Last night (4/7/2010) was really frustrating. During school I noticed one of the girls, Catherine, was not engaging in the class. She had this dazed look and tears were streaming down her face. She wasn't wailing, just sitting there, no sounds just tears. When I went over to ask if she was alright she didn't respond. I don't know if it was because she felt so bad, or if she didn't understand what I was saying. Probably a little of both.
The only thing I could think to do was take her temperature. She had a fever of 103. Since I don't really know how the orphanage handles sick kids, I asked for guidance from Zach, the orphanage manager. He said to give her some medicine, and check back in on her a little later.
WHAT!?!??! I didn't understand! Why didn't he drop everything to take appropriate action like my mom? When I had a fever that high my mom would throw my naked butt into a bath full of freezing water and ice.
Well a bath full of ice is not an option at the orphanage. So I opted for the alternative of Tylenol and kept a cold compress on her forehead until she fell asleep.
Surprisingly, Catherine came to dinner. I figured she must have broken her fever. Not true. She still had a 101.7 degree temperature.(I found out later that the kids don't miss a meal, no matter how bad they feel.) I immediately picked her up and took her to her bed. One of the older girls, Amina, followed me. Amina made sure Catherine ate some of her dinner while I put another cold compress on her forehead. Her fever did break in the middle of the night and she is doing okay today. Thank God!
Now looking back, I realized I over reacted. The orphanage staff handled the situation much better than me. They take good care of the kids and always have their best interest at heart. The kids have full stomachs, clean drinking water, are provided with an education and are given more love than anyone could imagine. I was just really confused and frustrated by the whole situation. It is frustrating when someone handles a situation different than you would. I am sure they were frustrated with me. I am a Middle Class American volunteer with no children. Who am I to make judgement on their way of life?
I am guessing this is another lesson of patience God is trying to teach me. I cannot impose my way of thinking onto them. The orphanage was here before I came, and will be here when I leave. But I tell ya, it is REALLY hard to keep my beliefs and values in check. Kenya has a totally different way of life and culture than the U.S.
Jesus - I ask for you to help me find patience. I pray for wisdom and discernment on how God wants me to spend my time here. Does He want me to just love and serve, or is there something more?
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