Christian Photographers Community

Just thought I'd share my all time favourite picture I've ever taken.  It is the first of the two pictures below.  This was taken about 6 years ago now, with a borrowed camera and b&w film.  We were working in an orphanage in Albania and both these girls are orphans.  The first girl always greeted anyone and everyone with a grin while I never saw the second girl smile the whole time we were there.  I could understand the second girl...on good days children this age were allowed out of their crib to go to the play room for an hour once, maybe twice a day...on bad days they never left the crib, and this was after TONS of reforms to make it a good orphanage instead of the horror that it used to be.  Sadly, the government is back in charge so I don't know if either of the girls is adopted, alive, a prostitute, sold, or dead. 


and


Sara

Sara, this is such a sad situation but how lovely that you were able to capture these photos. 

I agree that the first one is stunning.  That smile on her face and the smiling eyes is really a great capture.

Were you on a mission trip or a vacation?

Hehe...it certainly wasn't what I'd call a vacation!    There was a beach, but you had to hop the sewage stream to get to it...and oh so much more that kept it from being a vacation.  There were 10 of us from our church (which only had about 60-70 members) that went over.  My husband and I along with 8 others.  We worked there for almost a month.  I could talk your ear (eyes? ) off about it and would probably make anything anyone in the US thrilled with whatever problems they have, realizing that in the grand scheme of things, they have it good.  I'm always willing to share stories if anyone wants them.  I ust won't unless you want to read for a while, and it mostly isn't very cheerful reading since it is coming from a third world country.

Sara

Sara, do these little ones get adopted out?  Or are they here indefinitely?

Do you have any more photos? 

Just seeing these have caused me to pray for little ones like this wherever they may be.

Thanks again, Sara, for sharing these with us and I really do hope that you will add more to this thread.

Folks, let's pray for these dear little ones. 

Very rarely they get adopted.  Part of the problem is that the first year they are there, if their parents visit just once, they can't be adopted for a whole year after that.  Once the parents stop visiting and don't visit for a whole year, the kids are available to be adopted, but only by Albanians for another year.  In the many many years (I think it was 12, but it could have been as many as 15) the missionaries were there, only 2 children were adopted to Albanians, and both were families that worked with the orphanage.  Once that year is over then they are available for adoption to other countries.  That orphanage, because it was run by American Missionaries, was the best one in the country.  The ones run by the government have a high death rate (hepatitis B, malnutrition, etc.).  I know that one of the little girls there when I was there, will be dead now.  She had Down Syndrome.  She was allowed to stay at the orphanage because the missionaries wouldn't let her go.  Once they had to leave (the government finally made it impossible for them to stay), she would have been put in a mental institution.  They are a deathtrap.  They stick everyone in cement rooms with one window too high to reach or see out of, no fixtures or anything, they throw food in and then literally hose them off once in a while.  There is no way out except to die.  I get sick thinking about her, she was such a sweet little thing. 

I do have more photos, but they are all done on film and my scanner is OLD so I haven't scanned any more.  I am hoping to scan some others eventually, and when I do, I'll post them.

Sara

Oh, dear.  How sad. 

Thanks for sharing this, Sara.  I do hope that you maybe can find someone with a scanner so that you can share more with us?  If you put them in your album on here, then you can just use the medium-sized one for linking if you like.

Thanks again, Sara. 

Sara, I do understand how you feel about these kids.  I went to Romania and worked with an orphanage there, run by Christians, and I wanted to bring ALL the kids home with me.  The story is very similar; once they turn 16, they have to leave, no training, no future, very little hope.  Very sad.

Thanks for sharing your photos with us.

Sara"  This is the very same situation in Uzbeckistan.  My cousin's son & wife have been there 12 or more years, have a huge house & building where they have gone to the orphanages & taken in the children & taught them everything.  Now, the daughter of the UZ president has taken over buildings & they are living on borrowed time there.  There is no future & yes- the kids call it a Death Place. 

Also, the kids never got to keep the Christmas Shoe Box kits when in orphanage - everything taken away when the gift givers left.  Nothing.

I wonde if Samaritan's Purse knows that the shoeboxes were taken away.