The Orphanage

Many people have been asking where the money we raise at our Breaking Dawn movie event goes. Well, the proceeds go to the Borto-Deseret Orphanage. The Borto-Deseret Orphanage was founded in 2007 in Harrisburg, Liberia, which is about an hour away from Monrovia (the capitol).

There are currently 41 children living in the orphanage.

Every January, the local NGO (Non-Government Organization, like charitable organizations that go to other countries to try to help) helps the orphanage acquire food for about half the cost it would normally be. The orphanage purchases their food for the entire year in January.

The woman in charge of the orphanage sent us photos and bios of each of the 41 children at the orphanage. Over the next few days we'll be telling you a little about each of them, so you know who exactly you are helping with your donations.

PLEASE NOTE:  WE HAVE RECEIVED THE AGES OF THESE KIDS, AND HAVE EDITED THIS POST, ADDING THEM IN.

Children 1-6 (left to right)

1:  Grace Pear was brought to the orphanage by her grandfather.  He told them that her mother had died in childbirth and her father had died during the Liberian war.  She is 3 years old.

2:  Washington Wonnie was brought to the orphanage by his father.  His mother had left them and his father could no longer care for Washington.  Washington is now 8 years old.  They have since learned that his father has died.  

3:  Lucy Wymon's story is similar to Washington's.  Her mother died and her extended family brought her to the orphanage to be cared for.  She is 3 years old.  

4:  Anthony Clemens was left at the hospital by his mother.  His uncle brought him to the orphanage.  He is 4 years old.

5:  Prince Stauah's parents were both killed by stray bullets during the Liberian war in 2003.  His mother died immediately and his father died later during treatment for his wounds.  A teenager found Prince and brought him to the orphanage, saying he needed to purchase some items and would return.  He never came back, and Prince has been with the orphanage since.  He is 9 years old.

6:  David Sumo's parents ran away during the war and have not been seen for the last ten years.  He was found in the community by one of the workers at the orphanage.  He has been at Borto since 2008.  He is 5 years old.

7:  Cecilia David was abandoned by her mother along the side of the road when she was a baby.  She was found by one of the Borto staff members and brought back to the orphanage.  She is 4 years old.

8:  Marthaline Kollie is one of the orphanage's miracle children.  She was found practically dead, with little life in her and very malnourished.  For a time, everyone thought she would die, but with the help of Neil and Vicki Peterson (white LDS missionaries who were in that area at the time) who helped provide food and medication, she survived.  She is 6 years old.

Children 7-11 (left to right)

9:  Cora Kerkula was brought to the orphanage by a man who claimed to be her uncle.  He asked for some help with her care.  He has never come back.  Cora is a lovely child, but needs real attention, especially where her education is concerned.  She is 6 years old.

10:  Abraham Davis was brought to Borto by his grandmother, who died a year later.  The orphanage has not been able to locate any family members since.  He is 4 years old.

11:  Thomas Kollie was brought to the orphanage by Quita, the country director for Borto Deseret.  When Thomas was one-year-old his mother took him to live with Quita.  She left and has not been seen or heard from since.  Thomas is now 9 years old.

12:  David Clemens has lost both of his parents.  His father was a rebel and died during the Liberian civil war, and his mother died from a brief illness.  Since then, none of David's family has come forward to claim him.  He is 6 years old.

13:  James Raynes was brought to the orphanage, malnourished, by his parents who needed help with his care.  No one knows their whereabouts.  The orphanage workers went to a community awareness for help locating family members for James and David Clemens (see above), but up to this time they have been unable to locate any family for either boy.  He is 4 years old.

Children 12-17 (left to right)

14:  Eva Labella was brought to the orphanage when she was two-years-old by the local police.  Not much is known about her, because the police didn't have any information on her background, but it is known that she is an orphan.  She suffers from some disorder which causes her to sleep a lot, and she has trouble learning in school.  She is 7 years old.

15:  Joseph Kennedy's mother has a mental disorder and does not know who her son is.  His grandfather is very old and can not take care of him, so he was brought to the orphanage. 

16:  Samuel Kalie is an orphan.  His mother was killed in a car accident and his father was killed in battle in Sierra Leone.  Not much other information is known about him.

17:  Emmanuel Kollie walked into Borto all by himself.  He wouldn't divulge many details, except that he was an orphan and that both of his parents had died.  The orphanage staff reported his case to the police, who gave Borto legal documents to keep Emmanuel under their care.  He is a very smart boy who does well in school.  The staff hopes he will be able to keep up with the demands of education as he grows, especially as he approaches high school level, because they do not have the support for children to go up to high school at the orphanage.

Children 18 and 19 (left to right)

18:  Musu Johnson, age 3, was brought in one Sunday morning by a strange individual and left at the door.  When she was discovered, the staff immediately notified the police, who told the orphanage to just keep the child.  The orphanage staff has gone to the Ministry Social Welfare for help in locating some family, but have not heard anything.

19:  Timothy Johnson was cared for by a woman and her husband until he was 11 months old.  He was brought to the orphanage because the couple could not agree on whether or not to make room for him in their house.  He was brought to the orphanage by the woman who cared for him.  He is a very good child, and says he would like to be a pastor when he gets older.

 Stay tuned for more photos and bios of the remaining 22 children in the orphanage.  These are the children your donations are helping to survive.  If you would like to donate but are unable to attend the movie, please contact us on ways you can help.  Email: coltonsangels@gmail.com or call Angie or Joanna at 801-423-1876.

Thank you so much for your help and support with this worthy cause!