On May 22nd, my colleague Delcio, received a call from Social Action that they had an 18-month-old little boy that needed placement. He received the call late in the afternoon and said that we could come for him the next day. They replied that the baby was in a situation of grave suffering and that his very life was in danger. It was such a precarious situation that they requested Delcio to come “now'. Delcio dropped everything and started down the road to Namaacha, about an hour’s drive from our homes in Matola. There he was met by a worker from Social Action and the father of this child, Chelton. Our Sunshine Houses are homes for children who have no home or family. Yet in some cases, we do make an exception. After hearing the story from this boy’s father, Delcio knew that we had to accept the boy.
Chelton and his twin sister were born to a father and mother who lived far out in the bush where there are no modern services- electricity, running water, medical clinics, stores, etc. When the children were only eight months old, the mother abandoned the family and never returned. The father wanted to go for help, but having known people whose children were trafficked, he was afraid. He did his best to provide for the babies, but sadly the little girl died. Desperate to save the life of his son, he made the decision to go to the government for assistance. Delcio told me that he sobbed in relief after meeting him and learning of the home we could provide to his son. Through his tears, he expressed his gratitude to our foundation for offering his child life. He said that if he only knew such foundations existed, his daughter would be alive today.
Little Chelton was severly malnourished and underweight. As an 18-month-old, he weighed only 7 kilograms (15 pounds). He did not walk or talk.
Delcio brought him home to join the family living in Sunshine House 3. Chelton now had Ilda as a mother and four siblings to watch over him. It was late at night when they arrived. The children were ecstatic to receive him into their family. There was no time to prepare for him, so he spent his first night sleeping with his new mother.
The next morning, I called to see how his first sleep went. Delcio shared that Ilda did not sleep at all that previous night. Why? Because Chelton sang all night long. Have you ever heard of anything more beautiful than this??? Even at his young age, he knew he was in a secure place where he was safe and would be loved and cared for. His joy overflowed in song!
Delcio and Ilda took him to a private clinic to have a consult with a pediatrician. The pediatrician confirmed that he was underweight and malnourished and put him on a dietary program to resolve both issues. She said that time would tell whether he would walk again. She said it might be a developmental issue that would resolve itself in time, or it might be a neglect issue that may need intervention.
Since his arrival, only one month ago, Chelton has progressed beyond our expectations. Within five days of joining our Sunshine family, he started walking! He has been eating well and has gained weight quickly. He is happy and loving his new life.
lda and her children are so happy to have him in their family. They have been praying for years for a baby to join them, and their prayers have been answered. We all look forward to watching Chelton grow in the coming years and seeing who he will become in life. And now you can understand why Don says that I have the best job ever!
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