Last Saturday morning at Bible Faith Outreach Orphanage Christmas was celebrated. It was quite a special time as for the children it was their first time hearing clearly why it is celebrated and receiving presents as well. For me it was a hard hitting time seeing these kids, but seeing their faces was priceless. It made the front page of one of PNG’s main news papers, please find the story below and linked here.
1. Some of the kids with their presents
These children are not so lucky but thanks to people like Rose
By DAVID MURI
THIS is a notice to all those caring parents out there. What are you planning for your children for the Christmas and New Year festivities? Take them for an odyssey? Or, are you giving away a marvelous banquet for your little ones? Even surprising them with unusual gifts through Santa Claus would be well acknowledged and received. They will be lucky because they have you as a concerned parent who will be right there providing for their immediate needs.
But lives for more than 100 children in Mt Hagen will be different. They will not enjoy the warmth or receive any gift from a parent. Because they have no parents to care for them or to meet their wishes. They are orphans. Some don’t know where their parents are. Many deserted their homes to seek refuge at the city’s Bible Faith (Orphnage) Outreach located at New Town. The place is being run by a Good Samaritan. Her name is Rosa Kepa. She is being assisted by her husband Jiwa and their five children. The centre’s sole obligation is to feed these hungry children a decent meal and on a daily basis. They also try their best to clothe these bereaved kids. They are children of settlers, most who had died of HIV/AIDS. Other s have deserted their homes because of constant abuses - both physical and verbal. The centre has been their mainstay for the past year with Aunty Rosa Kepa their sole breadwinner.
Last Saturday, Aunty Rosa provided a main meal for them. They had breakfast of scones and tea that was followed by rice and hot bisque. They were also given presents ranging from toys, T shirts, jumpers, shoes and sandals. The children were in perfect joy. Aunty Rosa has given a new life and hope to these unfortunate kids. They are innocent victims of their parents’ carelessness. They will struggle to survive for a long time to come. Aunty Rosa says as a veteran Christian for 30 years, she felt obliged to assist the little one who were in desperate need. She said many people want the government to provide for everything but she added that she wanted to give whatever little she had as her contribution towards solving the children’s problems.
She does not want to stop by feeding and clothing them only. Aunty Rosa wants to provide them education. But that dream will require so much funding to fulfill. Aunty Rosa’s other problem is a spacious land to accommodate the growing number of children entering her yard.
She currently rents three houses to accommodate about 20 homeless children. They are being fed by proceeds from street sales by volunteers who assist Aunty Rosa. Sometimes they are surviving from donations from Christians. How will these continue and how will Aunty Rosa sustain her charitable operations?
Will hopefully have a Christmas update and more photo’s in the New Year.
