A couple of weeks ago we informed you of a house we had secured in the Bandundu region. Today we are happy to announce supplies have arrived, including beds, furniture, a generator, kitchen appliances... and most importantly, children have arrived! The social worker has told us the kids are acting like they are walking into the Taj Mahal! Obviously, the conditions are not that grand, but compared to what they are used to we are very happy they are loving their new (temporary) living conditions! We say "temporary" only for the fact this is not their final destination, rather the first stop towards the possibility of finding a home to call their own one day! We really hope this home offers them some glimmer of hope as to what their futures hold.
The kids are meeting with the social worker, eating well, taking their vitamins and most have had an opportunity to visit the doctor for initial exams. The social worker, Jean Noel, is doing an amazing job meeting the needs of the children. Here are some photos of the home and children:
Sunshine House
Things continue to go well at Sunshine House! As the number of children grows, daily, we will be separating the children by ages. The older children will more than likely move to Rainbow House. Rainbow House offers excellent care, a large yard, bikes, swing sets, and a playhouse. These activities are more suited for older kids and we think they will really enjoy the opportunity. Both houses will continue to benefit from our recent hires of social workers who will be on hand during the week. They are doing a great job of addressing the childrens needs... or simply offering a hug when a child needs one!
Here are a few photos from Sunshine House:
We want to address the recent report from the embassy. We are saddened
beyond belief for the singles in the EAC Congo program. Some will make it through and be able to complete their adoption,
some we will continue to fight for depending on the stage of their adoption, and some will be switching to our Uganda and Haiti
programs. We know a lot of you have expressed concerns for those who find themselves in this unfortunate situation. Please know, the night the notice was issued we were on the phone with all families affected talking about the situation and their options. We will continue to work with them until each of them is able to bring the child, that was meant for them, home.
EAC has formed an alliance with 6 other major agency's operating in Congo to improve communication between the agency's and the Congolese authorities. We hope to be able to provide additional updates as this further develops.
The DGM continues to limit the number of exit visas issued, however, we remain confident a resolution will come soon. We are working with our in country staff on an daily (sometimes hourly) basis.
We hope this update brings a smile to your heart - it does to ours!
Debra and Robin
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