Amecet tradition on World Aids day.....

Tradition can be very powerful, and this tradition on World Aids day is one of those meaningful traditions. Every year we come together with all our staff and the children in the home on December 1st. We remember the children who have died this year. It is powerful, and very touching. Again you remember the pain and the struggle of the children who have passed away...

This year there were  so many children, more than I can remember from other years, we had  17 pictures on our table today!!!

As the whole Amecet family, we gather together in our living room, around the table with the pictures of the children who died earlier this year. 

Several staff members share about different children and light the candle for them. It is an emotional time, it is as if you feel the pain again of loosing the child and tears are flowing. Some share very personal, how they loved the child and how the child had touched them. 

These are just 5 of the 17 children we remembered today: 

Baby Arengo Deborah was born pre-mature in the clinic next door. The doctor asked us to help with our incubator, so the baby came in Amecet. But she died the following day, her lungs were not ready, she was so small, 1.2 kg. The mother was devastated, she had lost 5 other babies. She even tried to commit suicide.

George was 9 years old when he was brought to Amecet. he was HIV+ but he also had cancer. He has been for 3 months in Amecet, then he went back to his mother. But he got very sick and was admitted in Soroti hospital, where he died. George had really suffered, he is at peace now.

John Peter was only for 6 weeks in Amecet, he was 14 years old and very sick and malnourished. He was HIV+ and both his parents and 3 older brothers had died of HIV/AIDS. He had TB and got blood transfusion while he was in Amecet. He cried a lot and he wanted his grandmother. He refused to eat. He was angry and unhappy, so we decided that it was better to bring him to his grandmother, just to give him a break. We were planning to go and visit him, but we got a phone call that he had passed away, just after 14 days at home.... 

Esther lived 3 months in Amecet, She was 9 years old and HIV+, she had TB and she didn't like to eat and to take her medicines. She always had infections, malaria, urine tract infection and others.. She got problems with her intestines, hepatitis and she was admitted in Soroti hospital to be operated, after 3 days she was discharged and came back to Amecet. She was very sick, got blood transfusion, medication, the best care we could give, but all in vain, she passed away. This girl suffered so much, we know that she is out of all this pain....

Baby Christine only lived for 2 days. Her mother passed away after giving birth to her. Christine died of respiratory failure and a sepsis. According to the doctor, she had a brain damage from the birth

And these were some of the 17 touching stories we heard today. it brought us all together afresh, we have a job to do in Amecet, these are no failure stories, this is life and we have to deal with it.

Next to the candles, we have 2 vases with colorful flowers from our garden, these are representing the lives from all those children who have made it, who are back home with their relatives, going to school and are happy and healthy. After we had heard all the  17 stories, we have thanked and praised God for all those children, we had a nice time of singing together. And of course we closed our meeting with a nice bottle of soda.... (no party in Uganda without a soda!!)