Not only are the children starving, but many are filled with parasites they contract from animals, water or by walking barefoot. These parasites swell up their faces and stomachs making them look bloated. Some have communicable diseases and must be quarantined. Carmen points to one of the children, who she said was so sick they thought she would die. Now, the girl's nearly ready to leave the hospital, though she may have to be adopted by another family, since the child's step-father forced the girl's mother to abandon her and may not allow her to return.
Parents can visit their children twice a week.
Many eagerly join their Wisconsin visitors in playing catch or with other toys. Others only want to be held. They respond by holding on tight, grateful for human touch and a loving embrace. Each of the 18 children being cared for receive their own special doses of vitamins, which most take without resistance. That's far different from when they first arrive, said Sr.