Orphan and Vulnerable Children Care

“We are the pied piper” Mary said to me, “and our cameras are the pipe”. Too true, I thought, walking through the village, head pounding with a cold, sun bearing down on me. Behind and around were 95 (I counted) kids, trailing and following and giggling and seeing where we were going. We never gathered them, we just arrived. And they just came. From within houses, behind trees and running, from each and every direction.

a select few of the 95.

& three of the particularly cute ones.

On the move they would get as close as they could to me, some daring to reach out and touch my hand, or my bag. They would ask to have my water bottle, and call me anything from “Rebecca” to “Erecjah”, practicing their English on me, trying to catch my eye. At each house we stopped at, six at this particular village, they could crowd around and gather, in height order, staring and analyzing us Azungu – the white folk. And no wonder, we were A grade entertainment. Blowing my nose, putting on sunscreen, picking thorns out of my feet, trying to join their dances – I was hilarious. 

one precious littly from the day care center.

More then 50% of Malawi’s population are children. Children are everywhere. Barefoot, snotty nosed, brown eyed, tatty-clothes wearing children. There are babies carrying babies everywhere you look, all covered in sores and ring worm, playing with sticks and the innards of spare tyres. Huge, pearly white smiles plastered across their faces.

I'm telling you,

babies carrying babies,

they are 

everywhere!

There are some, the confident ones, who come right up to you and take your hand, demand your camera, talk to you loudly in a language you don’t speak, stare and smile, or even run their fingers through your hair. There are some who are shy, who hide behind siblings and watch you from afar. There are some who upon seeing you, burst into tears and run, screaming in the opposite direction. One girl sat in day care today with a cloth over her head, for the very same reason. Each and every one of them, unique and full to the brim with personality. There is an abundance of children in Malawi. 

this is who I call Miss Bossy Boots.
had to take a photo while she wasn't looking.

this little girl is very sweet and has no fear.
she let me pick her up when she was crying.

this one is shy, but not scared.

this is Jasmine.
she knows a little English.
she loooooves photography.

this one is super cheeky, full of energy.
she loves to dance!

the one in the middle is Hannah.
she's smart. and has the sweet, sweet, sweetest little smile.

& this one, he's the most confident of all.
zero fear, completely curious.
instant friends.

It’s famous but it’s wonderful when Jesus said “let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these”. It’s clear from Gods word that children are a blessing. A loud, snotty nosed, attention seeking blessing. And here I was, in just one day, surrounded by 165 such precious lives, who would absolutely beam at me if I gave them just a little smile. 

finally, finally, finally, got his smile on camera! 

We did this one dance where, upon putting leaves and branches in our clothing, the children marched and marched around in a circle, singing. Seeing a good photo opportunity (how awful is that motivation) I joined in, and holding my hands out, I had twenty little hands reach desperately for mine. I had a child probably hanging off every single finger, and more. They just wanted to be near me. I ran out of games eventually, but I’d tickled little feet and little tummies – to roars of laughter – we had sang, we had laughed about language, we had high five’d and high ten’d, we had done actions, and we had taken photos photos photos, as they pointed to themselves in turn crying, “me! me!”. They really couldn’t get enough of me. There was just so many of them.

see the branches?

And that’s what it comes down to. There is just so many of them. In a country with such a young population, and a life expectancy of only 41, you can not possibly think to tackle the issue of HIV and AIDS without targeting and reaching out to and caring for children in need. And there is no shortage of children, and no shortage of need.

school. in the shade of a tree.

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again. One of the reasons HIV is so awful is that it doesn’t just affect individuals, or families. It effects entire communities and entire generations and for this reason; entire nations. Mostly, people die from AIDS in the prime of their lives, when they should be strong, working, contributing, parenting adults, and this too often leaves the very old and the very young. Too, too often there is left grandma, or grandma and grandpa, and an entire plethora of grandchildren. Again and again and again. 

grandma & grandkids & volunteers

repeated.

On one of our home visits today (two photos above) we visited a modest, brick house. Inside, lived a single grandmother, now solely responsible for her three grand-children. Two of them, now in their late teens – had been her responsibility for almost their entire lives. All orphaned, from two different sets of parents, they live with her, and try to make ends meets. How can she possibly grow food, or work when the children are at school? There is only hardship here. And this is not an isolated incident. This is almost the standard in some places. 

these brothers lost their mother
& are in our secondary school scholarship program.

this family lost their mother and wife.

We also visited this family. A single mother, of five children. They all sleep together in this one little room. The children are all at school, the mother is the sole provider.

mother & kids.

And in some respects these can be the lucky ones. Like grandparents do – in a country with such a low life expectancy, they pass away. And kids are left to other relatives, or whoever – if anyone – will take them in. There are some children in our programs, who even live alone. HIV affects many, many more then it infects. And children often bare, through no fault of their own, a fair chunk of the consequences. 

& one without the smile.

The Orphan and Vulnerable Children Program as part of HOPE for AIDS Malawi, meets the needs of these beloved through two different means. The first, is through day care centers for children under 6. The kids, usually around 70 of them, come each morning for a couple of hours to play games and sing songs and hear from the Bible. They learn a little English, the alphabet and counting, and at the end of their time together, they receive a nutritious meal. It gives these kids not only a place to come, when there is often no where else, but also a head start to life – educationally, spiritually and nutritionally. 

this one, he has the most stunning eyes.

It’s teaching these otherwise easily forgotten the value of their own lives, through Gods eyes, and it’s an outward teaching of love. Again run by HOPE for AIDS trained church volunteers, these children are then given value, and a place of consistency, and help. And I tell you what, they are beautiful. Energetic, loud and sometimes overwhelming, but also impossibly cute. 

lunch time.

Some are orphaned, either with one parent or two, and some are vulnerable in other ways, from very poor or very broken homes, having been very sick, or having had very sick parents or siblings. Some are HIV positive. In one way or another, they are all very much in need.  

Hannah.

And just like in Home Based Care, the other area of this ministry is in home visits. Going to the homes where children are in need and delivering what is lacking. Blankets, buckets, soap, food, plastic sheeting for their roofs, and mosquito nets; to name a few. Aside from Biblical teaching there is no standard, as each case is different, and each ‘case’ is a valued, precious life. With a name, and a smile and a very favourite colour. 

this one was very, very unsure of me.

Coming to Malawi I had one persistent prayer, Lord break my heart for what breaks yours. And I tell you what, despite my crappy attitude in the heat and with the exhaustion, He answered. It isn’t hard to fall for these kids. And I feel a great, great love for them.  But being just what they are, kids in need, there is also a great, great responsibility to care for them. 

beautiful.

Cliché as it sounds the verse comes to mind: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this; to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

now this one never stopped smiling at me. ever.

HIV is a pollution of the world. A result of unfaithfulness and unfairness and injustice and sin. It’s a pollution which leaves orphans, and widows, and widespread, deep-seeding, extensive distress. And we are called, so clearly called, to step in in this place, and to bring care and relationship, and because it involves children – long term involvement and investment. 

I call this one "my kid".
because even though I'm not supposed to have favourites, he made his way up there.
all confidence, and curiosity, and gentleness.
no fear.

Africa takes a very ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ kind of mentality. Toddlers look after babies, kids watch each other, and babies are passed between hands, and arms all day. But I’m extending that village a little further, as I think it takes a global village to care for, and raise these little ones. These ones made in the image of God. These ones who like their bellies tickled. For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. 

such as these. 

There are over 20 million HIV and AIDS orphans in the world. That’s the modest estimate. HOPE for AIDS Malawi, and by extension Orange HOPE, are caring for, and reaching out to, and providing for these few. In their villages, in their homes. 

dancing.

Orange HOPE is a fundraising branch. We raise funds. We bake, and watch movies, and host sporting events, and youth group games nights, and mufti days, and whatever works really – to raise funds, money. For Home Based CarePrograms, Orphan and Vulnerable Children Programs & Prevention programs. It’s here and there, this global village.

my kid.
reaching for me.

Take a little hand in yours. She holds on tight.