I need to send a picture of the little church Open Arms attends, Resurrection Life Church. I explained a little about this church in an earlier blog. Last Sunday there were around 90 in worship with 40 coming from Open Arms. I went in to help with Children’s Church. In the 5 – 8 year old group where I volunteered there were 31 children, 17 from open arms, plus nine children who spoke no English. I have to say, that the children from Open Arms conduct themselves so well. They knew the previous week’s lessons, participated, helped out, etc. I have been really impressed with how the children act in the community when away from Open Arms. The past week has been very busy. The eleven babies had to be moved out of their current two rooms and placed into one room – small and cramped says it all. The floors in their rooms are being torn out and a new floor poured and then laid. This will be a three week process. The eleven babies have been moved to the back room of the New House where ten girls ages 5 – 8 live. These girls are now doubled up. It is crowded. This week we also said goodbye to a volunteer who has been here for six months and hello to a new volunteer who has come for about six weeks. Lots happened this week. HIV/AIDS is still affecting much of Africa. Additionally, in South Africa Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder, (FASD) is said to be climbing at a rate that now affects 8% of all children, currently around 6 million children. I have been learning a lot about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). As most you probably know, FASD babies are smaller than other children their age. They have smaller heads as the brain has been stunted in the womb. As babies, toddlers, and children they will grow and mature slower. FASD can also lead to additional health issues; vision problems, dyslexia, dental problems, kidney and heart problems. The worst damage is during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy where all areas of the brain are affected in its early stage of development. Other early developing organs like the heart, kidney, lungs, and liver can also be affected. At Open Arms, it is thought that 20 – 25% of the children are placed somewhere on the spectrum with FASD. These children act first and process later. The hard part is to distinguishing between learning impairment and hyperactivity linked to brain damage caused by FASD and not other behavioral problems. There are many symptoms and signs: poor fine motor and large muscle development, language delays, poor memory, hyperactivity, easily distracted, poor growth, stubbornness, inability to adapt, very poor sense of boundaries – personal, social, sexual. These children are beautiful and loving. All the children treat each other well, protecting one another. The older children take on the responsibility of checking and caring for the younger children. FASD children are very trusting of strangers, a good thing at Open Arms, a questionable thing as FASD children go socially out in the world. These beautiful children respond well to calming voices, clear instructions, repetition, group projects like reading out loud, singing, games, and directed activities. I am currently 700 pages into James Michener’s The Covenant. This 1254 page book is well written historical fiction on South Africa. It is a great read. For my next read I have down loaded, History in an Hour, South Africa. It looks like we will be going to the coast sometime in the next day or two with the children. YEA! One note of surprise, there are SLUGS here! I have sent two pictures of the blue Agapanthus flower which are prevalent at Open Arms.

I end with an adorable picture of our youngest baby in a mountain of nappies, (diapers).