A long two day bus-ride from the bush of Mozambique.
Five days of rest and we’re ready to go to Cape Town for a great month of ATL.
(ATL = Ask the Lord)
We’d spent the last month+ praying about where to go and what the Lord would have us do.
Our plan was to work at a coffee shop down by the waterfront in Cape Town, ministering to local business people, and young adults, particularly college-aged people.
Then our housing fell through…and our plane tickets suddenly wouldn’t book.
Hum…what was happening? A shift. A BIG shift.
We were presented with an opportunity to remain this month in Johannesburg serving alongside the ministry known as “Door of Hope”. What does this entail? Babies, babies, and more babies.
It was clear in this moment that we had a choice. We could continue chasing what we’d originally felt led to pursue – or we could drop everything we were holding on to and embrace what the Lord had set right before us…a whole lot of children who need to be loved.
Door of Hope Ministries began when a large number of babies began turning up in dumpsters, parks, garbage bags, or public showers – left for dead. Babies with disease and disabilities, or infants too young and expensive to care for in a poverty stricken neighborhood were all left. Some have HIV, others come with rat bites or markings from abuse or are simply left with no indication of belonging to anyone. Some babies are completely healthy but sadly, the mothers simply can’t care for them.
Castaways.
Orphaned.
Abandoned.
Infected.
Unloved.
Unwanted.
Abused.
Neglected.
Premature.
Left.
Nearly dead.
BABIES.
Then came the Door of Hope. It started with a simple door carved in a wall of a church. Behind this door was a bin where mothers could come and leave their babies – with the promise of being taken care of and eventually placed in a loving home. Once a baby was left in the bin, an alarm would go off and aunties would run to retrieve the new child – whisking it away to be loved, cleaned, cared for, nourished, and revived to health. The anonymity of both mother and child are carefully and legally preserved to encourage women to leave their children here rather than simply tossing them wherever. Sometimes babies show up only hours old – and other times the circumstances are a little different.
Door of Hope has saved hundreds of babies and currently has three homes where they care for toddlers, infants younger than six months of age, infants older than 6 months, and special needs or sick children. This ministry partners with an adoption agency, enabling the children to be placed in adoptive families. They also pay special care to the needs of children medically, physically, mentally, emotionally, etc – and give 100%+ effort in caring for them while at Door of Hope, in order to prepare them for their families.
This month I have the privilege of working with the STARFISH.
These are the special needs/sick children who just need a little extra tender love and care.
When we toured the facility and I saw them, I knew I was supposed to be here for the month.
I love my little starfish.
They are so full of life, laughter, potential, hope, energy, LOVE, and joy!
There are nine of them in total, each one with a distinct personality and role in the group.
They’ve stolen our hearts already and we’ve only been with them for a few days.
My partner in crime for the month is Shawndell (be sure to check out her blogs for fun stories).
Our day starts at 7 am and goes until 6 pm.
Changing nappies. Bath-time. Daily outfits. Feeding. Pajama time. Bottles. Nap time. Medicine.
Stories. Dancing. Loving. Swinging. Laughing. Praying. Smiling. Hugging. Cuddling. Timeouts.
It can be a little bit of an energy-sucker, but seeing them smile and knowing they are receiving the LOVE they need and the example of Christ in their lives makes it all worth it. It is an unexpectedly replenishing work as well. Who knew a month I’d expected to be working with young adults in a coffee shop, I’d spent caring for a bunch of beautiful babies as an “auntie”?!?
To all you moms and dads out there who have and continue to care for children 24 hours a day, seven days a week – you are truly the definition of a superhero in my book!
