The orphan children of Sakpa

One of the side trips we took while in C.A.R. was to deliver a gift bag to the orphans attending the Hand in Hand school at Sakpa. Hand in Hand schools are one of the many outreaches of Project Hope and Charite’, a ministry focused on orphans and widows.

Sakpa is about ten miles southeast of Bangui. It took about 30 minutes to get there as we had to navigate traffic and all the potholes. All eight of us were excited to get out of the cramped SUV with our cargo of over 100 gift bags.

The gift bags contained three items.

1) A can of sardines: Sardines are a highly valued source of nutrition. Some of the children had a red tint to their hair which is an indication of malnutrition. One boy had a swollen stomach.

2) A box of Vermox: Most of the children have parasites. They don’t have regular access to clean water. They don’t have regular access to soap. Simply stepping in a puddle barefoot can introduce parasites. Vermox is a medicine used to get rid of parasites. Without parasites the children’s immune system has a better chance of fighting off other diseases. If they are healthy they have a better start to the school year.

3) A small beaded bracelet.

Passing out the gift bags was an incredible privilege. The kids were all very appreciative. They were all very gracious in the way they accepted the gifts. In Africa when you truly appreciate a gift you hold your hands out and wait for the giver to place the gift in your hands. Each child accepted their gift bag in this manner.