12-year-old Best finds food and first real bed at Orphan Care Center

Best was the youngest child in his family when both of his parents died of AIDS. He was taken in by his grandmother for a few short years but, in mid 2009, she walked away and never returned. Faced with starvation, Best turned to the Orphan Care Center for help.

He arrived at the center extremely hungry. Albert, the manager, took him in and determined that housing must be found for this child and others like him. A teacher’s house that had been abandoned was opened and given temporary repairs. A widow from the community was hired to act as house mother. Soon, Best was moved into the temporary housing with the house mother.

Albert was able to obtain some beds for the house mother and Best. When Best returned from school and discovered his bed, he came looking for Ralph, the founder of the center, who was visiting from the U.S. He thanked Ralph for the bed and said that now he would sleep comfortably. Best, now 12 years old, told Ralph that this was the first bed he’d ever had.

Best’s experience is not unusual in Zimbabwe. Children frequently are abandoned by their care givers. It is a traumatic experience for any child, especially those who have lost both parents. Readers may wonder how such a thing could happen. However, with economic conditions as they are in Zimbabwe, people often have nowhere to turn. They act out of desperation, sometimes simply fleeing from their circumstances leaving everything – and everyone behind.

The Heather Chimhoga Orphan Care Center offers a real service to the rural community where it is located. Donations from people like you make it possible to continue to provide medical care, food, clothing and education for these children who have no one to turn to for help.

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