PHC Center Buzzing With Activity

By Laura Engle

With the first day of the new school year quickly approaching, activity at the PHC orphan centre is really heating up! There are people of all ages, shapes and sizes here for various reasons.

DR. DIBONA
It was a regular day for Dr. Dibona seeing children and treating them as needed. He is always on call to do what needs to be done – buying medicine, giving vaccines, and even taking children to the hospital.

TEACHER TRAINING
In one of our upstairs classrooms we had training for the teachers of our Hand and Hand Schools. This week the 13 ‘students’ are getting trained to teach Level 1. Next week will be Level 2 and 3. Appolinaire (Academic Dean and teacher trainer) and Emmanuel (Hand and Hand coordinator) are teaching these weeks. They are starting out with the basics – I heard them singing the alphabet song! I am sure it will get harder.


HIGH SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAMS
Downstairs the classroom was full with 35 students who were eager to take an entrance exam. These orphans are attempting to go the Christian high school up country in Yaloke. Mr. Laurent, the professor, was overseeing the exam. “We had 30 students last year from the PHC program and believe there is going to be more this year because of the generous people in America.” If a child passes this exam they will live in Yaloke and go to school. The housing arrangements are dorms and I know there is a lot of comradely going on after school hours.

Even though it was a little hectic Monday morning the busyness was a sure sign of life. Children are growing, teachers are learning, students are studying and all this is done in God’s love!

Chalene’s Smile

Karen writes:

Chalene Seregaza is a child with another one of those melt-your-heart smiles! A month ago, however, her smile would not be the first thing to grab one’s attention. Eight year old Chalene had a tumor growing in her nose (Picture 1).

On the way to Bible Class one morning, it was noticed that Chalene had an extra piece of skin protruding from her nose and was only breathing properly through her mouth. She was immediately sent to Doctor Dibona, who works at the center. He took her straight to the hospital. When Chalene had surgery to remove the tumor, a second tumor was discovered in the other nostril, and also removed.

Chalene was in the hospital for two consecutive days and then returned to the hospital every day for a week. Doctor Dibona visited her each day to assist her with medication. Chalene has now recovered and is back in school, showing off her healthy smile! (Picture 2)

Chalene and her five siblings live with their aunt and uncle. She is in level one at the PHC Welcome Center School.

Wii, Cable TV and Sponsorship

Yesterday I was paging through a book that I hadn't picked up for a couple months and a piece of paper fell out. On it were some jottings I had made back in January, when I was visiting a church where we have a lot of PHC family/sponsors.

The first note I had made on this paper was about a family who had just signed up to become sponsors a month before, around the holidays. This family asked their children what they wanted for Christmas. One of the suggestions was a Wii game system.

Wii, as any parent knows, was THE HOTTEST GIFT ITEM for this past Christmas season. I was initiated into the experience in January when I was visiting the home of a PHC sponsor in Columbus and so tell you I understand why it was the hottest gift of the season. It is a blast!

Imagine it! Children choosing to feed, clothe, educate and care for an African orphan instead of having a Wii in their home! After experiencing Wii, I have the context for understanding what a selfless, generous act that was!

The second note I had made on this paper was about a sponsor who every day makes a real sacrifice to finance her sponsorship ministry to her orphan. This gal is in full time ministry and lives on an exceedingly tight budget. So when she was in the Central African Republic last year helping us (helping us build the Orphan Welcome Center) and fell in love with a little orphan boy, she had a choice to make. She new that the only way for her to finance her sponsorship ministry to her new little African orphan friend was to cancel her cable service.

Well, as a news junky and one who really enjoys watching TV, I was once again impressed, no, humbled by this kind of sacrifice.

These are only two stories among many, most of which no one else knows, of how PHC sponsors are making sacrifices every day to help African orphans become people of excellence in all they are and do.

We are humbled that you are willing to join us in doing whatever it takes to help these kids. I speak now for the entire PHC team when I say that we all, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your sacrifice of love for our kids. We are impressed with and profoundly grateful for the calibar of people that God is raising up to join our family of sponsors.

THANK YOU.