Abandoned.
Alone.
Abused.
Forgotten.
Left for dead.
Unloved.
But now, there is hope.
Door of Hope ministries cares for children that have been orphaned or abandoned. It was founded when babies were continually found abandoned or dead, in plastic bags and dumpsters throughout the city of Johannesburg. Premature or special needs babies don’t stand a chance when even healthy babies are left for dead, tossed out with the garbage because their parents can’t or won’t take care of them.
It started with a door cut in a wall, where a parent can open it and place their child inside. Shut the door and an alarm goes off, and suddenly that child is in the care of a ministry that can get them the medical care they may need. Instead of being found dead in an alley, they are protected, cared for and loved, offered a hope for a better future, and hopefully someday a new family to care for them.
This is the ministry we have the blessing of working with this month. I am working with Starfish, the section of the ministry that cares for the special needs children, the ones that just need a little more lovin’ then the others. And I love my Starfish! This month I have 9 beautiful babies to love and care for, and though it is exhausting work, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. My day starts at 7 am and goes until 6 pm: bathing, feeding, dressing, changing, cleaning, playing and loving. Their beautiful faces make my day, and I love learning about each of their quirks and tricks, from the little punk that pushes over the other kids to get attention to the sweetheart that hugs and loves on the others when they fall down and bump their head.
Loving the unloved. Jesus’ specialty.
