In the region surrounding Pucallpa, there is only one government children’s home serving a population of more than half a million people. And among this population, many children suffer from severe disabilities or sexual abuse – needs that are difficult to address in the current environment.
Established in 2015, Orchard Children’s Home provides a safe place for children who were either orphaned, abandoned, or not safe in their own homes. We currently have 10 boys and girls cared for by two sets of house parents who provide a family-style atmosphere while the kids begin to heal from past trauma.
To complement the work that our house parents do every day, we have a full-time psychologist and social worker, both fully trained as trauma-competent caregivers. It is only through understanding the great impact of trauma on the developing child that we can hope to see them heal. But because a child’s greatest hope for healing is found in a relationship with Christ, we want everything we do at the Orchard to be “Kingdom-like”, reflecting the love of God to these precious kids.
God is at work here, and we pray that the seeds we are sowing in the hearts of these precious children at the Orchard will continue to grow fruit, bringing beauty from ashes.
As with so many children in this community, Diego* came from an unstable home where abuse was “normal.” He was badly abused by his mother, finally being rescued and coming to live at the Orchard when he was nine. Because of his experiences, he was full of anger and hate. We realized he needed intense help and unconditional love in order to begin healing from his pain. Through the practice of trauma-competent care and with love shown to him by his house parents, we began to see a change in Diego.
When he began to feel safe in our care, he learned to use words instead of violence to communicate. He made connections with safe adults, particularly his house dad, and started being a leader for other boys in the home. One blessing has been to see him rescue hurt kittens or puppies, nursing them back to health. Even his grades have improved, and his teacher commended him for his hard work as he graduated from primary school. Starting high school this year will bring new challenges for him, but with the skills he has been learning, we believe he will do well and emerge as a leader there, too. Seeing God’s work in Diego’s life encourages us to continue our work, giving hope to hurting children.
*Name changed to protect privacy
Our campus houses orphaned and abandoned children in family-style homes with loving, attentive house parents. In most cases, the kids have been through difficult and painful circumstances before coming to us, and we count it a privilege to give them a safe place to live and recover from their traumatic pasts.
Site partnership also allows for services that reach beyond the basics of what child sponsorship provides, supplying resources for trauma training and therapy, nutritionists, social workers, educational counselors, discipleship, and more.