The past president of the Rotary Anns stood with the social worker of Shiloh Place at the empty cot where a tiny baby died a few hours before.

It was the second baby who passed away and came as a shock for all the personnel and the supporting organisations. Joy Gilbert, Rotary Ann, actually came to present a camera to Shiloh Place, when she heard the sad news.

The baby was a premature baby girl who came to Shiloh Place when she was discharged from the hospital, because of the strikes at the time. She met so much love and care at Shiloh where she was fed with a dripper every hour or so. She was gaining weight well.

"She actually should have been in an incubator," project manager Linda Dunhin said.

The ‘mother’ of all the babies, Teresa de Beer, said it was a terrible shock, also to the night shift lady who was keeping the tiny baby warm on her breast. She passed away somewhere around five on the morning of July 5.

"God brought her here for a reason and I know God is in control," Teresa said.

"I love them so much and I don’t want them to die. God showed me a vision of our first baby who died, where she was smiling up at Him just as she used to look up at me, only now she has no pain," Teresa said. The first baby died on June 30. When the second baby died on the morning of the first baby’s funeral, Shiloh Place decided to hold a double funeral on Tuesday (10th).

In the meantime, Shiloh Place has three baby boys to care for and two more are expected. Every baby needs a proper profile and towards that end, Joy handed a Kodak Easy Share Camera to social worker Trinette Claassens. Trinette thanked the Rotary Anns and explained that the camera would be used to compile a profile of the baby and to monitor the baby’s progress, especially for adoption purposes. The profile includes, where possible, photos of the mother, granny and other siblings.

"The profile will go with the baby to adoption. A proper profile is needed since that is what the baby will have of his or her background," said Trinette.