Help Us Celebrate These Amazing Women

This Mother’s Day

By Pastor John Sweet

 It is hard to describe all that mother’s pour into their children. Most are so deserving of honor. For the children I have served over the last 25 years, many of them are missing those motherly gifts. They are often missing the basic life skills and experiences that most of us take for granted. The lack created when a mother is not there is deep. The children who come to our homes need a mother’s embrace, a mother ‘s guidance, and a mother’s love.  Join me on a quick trip and meet some of our amazing mothers in action. 

We start with Gladys, who seventeen years ago stepped into the role of mother for 30 children in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.  Her passion and deep care literally changed the path of 300+ children who have come under her care.  Gladys is a credentialed minister, gifted speaker, and national leader, but also a mother to the most vulnerable. Gladys sets a shining example for the children she serves at Haven of Hope Bolivia.

Now we travel to Arusha, Tanzania to Matonyok Children’s Home, a rural home for children. Twenty years ago, Emmy was a nurse who assisted with disabled children in her community medical clinic. She observed that many of the disabled children were poorly cared for so she asked their caregivers if she could have them. There were no wheelchairs to navigate the rutted dirt roads, so the children were carried to the orphanage on their backs. Today over fifty children call Matonyok home. Emmy is mom, along with her husband, they care for these children. As you walk along the paths of the grounds, your heart is warmed when you realize all that Emmy has poured into these children, many who have disabilities. Emmy is a super-mom.

A few hours north we cross into Kenya into the city of Nairobi and into the urban slum of the Embakasi Pipeline area. In stark contrast to the bustling street vendors, pool halls among the dilapidated multistory structures and mounds of trash there is an unremarkable three-story building with John E Halgrim Orphanage painted on the front. Miriam started working at an orphanage as a teen. She and her late husband founded the orphanage. Miriam works tirelessly among the 30-50 children residing there. Upon her husband’s death several years ago, Miriam manages the orphanage alone. She is a model of resiliency and courage.

Just across town in the Ruiru community is Watu Wa Maana; we find Wanjiru working among the 30 children whom she has taken off the streets. Wanjuri is a dreamer. She dreams of a center on her property for children to learn vocational skills and a commons area for cafeteria so the children can have tables and chairs and a covered place to eat. She works to get her children through high school and some into college. On one occasion when there was not food for the children, Wanjuri prayed, and then instructed the cooks to prepare boiling water for the food that would come. They prepared the water and soon someone arrived with food. Still Wanjuri dreams.

Pastora Lilly has served as a local judge. She consistently worked among the very poor in her community. She watched the children go without. Finally, she sensed God’s call to retire from the bench and build a home for girls. Three cottages are nearing completion, a security wall has been erected and staff have begun training to receive these children. 

Back home we find ourselves in Citra, Florida where there is a 62-acre ranch with cottages for 38 boys and girls. They come from the ugly world of abuse and exploitation. The cottage mothers awake every day to the great responsibility to share a mother’s love to the most vulnerable. Often their efforts are nothing less than heroic. These mothers are heroes of hope.

The Mothers of Haven of Hope step into the darkened world of the orphaned, abandoned and abused and shine the light of love and hope to hurting children of the nation of orphans. We invite you to celebrate our mothers with a gift to support their amazing work. Visit havenofhopeintl.org to donate to these homes.