CRIBS

Yesterday is probably one of the happiest and most fulfilling days of my life in recent years. I volunteered. I have always wanted to volunteer but I hadn't really done anything about it. I have always just had the intention but there was never an action. I have always pictured myself volunteering as a teacher and/or reader to really, really young kids. I have a really soft spot for kids.. and babies! Babies, most especially. They're just so innocent, cute, carefree, and adorable! It feels like nothing could ever go wrong when you hangout with them, when you spend time with them. Angels here on Earth!!!

At the beginning of the month, a colleague posted something on his FB wall about a foundation for babies. It's called CRIBS, short for Create Responsive Infants By Sharing. Essentially, you spend around two hours in the nursery taking care of the babies and the toddlers. The post immediately got my attention. And that time, I really felt like that was it. I was really gonna make a go. I tried to invite some friends but none of them was as interested as I was. But I was just so thrilled, I felt like there was a calling of some sort, that I didn't even bother that none of them wanted to go with me. So I just went alone. It felt like this was my journey to take. I looked for a map online and took a cab to get there. Normally, given that level of stress, I wouldn't have really gone, especially not without company. But, there There was something inside that really wanted me to be there. There was a strong want... a need... I don't know how to explain it.

I was so excited and exhilarated to get to CRIBS. The feeling's indescribable. When I got there though, I was mostly welcomed with crying babies (crawlers), around 4-12 mos. olds, if I am not mistaken. It was overwhelming. And then it hit me, "This. Is. Reality." There are babies here who need to be taken care of. And then there was a pang in my heart. I just wanted to get inside as fast as I could and to just start hugging them and embracing them and make them stop crying. I wanted to tell them or at least make them feel that they aren't alone. Seeing them cry just broke my heart. There were about 6-9 babies and only two of us (adults) inside the room... and half of them crying. I didn't know where and how to begin. There was no one there to instruct me what to do and how to do stuff.

I relied on my instinct. And so I paused for a moment to try to get myself together. And it was all so natural. The first baby I tried to pacify was Jillian (I am not sure if I spelled her name correctly). She was already so red from crying; it was as if her vocal chords were already near their elastic limit. At first she wouldn't stop crying when I took her from her crib. I then decided to put her in a rocker... and lo and behold! I managed to get her to sleep! Wow! And then I carried Corazon in my arms as she was also crying... Jillian woke up for a split second and looked like she was gonna start crying again, so I used my clean right foot to swing the rocker to get her back to sleep while carrying Cory in my arms. And then Cedric started crying. Wahhh! I took him also. So I had both Corazon and Cedric in my arms. They stopped crying when I held them in my arms. The feeling is indescribable. It was very fulfilling. And then there was Mika and Sepphoura (not sure of the spelling) and Jeff and Shine... and there were other babies whose names I wasn't able to catch.

The two hours I spent with the babies weren't enough. I didn't feel like leaving them but I had to. They looked so happy to have someone play with them and give them his/her full attention.

**sigh**

I am so thankful to God that He gave them the opportunity to survive in this world. There must be something in store for them. Surely, God has a plan. I pray that He will continue to guide and protect them. I pray that He will provide them with responsible, capable, and kind parents who would love them like they were their own and protect them like their own. Meanwhile, I will continue to do whatever it is that I can to make them feel loved and cared for. xo