Before

After

John came to us at 14 months of age and weighed only 7 Kg. He should have been walking, but he couldn’t do anything just like a newborn. He couldn’t raise his head, sit up, grasp toys let alone walk. John’s father had left the mother and she had another baby when John was just 11 months old. John was malnourished neglected and sick. His oxygen saturations dropped to 30% several times in the first days of care and he nearly died. At first we force fed him milk 2 hourly with a syringe. If we gave him a little too much he vomited. It was very touch and go for a while.

6 months on now aged 20 months John has passed through all the milestones of rolling, sitting, crawling and is now walking. He is a very happy natured child and snuggles in for plenty of cuddles. I, Esther, am often sad if I think about the way he suffered at his most vulnerable time of life. It is one the most amazing experiences and privileges to see milk, love and simple medicines restore a baby to the picture of health. Praise God that he was able to heal John through the work here!

Although our vision of building a school has not yet been fulfilled, our vision is slowly turning into our mission. Children aged 3 to 6 (mainly from the Children’s Home) are attending Kindergarten! We have moved the kinder area from the Children’s Home into another building, which used to be staff accomodation but now has offices, a library and a meeting room. Since a room in this house has been occupied by our kinder, it has come together very well. Kiki, our teacher, is very happy with the new arrangements and feels more organised. While the kids are learning many skills, such as drawing and writing, they also have a lot of fun and enjoy their kinder time.

For the past month we have been very blessed with the help from several visitors that bring new ideas and fresh enthusiasm for daily kinder activities. There are always those times when ideas have ran out and it seems too tiring to teach these energetic kids and a helping hand is always a blessing.

Name: Febri

DOB: February 2, 2000

Place of care: Children’s Home

Personal and family information:

Febri’s mother died in 2008. His father does not have the time or finances to support Febri. Febri now lives in the Children’s Home of Hohidiai and has a cheeky, happy personality.

Name: Esther

DOB: December 7, 2008

Place of care: Weeflaar’s home

Personal and family information:

Esther’s mother was a patient of Hohidiai Clinic. She died of breast cancer. Esther’s family is poor and her father is violent. He hit Esther’s mother with wood when she was in too much pain (due to her breast cancer) to wash the clothes. The mother did not want Esther or her older brother to be cared for by the father. Before her mother died she gave Esther to the children’s home. Esther is under the care of a lovely couple, Angky and Sarah who are in the leadership of Hohidiai.

Angky and Sarah are on staff management. Sarah is in charge of the clinic and Angky works in building. Esther looks very much like foster mother Sarah. Angky and Sarah have 3 children, twin girls aged 7 and a son aged 12.

Name: Ayu

DOB: January 14, 1996

Place of care: Children’s home

Personal and family information:

Ayu’s father is a businessman in South East Asia. Ayu was given up at birth by her parents. They gave her to a couple who were unable to have children of their own. This adopted mother mistreated Ayu by beating her violently and making her work. This lady divorced her husband and then gave Ayu to a friend.  This friend family also beat Ayu and made her work constantly.

Staff members noticed Ayu while visiting friends. Ayu was extremely quiet and didn’t smile at all while doing her work. After talking to the now third set of parents, Ayu was asked if she would like to come and live with staff at our base. She immediately agreed and left her home on another island and came to the medical base in South East Asia. Ayu is a beautiful girl who she often smiles, and is much happier.

She has 1 older brother who lives in South East Asia.

Name: Ami

DOB: November 15, 1997

Personal and family information:

Ami’s mother does not take responsibility for her children and is rarely at the family home. In their village there is no high school, so Ami’s mother asked the Scarborough’s to take her in so that she can receive a good education. Ami now lives in the Children’s Home of Hohidiai.

Aug 2010

Name:David

DOB: September 24, 2008

Place of birth: Tobelo

Place of care: Children’s home

Personal and family information: David’s mother fell pregnant with her boyfriend. His mother’s parents threatened to disown her if she kept her baby.

Aug 2010

Name: Ana

DOB: August 13, 2008

Place of birth: Kusuri

Place of care: Taihuttu’s home

Personal and family information:

Ana’s mother came to the Hohidiai Clinic asking for her baby to be aborted. As Hohidiai does not support or perform abortions, Esther Scarborough offered to take the baby one she was born. Ana now lives under the care of Wendy, Esther Scarborough’s daughter.

Aug 2010

Name: Cathy

DOB: July 2, 2009

Place of birth: Kai

Place of care: Wonok’s home

Personal and family information:

She was born out of marriage. Her mother kept her for two months as she waited for her father to take responsibility for the child and marry the mother. Since this did not occur, the mother did not want to raise the child alone so she gave her to Hohidiai. The birth mother requested to have no future contact with the child unless Cathy chooses to Cathy is a strong willed girl. She will surely have leadership potential. She is being cared for by our staff couple, Glenn and Fita. Glenn is one of our building managers. Fita is our human resources manager. They are expecting their first baby and have two older children of Hohidiai.

Aug 2010

Name: Daniel

DOB: December 25, 2007

Place of birth: Kusuri

Place of care: Taihuttu’s home

Personal and family information:

Daniel is the 7th child born of his mother. Daniel’s mother already had 6 boys, and because Daniel was also a boy, he was neglected. His father brought Daniel to Hohidiai and told Esther Scarborough that the mother had neglected him and hadn’t fed him in three days. He was afraid that his child would die if kept under the care of his wife. Daniel now lives under the care of Wendy, Esther Scarborough’s daughter.