In 2014 my friends Willy and Gimo (both are translators for English language medical mission teams who serve at Univers Medical Centre) founded an orphanage for "truly orphaned" children. When they opened they only had enough funds to operate on weekends. Every Friday evening, they would go to the town square in Ouanaminthe and abandoned houses throughout Ouanaminthe where they would find the children living, bring them to the orphanage to have them sleep in the building that they rented until Sunday evening, when they would have to return the children "to the streets" of Ouanaminthe.
When I visited the orphanage one Saturday morning when it first was opened, they had the maximum capacity of 42 children, ages 5 to 12. They fed the children, taught the children Bible and English, taught the children worship songs in Kreyol and English. They had mattresses that they laid down on the very clean cement floors at night, so the children could sleep safely and soundly; there are boys rooms and girls rooms. Dignity, integrity and safety are held in the highest standard for each and every child.
They then asked me to help them with their business plan and Charter document. After reviewing what they had already written, there was no doubt that God's principles were the foundation of this orphanage. Again, I was impressed with the integrity within each section of the documents. I had a few suggestions, but truly overall, it was already written beyond anything I could have offered them to include. It was and remains very apparent that God had provided the direction and the foundation for this orphanage.
I returned to the orphanage this past week with an American pal of mine who came to Univers to have workshops with our 9th and 10th grade girls, as she requested to visit the orphanage.
Progress has occurred in the last year and a half. The total number of children served remains at 42, although of those 42, 5 are now able to live all week at the orphanage. They have expanded their outreach to allow children who may have only one parent or parent(s) who is unable to provide in any way for their child. Of the 42 children, 18 remain "truly orphaned".
The local Catholic and Baptist churches are now providing a little funding to help run the orphanage. This is so exciting! To give you an example of costs, it costs US $50 to provide for the food per week for all the children.
Oh the faces...oh the precious spirits...oh the smiles...
enjoy these photos and their descriptions...
A video from my first visit last year...
Photos from our recent visit - the children during their lessons and songs, in the main room. Everything is taught from a blackboard...
Here's the children during lunch time...
Willy talking with my friend Karen (from www.girlsfortheworld.org)...
One of the helpers, the cook of the orphanage, Karen, Willy, me and Gimo...
The kitchen of the orphanage...a cooking burner and pail...
It's very, very humbling,
Marylee
