Grace was the first baby to come to Hope Village. She was found at the door of a church on Roti Island in the middle of a September night in 2013. The pastor went house to house looking for her family, but noone was to be found. 

She was fed watered down formula and contracted dengue fever, requiring hospitalisation. Luckily she was among 5 children that survived.  She came to us in January after days of travel and although 4 months old, she was the size of a newborn; she was tiny, malnourished and dehydrated.  She was barely alive and unnamed. 

Being the first child to come to us as a baby meant that we had the privilege of naming her. As any parent would know, naming a child carries significance. Providing a name for this child also included bestowing a family name. After a lot of prayer, it was decided that we would choose a name that would be given to any child that came to us unnamed - creating for them a family to belong to.

It was important that this name was a reminder of God’s promise to these children, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29.11).  

On her first Sunday at Hope Village she was dedicated to God and named Grace Amala, Amala meaning ‘hope’. Our prayer for Grace, and for her coming Amala siblings is that they carry hope to their nation.

She has grown up knowing what it is to have a family that loves her. She is quietly confident, loves to sing and dance. She enjoys reading, looks forward each day to going to school and playing with her sisters.

Grace has 4 younger Amala siblings.