HOFO Update

We receive this earlier this month from our Director at the House of Faith Orphanage in Silembe, Zambia, Jo Anne Byrum (edited):

May 2, 2008

I have had a busy week as God sent us 3 children. I guess Mike told you that we now have 11 children. Sorry for not keeping you up to date, but my computer got worms and it had to go to the clinic in Lusaka! We have then had all these power problems and I have been out at the home more than in town, keeping me away from opportunities to communicate our progress.

I want to fill you in on what has happened since we received Natasha. So we received Natasha on the 16th of April. After we had had her for a week I found out the grandmother wasn't truthful about her. Both of her parents are in fact alive! The mother Barbara got pregnant while in school and the father has had nothing to do with the child. I have a letter from the headman(the tribal official responsible for the village) stating I should keep the child. I had the mother sign the release form because she is of legal age and I wanted the mother to agree to what she was doing and not just do it because her mother(Natasha's grandmother) told her to. So that is Natasha's story.

Then we received two boys and they are brothers; Lastone and Vanbeck. They come from a mother whose husband has died and she was left with 15 children! They are healthy looking -not too malnourished. They have never attended school until this year. Vanbeck is 11 and Lastone is 8.

Friday is 20 months old. His mother is alive, but he is coming from a very, very traditional family. The Uncle in charge of the family and is a Traditional healer. He has two wives and is now responsible for caring for his brothers children. Notice brother is plural. He has had two brothers die and had 4 extra children. The uncle has 16 children between his wives, plus the 4 from his brothers. Now Friday is thin and has slightly reddish hair which is a sign of malnutrition. His cousin Priscar is 6 yrs old and has had scabies all over her body for a long time. Why the traditional healer didn't get rid of them I don't know? She has a slightly puffy face. Could be from the scabies. She has not attended school either.


There is also Constance who I had interviewed with her grandfather before she had come. She is afraid of white people. I was the first one she had ever seen. Her grandfather is 58 yrs old. Her mother died of a sever headache, maybe an aneurysm? She has lived with her grandparents in a very isolated area, with no other children around and in poor living conditions. She appears healthy, and is 3 yrs old.

Now the one God sent us -I interviewed his uncle on the 28th. The Uncle came to the home and spoke to me about Brain. This is his story......... When he was 9 months old his father took him from the house and then set it on fire burning and killing the mother. He was arrested and put in prison where he died. When Brain was 3 yrs old he was diagnosed with HIV, and has been on medication since. I was quiet shocked when I saw him. He is so malnourished and depressed. I just want to hold and love on him all the time, but his age is 6 and he is not use to cuddling. He did let me hold him the first night. He is so so very thin and small. He is wearing size 4 clothes and then the pants are falling off because he is so thin. I gave him an ABC book to look at and that's what he did -he sat and looked at the page I gave him. I turned the page and he looked at that page, but never took the initiative to turn or see what else was in the book. His Uncle said he was a good boy, but he just sits like that. So later that night I brought out my electronic toy I had brought. It is a baby toy that makes sounds like the doorbell ringing when you push the door, or water when you push the water drop. Anyway, he showed interest in that and took to pushing buttons. This was something that was stimulating him. The problem is when I am not there I have to put the toy in my box, or else it will be destroyed. He goes for review at the clinic on the 8th. Thank God. I wanted to take him right away because he is so malnourished, so God worked it that he came just when his review date came up. My plan is to give him extra feedings during the day. I will be giving him milk 4 times a day, and plan to buy bananas and high energy high protein foods for him. I told Elizabeth to tell the other children that because he has not had proper food in his diet he needs to have extra food for now so he can become fit. I will also put him on a special vitamins that they have here. It helps you put on weight.


Lovemore HIV test came back negative! Yea! He will have eye surgery this month. God is so good -the eye team comes from America this month. I will keep him here at Mike's (our Mission Director's home in Kalomo) for a few days just to ensure protection for his eye as it is windy and sand is flying. He doesn't need to get it infected.

So that's all I can think of for now. If you have any questions please email me. Remember that I am out more than in if I don't respond right away. I will go back out on Sunday and return on Tuesday. I then go back out on Wed and return Thursday. I know we are planning to go to Livingstone on Friday, and I want to buy a months supply of food and other items for the house.


Pictures are in transit and should be emailed to you momentarily. Please distribute as you receive.

Your servant to Yeshua the Messiah,
Jo Anne <><

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These children, and more where came from, need our help. Please keep them in your prayers and consider supporting one or more on a monthly basis financially. If you'd like to get a question to Jo Anne please email to info@worldorphanrelief.org. -Peace