Noah and I were privileged to go to South Africa for eight days this month. Our daughter, Karen, is volunteering at an orphanage in Johannesburg, (hereafter referred to as Joburg,) for six months along with four girls on her team. We arrived there late afternoon on Saturday, 26 hours after leaving our house back in the Midwest. We were not complete zombies, but getting to that point!
On Sunday we attended a black church in the city. We enjoyed their service very much and felt like we heard Truth spoken. I was reminded of "every tribe, every tongue, every nation..." Behind the church is the first Door of Hope orphanage..
Missy and Karen are posing in front of the "Hole in the Wall." This is a safe place where mothers can anonymously leave their babies and be confident they will get the care they need. When a baby is placed here, an alarm is triggered in the orphanage alerting them that a baby has been left. To date, 150 babies have been left in this manner. I understand that an average of three babies a day are abandoned in Joburg. This is not the orphanage where the girls volunteer, however, it is associated with that one. There are three Door of Hope orphanages in Joburg, but only one has volunteers.
Labeled bottles are prepared for each baby. All are fed at once. They are taught to hold their own bottles as soon as possible. If they cannot or refuse to, an auntie helps them. Most of the time the aunties are feeding two at once. I wish I could post a picture of feeding time, but the orphanage asks that no pics be posted of the babies' faces. And since they don't lay on their backs to drink their bottles ...
The babies love to be held, and it generally doesn't matter by whom. Here Noah holds one at one of the other orphanages.
A peek into one of the bedrooms. There is one more crib in here.
Karen holds one of her many favorites.
I took these pics on the way back from church, so they are not completely clear. However, they give an idea of the scenes along the way.
This would be considered a poor section of the city.
Joburg is a modern city, much like a US city. I felt like the culture there was not that different from our own. However, Karen told me out in the villages they have more of a tribal culture.
This is the orphanage where Karen and her girls volunteer.
It is quite hilly or mountainous there. This is the view of Joburg from close to Door of Hope.
In the steep places along the streets they plant lovely flowers and shrubbery.
It seemed every property was walled and gated. I love the landscaping along this wall.
Lots of houses in close proximity!
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