Changes.....

Strange times

After the party last Friday this week has been really strange. Arriving on Monday morning I was surprised to find that only one of the children’s family had come to pick her up. The nurses spent one hour with them explaining about her medication and food requirements. They seemed strangely uninterested in the whole episode, I suspect they were worried about the next few weeks. I asked the nurses and they said maybe more families will come during the week.
Tuesday and 5 more had left some of the younger ones who don’t need a lot of attention, just adequate feeding and a lot of loving. I raced over to Perla’s cot to find that she was still there. I was told that she probably wont go, although she does have a family on the register. I felt quite sad at this revelation.
Sadly I had to have a day off this week as was suffering from a cough and a slight fever. I was packed off home by the nurses.
Friday morning and back at work, it was fairly quiet as many of the children had left over the past two days. It was strange not to see all the usual faces and hear the usual sounds and greetings. I was feeding a young boy when his family arrived. The mother had a baby on her back and two toddlers walking behind and another girl holding the grandma’s hand. I was amazed. The nurse introduced me to the mum and I handed over the bottle and walked to another child. After 5 minutes she came over and told me that he was not feeding. We told her that he took at least 40 minutes to finish one bottle!! So I took over while they consulted with the doctors and nurses before leaving. Some of the families live very far away and on farms in basic accommodation so I can understand their anxieties. We are all concerned about the children but also know that we have to let them go and hope that all will be fine.
The boy I am looking after is doing much better now though he has his ups and downs, he will not be going home as he is far too ill and is still being feed through a tube.

The weekend beckons and I suspect more will leave over the weekend. Its just not the same with so many away, I dread to think what next week will be like. On the other hand,, I did get to wash the whole playground with cold water on a cold and windy day…… despite my cold there is always work to be done!!
I wonder what next week will bring?

A PROBLEM.....

These past few weeks I am beginning to realise that its going to be very difficult to keep the blog interesting!!! Like everything else, after the dust has settled and new experiences arrive less frequently, it’s a real challenge to keep the momentum going. However I will try my best to keep it interesting with photos.
Next week is an exciting week for me, firstly because I will move into my own apartment and secondly I will be heading off to UK for about 2 weeks before returning to continue my work.
I have decided to find my own place because I need to be independent. The house I live in at the moment is quite a way out of town and in a rough area and the family, though very hospitable and friendly need their own space too. So have found a place right in the centre of town. It is safe , I will be able to cook my own meals and more importantly it is much cheaper.
This week I discovered a mayan market held outside a church ruin and had my first experience at Cine Lounge where I devoured a huge plate of nachos before going in to watch the latest Indiana Jones movie…..
Maybe there are more things to discover around Antigua after all.

The evening light at the moment is amazing and tonight walking home from town I took these
pictures of the volcano….its truly beautiful.
Enjoy
Adios amigos
Goodnight
Xxx