I don't know who the baby is.

I've had many 'fun' or 'interesting' experiences at this branch of ours so far, but this one was pretty shocking to me!

I took the boys to go see my visiting sisters the other day.

I don't have a companion who is able to come with me every month, so I usually go alone.

The boys and I baked cookies in the morning, stuck a nice message on a notecard in there, and headed out. We visited sister M, and sister A., then sister E. last.

She invited us in. She looked better than usual (I think she's got a few mental issues), but complained all the while about her health anyway. Then I hear a baby. This is a 60-70 year old lady's house, mind you, and the rest of the house is dead silent.

There should NOT be a baby in there.

"who's baby is that?" I ask, innocently, hoping there was someone else in the house, like the baby's mom or dad.

"Oh, well, you know, it's my grandson's sister's boyfr........'s baby...."

I failed to mention that most of our members in our branch are African American. I love them, but they've got their own lingos and terms and slurs...and it's hard to understand them.

Long story short, she didn't even know who's baby it was. As the baby cried out from the corner it was in (in a car seat), sister E. went and picked it up. It was a little girl, not more than 4-6 months old. I asked sister E. her age, then her name. She shook her head, "I don't know."

There was NO ONE else around.

This is the life style of our branch and where the members live. I don't have anything against anyone or their neighborhoods, but I'd be lying to you if I told you I'm not afraid to go do visiting teaching or do other RS visits. It's a crime filled dingy place most of them are in, and you've got to guard your life at all times. Cops roam the places, and roaches scurry in their homes. Gangs and thugs rule the streets and well, you just don't want to be there at the wrong place.

My heart went out to both sister E and the baby, but more for the baby. My guess is that someone just came in and dropped the baby off at sister E's house, knowing that she'd be home all day while they roamed the streets smoking who knows what.

It's a real reality check sometimes to be in this branch.