A Morning Full of Questions!

6/9/14

I have been trying to compose this blog in my head for some time now and so I am going to give it a go. When skyping my parents they have asked me several questions about the orphanage, The Haven, and so I am going to try to answer those questions that I am sure others of you also have. 

Why haven't you shared stories about particular children?

I feel that these children have a story to tell. And from the ones that I have heard, they are usually pull at the heart strings. However, these stories are not mine to tell. They make you love the child that you already have a connection with so much more, but for those of you who do not have a connection I feel it might do the opposite. I feel that you might here these stories and feel sorry for them but that is not the point of sharing the stories. When I hear these survivor stories, and some of them are survivor stories, they make me so proud of these little ones. They have accomplished and overcome so much more in their short 1-4 years then I have in a lifetime. 

What is the overall health of the babies?

I think this was my greatest surprise when I came here. I expected to see an orphanage that was overcrowded with sick and malnourished children and I am sooooooooo happy to say that this is not the case! While there are some children (and by some, VERY VERy FEW) here who are "sick" I would say that the ones I have observed are overcoming the sickness with the help of Megan and medicine. They are thriving, succeeding, happy and healthy babies! Praise God! 

Why are these particular children at The Haven?

Well, like most kids in America, the children are here because of many different reasons. I will list a few particular reasons just to give you an idea. I must remind you that these stories are stories of human children with human hearts. These stories are not told to make you feel sorry for them, but instead to remind you of the resilience of these children and to make you proud of them. Some of these babies are here because they have no family, others are here after a mother has died in childbirth and the family is still in mourning. Others are here because of illness (some physical and some mental) either of themselves or their family. Some are here because the cost of raising a baby is overwhelming. If any of you have had experience in the states with the foster/adoption system, all of these reasons are the same in the United States.

What is the ultimate goal of The Haven in regards to these children?

The ultimate goal is for these children to go back to the village that they came with. If they don't have parents or their parents are not able to care for them, the goal is to find a family member or friend that will care for them. Because this is the ultimate goal The Haven is set up to accomplish this. Therefore every meal that they have is something very similar to what they would eat in the village, Shima (sp?). The lecture that we got on the first day is: They eat dirt, and it's ok. Which is so true. If they drop their snack on the sandy ground they sure do pick it up and eat it. That's what they would do in the village, so that's what they do at the Haven. 

What happens to these children when they get older if they have no place to go?

Well this is where I might be getting a little out of my information realm but I will share what I know. When the kids get to be about school age for the most part the ones that are still at the Haven are the ones that will not be going back to the village for various reasons, but mostly because they have no place to go. There is a place right across the street from the Haven called "Eric's House" and it is run my a missionary couple, The Merritts. They have been known to take in the boys that were at the Haven and had no other place to go. In Zambia, from what I understand, it is a disgrace on the family for them to let others adopt their children so the Merritts have adopted these boys basically but not legally. The question is what happens to the girls? And this is where I am a little fuzzy. I think right now they try to find someone that will take them in, either an auntie or friend but I have heard rumors that sometime in the future they might start something similar to Eric's House only for girls. So do not fear, when the kids are too old for the Haven they are still well cared for and have places to go! 

God is good all the time, All the time God is good! 

Please comment if you have another questions and I will do another blog answering those questions!