Vaccination Time!

About a week and a half ago we took 12 kids under the age of 5 to get their Polio shots.  Yes, 12 kids.  No matter where you live that many kids and shots is always an experience.  Fortunately, only 8 of the 12 had to have shots and the others a check-up.  I had no idea what to expect but I was super excited to go, saying the person who didn’t have to have a 2 inch needle go into my leg or arm.  The health center was an outside facility with a courtyard.  It was 9am and already there where 10-15 people waiting.  We managed to wait for almost an hour before the first victim’s name was called.  Jose David, age 5.  Within minutes of him being in the room we all could hear the screams and loud crying.  He came walking out of the room with tears rolling down his cheeks.  Before we couldn’t get this kid to sit still and now he sat down quietly as they called the next kid’s name.  The assistant director was the one in the room with the kids and nurses while I and the two house mom’s stood outside trying to keep the kids under control.  Not as easy as it sounds.  When they got to the 4th child’s name it was Mynor. I brought him into the nurse’s office to pass him to the asst. director.  Mynor is a 2 year old boy who is very very shy.  He doesn’t know the asst. director very well so he started bawling.  So she passed him backed to me and without speaking about it we changed places.   For the rest of the children I stayed in the office. :) I helped the nurses give the shots by holding the children in my arms and telling them it was going to be ok.  An incredible experience in many ways.  

Jenny

That morning helped me understand each child better and how they deal with fear and the unknown. Two things that are very common for these kids.  A few of the children stand out to me.  Jenny, a 3 year old that has been at the orphanage since the end of February, was physically abused by her mother.  She came to the orphanage with bruises and pinch marks all over her body. I held her hand as we entered the room and she walked in smiling and singing a tune.  She appeared as if she just got off her favorite ride at the amusement park.  So happy and giggly.  When we were in the room she sat on my lap and I just kept telling her it was going to be ok and she just kept smiling and singing.  Then it was time.  When the needle was in view and it was time for her shot she began to freak out and cry.  She’d say over and over, “No, no I don’t want a shot! No, no!”  It broke my heart to see this 3 year old girl try and be “grown up” by hiding her fears and masking them with her giggling face and a cheerful smile. 

Sergio (left) and Mynor (right)

Sergio, age 4, is another boy who stands out in my mind. He has been at the orphanage since January or February.  He was the last one to get his shots.  Every time I came out of the room to bring in a new child he would ask me, beg me, to take him.  He would repeat over and over that he wanted a shot, in fact he wanted two! This made everyone laugh since most 4 year old children don’t beg for a shot.  He would try and come into the room with me to watch the other kids get theirs.  Then it was his turn.  He sat on my lap with his head held high.  He appeared very overconfident.  Then the needle came out.  And he flipped.  He started yelling, “No no.. I don’t want a shot! No!!!!” He started kicking and throwing his arms so we had to have 3 people hold him still while the nurse gave him the shot.  He sat on my lap and I bear hugged him holding down his arms as two other nurses held each leg so he didn’t kick anymore.  After he had his two shots, one in the arm and one in the leg, he fell to the floor screaming and crying.  Every time one of us tried to pick him up he would try to hit us and scream at us, “No, don’t touch me.” Finally, I just grabbed him and held him in my arms while he kicked me and tried to push away.  That only lasted for a few short seconds.  I took the hand of the other little boy that decided to watch and we walked back into the waiting area.  Everyone in the waiting area chuckled because this was the arrogant little boy who was sure he wanted a shot.  He continued to cry for another 5 minutes in my arms and would get mad if anyone talked to him. 

Believe it or not, this little event helped me immensely understand this boy on a deeper level.  He was so scared, so nervous, so he put up his defenses.  He appeared confident and brave, when really on the inside he wanted to pee his pants.  Then after the shots he tried pushing everyone away, when again on the inside he was hurting for love.  With kids like him, with people like him, it’s so easy to stop there.  To stop when he starts kicking and pushing us away.  A part of us wants to believe that we are respecting what he wants.  That’s why they are called the “difficult children”.  His overconfidence is really his defensive mechanism that causes him to lack the love he desires and needs.  Or I wonder if it is the love he soo desperately desires and lacks that causes his overconfidence.  So I love him anyways.  When he pushes me away I go back.  When he’s disobedient I tell him what an amazing boy he is and how much I love him.  For this, I need God and His constant reminders that Sergio has enough people yelling at him and telling him what to do, but only I am there telling him how great and special he is.  I’m not writing this to pat myself on my back, because I know that it’s all God.  You can never tell a child too often how much the Lord loves him and how special he is.  Those are words that can never be worn out, but unfortunately those are words that are preciously rare to these children.  So I feel honored to share God’s love with these children and then slowly watch how God begins to heal their open wounds.

Shots at the Guatemalan health center... another amazing experience to add on to my list! :)