Read my Story

"But the people of Jerusalem said, 'The Lord has abandoned us! He has forgotten us.'So the Lord answers, 'Can a woman forget her own baby and not love the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never forget you. Jerusalem I can never forget you! I have written you name on the palms of my hands.' " Isaiah 49:14-16

*All details in this story are purely fictitious, but inspired by true-life events.

Just because I'm abandoned, it doesn't mean to say that I'm not loved. The people at Door Of Hope loved me before they knew me, just as they have loved the many who have gone before.

One of the problems in South Africa is that so many babies like me are abandoned or orphaned. I live in Johannesburg and 40-50 of my bothers and sisters are abandoned in the city each month. I have sometimes heard horrible stories where mommies in Hillbrow (downtown Joburg) have flushed their babies down toilets, tied them to train tracks, or thrown them out of high-rise buildings. These mommies obviously don't know about the "hole in the wall" baby bin. My mommy heard about it and decided to give me a chance at life. As she walked down the empty street, continuously checking around her, she could see the sign that said "DOOR OF HOPE". As she opened the flap of the baby bin, I couldn't understand why she was crying but she told me it was for the best.

I was only in the baby bin a few minutes before I heard the Pastor of Berea Baptist Church unlocking the other side. Holding me tightly, I heard him speaking to the ladies of Door Of Hope on the cell phone. It must have been the middle of the night, as he looked quite sleepy. He took me inside while we waited for my new aunties to come and pick me up.

I heard a loud car horn outside the huge electric fence, and for the first time I met one of the people who had dedicated their life to saving babies like me. My auntie and the Pastor were talking about which of the three houses I should live at. They said there was space at the Baby House in Glenvista. Pastor gentled passed me into the car where another pair of arms waited. We left the scary shadows of Hillbrow and took a 20-minute drive to one of the Baby Houses, my new home, in the southern suburbs where 11 members of my new family were fast asleep.

Before long, I was weighed, measured, bathed, fed and placed into a warm, comfy bed. I heard my Auntie saying that I was one of the lucky ones since I wasn't sick or too small and needing to visit the hospital. As I peered through the rungs of my crib, I could see a baby half my size in the next bed. She apparently spent the first two weeks of her life in the hospital because her mommy thought it would be better for her to come out earlier than expected. The doctors said that she was lucky to be alive but my auntie said God had placed His healing hand upon her and saved her for a purpose. Being tired from all the commotion, I slowly closed my eyes and felt assured that I was going to be happy here.

My days that could have been spent on the streets of Hillbrow, are now filled with love, attention, plenty of food, brightly colored toys and lots of cuddling. As far as I can tell there are about 5 ladies who I see on a regular basis. These aunties work long and hard hours, often 10-hour shifts. They are Christian ladies, called by God to fulfil a purpose He laid on their hearts. We also have volunteers that come to the house, local South African and other with funny accents from overseas that I can't understand. Without the help of these volunteers, the staff would have a hard time looking after the 12 of us! We tend to vary in age from newborns like me who like to sleep a lot, to big tall toddlers who love the playground outside and also go to school.

Whilst I'm here my aunties will take me back to Berea Baptist Church where I will be dedicated to God. It is thought that every single one of my brothers and sisters were saved for a purpose and only God knows what that is. The pastors at Berea put some slimy oil on my head in the shape of a cross and they feel then that my life has been given over to God for fulfil His plan in my life.

I keep hearing the word "adoption". I never really understood what it meant, particularly when one of the other children would leave the house and never come back. Until one day, my Auntie told me that the little girl in the bed next to me was going to a new mommy and daddy who were going to be her "forever family". I can't wait for one of those! Before I can be matched with my "forever family", I have to get lots of blood tests and vaccinations (OUCH!). Sometimes, babies have blood results that show they are sick with HIV/AIDS. Door Of Hope even has a plan for these children. There are several million children who are losing their mommies and daddies because of HIV/AIDS. Sometimes we see a lady called Pastor Cheryl who often talks about God telling her to build children's villages across South Africa for those children who are too old or too sick with HIV/AIDS for adoption. Door Of Hope has a place called Ekuphileni in Winterton (Kwa-Zulu Natal).

The children will live in there forever For me to stay here until I find my forever family costs lots of money. Visitors often come by and say how cute I am and want to make something called a donation. I don't understand what this is but I overhear my aunties thanking them for the food and clothing that they have brought for me because we were almost running out. Apparently God makes sure this never happens.

You may think that my mommy was wrong to bring me here and that it was selfish and unacceptable. On the contrary I know that God has provided a wonderful home for me through the Door Of Hope Children's Mission. It is a source of unconditional love and has given me a second chance at life I never would have had. Please be in prayer for the aunties who are looking after me and that I will find a forever family soon. Maybe you would like to write to me and find out more of my story. I would love to hear from you.