Support for our Foster Moms
Bolingo Village has had our eye on ensuring each kiddo has access to the spiritual and emotional care that they need and deserve since we opened. To that end, we have a pastoral team and a trauma counselor.
Cheers to a Great Year
Holidays are restorative. They’re a time for us to slow down, consider what’s important, and spend time with friends and family. In 2021, we all rediscovered our normal; these family and respite times have been even more critical.
Orphan Sunday
Yesterday marked the 20th observance of Orphan Sunday, a day where churches across the globe come together to benefit the world’s most vulnerable children. Together, we strive to defend the cause of the fatherless.
Our Biggest (Repeated) Mistake
Bolingo Village was a goal for years before it was a reality. Now, with our gates open and the sounds of our kiddos running and playing filling the air for over two years, we wanted to look back at some of the mistakes we had to overcome (and are still overcoming) on the journey to help orphaned children.
What’s in a Name?
If you follow Global Orphan Foundation on social media, I'm sure you recognize some of our kiddos and how they've grown. However, you've probably noticed that we don't post highly recognizable, close-up photos of our kids - specifically of their faces. Come to think of it - I bet you can't name the town that Bolingo Village is in, can you? What about one of our kid's names? You can't, can you? Those facts are by design. There are two reasons that we keep our kiddos' faces and many personal details under wraps: their privacy and protection.
Have you ever noticed?
Have you ever noticed that we don't generally use the terms, orphans or widows? Likely no, you haven't. It's a small detail that is easy to miss. Now, however, you're not going to be able to unsee it. Now, you'll notice that we often say 'orphaned child' or 'widowed woman.' Mostly, you'll see that we say 'kiddos' or 'foster moms' instead, and there are several reasons why.
Update: Temporary Placements at Bolingo
Bolingo Village wasn’t intended to accept temporary placements. Still, last year, we made an exception for three siblings for three main reasons.
A Foster Mom’s Love.
I will never forget the moment I realized how fiercely our Bolingo Village foster moms love their kiddos...
DRC Education & Bolingo Village
The promise of Bolingo is to help all our kiddos become the best versions of themselves and prepare them to succeed in life. Access to quality education has to be a part of that. It is a commitment that we’ve made and will meet.
There Are Many Broken Children…
Once our kiddos come to us, they have it pretty good - that’s the point of Bolingo. It’s easy to forget that every single child in Bolingo has a story. They all have trauma and a heartbreaking life experience.
Goodbye 2020, Hello 2021
In 2020, everyone, all around the world, had life interrupted. Bolingo Village was no different. The kids had to adjust to a new schedule, a new normal; but they still had food, they had a home, a foster mom, siblings, a place where they belonged, felt safe, and loved.
The Vision for Bolingo Village Pt 2
Bolingo Village was never meant to just meet the basic needs of the children who call it home. It was never meant to just meet the standard of survival. Our vision has always been to surpass the basics by providing them with a true childhood experience filled with guidance, care, and love.
Building a Village: Phase 2
From the beginning, when it was just an idea to the current reality of giving children a better life every day. We are making significant progress and taking steps to ensure that Bolingo can serve many generations of children to come.
Getting Involved: it’s as easy as…
One of our consistent obstacles has been how to give people in the US a satisfying volunteer experience when we’re not able to take everyone with us on a trip to DRC.
The Vision for Bolingo Village Pt 1
Bolingo Village has been a dream of ours for years - we have worked tirelessly to make it a reality, and we’re so grateful that kids are growing up in a community of love and support. We have already implemented a large portion of our vision - but we’re not done yet.
Our Fear of COVID-19 is What Congolese Live With Every Day
Our nurse, Marlene, summed up the difference between the U.S. and DRC’s response to COVID-19 by saying, “The Congolese government took it seriously knowing what we experienced with Ebola… the American government has never lived like this.”
Temporary Placements at Bolingo?
This forever home never planned on accepting temporary placements. We intended to only open our doors to children who would be a part of Bolingo Village forever. However, last week, we were contacted by social services and asked to accept a temporary placement of three siblings.
Thanks for a Great Year!
During this holiday season, we can’t help but take a minute to reflect on all that we’ve accomplished in 2019. With the help of our Global Orphan Foundation family, 2019 is coming to a close with an incredible sense of accomplishment.
BarnRaisers $25,000 Farm Expansion
Global Orphan Foundation is happy to announce that we’ve been awarded $25,000 to help expand our farming operations over the next year by BarnRaisers of Indiana.
Congo Trip Update
After a 10-day trip in DR Congo we’re back and happy to report that everything is peachy keen, and we’re excited about our next steps in Bolingo Village. We hope that you were able to follow along on social media, but if not, here are 5 things you may have missed…