Life in a Mud Hut

Written in June, 2013:

Hi Sponsors! About a year ago, I showed you a lot of pictures of typical housing where our children live. But half of you are new sponsors since then, and may not have seen that email. SOVCO is not an orphanage or a school. Almost all of our sponsored children live with relatives in a mud hut with a grass thatch roof. It's not as bad as you might think, living in a mud hut. Some huts, like the one above, are neat and tidy. The thatch is cut straight and even, like a bowl-over-the-head haircut. The walls and door are strong and sturdy. The yard outside the house is swept bare to discourage snakes, and there is a ledge at the threshold to further discourage them. That ledge makes a nice place to sit outside and work or chat with neighbors. Most families live in compounds of huts where their families have lived for generations, except for during the war period, when it was unsafe to live in their homes, and many families took refuge in special camps. The father, mother and grandmother have their own separate huts.The younger children sleep in a hut with their mother, aunt or grandmother. As you can see, washing is hung on lines or laid on the roof to dry. This is the compound of Regina, the woman I asked you to pray for recently. She takes care of several orphans, many of whom are not related to her. When a boy is about twelve years old, he makes his own house for the first time, as Richard has done. Then he will live alone. Inside, the circular space is divided with curtains to create living and sleeping spaces: A strong tree trunk in the center of the house supports the roof, which looks like this from the inside: Bedding, clothing, mosquito nets, and even mattresses are hung over ropes in the middle of the day to keep the inside space clear for other activities, and to keep bedding fresh. Some houses are not as nice, of course. Many compounds have a special hut just for cooking, and the family members share the kitchen. As for the latest news, Regina is feeling better, but two of the girls, Barbra and Winnifred have been sick a lot again. They think Barbra may have sickle cell disease, and Winnifred may have asthma. Both of them have been getting treatment at the best clinic in the area, at Lacor Hospital. We are so grateful for the motorbike, which has been used to get Regina and the girls to the hospital. With school fees, gas, and medical bills, this has been an expensive month. The staff was planning to get by on half their salary, but I was able to use some of the bead money to give them the money to cover the salaries. So, as always, I thank you all for contributing to the good work the SOVCO staff is doing! God bless you!