Changes in Hope house

I do admit that we haven't picked a simple path for our lives but this last few weeks has been unusually unsimple.

Over the past few weeks 5 of the 12 boys at hope house have left. And for the others many new things are becoming part of their routine.

One boy, who we knew was struggling since he got here 6 months ago, decided to leave, which is always hard on the staff involved. Then one of the older boys who had been in the house for years was visiting his parents for the weekend and was arrested for dealing drugs, they eventually decided not to charge him but he also left the house.

Last week 2 of the older boys moved into the apartment block here on the base as a step towards independence which is brilliant! Also many of the boys who are old enough have started working with me in construction, which is going well and is a good step for them to become independent. I even have an apprentice who I am teaching to bricklay.

Then last night one of the other newer boys, Christiano, just out of the blue left, he seemed to be doing so well, looking forward to starting school, getting on with the other boys and staff. It has been such a shock. Today has seen many tears, and had many unanswered questions. We hope and pray that he will return to us, we want him to know that he is loved, and missed, he may not understand it, and it may be a first for him, but there are many people crying for him.

It has been said that this kind of thing happens with the work we are doing, but I don't want it to, do I sound like a spoilt child? But I also don't want to get used to it because I think there should be someone crying for these children. I guess that's a part what I'm doing here.