Back to School Time

Each year with 'back to school time' new children come into the orphanage. And, this year has been no exception.

In the past 10 days we have taken 4 new children into the orphanage. Two of these children are babies and two of them are school age children.

Awa is a little 6 month old whose parents are both not well mentatlly. The parents and Awa were essentially living on the streets. Social Action has placed Awa in our orphanage while they try to find extended family of the parents both to care for the parents and for Awa. For 6 months of age, Awa is very small. She is not yet sitting up by herself but we trust that with love and care, she will catch up developmentally.

Monica is a little two year old who also has a mother who is not well mentally. Recently, Monica's mother tried to kill her but a neighbor intervened and took Monica to Social Action. Monica's mother is not even able to give her name or where her home village is located. Pending an in depth home study, Monica may be available for adoption.

Waogba is 11 years old and comes from a village about 10 kilometers outside of Yako. He is one of our sponsored children and we have been watching him very closely for over a year now. Waogba is very small for his age and was not getting the care that he needed at home. When he was sick, it was hard for the family to get medicine for him and he missed a lot of school.

This summer, we started talking with Waogba's family about the possibility of him coming to live at the orphanage during the school and then returning home to the village for the summer vacation. And, his family was in agreement for this.

Waogba is behind in school and small for his age. . . . but, in a smaller class size and with good food we trust that he will catch up real quick. He is in the 3^rd grade of our primary school.

Ouedraogo, Leontine is also one of our sponsored children. She comes from a small village called Doure about 14 kilometers outside of Yako. Leotine's mother has died and the family has not heard from her father in many years. It is thought that he is living in the Ivory Coast. She was living in the courtyard of an aunt and was mostly being cared for by an aging grandmother. Often Leontine was sick. She often missed school either because of an illness or in order to help her grandmother in the courtyard. She is 12 years old.

We have invited Leontine to come and live at the orphanage. She will attend our primary school where she is in the 5^th grade and she will return to the village for the summer vacation.