capacity building

Orphaned children are considered worthless in Benin--only valued for the service they can offer around the house. Once taken in by a family, a child can expect regular beatings and horrific abuse on a regular basis. Orphans have no rights in Benin--but little by little, we’re changing that.

Two years ago, we built a partnership to create a safe home for the many children living in virtual slavery in rural Benin. Because of those efforts, 56 children are thriving and doing very well today, safe and sound.

I recently returned from a trip to Hunger Pillar Mission Orphanage in Sinoe County, about seven hours' drive. I was carrying the director of the orphanage, Pastor Wleh, a local agricultural specialist, and three pigs for the home's newly constructed piggery. These pigs were in addition to three others that Orphan Relief and Rescue sent down just over two months ago.

Last week Matt and I had the opportunity to travel eight hours down the coast to Greenville, Sinoe. Our purpose was to check out the project that our friends from Hunger Pillar Mission had started. We attempted the trip before, but our flight was cancelled due to lightning. This time, we decided to go by land and carry with us three pigs for the project.

What better way to celebrate the gift of a brand new pickup truck, but put it right to work? In the right hands, a pair of pigs can generate quite a bit of income for an orphanage. In this case, we actually served four orphanages in one big, convoluted transaction.

As I'm leaving Liberia in just a few hours, I'd like to take a moment to thank you -- YOU! -- for making this past year such a success.

Together we undertook truly ambitious projects and saw not only physical conditions but children's lives transformed. We dug and rehabilitated several wells. We set up orphanage gardens and farms, training caretakers and children how to get the most out of the soil and seeds. We delivered food to those that needed it most. We provided care for -- and training to prevent -- common illnesses that Liberians suffer through needlessly.