TEXAN TENDS AFRICAN ORPHANS: Joy in the mourning


HOUSTON NATIVE and missions vounteer Glenna Francis serves at the House of Hope orphanage in South Africa.

JOY IN THE MOURNING:
Texan tends African Orphans
___By Sue Sprenkle
___SBC International Mission Board
___JOHANNESBURG, South Africa--Squeals of delight echo down the hall as the toddlers rush to their friend at full speed.
___"Who loves you?" Glenna Francis says as she bends down to hug the two boys. "Your

francis_glenna

MISSIONS VOLUNTEER Glenna Francis changes the diaper of a baby at the House of Hope, where she becomes the hands of Christ to care for orphan children.

Father in heaven loves you--that's who."
___The boys smile and clap with delight. Small hands reach up to grab Francis' finger to lead her outside.
___At first glance, this might seem like a normal reunion between grandmother and grandchildren. But it is far from that. The two boys as well as the 11 other babies in this home are orphans.
___No one understands their need for a loving touch better than Francis, a Houston native. The International Mission Board missionary grew up as an orphan too. Her mother died when Francis was only 13 months old. Her father remarried, but a year later, he and his new wife drowned, leaving Francis and her younger brother orphaned.
___The brother and sister bounced around from home to home for years. Finally, in her high school years, Francis found a permanent home in Texas with an aunt and uncle.
___"People cared for me when they didn't have to," Francis said. "My aunt and uncle did it because they wanted to touch my life. Now, I am doing the same. I am touching lives that otherwise wouldn't have a chance to know Jesus' love."
___The short-term orphanage, known as House of Hope, is a temporary home for babies and toddlers. As social services try to find permanent homes for the children, House of Hope offers a safe house for the small children.
___In Africa, orphans are traditionally absorbed by the extended family, and everyone lends a helping hand. With the advent of AIDS leaving behind 12.1 million orphans in Sub-Sahara Africa, the extended family is fast becoming overextended. Temporary homes such as House of Hope are popping up all over South Africa in an effort to meet the increasing needs.
___AIDS also has made a direct impact on the babies Francis cares for--some of the infants are infected with full-blown

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THE AIDS epidemic has left 12.1 million orphans in Sub-Sahara Africa.

AIDS themselves.
___"My heart just breaks for these kids," she said. "We are close to having a missing generation here in South Africa because of AIDS.
___"These children need to know that they are loved even though they may have HIV/ AIDS. Some of them are going to die, and they need to know Jesus' love before that happens."
___Francis notes that many are afraid to hold and love the children. She knows that stigma firsthand.
___"To understand the emotional problems, you almost have to have walked in their shoes," she explained. "That's something I've done. I identify with almost every child that comes through here. I've been abused and tossed aside and know all about rejection.
___"This could have been me," she said. "I could have been any one of these children."
___Francis' goal is to show the children the unconditional love she found through Jesus Christ. She constantly talks to each one about how Jesus loves them and has a big plan for each of their lives.
___"God prepared me for this all of my life," she said as she played with a 6-month-old. "These children just steal your heart. I pray that someone else will come to love these little feet as I have. They may only be babies, but they need hope too."

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