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See all newsProject Bind Up the Broken: Orphan Supplies
Posted on 05.14.2012
Did you know that children all over the world suffer every day for want of simple items that we here in America regularly take for granted—items that are readily accessible for us and found on shelves in millions of stores all over the United States? How many bottles of children’s Tylenol or Motrin does the average American family have in their home at any given time? How often do we run to a store five minutes from our house and choose from an almost-overwhelming variety of diaper rash creams, diapers, or multivitamins, to keep our babies dry, comfortable, and healthy? Imagine having no way to bring down a child’s fever, alleviate pain, replace a wet, messy diaper with a clean one, or provide even the most basic care for painful diaper rash. This is reality for caretakers of most orphans outside of the U.S. Would you like to be a part of helping to change this? Would you like to directly impact the quality of life for an orphan by providing these simple supplies for them?
The Shepherd’s Crook (TSC) is excited to be able to revive our Orphan Supplies project. This project is part of TSC’s Bind Up the Broken ministry, which provides medical care, supplies, therapy, and foster care for children who are still waiting in their birth countries to be adopted, or children who are not able to be adopted for varying reasons. (The name Bind Up the Broken is taken from our banner verse, Ezekiel 34:16: “I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick . . .") It is our privilege to have an opportunity to come alongside caretakers around the world to help meet these needs for the orphans in their care, and we would love to have your help in doing this. How can you help? You could go on a shopping spree, using the list below as a guide, and purchase these life-changing items yourself. You could hold a Orphan Supplies Shower in your neighborhood, with your Bible study group, garden club, or Sunday School class, and have each attendee bring items from the list below. You could commit to picking up an extra one or two of these items each time you shop for your own children. Or, you could simply donate money and designate that it is intended for the “Orphan Supplies” project. You can do this on the memo line of your check, if you send a check, or on the comment line of the on-line donation form, if you choose to use that route.
Our Orphan Supplies Project Coordinator, Kate Fey, will be happy to answer questions and help you figure out how to get your gifts to TSC. TSC will take care of shipping the items to the orphanages/foster care facilities who are eagerly awaiting our help in this area. You can read about these facilities below and visit their websites if you would like more information.
Contact Information:
Orphan Supplies Coordinator: Kate Fey
List of Supplies Needed:
- Pre-folded diapers (various sizes): available through Amazon
- Diaper covers with Velcro® closures (various sizes)—this brand specifically, available through Amazon
- Diaper rash creme (Desitin® or Balmex®)
- Baby Acetaminophen/Ibuprofen
- Children’s Acetaminophen/Ibuprofen
- Children’s multivitamins (Poly-Vi-Sol® for infants; chewable vitamins for children)
- Baby bottles with nipples/caps
- Lightweight cotton footy pajamas (Long sleeves; sizes 12 months, 18 months, 24 months, and 3T)
Participating Orphanages/Foster Care Facilities:
Tanzania: Forever Angels Home
Director: Amy Hathaway
Our first project is the building of a Baby Home in Mwanza on the shores of Lake Victoria in Tanzania. This Baby Home provides a stable, loving home for up to 50 orphaned and abandoned babies and infants from 0 to 5 years, who are severely disadvantaged. It is staffed by trained and dedicated Tanzanian carers and trainees and provides nutrition, love, health care, physical and emotional support until the child is either fostered, adopted or reunited with their family. (Taken verbatim from their website.)
Uganda: Welcome Home Africa
Director: Mandy Sydo
Because of positive health advances in the nation, Uganda has fewer babies dying from physical starvation and neglect, yet there are still many heartbreaking cases. There are still many orphans whose mothers die in childbirth from AIDs or some other complications, other babies are simply abandoned, often at the dump (some have even been rescued from pit latrines). Some toddlers brought to us survived by scavenging at the dump for food. Still others were born in prison and have only known prison life until they come to us. They all arrive at our door in need and WHMA is dedicated to meet their need regardless of family history, handicaps or disease. Children who would otherwise be rejected and discarded, now have a chance at life. We are a team of 47 staff presently meeting the needs of up to 60 babies. Our ratio of 1 “Mom” to 3 children ensures that each child gets the love and attention they need and deserve. But often 1 mom is needed for each preemie baby. (Taken verbatim from their website.)
Ukraine: Simferopol Baptist Church Orphanage
Director: David Sloan
In and around Simferopol, there are a number of orphanages that need supplies for the children in their care. One orphanage gets an average of $40 (U.S.) per child per month from the government to provide for all of their clothes, food, and medicines. That is clearly not enough, and so this church (where David is the Associate Pastor) seeks to supplement this small allocation to meet as many of these needs as they can.
(You can read more about their work on their website.)