Life Less Ordinary: As They Wait

In Rabat, Morocco, there is a public hospital that was created by the Association des Amis de l’Hopital des Enfants de Rabat. This association was created by a group of Moroccan women to raise funds in order to provide moral and financial support to sick children and their families. In the asthma ward of this hospital, the halls are crowded with wandering children and concerned mothers. Here the children and the mothers stay, often three families to a room, and receive treatment in the hopes of improving enough to leave.
These beautiful children, ranging from age 1 to 17, are happy, open, and loving. Despite their life behind the walls of a hospital, they seem cheerful, and treat each other as their brothers and sisters. However, because of the lack of facilities for such a large number patients, the children smell of salty sweat and dirt and many wear the same clothes day after day. These are mostly families of humble means, which is why they are at this hospital rather than a private institution. Still, the children carry on, frowning only when they are sore from various treatments or have difficulty breathing and have to watch as the other children play.

Mothers often came in to play with their children or converse with other mothers, but the children’s time spent in the play center was meant to be a break for the mothers.

Zubir entered the play center every day with dried tears and a frown on his face. He always seemed to be upset by his morning doctor visits. But, it did not take long for that devious smile to spread across his face as he began to look for trouble.