Saturday at Phoebe House

Come with us for a visit to Phoebe House—a women’s shelter and orphanage

 

      The drive was pleasant through lush green hills, small farms dotting the hillsides and little market places along the road. We arrived in Luanda on a busy Saturday market day and came to Phoebe House in the center of town. We were not even out of the car when the door opened and Gladys and Caroline stood there with arms open. We entered to a ceremony—children presented Jim and me with “flowers” which are tinsel leis that are given to people at times of celebration.

 

      Introductions were made and we met the children one by one. I recognized many of the children and immediately noted the changes in them since we saw them last year. The little ones who had sores on their heads are now healthy and all of the children were smiling and eager to shake our hands. Next we met the four mamas who are also part of the Phoebe House family. These mamas first arrived with their children because they were widows who were HIV positive and shunned by their families and communities. They, too, look well and now play an important role in helping to care for all the orphans who live at Phoebe House—fourteen in all. There were other orphans besides the fourteen, and they are those who have a guardian such as a grandmother with whom they stay, and the guardian receives food and encouragement from those of Phoebe House.

 

     A tour of this commercial building which is now Phoebe House revealed a bedroom for two mamas and their children, a boys’ room, and a girls’ room that once housed a grinding mill for maize. The girls’ room has no windows and is very dark, and they must always use a kerosene lamp, but it is big and accommodates all the girls who outnumber the boys. There is a kitchen and corner for the charcoal stove. The latrines are in the back. One room is a small office for Gladys. The building is one story and one room wide and very long. There is only a narrow sidewalk at the side of the building from which all rooms are reached and that serves for an outdoor playing place for the littlest ones.

 

      En masse the adults and all the children took a short walk to the nearby primary school and the large grass field. The children played for a while and then we adults joined the game—one big circle with lots of laughter and running about. Lunch was next back at Phoebe House, and it was obvious by the chicken, rice, beans, cabbage, and sliced tomatoes that we were honored guests.

 

      Gladys and Caroline, the two Kenyan women who lead Phoebe House, met with Jim and me at the end of the afternoon. We talked about their budget and the needs of Phoebe House and there are many. The children need new school uniforms at fifteen dollars each, the bedding is wearing out, the rent is always due, and food is a continuous need. We talked about sustainability and Caroline and Gladys have some ideas and think that the four mamas are ready. The seed money will be needed for any business venture. There are three orphans in secondary day school who each need about one hundred and twenty-five dollars for school fees. A Phoebe House orphan named Delvo is waiting to be accepted for Form 1 (freshman year) in a local high school and will require the one hundred and twenty-five dollars, also. There is no padding in any of this and there are certainly no frills.

 

     Imagine that you had been with us at Phoebe House–that you saw for yourself children thriving and women safe and strong. Imagine that you kept watching one girl in particular who last year had been newly placed at Phoebe House after it was discovered that she was the only one to care for her younger brothers and was being abused by a grandfather, and today you watch her how the year in Phoebe House has transformed her back into a child who can smile and play. Imagine that you sat with Gladys and Caroline and were asked for advice and help to raise fund,  Imagine…

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