Written by Debbie Dezutter, Field Team Coordinator

In Liberia, one of the only ways to generate an income to support a family is running a small business. Many people open a small booth on the road outside their home, selling small items such a crackers, canned milk, juice, homemade plantain chips, or cold water. As you can imagine this is a unpredictable and sometimes difficult way to support a family of four or six. Imagine the difficulty faced by orphanage home directors in trying to support 30 children.

Emmanuel and Evelyn are orphanage directors in Liberia that Orphan Relief and Rescue has worked with for many years. In addition to the orphanage, they run a community school and church that serves their local neighborhood. Over the years they have repeatedly impressed us with their entrepreneurship. Whether it is selling cold water, homemade jam, or a number of other products Emmanuel and Evelyn are constantly finding new ways to raise money for their large family. That is how they see the children in their home— even though the children that live there are not all their own, they value them equally, treating each one the same with equal love and equal responsibility. Evelyn_Emmanuel

Their newest entrepreneurial pursuit is soap making. During the Ebola epidemic in Liberia, Evelyn became stranded in Nigeria. After traveling there for a workshop, she was unable to return home due to the state of emergency in Liberia. However, she did not sit idly by during those long weeks of waiting. Instead, she continued learning new skills. When she was finally able to return home she brought valuable knowledge and skills for making soap inexpensively that she and the children can use not only to stay clean and healthy, but also sell it to help bring in money to support the home. She is now teaching the older girls in her home these skills as well so that they, in time, have legitimate work opportunities.

These directors are living examples of Proverbs 22:6, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Their spiritual teaching as well as imparting practical skills will help these children to grow up strong and effective members in their community.

These children are in this amazing home with Emmanuel and Evelyn today because of Orphan Relief and Rescue’s involvement, and because of the generosity of people such as yourself who give towards this work. Thank you for partnering with Orphan Relief and Rescue and the amazing people in the world making a difference in the lives of orphans!

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