Bill and Bette Bryant Crisis Nursery - April 2020 Update
Lusaka, Zambia
We recently received this update from our partners serving vulnerable children and families in Lusaka. Their critical ministry is changing the lives of children, mothers and families in Jesus’ name.
COVID-19 Emergency Response
While the worst health and economic impacts of COVID-19 in Zambia are yet to come, the country is already struggling with economic turmoil and severe hunger. Last year, Zambia suffered its worst drought in over 40 years, followed by floods in the rainy season that destroyed crops and property and displaced people in districts across the country. In the months to come, the impact of COVID-19 will grow in Zambia and worsen the conditions of millions of orphaned, abandoned, and vulnerable children. Our partners Alliance for Children Everywhere (ACE) and Christian Alliance for Children in Zambia (CACZ) continue to serve in Jesus' name, providing regular programming with extra precautions and emergency responses for those most affected.
Innocent
After a very difficult delivery, Innocent’s mother Esther was unable to care for him. While his mother healed, Innocent found safe shelter at ACE’s crisis nursery, the House of Moses in Lusaka. Though her body has healed, Esther has resisted bringing Innocent back into her home. Her reasons are heartbreaking: Esther experiences hunger and worries that her son will not survive in her care. “I thought I would never see the day he was born,” she admitted. "Now I worry about both of our lives."
Esther has expressed a desire to raise Innocent if she has help. “I love my son. I want to see him grow up to become a man.” For now, Innocent is separated from Esther, but with support through the crisis nurseries and your help he can return to her arms.
The Welfare of Children
ACE writes, “Child safety is the number one priority as we care for orphaned and abandoned children living in our crisis nurseries. Children regularly arrive in our care with medical vulnerabilities, and our staff is trained to monitor, protect, and treat children to ensure physical well-being.
A registered nurse is on-site 24/7 to provide medical support to children in our crisis nurseries. Every child admitted is monitored in a separate nursery room for signs of injury or illness before integration into the common nurseries. Every child is then evaluated daily.
Caregiving staff members are trained in best practices to prevent the spread of disease including regular handwashing and thorough sanitization of nursery rooms, clothing, and supplies.
As part of our efforts to bring orphaned and abandoned children into families through reintegration, fostering, and adoption, our social welfare staff continues to conduct home assessments when possible with protective gear; or other assessments via mobile phones.”
Thank you for supporting our partners who are serving “the least of these” in Jesus’ name.
The Outreach Foundation
Read more about Bill and Bette Bryant Crisis Nursery HERE.
THE NEED
The Outreach Foundation is seeking gifts totaling $60,000 for the Bill and Bette Bryant Crisis Nursery to continue its work in God’s mission. You may make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.