Our Mission is fourfold:
- Saving Abandoned Babies
- Bringing Children Home
- Building People of Character
- Bridging a Better World
SAVING ABANDONED BABIES
Abandonment of infants in South Africa is, unfortunately, a common occurrence. Many of these children are left to die, or simply abandoned, in dustbins, open fields, public toilets or on train tracks. In 1999 the Berea Baptist Mission Church said, “something needs to be done”. Under the leadership of Pastor Cheryl Allen, the church made a hole in their wall and a ‘Baby Box’ was installed allowing for mothers to leave their babies any time day or night for the church to take care of them. The moment a baby is placed, care workers on duty receive an electronic signal alerting them. The baby is taken in and the anonymity of the “donor” ensured. News has spread and other babies have been brought personally by their mothers or have come through other means such as the police, community members, hospitals or clinics.
BRINGING CHILDREN HOME
Baby-houses
Our 3 baby-houses are often commended for feeling like a home rather than an institution. We love our children and consider each house their home until such time as they are adopted, reunited with extended family, placed in specialised homes or join the Door of Hope Village family.
Adoption
We love nothing more than uniting families. To place our children with their new forever mom and dad (or single parent) and possible siblings.
Village
Some of our children will find their home at our Village where they will become part of the Door of Hope family. Here they will find a community of moms and dads, ‘Aunts’ and ‘Uncles’, ‘cousins’, ‘Grannies’ and ‘Grandpa’s’ to love and cherish them.
BUILDING PEOPLE OF CHARACTER
Our ultimate goals are to develop the children in our Village family in five key areas:
CHARACTER
We must raise our children to be people of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control
COMPETENCE
We must develop our children with the necessary skills to not only survive in the world but to thrive in it
CALLING
We must equip them, and help them to discern and live out their unique gifting and purpose in the world
CONFIDENCE
We must instill in them a healthy belief in themselves, their capabilities and potential; and ultimately a faith in God and what He can accomplish in and through their lives
COURAGE
We must encourage them to live lives of bravery and valour