From the depth of the Zairian jungle, I came across a clearing which housed a large orphanage. The Intshuem Orphange was founded by the Mennonites. All the children in the above picture are AIDS orphans. That is, their parents died due to AIDS.
In the top left photo there is an American saint. Ms. Geneva Grace Haller came with her missionary parents as a little girl and remained there long after her parents passed away. The man on the far left was the orphanage's first child. Mukuba Mboma-Haller spoke fluent English and French and was educated in the US. He returned to this orphange to be its handyman. He got married and had seven children of his own. The two young men in the photo (orphans themselves) were being sponsored to become doctors. They told me that they wished to return to the orphanage upon graduation.
In 1993, the Zairian currency had little value ($1 U.S. was 2.4 million zaires.One month later, it was 1:12 million.) In order to get provisions, this orphanage used salt as a currency to barter for other foodstuffs and building materials. |
