Hello friends!
A quick update on one of the Our Father’s House youth. He has been reunited with a family for awhile now, but we are continuing to follow up with him, ensuring that he does not return to the streets.
An Our Father’s House volunteer, named Mwita, went to visit him, and things seem to be going well. He is living with a new foster family. This started with him hanging out at their house, even sleeping there sometimes. Eventually, they asked him if he wanted to live there. They asked the foster mother who he was with, and she agreed.
Mwita said that this is a better situation for him, partially because the new family is wealthier, but more importantly, because they are home more often. His previous foster mother had to work all day selling vegetables in the market, which meant he was left on his own a lot. At this house, the mother stays home, takes care of the children, and runs the store. It’s better for him not be alone so much- sometimes that can lead these youth to return to the streets.
A snippet from their conversation:
Mwita: “Have you had any challenges with him?”
New Foster Mom: “Just the normal challenges of a child. He is not a bad child”
(later)
Mwita: “You know, many children on the streets aren’t orphans. They have many relatives nearby. Even this one, his relatives are here in Tarime.”
New Foster Mom: “Yeah, I even know some of them. I’ve talked to them, they are surprised. ‘That child?’, they say, ‘That child has defects, he is a thief.’ Ever since I’ve been living with him, I haven’t seen any of that. He has the behavior of a normal child. Do you think I would let him help manage my store if he was a thief?”
He did ask Mwita if we could move him to a different school.
It should be possible, and we will get to work on it.
Our Father's House 