When we take children into Amecet, we always tell the family that it is only for a short time, that the baby will come home in 2 months, if all goes well. And at the end of September and the beginning of October, we got a lot of new children in Amecet. Now it is time for them to move back home, to their own homes and relatives! We always explain that to the relatives, we do keep children longer when the child is not yet stable, or when it is not gaining well etc. But when everything is well, the child should be with his or her own people.
This morning, two families came to pick their babies. Both children were brought to Amecet because their mothers passed away after giving birth... Very sad, at the back the father and uncle of baby Joseph, they came even a week early, because of Christmas.... the second baby was Lazaro. He was one of our mini babies, his picture is here at the left. His weight was only 1.6 kg when he came, he goes home as a 4.6 baby!! Both families were very happy to take the baby back home to their families. The grandmother of Lazaro brought a chicken to thank us. This is also such a blessing to us, that they are willing to take over the care and are happy to take the baby into their family and hart!! We often help the family with milk money (in the beginning) and than later with flour for porridge, and sugar. The families of Joseph and Lazaro are living too far, so we let them go with advice and prayers. Last week one of the children was brought back by her father. We do help this family with sugar and porridge flour. After greeting them and seeing that the child was doing good, we brought out the sugar and the porridge flour, when the father told us that we could keep the sugar and the flour, because he would leave the child behind in Amecet... It took us some time to explain that that would not be the case, that the child belongs in his family and not in a children home. At the end he left with the child and the sugar and porridge flour. But we were not happy, it gave us a bad feeling....
Earlier this week two other children left Amecet; baby Janet was also picked by her family and they were also exactly on the day we had told them 2 months ago!! Then Solomon was picked by his grandmother and his uncle. His mother is in the Soroti prisons and that was not the best place for him. We found the grandparents and they were very willing to care for the little boy, while the mother is serving her time.
I am happy the children are going home, it gives us a bit of space. Christmas and New Year is always a busy time for us. half of our team is free with Christmas and the other half is free with New year. We do not mind some empty beds.......
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