False Alarm

This morning I was feeling really sad because Lebogang, my sweet little 17-month-old, was gone. I knew it was coming sometime soon, but it was so sad to see her crib empty when I walked into the toddler room this morning. Unfortunately for me, she was the child I've gotten most attached to since coming here.



Lebogang (pronounced lay-bo-hahn) is HIV positive, and since she will probably never be adopted, she is being transferred to a long term AIDS facility in Johannesburg, about 2 hours away. Lighthouse takes in children who have been abandoned or who are in crisis situations, but it is not intended to be long-term facility. The goal is to place all the children either with adoptive families or in the appropriate long-term facility like this one in Joburg.



Lebogang is very healthy now, and with good nutrition and the right combination of antiretroviral drugs, she may continue to be in good health for a few years. But the majority of children who are HIV positive don't make it past age 5, so she will probably begin to decline in the next few years. Please pray for her continued good health and for her care at this new facility (especially that she will learn there just how much Jesus loves and treasures her).



The reason this post is entitled "False Alarm" is because when I came to help feed the kids their dinner tonight, Lebogang was back! She spotted me across the room and screeched, "MAAAA MAAAA!!" I almost cried. Apparently she had been at the government hospital all day getting the full work-up so all her medical records can be transferred with her to Joburg. It was exciting to get to spend more time with her tonight, but she is still going to be leaving us very soon.