The Children and the Group Homes

Many of the children that Hope For Children care for have lost both their parents to AIDS and have no family members left or any who are willing to take them in. These children live is small group home with 6-8 children and 2 caretakers. Today we visited several of them. Each home has its own personality.



In one home, we visited with year-old twins who were born to a 14-year old girl. The girl and the twins were given a home, but the 14 year old was not able to handle the psychological pressures of being a mother and ran away. The twins have remained and are much loved.

In another home I met a Moses, 3-year old boy who was found in a rural area of Ethiopia as a very small infant. He and 4 other children had been abandoned in a garbage dump because the parents could not care for them. All of the other children were eaten by hyenas. For some reason, Moses was somewhat hidden and the hyenas did not eat him. He was found peacefully sleeping by a woman who took him to a local church. The church gave him to a foster family who eventually asked Hope For Children to take care of him. Moses, named for his miraculous discovery, is thriving and alive with laughter, especially when he is dancing with the other children in his home.


In another group home, the children were very sad because their group mom is moving to the US to join her fiance. She leaves tomorrow and you could see the sadness on the faces of the children. She is hoping to return, but plans are unsure.

When you meet the HFC children outside of the homes as they are playing, it is obvious which ones live in Hope For Children homes and which do not. The HFC children are outgoing, laughing and playing, while the others are shy and much more withdrawn. The love and nurturing that these children receive is shown on every face.

Dorothy