Featured Story
January / March 2005
Children’s Home
Filled in Senegal
Eleven orphaned children
are received in 2004 and celebrate their first Christmas
One of the significant advances of our ministry last year
was the opening of the new Arms of Love Children’s Home in
Dakar, Senegal. After receiving the first several children
in July, we quickly filled the home with 11 children and
two
resident staff (and one child of their own). The children we
received were all orphaned and had been living in Boukhou
and Diohine, two of the desert villages where the Vineyard
church in Dakar conducts regular outreaches.
All of the children we received have unique stories, but
they came from equally desperate circumstances. Mayacine,
Ibrahima and Fatou (two boys and a girl between 6 and 12
years old) had lost both of their parents, had been
dispersed to distant relatives, and were spending all of
their time wandering the streets. Alasane, Lamarana, Mamadou
and Marietou (three boys and a girl between the ages of 6
and 10) had lost their parents and had been left in the care
of a grandmother who was nearly a hundred years old. Babacar,
Ndigue and Ndiaga (three brothers between 4 and 8 years old)
had also lost their parents and were also living with
elderly grandmothers who were unable to take care for them.
The boys had actually been observed eating sand and stones
to satisfy their hunger. The last girl we received was
Ramatoulaye, a five year old girl whose three siblings were
already living in our home.
Much of our focus since then has been getting the program
off the ground. During the fall, we had many additional
purchases to make, as we finished supplying the children’s
home with different appliances and other items that were
needed for the daily operations of the home. A lot of work
went into getting the children properly documented and then
getting the children enrolled in a private Christian school,
which offered us a discounted rate for tuition.
Our first “outside” report on the progress of the home came
in October, when a short-term ministry team from the Smokey
Hill Vineyard in Colorado visited Senegal. The team spent a
week working on a school building in the village of Boukhou.
When they returned, they said that the children from the
Arms of Love home appeared to be the happiest and most well-behaved children they met during their stay in Senegal!
It was a great encouragement for us to hear such wonderful
news, so soon after opening the home and receiving the
children.
In December, what a blessing it was to share our first
Christmas with the children! Growing up in a Muslim country,
the children had never experienced Christ-mas before, so our
Christian staff made sure that a full celebration was
planned. The house was filled with lights and other
decorations; presents were purchased for each of the
children; a special dinner was planned; and the children
were taken on a special outing to a wildlife animal park.
Then in January, we were blessed with another new arrival.
On January 6, Raymond and Sylvie Njoku, who pastor the Dakar
Vineyard and oversee the children’s home, delivered their
first child, a baby boy. Both baby and mother are doing
fine, although Sylvie had an extended stay in the hospital
as she needed to deliver by cesarean section.
In April, a group of us from Arms of Love will be visiting
the children’s home for the first time since it opened.
During our stay, we are looking forward to meeting the
children and learning more about their backgrounds, their
interests, and their hopes for the future. Among those going
on the trip are Pastor Charlie Brown from the Mid-Peninsula
Vineyard in San Carlos, California, and two of his staff;
Pastor Robert Clark from the Vineyard fellowship in
Bourne-mouth, England; and Pastor Lynn Elias from the
Aylesbury Vineyard and several from her church. Together we
will be further developing our relationships with the staff
and leadership in Senegal with a particular focus on the
progress and development of the children’s home.
Slices of Life
From the Philippines
Children's Month - Culmination Program
October is officially declared "Children's Month" in the
Philippines. During that month, the government recognizes
the basic rights of children and various programs are
implemented to promote their well-being.
It has become a tradition of Arms of Love Philippines to
hold a program every October to culminate the celebration of
Children's Month. This past year, city officials including
the Mauyor, Vice Mayor and Barangay Captain accepted
invitations to celebrate with us and give inspirational
messages to the children.
The program started with worship, which was led by Ruben
Ayco, the oldest of the boys and a member of the church's
worship team. The National Anthem and Bohol Hymn was sung
and was led by Desiree Ayco.
After the opening songs, a welcome address and opening
remarks were given by the Arms of Love administrator, Teresa
Gotera.
This was followed by a rendition of the song "Arms
of Love," which was sung by the children from the Arms of
Love Children's Home, whose choir was called the "Arms of
Love Angels."
One of our staff, Mary Ann Palgan, then introduced the three
honored guests. The guests all gave inspirational messages
to the children. They encouraged the children to be obedient
and to give thanks to God for putting them in a place where
they are safe and loved, where they are being molded to
become well-rounded individuals, and where they are valued
and cared for as if they are members of a regular family.
They also expressed their willingness to help and support
the children's home with whatever problems we might
encounter.
Selected Arms of Love children then showcased their talent
in dancing, while one of the children, Anzelie Bautista,
sung the song, "A Friend." All the children also sung
"Yesterday's Dream" as part of their choral singing.
The program ended with closing remarks that were given by
the housefather of the boys, Bonifacio Colarte, who is also
the Senior Pastor of the Vineyard Church of Tagbilaran.
Dinner followed after the program ... which ended a
wonderful evening for the children, the staff, and the many
guests in attendance.
Children Excel in Various Sports Competitions
This past year, the children of the Arms of Love Children's
Home were given the opportunity to participate in a wide
range of different sports, according to their interests and
talents, and this past fall had many occasions on which to
demonstrate their proficiency.
Early in the fall, the children participated in the
Intramurals of Grace Christian School (where all of the
children are students), and seven of the children brought
home medals. In swimming, Desiree Ayco, Ruben Ayco, mary Mie
Porlarge, Arthur Monton and Romel Ayco brought home a total
of 15 medals (averaging three each), most of them gold. Lito
Canada and Rachel Epil were awarded gold medals in track and
field, and Rachel also won a gold medal in badminton.
In addition to the above, Clifford Epil, Jonas Vargas and
Alberto Monton were selected for their school's soccer team;
Jorlinda Nuera for the school volleyball team; and Geovanne
Subsuban and Lito Canada for the Soo Bahk Do / Taekwondo
team. They were selected for their respective teams after
passing a screening conducted by the school, and this gave
them the opportunity to represent their school in the
Tagbilaran City Meet in December.
At the City Meet, the children again excelled. Ruben,
Arthur, Romel and Mary Mie were awarded medals in swimming;
Sarah Jane, Lito, and Geovanne in Taekwondo; Rachel in track
and field; and Jonas and Clifford's team won a medal in
soccer.
But that was not all. After winning gold medals during their
intramurals and at the recommendation of their coaches, four
Arms of Love children were able to join the Milo Olympics, a
competition held on the neighboring island of Cebu. The
participants were Ruben and Romel for swimming and Geovanne
and Lito for Taekwondo.
The children underwent significant training and practicing
before the event, and one of them, Geovanne, came home with
a bronze medal after placing third in Taekwondo. All of them
received a victory hug and cheers by both the children and
the staff when they came home -- as everyone as proud that
they not only brought a good name to the school, but also to
Arms of Love.
Camping Weekend!
All of the Arms of Love children and staff also had a
wonderful time camping for the weekend last September at the
Dumadag Farm. The program was focused on teaching the
children basic virtues and the importance of applying them
to their lives. It was also
designed to create a close bond
of friendship between the children and to teach the children
to give glory to God through their words and deeds.
The children were divided into four groups: Charity,
Victory, Faith and Hope. The children helped build the tent,
were involved in decision-making for their groups, and
prepared and cooked their own food.
During the weekend, the children's activities included
"Songs and Yells," Worship, Challenges and Games. All of the
children participated and enjoyed each of the activities,
learning to value teamwork and cooperation. Their creativity
and resourcefulness were also evident during the games and
the tent building.
This year, the length of the weekend was limited by the
children's school activities. However, the children had so
much fun that they are all looking forward to a longer
camping period next year!
At the end of the program, children who demonstrated
exemplary behavior received special awards. The recipients
were Desiree Ayco for Most Responsible, Jorlinda Nuera for
Most Friendly, Lito Canada for Most Cooperative, Jonas
Vargas for Most Helpful, Geovanne Subsuban for Best in
Sports and Ruben Ayco for Most Diligent.
