Here's what you have been waiting for...

Here's what you have been waiting for...


Sponsorship Information!

Sponsorship means covering the financial needs of an orphan. At Namwianga Mission, there are two orphanages/houses called Haven I and Haven II. Haven III will hopefully be done next year and preparations are already being made! Haven III will mainly house sick babies such as Failure to Thrive (FTT); some of the sicker preemies and HIV babies; and the babes that are just needing Haven III for a short time because they are contagious, they are needing a more watchful eye for feedings, or because they will need an IV. Their hope is to have a full-time nurse to watch over the Havens, especially putting their focus on the third Haven.

Sponsorship is a commitment of 2 years of $75/month. Some sponsors have gone in with another family or friends to be able to support a child together. The money that you commit every month provides for the needs of the child while also supporting for the needs of the orphanage also. Your money will support the baby’s supplies such as nappies (cloth diapers), plastic pants, extra medicines, cleaning supplies for the Havens, mealie meal and porridge (for the babies that are 6 months and older), butter and veggies for their meals, and salaries for the aunties taking care of the babies. To give you an idea of how much an auntie makes…they make only $50-60 US dollars a month and work 6 days a week with 10 hour shifts. They work very hard and love these babies so much!

The sponsorship money also covers part of the milk for the baby. There is a separate milk fund for the babies at the Haven because the sponsorship money doesn’t cover it all. The Havens also support what is called milk babies. These are babies who also have lost a parent, but the family is still willing to keep the baby. The milk fund helps them to get formula once a month.

The sweet babes that need sponsorship---


Gift: Yes, her name is Gift and she is a little doll. She has started smiling lately, but was a little camera shy for this picture.

Tamara ½ (She needs just a one year commitment right now…) - Tamara loves to bat at a mobile that hangs over her bead and loves any kind of attention to smile. She is also starting to sit up some.

Choolwe - (Chole-way) is a chunky little man who has big eyes and loves to smile, especially when he's getting a bottle.








Steven - he has gotten a haircut since this picture and has gotten chubby cheeks just in these past couple of weeks.






Hannah- Sweet Hannah is so beautiful! Ladies...just look at those perfect eyebrows! She loves to be sung to and has a little bitty cry when she's ready for a bottle.












Emmanuel - Manny is our newest little guy and he was abandoned in a nearby city. The hospital there called us and he's now apart of the Haven family. The house mother for Haven I actually kept him with her for his first week because she couldn't imagine him being left alone again.



Just a little history...To make a long story even longer-- Kathy Merritt started taking in orphans just because of a need over 13 years ago. She never intended to or saw this was in the Lord's plans for her life, but He definitely saw the need. After word was out that she took in orphans, people kept dropping orphans off at her doorway. So, now she currently has approximately 24 street kids/orphans in her own home plus is in charge of the Havens. Her ultimate goal is to set up the Havens to be strictly run by the House parents. I wish you just knew Roy and Kathy Merritt and the pure devotion that they have given their lives to.

Haven I (newborn-1 year) now houses 37 babies and Haven II (2-3 year olds) now houses 24 babies. Their main goal is to raise these children for the families to approximately the age of 2 or 3 until a suitable family member is ready to take them back into their family. Going back into the village with their own family is best for the child long-term.

I have personally witnessed the hands who take care of each of these babies and how they care for them. The money will directly be going to care for each of these babies. I have worked with the house parents directly and see how much of their own lives they have given to pursue to help this mission. They are God driven people who want to love and show Christ in what they are doing. I have hugged, cried with and also rejoiced with all of these workers when a baby has not made it or has done amazingly well. I know for sure one reason why I came to Africa, was to see first hand on how people are surviving here and how they are helping each other. The people here know truly the gift of community and how to reach out to their own. It took coming all the way here to realize how much I need to help and to not be skeptical of when I hear about these children that need help. They are human beings that will grow up, God willing, to be adults and serve Him. They will have a great start at the Haven’s because of the people taking care of them.


Pictures of the Haven buildings


Once you have decided to sponsor a child, you can email me with any questions @ deidre.k.hulvey@vanderbilt.edu and then I will email you the information that you will need to mail or transfer your donation.