Hardly a ten minute walk from Our Lady of Lourdes there is an orphanage, Alleluya Care Center, usually just called Alleluya. Alleluya was founded by an Italian woman, Rita Milesi, and cares for children whose mothers have died or are mentally incapable of taking care of them. Arriving sometimes at just a few hours old, Alleluya provides a joyful, clean, and healthy place for the orphans to spend their first two years.
At two, in accordance with national law, the orphans go to their forever homes, because as a child gets older, it becomes harder for them to adjust -- being taken from their "family" at Alleluya would be scarring.
Most children are returned to their extended families: grand parents, aunts, and uncles. The Care Center keeps tabs on all their orphans and provides food and clothing care packages as well as check in visits up through their fifteenth year, thus eliminating any material strain that the added child would cause the family.
Now to introduce some of the current 24 residents:
Fatuma
Can you believe that face?! Fatuma is just the sweetest! She is always cheerful and friendly, but never pushy. Her big gentle eyes stare through you. Fatuma was born a twin and her mother died in child birth. She and her twin came to the care center small and malnourished. Her twin died a few days later. Gloria, the head nurse, thought they were going to lose them both, but Fatuma is a champion! Her legs are weak from being a premie, and while she can walk on her own, she prefers to slide along the wall and best of all to be held.
Alina
Absolutely no fear and loves attention. Today, she burst into tears every time I put her down; that is a tantrum in the picture. Alina is not an orphan, but her mother is mentally unstable, and her extended family was afraid that her mother would hurt her. Alina is typically bright, cheerful, and friendly.
Shakira Rita
Shakira arrived the same week as Mama Rita's ashes came back from Italy to be buried on the property. Mama Rita had gone home to Bergamo for a home visit, COVID hit, and she died. Shakira was brought as a premie and the center asked her family if they could call her Rita in honor of Rita Milesi.
No idea who this is, but the face and pose says it all!
Chifundo
Chifundo means God's Mercy. He is super cute, and again not a true orphan. His mother is severely mentally handicapped. Chifundo is her second and was taken away by the grandmother and brought to Alleluya. The grandmother is taking care of Chifundo's older sibling and will also take care of Chifundo when he reaches two. I have never met a baby with such drool and spit up capacity.
This little fellow is deaf and has developmental issues, but is super sweet. He loves being held, is super tactile (especially of other people's faces), and his frequent watching position is held tilted back and looking upside down
And to finish off, here are some snapshots of life in general at the Care Center:
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