Well, sorry I haven't done the daily updates, but I really want to get them done by Christmas, I appreciate your patience.
Today I want to share about the new girls we have in our house. Biba has decided that we are going to name the house Second Chances and all our projects Fields of Grace. When we started we thought we would be an orphanage but God had other plans and we are now taking in young homeless girls and their babies. Biba is enjoying this so much.
Right now we have 5 young girls ranging in age from 13 to 22. They were all referred to us by Social Welfare in Burkina. They all were rejected by their families for choosing not to give up their babies and were living on the street. I will share some details but this is their story and I don't want to share it too much personal info as it is their story.
I was blessed to be able spent time with each girl and baby while I was on my trip. We have rec'd 2 more girls since I left and it has only been a week. While there I had to sit down with Biba and each girl one on one and talked to them about there story. There were a lot of tears, what broke me more than anything was each of these girls is so broken and ashamed and scared.
One of the girls lost her parents to AIDS and is a Christian. She got pregnant by a boy in CHURCH who than rejected her. Already rejected because she had another child and her parents dying of AIDS, she had no where to go. She landed at Social Welfare as she was living on the streets, no food, nothing to take care of her children. I want you to understand that these girls did not even have shoes or underwear. They were hungry, very skinny and dirty. Little Arianne, the littlest of our babies at one month was very sick. Biba took all the kids and moms to the clinic. Baby A had malaria bad and couldn't eat or keep anything in. She barely weighed 4 pounds at 1 month. I am happy to report that with her treatment and Biba's care she is healthy and growing! It is a miracle. She also has a little brother who is 3 that is staying with us. The mom is still very depressed over her past and I spoke to her again yesterday. This girl is so beautiful that her in the US she could be a TOP MODEL. Biba and I spent time talking to her again yesterday via phone trying to encourage her that it is time to turn the corner that she is somewhere safe. She could use your prayers
Another girl, one of my favorites, lived with an Aunt who she was told was her mom but found out she was not. Her father was dead.The aunt beat her, I have seen the scars. She ended up getting pregnant and hiding in the fathers room for a couple of months until his mother found out. She was than kicked out to live on the streets while pregnant. She had her baby tho the baby wasn't breathing when born. She is as cute as a button now. This young lady was so depressed over her situation and after delivery tried to commit suicide when she said an angel appeared to her and told her that her baby was a gift and to name her innocent flower and to take care of her. Floita, as her mom calls her, is 3 months old and her mom is working on her past and has come a long way. YOU WOULD LOVE THIS GIRL. She has the most beautiful smile!
The other girl that I met while there has a similar story, she is a MUSLIM and got caught selling beer, gets kicked out, guy gets her pregnant and now everyone rejects her. Living on the streets, no where to go. Her little boy is just the happiest boy ever, he is 4mo and very healthy and a very good little boy.
The 2 new girls, one is 13 yo with a 1month old baby and the other is 21 with a 3 months old baby. Biba says the 21 yo is so funny and thankful and thanks Biba for everything. When she saw she had a bed, she said FOR ME? She had never had a bed. Biba says that she starts doing whatever Biba is asking before she finishes telling her what she needs done.
Biba had all the girls cleaned up, down to having their hair done and fingernail polish. They have new clothes from head to toe and lots of food. You would not believe what these girls can eat. They have nice bed, a very nice place to live and are being well taken care of. Biba has someone who comes in to help the girls during the day. There are house rules they have to follow and one is not leaving the house by themselves. Biba also bought 3 weaving looms at $200.00 each and the girls will be learning to weave cloth starting next month. They are responsible for their children and the house while they are there. Biba and I sat down and worked on our goals while I was there. As you can imagine we had many people stop in and also call to see if we could take in someone they knew. We had to set up our mission statement in order to clarify what we are doing and who we are helping. We truly want to help the girls with nothing. Biba thinks we can house and help up to 10 girls and their babies in our current house :) We are hoping that within the next year we will become self sufficient financially with our Second Chances house financially. Until that time we will need to continue to need money to keep our house and project going.
I took lots of girly stuff for the girls and the girls got sick from eating all the chocolate in one setting :) They all are taking good care of themselves and their babies. Biba has a nurse on call and she comes when needed or at least once a week. I have to say Biba is incredible! She wears so many hats and I have never seen someone give so much of them self or what she has. Biba does not have much but what she does have she gives away. She loves each girl and spends time with them each day. As I would say, she doesn't take any crap from them. They got in a spat while I was there and we had to sit down and talk to them and Biba just told them from her heart how to work it out. I could not have handpicked someone more loving, caring and responsible person as Biba to oversee our projects. She is incredibly fun too!
I know this has been long and I am posting pictures. I have been so blessed by my trip and these girls. I would love to be able to stay with the girls for awhile, they were hard to leave.
I will post more highlights from the trip early next week. Still to come, meetings with people needing things, meetings with the government and also a couple of orphanages!
Thanks for checking back!
Ann
