Visiting Abandoned Children

In the city of Bulawayo, there is a beautiful house for abandoned children. Unfortunately, many people have children and cannot afford to care for them, or are too sick to care for them, or simply don't want them. These children are often left abandoned at hospitals after their mothers give birth, and once placed in an abandoned childrens ward at the hospital, unless somebody adopts the child, which doesn't often happen, they are destined to an institutional life until they are kicked out to live on their own at the age of 18. The house that we visited, was bought and set up to be a positive alternative to an institutional life for these abandoned children. Unfortunately, although there are nine abandoned children at the local Bulawayo hospital who have been waiting for several years to recieve government approval to move into this house, the legal process is extremely time consuming, and to date, only three abandoned children are living at this house. They hope to complete the paperwork, and receive government approval to house the remaining nine children soon, but who knows? Ros, Becky, Jessica, a friend of Ros' and I enjoyed playing with the three adorable children currently living at the house. Kanile and Moses are both beautiful , well-adjusted little boys, and have a great, caring staff that treat them like family. There is also an adorable four month old little girl, whose name I can't remember and even if I did, I wouldn't be able to pronounce, who is living there. Her mother died of AIDS. She was the surviving twin. Her sister died a month or two after birth, and it is still unknown whether she has HIV. Children cannot be tested for the virus before the age of 1 1/2. But she sure is cute!