12 Aug Little Doreen – In and around Lusaka, Zambia with Every Orphans Hope

August 12th, 2015 – HIV has changed the parental landscape of Africa, and the children suffer. Children who never know their parents are often raised by grandparents or friends, many times they are forced on caretakers that are unable to care for themselves, much less others.

Doreen was only 18 months old with no living parents when she was placed into the hands of grandparents who struggled themselves to survive. Each day they left little Doreen alone in a small grass pen so they could look for piece mill work on nearby farms. Daily, Doreen was left with not much more than a orange to eat while her elderly grandparents searched for work and food, returning with little more each night.Doreen was at the age of three when she came under Every Orphans Hope sponsorship and allowed to live in My Fathers House #3 with a “Mama”. For the first three months Doreen was expressionless, no smile, no communication, just a blank stare.Eventually a summer intern from the states connected with Doreen and continually poured out love on this silent little girl. The love she gave was unconditional, the kind of love that expects nothing in return, Christ’s love, the kind of love that changes lives. The transformation was dramatic as Doreen responded. Years later Doreen is one of EOH’s brightest little stars.

I hope these photographs convey some of the vivaciousness that I experienced in this special girl. I will always remember little Doreen.

“Love does whatever it takes to multiply itself and somehow along the way everyone becomes a part of it.”
― Bob Goff, Love Does