Sang Village Orphanage
In December of 2010, a team of volunteer engineers of several disciplines, under the auspices of EMI (Engineering Ministries International) traveled to Yendi, Ghana, Africa. Their goal was to develop a working plan for the building of the infrastructure and the buildings which will house orphans who now live in a run-down building that has no running water, in the village of Sang. The work of EMI in Ghana was commissioned and paid for through WADSO funds and the report for the infrastructure and buildings they developed is very comprehensive. The orphanage, Nazareth Home for All God’s Children, is directed by Rev. Sr. Stan Terese M. Mumuni, a sister in the Marian Sisters of Eucharistic Love (MASEL) order.
The Catholic Diocese of Yendi is a very rural diocese situated in the northeastern province of Ghana amidst the Muslim territory of the Sahel region of West Africa. The majority of the people are illiterate; this is because they do not place much premium on western style education. The boys are always relied upon to till the land which is their major source of livelihood instead of “wasting time” in school. The girls are often given out in marriage as soon as they reach the age of puberty.
Coupled with the above situation of illiteracy and poverty is the fact that in 1994 there was a very brutal ethnic war between the Dagombas, Nanunbas Gonjas on one hand and the Konkonbas on the other which led to the destruction of many lives and properties, the effect of which causes untold suffering to this day. Added to this is the neglect of the area by successive Governments who only come to ‘fool’ the people during elections to get their votes and thereafter disappear only to appear again in the next elections. Governments have given little or no attention to the educational and health needs of the children of the North and Sang in particular.
As a result of the above situation, a new congregation of sisters was formed to care for unfortunate children with physical challenges who have nobody to care for them. Beneficiaries of the Catholic orphanage will include “spirit children” without regard to religion, tribal grouping, income, language, social or educational background, or extent and severity of the physical disability. Infants who are born with disabilities are often “sacrificed” because they are considered a bad omen. Sister Stan negotiates with parents to bring these little ones to her orphanage. Sister Stan describes her response to this evil: “we give ourselves to God for the service of persons who are poor; we meet the marginalized, and those cut off from the sunlight of companionship in our large human family. We are called to the vocation of love.”
The congregation of sisters has purchased a 6 acre plot of land. On this land they hope to build the orphanage to house 50 children in the first phase. Future plans include a primary/secondary school, a vocational school, a medical facility, and an animal and vegetable farm. The first goal of the ministry is to rescue the children and then, in time, to demonstrate to the parents and community at large that the children are not “evil spirits” and that they can and should be loved and cared for.
The members of J23 WADSO who traveled to Nigeria in March of 2011 visited with Sr. Stan. “Being in the presence of Sr. Stan is like standing with Mother Teresa. Her countenance shines with the love of Christ. Her heart is so pure, yet when called on to negotiate, she is a force to be reckoned with,” reported Kathy Leuck of the WADSO team. The need for a new orphanage is so great because of the cramped conditions. Sister Stan is hoping to relocate the one clinic in the village to the orphanage when space becomes available because she spends a great deal of time taking sick children to and from the clinic to be seen each day.