Every morning around 8:30am, you can find me in the pediatric ward. I take the kids’ morning temperature while the nurses prepare for the day. Visiting the pediatric ward can sometimes be chaotic. There are crying babies and sick kids, but in a strange way, I love stopping by every day to take temperatures. I have the chance to get to know the kids and their moms in the ward. Sometimes, I only see a kid in the morning, but majority stay anywhere from two days to two weeks. It’s great to see a patient grow stronger and healthier over time. The two-year-olds are scared of me, because I’m a stranger (or “azungu”) with a pointy object (the thermometer). My technique of placing the thermometer under the squirming kid’s armpit has improved over the last five weeks. My favorite patients are the older kids, because they know that I’m here to help, not hurt. I can also carry a small conversation with them in Chichewa, and seeing them smile makes me jump for joy.

In the afternoon, I revisit the pediatric ward to hand out stickers. This has also helped me get to know more of the patients. Some of the kids are so perplexed by the stickers, especially when it sticks to their hand. The moms love it as well. One of the girls in the ward has been creating a fashion statement by putting small heart stickers on her ears like earrings. This has become a growing trend among moms and the older girls in the pediatric ward (I wear a pair around as well). Although the kids are sick, I enjoy bringing some kind of happiness to their day. It’s not a huge toy or surprise, just company and a cool sticker. It reminds me how the small things in life actually count and that a smile or a hug can bring more happiness than anything else in the world.