When adoption is not an option, because they are too sick, too old or too far-gone…

We found Esther in a bush on the side of the road. With nothing to wear but a plastic grocery bag she was wrapped in. She was kicking and loudly crying, determined to survive. Survived she did. We brought her to our Kinship Center, washed her, fed her, and for the first few days she was passed from one embrace of loving arms to another. Surrounded by our love she blossomed, her cries were soon replaced by the giggles of a content baby. Couple months later all the formalities of the official orphan in-take process were through, we were finally able to take her for her first real medical checkup. She tested HIV positive.

“Run!” was the last word Shem ever heard from his father. He obeyed and escaped from angry people burning down his village. He did not know who they were. But the painful screams from his neighbors who were not as fast on their legs as he was echoed in his mind for many days. Shem kept on running. From the people he stole food from, and the people who, seeing his dirty skinny body, pitifully offered him some food. The only thing Shem was not able to outrun was his hunger, always with him, annoying, sometimes painful. The next meal was all he could think about. Until one day he could not think clearly anymore. The pain subsided, but also whatever he saw was blurry and sounds were muffled. He stumbled into a large building through a half open door. There were children singing a strange song about a Father who loves them. Exhausted Shem sat on the floor. Someone saw him. “Are you hungry?” they asked, “We will eat soon, will you join us?”

When adoption in not an option - YOU CAN HELP.