The support YOU give to care for and nurture the children is truly transformative! This can be seen in the following two accounts written by ICC children at the Patmos Children’s Village.
Reflections from Three Children
Désiré, ICC Patmos Children’s Village Director, recently asked three boys to share a perspective on their lives at Patmos. Their names are Serge, Olivier and Jackson. Here’s some of what they shared.
At Patmos, we maintain a strong spiritual life. We have free education and face no barriers compared with children who live in the community. We also receive free and effective medical care.
We are regularly fed three meals a day, whereas community children often eat only one meal per day and are sometimes undernourished. We consistently enjoy good nutrition.
It is easier for us to obtain clothing because our families have the means to assist, whereas community children struggle to dress properly.
We live in a family setting where we benefit from a broad range of intellectual and cultural knowledge, while community children mainly experience a “Haven” culture where safety is a primary concern.
In our ICC family, both girls and boys are engaged in many tasks. Tasks are divided as follows:
Girls: laundry, sweeping, food preparation, washing household items, doing laundry, sowing, and yard duties.
Boys: fetching water, gathering firewood, tidying the house, plowing, leading family worship, and assisting with loading and unloading boats and tractors.
As can be seen in the perspective of these boys, they have many experiences and blessings that enrich their lives as compared to children in the surrounding community. And this is made possible because of ICC family members like you. You truly are difference makers.
Reflections from Henri
Désiré also received a wonderful personal story written by Henri. Later this year, we’ll tell you more about Henri and his amazing road to wellness. This month we share his perspective on how the ICC family played a decisive role in his success.
From early childhood, facing difficult life conditions could have led to a sense of exclusion or despair. Thanks to the psychological support provided by the educators and caregivers, I learned to turn my hardships into strength. Constant encouragement helped me develop inner resilience and the ability to recover after every setback.
Educators valued every small progress: a smile, a step, academic success. This recognition strengthened my self-esteem, giving me confidence in my abilities. I realized I was not defined only by physical limits, but by my courage and will.
I was provided with a stable environment where I could express my emotions without fear. Moments of doubt or sadness were met with reassuring words and affectionate gestures. This helped me develop better emotional intelligence, learning to manage fear, pain, and uncertainty.
Psychologically, I gained the ability to project myself into the future. Instead of limiting myself to my difficulties, it taught me to dream, to succeed in my studies, to find a profession, to become independent.
This positive projection became a powerful driver of my success.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank every person who believed in me, invested in me, and supported my dreams. Your faith has continually motivated me and empowered me to persevere.
