The church at 2800

If you are in the greater Orlando area this Sabbath, Saturday, September 25, 2010, you may want to visit the Florida Hospital Church @2800 N. Orange Avenue. I'm not saying you HAVE to go to church...I'm just saying that you might WANT to go.

Being a missionary, in the United States, in South Bimini, in Russia, and now in Tanzania has been the greatest joy of my life. But it didn't come without hard work and a lot of sacrifice. And the sacrifice wasn't just on my part... but with a joint effort of so many people in my life who have supported me financially, spiritually, and EMOTIONALLY! I am very grateful.

This saturday, Pastor Andy McDonald will spotlight some of the ways that we as a people are furthering the work of God and partnering in the gospel mission. Please visit www.hospitalchurch.org for more information on this topic.

Imani Tumaini na Upendo,

~Shae

Cross References

Ashley and I have had a few really fun days with the kids lately. We are trying to be more purposeful in taking pictures WITH the children and not just OF the children. And here, on this day of our "mini photoshoot" one of the other volunteers grabbed the camera and took a few shots of Ashley and I chillin' with babies. I really love these two pictures because it perfectly captures the true experience we have everyday. Although it looks like we are sleeping, we are actually looking at the sleeping toddlers in our arms. And then, we snap back to reality and pose for the camera. I have Pendo ... Ash has Bahati. In a few short days, Bahati will go live with his new mother and father. And God willing, Pendo will be strong enough in a few months to go home with her mother and sister. So this picture, like so many others, will go in my box of cherished memories. Thank you Camilla for capturing this moment for Ashley and I. [And on a side note, my beautiful little Pendo ate an adult helping of rice and beans this afternoon-- I truly could have cried but the joy and smiles took over!]

Please visit Ashley's blog at http://wolfecrossing.wordpress.com and click on two very entertaining blogs entitled: "A day in the life..." and "Pole, Glory Glory Hallelujah". You will NOT be disappointed!

Tania H. -- "A day in the life... " chronicles a 12 hour period of time. M. might be a little too young to understand the concept of time, but you could pull out a clock and change the hand on the hour as you look at each picture. It might help her understand the progression of a day. Just a thought. Anyway, happy reading everyone!

Here we are again, focused and posed.



Imani Tumaini na Upendo,

~Shae

Wide Open Spaces

I sometimes get so caught up in the work of being here at Cradle of Love, that I sometimes forget to look around and really take in the reality of where I live, what it looks like, how it smells, who is part of it, and when its at its most beautiful. Because the landscape here at Cradle and the surrounding community is really amazing. I just forget to look sometimes. So here is a photo journal of my neighborhood. I hope you enjoy.

Here, I am walking from our compound down the road to the local “7-11”

Beautiful Mt. Meru poking through the trees...

At our destination.

The shack. Oh, how I love thee!

I really do love chillin’ on the porch। Our favorite vendor is at the vodacom window. And while I shouldn’t be drinking soda, its nice to take part in something that feels like home.

This is the view when we turn around from the shack and head back to Cradle. You can see the roof of the director’s home we are building. We currently don’t have a home for our director as she is living in an ADRA house. We can’t wait until construction is complete. The baby home is just on the other side of the construction. Between the full trees and the beautiful sky, its really quite a lovely sight. I’m really lucky to live here.

I think one of the things that I underappreciate is our campus here at ADRA/Cradle of Love. How many people get such a beautiful landscape as this? Here are a few pictures I took of Ashley and some of our babies. It really is an amazing place.

The reality is that I came here really missing some of the modern life, style, architecture, and conveniences that I was so accustomed to in my little world in the United States। But now, the simple act of hanging my clothes on a clotheslines affords me time to talk to God, think about my plans for the future, and reminisce on the people I left back at home. Doing laundry offered me sanctuary in a way that I never, ever expected. And I am so grateful for it. Here’s a glimpse at my sanctuary.

And in this penultimate picture, I am reminded of EVERYTHING that Cradle of Love, Usa River, and Tanzania is to me! Its the downside of relying on the sun for clean clothes and the environmental hazards of burning our own trash. But its mixed with the sweetness of babies playing with their nanny in the yard while a senior monkey makes his way across the green! That’s my Africa in an image. I love it. And I almost missed it because I forgot to stop and just take it all in.

The hope for myself, both here and at home, is that I don’t forget to stop and enjoy the “what is” instead of focusing on the “what isn’t”. God is doing an amazing work. And his greatest creation is found right outside my apartment steps… the sights and sounds of happy little feet. Thanks for visiting my neighborhood with me. Its been fun.

Imani, Tumaini, na Upendo

~Shae

Baby love for the volunteers

So many former volunteers peruse this blog in hopes of seeing "their baby". I am going to be that person one day --- always searching and never ceasing --- just holding out for one glimpse of the children I fell in love with! So, in honor of those volunteers, I have thrown in some random pictures and facts on our babies.

Eric is growing so big. He is in constant motion and annoyed that I made him stop crawling for a picture!

Witness is so funny! She sits up well and is crawling. Well, she is dragging her feet behind her but has started pushing up on her knees. She understands the concept of crawling and tries VERY HARD. But no worries, this child gets around very well and doesn't wait for anyone to hand her toys. She goes and finds them herself! Way to go Witi!

Abdi is the darling of the big house. Unfortunately, holding his bottle is all he has achieved since moving over from the nursery. I think that we all love him so much that we don't make him work very hard. And this is a problem. Babies need to be encouraged to hit milestones. It is not always good to do everything for them. Sorry Abdi. We'll do better... if you stop being so cute!





Amina just left us yesterday to go home with her Grandmother. [Mikaila -- some children don't have mommies and daddies. So, sometimes, they live with someone else. And that is why Amina went to live with her Grandma.] Amina is such a little precious soul that I wanted to share some pictures of her with you. When I am on better internet, I will post a video of her identifying people by their names. Her English had gotten SOOOO good before she left. We love you and miss you Amina!!!!

Jacob is really trying to talk now! Its soft and I have to REALLY pay attention, but babbling back to him and asking him to repeat my words is helping him to learn.


Joshua is such a fun kid. He just moved over from the nursery to the big house. He is sitting up on his own and LOVES to be in the walker. He cruises around Cradle at a high rate of speed. Here, Ellie is trying to knock him over to get to a toy but he is so strong that she is unsuccessful.

Then, of course, we have my precious little Happy! She is adding on weight every week and she is eating like a champion! I am trying to upload video where you see her getting mad at me. Apparently, she was annoyed that I was on the floor taking pictures instead of holding her. And so, she was letting me know her displeasure. Its so cute because her voice isn't that loud! Love you Happy girl!


NOTE TO SELF # 11 - Take more pictures. Of everything and everyone. We all grow and change so quickly that its important to capture life as we are living it. You will never regret taking the time to do that.

~Shae

The plumbstress and the Pendo

We are very blessed at Cradle of Love as our long term volunteers have finally arrived and the apartment is full for the first time in three months. But with the added volume of people comes the added strain on our kitchen sink. We're lucky to have one so we really want to care for it the bast way we know how. Luckily, volunteer Ashley has taken her domesticity to new heights and is venturing into the world of plumbing. She wasn't able to completely fix our clogged AND leaking sink (oxymoron, I know) but she gallantly tried. Way to go Ash! Here are a few more pictures of her giving it her best shot.

So, I have more news regarding our little fighter, Pendo. Yesterday, her mother and older sister were able to come for a 6 hour visit. This was much to the delight of our little Pendo. She didn't smile but her little body was at such peace. I held Pendo for an hour after they left and she just clung to me for comfort. I understand her need for closeness. So today, I was more tolerant of her clinginess.

I will say that I had to endure a procedure with her that I did not like witnessing. While she has been drinking and eating special porridge, two days ago she became disinterested. Sabbath afternoon, our nurse made the decision to put in another feeding tube and get more liquids in Pendo's system. But now that Pendo has gained some strength, she fought the tube. After two very earnest attempts, we were unable to get the tube to stay in her stomach. I held Pendo's head, neck, and arms, and I could feel the tube scratching the back of Pendo's throat. As she coughed and gagged, I could literally feel the tube coming back up and start feeding into her mouth and nasal cavity. I was calm but had to turn my head away because I couldn't watch this poor child vomit and struggle. So our nurse gave her a scolding and told her that we would leave the tube out for now if Pendo would drink 5 ozs. of formula. Pendo COMPLETELY understood our nurse as she turned her head away and didn't want to listen. But then the nurse held the tube up to her one more time and Pendo seemed to come to an agreement.

So, I gently took our sick little girl, her 5 ozs. of baby formula, and sat in the playroom with the other nannies and children to start the arduous process of getting Pendo to drink. Our nurse taught me the words to say to her in Swahili to get her to take in all the formula. And do you know what? That child sat for me and drank all her formula. She curled up to me -- her boney little body, all twisted and damaged by malnutrition-- trying to find the most comfortable spot against my chest. Now, I'm not going to lie... it took almost an hour and a half to get 5 ounces in her. But we did it. I kept talking to her in Swahili, encouraging her, and reminding her of what a good girl she was with each swallow. The nannies kept pointing and watching and talking about me and Pendo. But I didn't mind. She was drinking her formula and that was all that mattered. When she had finished, she fell asleep in my arms exhausted. And for the first time, she didn't cry when I laid her down. That was a different story this evening when I put her to bed. But I guess I am just happy that she has enough strength to cry. I know that God brought her to us, if not for her, but to help her mother care for the older sister. And that is something that I take comfort in myself. Here is one more picture of us from tonight. We're tired, but we posed for the camera!

And on a side note... Karen Minner's family asks each of us on September 11, Karen's birthday, to do a good deed... in Karen's name or "just because". You can find out more about Karen's life on facebook or karenminner.com. I went to school with her at Southern Adventist University, many moons ago. Unfortunately, Karen is no longer with us. So this September 11 was Sabbath and usually one of my days off. But I made the decision to work with our babies in honor of Karen. She dedicated a year of her life to missions and helping children in need. My prayer is that my work this day, and every day, reflects the same spirit and commitment she had while on this earth.

Imani Tumaini na Upendo,
~Shae

Oh, and I heard your outcry and I observed your protests. The blog stays public. And we will never speak of this again.

An update on Pendo

I have had a very long and tiring day. Hit the baby home at 8:30 a.m. for worship, left after feeding them breakfast, and headed to Arusha for baby home shopping. Five hours later we returned, where I then ran outside to spend time with the babies who were freshly awake from their afternoon naps. Before I knew it, we were feeding supper and getting ready for bed. So 10 hours later... I was finally home. Oh, man, am I tired! But it was a good day. I was unable to adjust my blog, so you get a few more days of public viewing. Here are some updated pictures of Pendo and our amazing nurse, Batilda. A big THANK YOU to Elly S. (Tami C.'s niece) who sent me all the samples of Eucerin cream and lotion. Poor little Pendo has so many open cuts, tears, and sores on her skin due to malnurishment. We were able to rub some of the Eucerin ointment on her head sores. You will notice in one of the pictures, she holds on to the tube of ointment. Later that evening, I held her on my lap-- for about an hour or so. She kept twisting the cap on that little tube... the only energy she has... to mimic play. She started to whine and laid the tube in my hand. I just thought she was weak and tired and didn't want to hold the tube any longer. Oh, but that was not the case. She started to rub her little cracked, scaly fingers across mine and i realized she wanted me to rub the ointment on her hands. As I started to gently and carefully move the ointment along the terribly dry and damaged skin, she opened her hand and would slowly point to every cut and torn area of skin. She is so bright... and I am the slow one in this scenario. She saw this moment as an opportunity to advocate for her own care, and she was trying to tell me how to help her. It was a strange and beautiful moment. And one that I will never forget for as long as I live. Never.

So sorry everybody

I have loved writing my blog every few days/everyweek and feel so lucky to have technology that allows me to do so. I know that it gets boring for some of you to check in. But I am still appreciative of those who do. Believe me when I tell you that you guys are always on my mind and I write to carry the conversation with you. It keeps me sane and makes me feel connected to you somehow.

Today it was brought to my attention that I am offending individuals with the content of my blog. So I will be moving this blog to private viewing as to avoid unnecessary distractions. I am so sorry if this causes added work on all of our parts. Some of you may be regular readers. But if I dont have your email addresses, you will no longer be able to view the contents. Just message me with your information and i will try to get it available to you.

On a side note, Pendo ate with a spoon tonight!!! I sat with her for a few hours. It was painful for me to watch her struggle with nutrition. But even more painful for her, I am sure. Afterwards, I gave her water and tried to lay her down and she cried "mama, mama" and with her tiny, weak little hands, clung to me for comfort. She scratched at me so hard that her skin broke open and separated from her bone. I pulled her close to me and held her for another 30 minutes... then laid her down... left her... and cried for another 30 minutes alone in my room. If ever there was a time when I wanted to scream at my helplessness and frustration... its tonight.

Past volunteers, visitors, and friends, if you want to read something that PERFECTLY depicts how we all feel after serving our short time here at Cradle, visit Ashley's blog at

http://wolfecrossing.wordpress.com

the blog title is "falling in love". Start with her second paragraph and read to the bottom. Its beautiful.

With love (upendo) -

~Shae

Girls, Girls, Girls...

The last 26 posts were done in a specific order under specific titles. Can you guess the special way in which they were titled? Sara Hueneke and Karen Bonet do not get to guess. They have known all along! Anyway, I lucked out that many of the titles PERFECTLY matched the subject of the blog. But for the next month, the titles are just random. Nothing special. At least for now...

So here are a few pictures of my girls from this weekend before I headed off to Arusha to care for little Emmy Love. She is pictured at the end. Enjoy.


This is Helena. Notice the 'not-so-happy' Happy in the background!



The results of spoiling Happy! She gets ticked when I don't pick her up...

Apparently, Ellie is annoyed too. Man, all these high-maintenence girls! Sheesh.

So I decide to pick them both up and this is what happens...


"Um, you want us to do what?"


"I said, you can both sit on my lap but play nice."

"Can't we come up with a better solution, Shae-Shae" (notice the Happy tongue background)

"She's bothering me Shae-Shae."

"I'm bigger than her... I should have a lap all to myself!"

Finally peace was restored to the Cradle yard.

So, I left those troublemakers and headed west to Arushatown!
This is little Emmy, playfully enjoying her time alone with the Shae today.



NOTE TO SELF # 10 - I want to be a mom... but God, please only give me one baby at a time. And self, if you are blessed with multiples, thank God for giving you this experience in handling 50 babies, so that two or three babies won't seem so bad!!!!


~Shae