Hand-in-Hand orphan schools are doing more than just educating children in reading, writing and arithmetic. These church-based orphan schools envelop these children in community, showing them compassion and teaching them about Jesus; as a result hundreds of orphans are being eternally transformed. Many are trusting Christ as their Savior, like the young boy featured in the following story.
“Emmanuel” (not his real name) is 12-years-old. He has never been able to go to school until this year when a Grace Brethren Church in the Central African Republic, in partnership with the Kittanning Grace Brethren Church in Pennsylvania, (USA) started a Hand-in-Hand orphan school in October. Emmanuel started attending school and found that he loves it, and he is one of the brightest students in the class.
Pastor Boundolo Christophe, of the Gaga Church
Emmanuel comes from a family that holds to a non-Christian faith common in the Middle East, but since the death of his father, his mother has been happy to allow him to attend school at the Gaga church.
Emmanuel lives with his mother, grandmother and two brothers. One of his brothers also attends the Hand-in-Hand school. His mother sells porridge and his grandmother has a garden to help provide food and income to the family.
Emmanuel says the best part about school is that he has a full stomach every single day!