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THE DIVA AND ME (photo by Juan Rameriz) SELINA OFF TO SURGERY (Photo by Juan Rameriz) SELINA’S HEART (photo by Juan Rameriz) POST OP (photo by Juan Rameriz) My roommate and I are having different bathroom issues. Lets just say one of us needs the Imodium and I wish I did. I became a carbaholic in Africa. Who gains weight there? Only me? And I just could not use the potty. Not that these problems mean shit (literally) in a place where people suffer so much. I may not be able to find the words to descibe the suffering. We took a trip to Mother Teresa’s Home for the Sick and Dying Destitutes. Perhaps the name says it all. There are children there with deformities I could not begin to describe. They don’t allow photos so use your imagination. Or don’t. There are children with no arms, no legs. With faces so distorted they don’t look human. And all they want is someone to touch them, to acknowledge them. There are about 1,000 people living there. Some are very old and very ready to die, some are one day old. It’s tough enough to feed them all. Let alone cuddle the children. One child (we honestly weren’t sure if it was a boy or a girl) came up to each of us (4 adults and 3 brave teenagers) and began kissing each of us on the hand. When the child got to me I gave her (or him) my hand. And the child went in for a kiss on the lips. In a place with TB, polio and diseases we forgot long ago it was a little unnerving. But these children are starved for contact. 
I didn’t intend for this blog to be so serious but this stuff just pours out of you. I meant it to be about Selina the diva. She’s 3. The tiniest divs I’ve ever seen. She clearly got whatever she wanted so we taught her to sing “That’s The Way (uh-huh uh-hun) I Like It.” Funny that kids who don’t speak English can sing it.
Selina needed a valve replacement. Hard to belive this little angel (laughing as I write this cause she IS NO angel) needed a piece of a cow grafted on her heart. Hard to believe that without Mending Kids International going in this little force of nature could die.
Four hours and one cow valve later the surgery was a success. Thank God. Cause I can’t image a world without this girl.
After surgery she terrorized the ICU. Demanding yogurt & telling one nurse she’d kill her. She even smacked her brilliant surgeon. Then she picked her nose (which he found very amusing).
And yes we have a photo of that.
A day after surgery she walked the hospital like she owned the joint (which she did. We all fawned all over her).
Most of the Ethiopian people are stoic proud and poor. Salina is all those things except for the stoic part. That’s the way (uh-huh uh-huh) she likes it.
And just a side note. Four days in.. I finally needed some Imodium….
Amazing!!! Don’t be modest. You are doing God’s work.
Ps: my four-year-old was watching tv this morning while I made breakfast … And she said, “mom. I miss Dorothy on the news…”
I said ” me too… That’s why we don’t watch anymore… Because she’s not there.”
And as much as we miss seeing you every morning, those children that you help through Mending Kids need you so much more.
Much Love.
So proud of you, your team, and the work you are doing.
oh Dorothy this is such a sad but much needed blog. We all in this country need to read these words. I am in awe of you and people like you that do such such work. You are God’s Angel for sure. I can’t even imagine the strength it takes to walk into a place such as Mother Theresa’s. Those poor people. They are so crippled and ill and starving for love and affection on top of all that. 
My heart is crying for them.
Yes this is a serious blog but God Bless you for writing it Dorothy.
We need a whole lot more of you my friend.
Love, Hugs, and Peace
Stay safe.
Hey BFF,
Keep up the good work. And just so you know the first thing I thought was Dorothy looks thin. We should talk about taking clothes and things over there for the kids.
love,
Deborah
Dorothy…do you ever think…if I was still on GDLA I would never in a million years be experiencing this or have been able to help. Not many people in general would take a trip to Ethiopia….”He” knew you would go…so, he figured out a way to get you where you would do the most good.
I think of you often and wish you godspeed in your journey.
Love…health…and hugs…(cause I am sure you are giving lots away…:)
Lynn
Keep it up. It’s real life poetry.
Dorothy – you are amazing. I had not heard of the Mother Theresa home before this blog. Its just so unbelievably sad – I cannot fathom how you all must have felt. Touch is the most important sense we have – you have physically and more importantly emotionally touched those tragic human beings. All of you – and amazing teenagers too – have made them feel loved just by being there.
Selina sounds like a little fireball – may she go on to ignite the world with her heart!