Thursday

Thursday sucked.

It started on my ride to work. I got on a bus and was attacked by about five chickens. These chickens were on the way to the market and were being transported under my seat. Apparently they did not like being tied up and confined in a cramped space because they started flopping around my legs. Then one started pecking at my shoes. It made me nervous that this chicken might miss my shoe and peck at my bare calf. This was the second time I was attacked by chickens on a matatu and I sincerely hope it is the last time.

Then I got to work and it was a hectic day. The day before we got a new baby, Raphael and like most new arrivals he cried almost constantly. I don't blame him for being upset about the strange new surroundings but the crying adds more stress to our day.

We also have a set of twins, whose mother died in childbirth and their father visited on Thursday. This guy was 18, his wife was dead, and he has two infant children. I couldn't help thinking that he looked so young and lost. It could not have been an easy decision but it is fairly common in Kenya for parents who can not care for their children to put them in an orphanage. At one time I would have thought that was wrong, families should stay together period. But my time in Africa has taught me that there are no easy answers. All I know is that this poor guy had the look of someone whose life had changed in the blink of an eye.

All of these things were enough for a bad day, but it got worse. We lost Janaina. One of the nuns took her to the hospital that morning and she passed away in the early afternoon. She had been sick and wasn't eating much but it took me completely by surprise. One day I was feeding her, changing her, holding her, and the next day she is dead. Janaina had such a sweet temperament and she would grin whenever someone talked to her. It is so hard losing a baby and things won't be the same without Janaina.