Alfredo...Welcomed, Loved, and Home

Our Sunshine family is made up mostly of girls, which is unusual here in Mozambique. In many communities, extended families tend to keep orphaned girls because they are often expected to help with household chores. As a result, most children’s centers are heavily populated by boys. Sunshine, however, is the opposite: 28 of our 41 children are girls. 

Because of this, our boys have been eagerly celebrating the arrival of 10-year-old Alfredo into our family. He is a perfect fit for Sunshine House 8, joining three other boys who are close to him in age and school grade. 

Alfredo arrived this past Wednesday, brought home by Delcio while I was sidelined with a stomach flu that has been making its rounds. Thankfully, Delcio remembered to take the traditional “We got him!” photo in the van, a small but meaningful moment we treasure each time a new child comes home. 

Alfredo is a casualty of poverty, family breakdown, and the recent devastating floods. His mother abandoned the family years ago. She struggled mentally and emotionally and was unable to cope with the pressures of raising a family in extreme poverty. His father is unemployed and lives at a garbage dump, searching for food to eat and items he might sell to survive. Because of this, Alfredo had been taken in by his aunt. 

When the recent tropical cyclone Fytia settled over southern Mozambique, it brought eight days of relentless rain. Alfredo and his aunt’s home was flooded, forcing them to seek refuge in a nearby public school. Now that the waters have finally receded and his aunt has returned to what remains of her home, she made the decision to ask Social Action for help. She simply could no longer care for Alfredo. We are deeply grateful that Social Action brought him to Sunshine and entrusted him to our family. 

I met Alfredo for the first time during our Valentine’s Day celebration with the primary-aged children. When I walked into Escola Sunshine, all 16 children were seated at two tables, busily making paper hearts and cards. Almost immediately, I noticed a new face watching me intently. It was clear Alfredo had heard about me from the other children and was very curious. I invited him over, introduced myself, and gave him our familiar “Welcome to the family… this is how we behave” talk that our new children receive. 

As we talked, I was struck by how easy he was to engage with. He is thoughtful, articulate, and seems mature beyond his years. He even understood my American-Portuguese with ease. 

I always ask new children if they know who Jesus is, and it is rare to receive an affirmative response. Alfredo not only knew who Jesus is, he went on to give a full explanation of how Jesus died on the cross to forgive us of our sins. It was clear he has been attending church and truly listening. I was very encouraged by this. 

Alfredo is a bright and eager young boy. Although he is 10 years old, he has never had the opportunity to attend school. Thankfully, he is small for his age and will blend right in with the first graders. Next month, he will begin school for the very first time, made possible by the support of his new sponsor. 

Alfredo’s arrival at Sunshine is a reminder of both the harsh realities many children face in Mozambique and the hope that emerges when a child is welcomed into a loving community. Displaced by poverty, family breakdown, and devastating floods, Alfredo now has safety, stability, and the opportunity to begin school for the very first time. He has already made a strong impression, and we are grateful to watch him take his first steps toward healing, learning, and a brighter future as part of the Sunshine family.