7/1/06 Hope House is a home that cares for 24 girls, 15 years old and younger. These girls are coming out of prostitution after being kidnapped and enslaved, or sold into it by their families. Hope House is a new effort as part of the orphan homes in Vishakapatnam to care for children, enslaved in the sex trades.
Hope House was begun early in 2006 in response to the growing problem of young girls and prostitution. Once inside, these girls are cared for, and fed, and taught viable skills for employment that will help them with a living wage.
Hope House makes the 7th home along the eastern coastline of India that Solace supports through your gifts.
The 5th home was opened in response to the high number of children orphaned from the tsunami last year. So far this year, 56 children have come into the homes, 25 last year. 50 children wait for a place, and continue living in dumps, doorways, and anywhere that they are not shooed away. The 6th home has been opened to care for children who come with HIV/AIDS. There are 26 children currently in this home.
There are over 300 children in residence in the 7 homes, and 200 children are daily bussed in from the slums and dumps for clothing, food, and education.
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12/24/05 The greatest thing we can report is the children are well and
happy.
Immediately following the tsunami disaster, we reported that Dr.
Theodore Wesley and his teams fanned out across the coastlines of India
to help local villagers and find children that were either displaced, or
orphaned. 20 teams went out, serving countless thousands of people,
providing temporary shelter to thousands of newly stranded children and
conducting 20 medical camps in 80 villages.
Over 2,500 50 pound and 100 pound bags of rice and food were
distributed in three coastal states from Andrea Pradesh down to Sri
Lanka. Over 30,000 cooking vessels were given out; 25,000 water
buckets, and many 10’s of thousands of plates.
Of the hundreds of children orphaned in the immediate region, 50
new children have come into the homes in Tuni, Vishakapatnam, Kakinada
and Srikakulam. A fifth orphan home has been opened, and an entire new
wing was built to accommodate the newly orphaned children. Over 300 resident
children daily receive 3 meals a day (328,500 meals this last year
alone). Plus 100 children are daily bussed in from the slums and dumps
for school, clothing and meals.
In addition to the 4 schools that were operating before the
tsunami, 2 additional schools have been established and are operating to
educate children in the slums that were devastated by the tsunami’s.
Two Hope House’s have been established to assist prostitutes off
the street and teach them skills that will help them get jobs.
Currently there are 20 girls enrolled, but the houses can accommodate at
least 100.
The contributions you have sent us have done great things for
those devastated by the tsunami a year ago. Through Solace, you and volunteers that have gone over
that have made all the difference as God directed everyone’s efforts.
Hundred’s of thousands of people perished, but those who remain have
found great compassion and the quick helping hand has turned
overwhelming grief and fear to hope and love. The dead have been
buried, and the rebuilding is progressing. And smiles have returned.
But the new demands have stretched already meager resources to a
breaking point.
The landlord of the Vishakapatnam orphan home has
demanded that we purchase the home, or he will sell it out from under
us. It is a safe home in a safe area for the children. He has agreed
to a purchase price of $140,000 US dollars.
Salaries for the school teachers, school supplies, and salaries
for the staff at each of the homes is vital for keeping the children
cared for and well.
A new van has to be purchased for shuttling children back and
forth between the slums and the schools at a cost of $6500.
To find out how you can help, click here.
11/24/05 Dr. Wesley arrived in Portland, Oregon and will be traveling around the US to Sacramento and Tulsa to be meeting with various groups. 9/2/05 Dr. Wesley resport that much has stabelized, and the children are doing well from the tsunami disaster. The biggest concern that faces the work right now is with the added children, there is much more food needed. The other major concern is that the orphan home is Vishakhapatnam that they have been renting for the last few years for the orphan home there is up for sale. It is a good safe place that works well for the home and children. The owner is asking $160,000 to purchase the house and property, though will sell it for the orphanage for $145,000.
7/7/05 Dr. Wesley reported this morning that as of today, the Orphan Homes have taken in over 54 children orphaned by the tsunami disaster this past December. Most of these children lost entire families and villages. 4/25/05 Mark Delucia just returned from Vishakhapatnam working with Dr. Wesley. He reports that children are beginning to arrive from the refugee camps into the orphan homes, and that as more of the construction is finished, more children will be coming. At this point, at least 4 or 5 have come into the Tuni home, and about the same number into the other homes.
4/11/05 Dr. Wesley, (Director of orphan homes in India).
I am so encouraged by your emails. Tell everyone thank you for standing with us in helping orphans. I am so sorry for delay communications. I am in villages. I won't get internet facilities and also some villages do not have phones, due this reason I am failing to communicate with you . Here are some urgent needs: 1. need to buy dinning hall furnature ( Dinning tables and benches or chairs for children ). 2. taking more kids from Tsunami areas. 3. need to buy more kitchen things like cooking vessels. 4. we need to fix all Electrical bulbs and plumbing work like water to new building , pipes etc. 5. We have to buy a van to everyday purchasings. 6. Rice fields. I wish you could come and see. I will get back with you.
3/29/05 Dr. Wesley, (Dir of orphan homes in India) Hellow my brother Kevin, thank you for your email. when we heard about massive earth qwake we all were shaked and filled with great fear, last night we could not sleep , thank God we are Ok Waves are little bit higher at sea shore, government of India issued warnings about Tsunami. Sofar no Tsunami, all children are OK, pasters and all churches doing OK according to reports we received. Thank you for your love which is comforting us , we need your prayers. Thank you all for your financial support for chidlren and new building. We love you and praying for you always. Your brother , Dr.wesley.
3/10/05 Dr Wesley called this morning to report the children in the homes are doing well. He personally has gotten sick because of all the stresses and travel, and will take some time to rest and recouperate. He continues to be greatly concerned about making room, and getting the recently orphaned children into the homes so they can begin to have a more stable environment, and can get back to school. They have completed more of the construction on the new dorm and hope to have it ready soon, but need to pay the contractors. Of greatest importance, Dr. Wesley wishes to thank everyone who has given to them in this time of tragedy. He, and his teams, and all the children are extremely grateful.
- 2/23/05 The orphan home in Tuni cares for 300 children. It now has the walls up for the new dorms and cafeteria although the children are not able to move into it yet. There is a need to purchase windows to keep Cobra snakes out of children's sleeping areas. Also, there is great over crowding in the dorms right now until the new dorm is finished. Children are anxious to get into new dorm and cafeteria. They will have girls and boys bathrooms on 3rd floor when completed. - Dr. Wesley is needing to purchase the land behind the home for food production and to teach the older kids some productive trades. The land has numerous fruit trees. Also, Dr. Wesley is still having to purchase large quantities of food as fields in area will not be able to grow food for sometime. PHOTOS PAGE 8
2/19/05 Greg Burson arrives back from Visakhapatnam, India after spending 3 weeks photographing the work in the Good News Mission orphan homes, and giving other assistance. See some of his photographs on photo pages 5-10 CLICK HERE.
2/9/05 Chuck Lindholm has returned from Visakhapatnam, India. After meeting with Dr. Wesley and touring the orphan homes, he reports much has been accomplished in the 5-6 weeks since the disaster. The children are all safe and back to more normal routines. One dining hall and one dorm have been built to house additional children. The work continues on refurbishing the existing homes. The money sent to Dr. Wesley and Good News Ministries has been used to build the new dining hall, and dorm, and purchasing rice, crackers, and other foods, cooking vessels, medicines, blankets, and such for the orphan homes, and other orphan homes in the region also destroyed. There are many many many children on the streets that have been orphaned, and as previously reported, the Indian government is denying any organization to take them in and help. The concern is that the sex trade industry will take them as slaves and prostitutes, so the government is not allowing any help to reach the orphaned children. In the effort to prevent bad things from happening to the children, they also deny good things from helping them. Also, Chuck reports that what was not washed away by the tsunami, remains. Much of the devastation remains. Unemployment is very high as people's businesses were washed away, in many cases with the employees as well. State aid is beginning to get through to the poorer regions, but it is very tight fisted. The 20 teams that were sent out following the tsunami have been temporarily recalled due to lack of further funds.
2/12/05 Greg has begun sending back photographs from Visakhapatnam, India. See Photographs. 2/4/05 Greg arrives in Visakhapatnam, India to begin working. 2/1/05 Greg Burson flies out today for Visakhapatnam from Phoenix. He will be working alongside Dr. Wesley and his teams till February 17 photographing and sending back updates of the work.
1/30/05 AID FOR NEWLY ORPHANED CHILDREN IS DENIED BY GOVERNMENT: Chuck Lindholm reports that food, and medical aid is getting through. The Indian government has clamped down on all relief efforts for children. In an effort to protect them from predators that would use orphaned children for prostitution and sex trades, they have denied all other relief efforts to care for the children. Protecting orphans from bad things, also denies them the good care. Dr. Wesley has a good relationship with the police commissioner, but this has little impact on the local police authorities except for notice of food distribution. Efforts are being made to change this policy and open doors for these newly orphaned children. Travel to get anywhere is very daunting, often taking as long as 6 hours go to 15-20 miles. Road crews close bridges causing 4 hour detours. 1/24/05 C huck Lindholm flew out today to access what will be needed in the coming months to rebuild what was destroyed, and determine what resources will be needed to construct additional homes. He will be over in Visakhapatnam through February 4. He will also be accessing ways that other people will be able to come in and join the work with the orphans.
1/16/05 From Dr. Wesley, " I want to thank you and praise God so much for your giving to the people of India in our time of great need. Your gift of money has been used to touch so many lives it is becoming to hard to count. Because of your heart of Love we have been able to buy 100.000 kilograms of rice, 25000 vessels to cook the rice in and 1300 $ medical supplies to help bring healing to many injured people and also 10000 blankets. Our hope and joy is overwhelming when we think of how much you must love us to give so much of your labor money for us." Dr Wesley has sent out 20 relief teams working in 100 villages , each team helping in 5 villages. Present need: more medical supplies needed, needed more funds to buy medicine, orphanages that damaged need to be rebuild. thank you so much.
1/16/05 Our goal of $100,000 for Orphanages in India made some significant gains this week. Thus far, we have sent in direct contributions to the orphanages $7,550 (86% of all contributions to date), and will be forwarding another $2000 this weekend from funds after they clear the bank. These monies are being used for food, medical supplies and blankets for the orphans in India.
1/6/05 The latest reports from Dr. Wesley reports that he has been able to stabilize the situation with the 4 orphan homes for the time being. He has assembled 20 teams from the local churches to head south down the coast toward Chenai. These teams are charged with establishing connections, accessing the situations, and distributing food and other supplies to villages and other orphanages. As this is being written, they have just left Visakhapatnam for this effort. (Photos of the Orphan work on photo page 3)
The orphaned children in these countries are needing your help and support now more than ever.
Click here to help financially in this effort. Any gift amount will help.
THERE ARE TIMES IN OUR LIVES WHEN WE MUST SACRIFICE FOR THE NEEDS OF OTHERS IN GREAT DISTRESS! The world stands at the door with aid, but the orphans are the last in line. Please give to help these children. Let us show the world what kind of compassionate and generous people we are! Give deeply and generously.
Go to photo pages, click here!
Read account from Dr. Wesley in India, click here!
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