Cradle of Love Baby Home

Yesterday I made a new friend! Sissy, who lives in Dar, had been caring for little Joshua for two weeks, getting him a DNA PCR test and CD4 count. His test was positive as we were afraid it would be. She brought him back to us yesterday and today we took him to the HIV clinic here to get him started on ARV's. Sissy is a bouyant foster mom from the Bay Area of California. She has only live in TZ for 8 months and is finding it challenging. I KNOW the feeling! She is very interested in helping HIV positive babies, so we are talking a lot and seeing how she could do that in her home in Dar.  She and I are kindred spirits.  We both have daughters named Bridgett(e) who were born just days apart in May 1988!

Katie took the bus to Dar today, to pick up the Class C visas for three people. She was looking forward to the adventure!  My friend Brooke, the adoption lawyer, is hosting her there. All the government offices close from Dec 15th-Jan 5th, so she needed to get those right away.

The quadruplets are all over 4 lbs now!  Anya, is actully 5.2 lbs, just behind Miss Molly! Sure do love having these babies at home.

On Friday a group from the Rwanda Tribunal came and brought us all sorts of wonderful things for our babies! Thank you so much to everyone who donated. They also brought us a cash donation.  Today we had more visitors with gifts. We can't run this Home without the kindnesses of others and we appreciate it all.

Here is another picture of the quadruplets. They are already putting on weight and doing great. Their father came for a visit on Friday and he was so very pleased to see how well they are being cared for.  He gave me a hug!

Today we had a visit from immigration again!  They seem to come every couple of months to check and see if our volunteers have the proper visa. YOU MUST HAVE A CLASS "C" VISA to volunteer in Tanzania. They do not care that you are not earning a salary, they just want you to have this visa. You MUST NOT work at all (for pay or no pay) with a tourist/visitors visa.

If you are considering coming to CoL, then please read the volunteer page very carefully and send me the necessary paperwork, money and photographs to obtain this visa for you BEFORE you come. Thank you.

Monday afternoon we finally got our babies!  For some odd reason we had to take them to social welfare, and the social welfare officer was SO rude, and did everything he could to keep the quads from coming to us!  I don't know what he has against CoL or me, but I think its a general power "thing" against white women!  But we brought them home.

They were born at 34 weeks gestation, at home in a Masaai Village on November 12th. The mother bled to death after delivery and the babies were taken to Mt. Meru Hospital. They weigh 1.9 kg (4.1 lb), 1.7 (3.7), 1.5 (3.3) and 1.4 (3.0).

All were given Masaai names, which we can't pronounce, so I gave them short, easy names while they are with us.

Currently they are all at my house, along with Molly. Molly is 6 lbs now and looks big next to them!

I wish that our new nursery had been ready for the babies, but it's fun to have them under my care for awhile. . My dear husband even gets up in the middle of the night to help me feed them all. During the day, the volunteers come over and help at feeding time or so I can come to the office and get some things done.

 At the Mt. Meru Hospital

Dressed for going home.

Tessa, Quinn, Anya and Nina

Big sister (a twin), Brother and father

 At my house in the homemade isolette with warming lights. However, they are maintaining their body heat, so don't need the light.

I will get individual photos of them up later.

Sorry everyone–our internet has been down for a couple of days so couldn't let you know all the news.

Monday afternoon, Kirsten Bowman took home her son. Lawrence to us, but now to be known as Akira.

With his birthmom  With adoptive mom, Kirsten

Congratulations to All!