drought. They are known as cattle thieves. Many people in Tororo do not like the Karamojong, and many of the children live on the street and dig through trash to eat. So most of the street children are the Karamojong- the outcast. You can pick them out sometimes by their decorative beads around their necks, waste and ankles.] Just in a matter of a few weeks I can tell a difference in Lamorae. And today on Banana day, she looked so alert and wide-eyed. She looked happy to see me. While Lamorae’s body is already malnourished and behind developmentally, she has been sick with what seems like a cold. In spite of her sickness, she sat up today, and after eating two bananas did not just fall limp in my arms. She is making progress. This baby needed to be held and loved. She needed to rest in my arms and not on the filthy, concrete floor. She needed stimulation and attention. She needs prayer to continue to grow and become healthier. I can only hope for more banana days. I can only hope to see my baby smile and laugh. With love, she will.