The babies..

There is probably no better way to give you a picture of my time in South Africa than introducing you to the four children that I spent my month with, and who completely stole my heart.


Mary Is an incredibly sassy little girl, told me flat out I wasn't allowed to leave. Mary is going to be the next revolutionary...she will stand up to anyone or anything. Very often her sentences start with "Not.": "Not coming to my happiest birthday!" and things like that. :) Ruth said, in her typically patient fashion, while Mary was throwing a temper tantrum, "Oh your going to give your husband a lot of trouble." Too true. Mary is the brightest little girl I've met. She is not three years old and can keep up with anyone. She was found under a tree in a park still still attached to the placenta, and at six weeks old as her condition continued to deterioate, she was moved by welfare into Ruth's care. Like all of Ruth's children, it is really a miracle that she is alive today. I miss her hugs and kisses...and just having her in my arms. Leaving her was so hard. I walked into the house just before I was leaving and she was crying, telling Ruth she wanted to go to Canada too. Geez...how is a girl supposed to deal with that. I told her I would come back and visit her, so I have to keep my promise. :)

Siya is the mischief maker in the house, mostly because he's brilliant, and won't leave anything untouched or unexplored. Siyabonga, his full name, means thankyou. Siya was found abandoned on the street at the age of nine months, and is HIV positive. The child is on so much medication, but you would never know because he has enough energy to drive you utterly insane. I knew he was trouble from day one. The first day Stuart, a local guy who helps Ruth out, took Anne, the kids and I to get pizza. When Stuart got back in the car after picking up the pizza Siya told him, "Maria has said ugly things to us." Little brat. :) And I love him to pieces. Siya has the most darling accent, and you get to hear lots of it, cause he never stops talking. One night Ruth (who is the most patient person on the planet) said, "Siya! Please just sit down and be quiet for five minuets!" Siya replied," Mom I can't, my brain just says, 'Siya talk!'. Does your brain say, 'Siya be quiet?!"

Simon is the first baby that Ruth adopted. His mother was HIV positive, but thankfully Simon is not. Simon has several special needs, and Ruth for awhile thought he had Prada Willi Syndrome (shout out to Tara..for all my Day Camp friends.), but the tests came back negative. He is a sweet boy, although he gets easily frustrated when he can't keep up with the other kids. He loves spider man! and if he is ever cross with you he'll make spider man hands and spitting noises at you. He absolutely loves his mother! No one can compete.

Jake is a complete clown, and although not the youngest is definitly the baby of the family. He came to Ruth when he was nine months old, but she said he looked like a newborn baby, a skeleton draped in skin and couldn't even hold his head up. He is HIV positive, but is doing well. He is the cutest little boy, who loves to run and has the chubbiest little belly. Jake is a nervous child, and hates butterflies, he'll cry if he sees one. He has the most priceless facial expressions and loves to make people laugh. He has the sweetest disposition.