Ministry Update: 1Hope4Africa (South Africa)

1Hope4Africa is a Christ-centered ministry based in Pretoria, South Africa that is dedicated to caring for orphaned and abandoned children. Driven by the belief that “compassion takes action,” 1Hope operates two baby homes that provide a safe, nurturing environment for infants and toddlers in desperate need.

The ministry still faces significant challenges with South Africa’s adoption system. The delays caused by governmental restructuring, as it shifts from an adoption preference to a foster-care model, mean that adoptions that previously took 6–8 months are now taking years. As a result, 1Hope’s kids are staying longer than in previous years. This has created new challenges, as the children are aging beyond the typical placement window, and the ministry is caring for 3, 4, and 5-year-olds, with increasingly complex needs.

In addition, all foreign-born children’s files must now go through ISS (International Social Services) for lengthy reviews. Mr. N, who is from Ghana and has Down syndrome, has been waiting months for adoption despite a family being ready. The ISS is still determining whether he needs to be sent back to Ghana, but 1Hope is encouraged that he might be placed with a family soon as a foster-care arrangement, with hopeful movement towards adoption.

Miss N, a young girl with special needs, has been developing well with therapy sessions and one-on-one care at 1Hope. She is starting to imitate speech and making leaps and bounds developmentally. However, as she grows older, 1Hope’s director is concerned for her to receive the continued one-on-one care that she needs. Staff have found a new home that is geared towards special needs children, and she will be moving there later this year.

How to Pray for 1Hope4Africa

• Please pray for the Lord to protect Mr. N and move the hearts of the ISS to allow him to stay in South Africa and be placed with a family for adoption.
• Pray for the Lord to protect and be with Miss N as she moves to a new home, and pray for the Lord to raise up a family to adopt her. Pray also for comfort for the staff at 1Hope as they say good-bye.
• Pray for the government to move forward on all of the children’s cases and raise up more families to help with foster care needs.