Cradle of Love Baby Home

 I've been thinking about this note and how to write it so that people could understand the meaning and decision behind Kaden's name.

In 2004 I had the opportunity to travel to Tanzania to help out a newly starting orphanage, bring some supplies, help where I could and love on the babies. I was at a weird time in my life and needed desperately to get away and figure things out for myself and my future. I never imagined i would have the life changing experience as I did when met little Kaden for the first time.

Davona Church, the founder of the Cradle of Love orphanage opened her arms to orphans, sick babies and foster kiddos back in 1985, since then she has cared for and nurtured back to health well over 100 babies, placing some in adoptive homes, nursed them back to health so they could be with their biological families and put them into loving foster families while awaiting forever families.

I was asked to go to Tanzania by Sarah Spangler's dad while shooting a promotional video for Southern Adventist University. He asked me what I was doing for the summer and I told him probably working, but I didn't know what to do–whether move back to Cali or stay in Tennessee, and he said my daughter is designing a website for a new orphanage and working for ADRA Tanzania and would love company would you be interested in going? I was like how the heck am I going to raise enough money, get the supplies, etc together in the next couple of weeks to go? Anyways, God interviened, had wonderful support from Escondido Adventist Church, South Bay Adventist Church, and my family and together we were able to raise money, gather supplies and I was fortunate enough to be a vessel of other's generosity! Though I could probably write a book on all the stories from this trip, Kaden came into my life right after the Church family left for a mini family vacation…

Sitting at the computer I got a message from one of the ADRA office staff that there was a really sick baby that was in need of end of life care at the lutheran orphanage up the hill, near Mt. Maru and they didn't have the man power to help him…So, without hesitation and without taking anything into consideration, Sarah and I hoped in the Landrover and drove to the orphanage. When we got there the ladies said that we were this baby's only hope of survival–we went to the laundry room and there he was in a little box that they were probably going to bury him in. With advanced stage AIDS, malnurishment, dehydration, no muscle tone in his body, he looked up at Sarah and I with eyes that spoke clearly. We knew immediately that if we left him there he was going to die. I don't think I could have lived with that–

Sarah held him tight in her arms, and we headed back down the hill with this little 4-5 lb baby boy. I remember Sarah and my conversation in the car on the ride down the hill, like what if he dies what will we do? Estimating his life expectancy…praying over him for God's love and mercy. After getting him hydrated with fluid and having him on an IV in Sarah's and my room on the compound, him sleeping directly on my chest at night, basically being held 24 hours a day, he started to get better, learned how to suck a nipple, got muscle tone, gained weight–I remember sitting on the couch listening to "Tears in heaven" by Eric Clapton, thinking why God have you placed this little baby boy in my life if we all know he is going to pass away? It's not fair God that little ones have to suffer with this terrible disease…

I realized in the moment of hopelessness, questioning the God–I realized that this little baby boy had a chance to feel the love of God through the arms that cradled him in his sickest moments. Sarah, myself, the Willis Family, Davona, we all had a chance to show this baby mercy, love, grace, compassion and hope.

After searching through baby name databases online, Sarah and I came up with Kaden which means fighter, Willis as his middle name because that was the family's last name who cared for him after I left Tanzania and Church for the Church family who started the COL orphanage.

I wish that I could say a miracle occurred and Kaden lived a long and healthy life, but sadly he passed away on October 4 of pneumonia. He was Cradle of Love's first death and sadly not the last, but for these really sick babies they are given such a gift of light, love and compassion when they are in care at the Cradle of Love babies home.

My mom in July of that year was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer and I got the call to come home. I know that my mom was praying that if there was a miracle let it go to that baby Kaden. My mom got the miracle and has been able to continue to transform lives and inspire life changing research in the fields of autism and cancer research. She has lived to see her two grandchildren be born and as a way of honoring little Kaden, I named my baby Kaden, and I can only hope that one day he can touch other's lives in the way that little Kaden touch mine.

I live a fortunate life and am blessed by so many people that have been there for me and have shown me love, compassion, grace, forgiveness and mercy.

Thank you to Davona for giving me the opportunity–

Please visit the Cradle of Love orphanage website for more stories and details!

www.cradleoflove.com

http://www.cradleoflove.com/invest/