The Women’s Shelter

After going to the Phoenix Center, we went over to a home that they operate. This is used for women (and their children, if needed) who are seeking safety. It is also where they care for infants who are “in the system”.

The day that we visited, there was a little girl who was being given up for adoption by her mom. In South Africa, a mothers has 60 days to reconsider their decision to give a baby for adoption. They don’t place the child in with the adoptive family until after this period has passed; they have had some devastating experiences including a case where the mom changed her mind at day 59, long after the baby was placed with the adoptive family. In this baby’s case, her dad had not yet signed so there were still some obstacles to be overcome as well.

There was another baby there who was less than a week old who had been abandoned in the bathroom of a hospital. There is a waiting list for people to adopt infants so as soon as some paperwork is completed, she’ll be matched with a family. There were three other children in this home that day. They were there seeking refuge with their mother.

They were all such precious children; it is hard to imagine where they would be were it not for this safe-house.