Sarah and Tony Witbrod are passionate about helping children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). There are an estimated 4.6 million orphaned children in this area of Africa. In February, the Washington Times published an article detailing their inspiring story of finding hope for Congolese children through the tragedy of others. Here’s an excerpt:
“The brief life of a little girl named Wren is making a positive difference for many other children. Sarah and Tony Witbrod were in the process of adopting Wren in 2010 from an orphanage in the Democratic Republic of Congo. There are an estimated 4-6 million orphans in this war-ravaged country in central Africa.
The Witbrods, who lived in Douglas at the time, also planned to adopt Wren’s sister Emory because they did not want the two to be separated. On Oct. 27, 2010, they received a phone call with a devastating message that changed their lives: 15-month-old Wren had died. A malaria epidemic swept through her orphanage, killing 12 of 18 children. Wren had no resources to put up a fight, as she came to the orphanage extremely malnourished. A photograph of her shows a small, crying infant with extremely thin legs.
The Witbrods then committed themselves to telling her story, as well as the story of other orphans in the DRC and the conditions they face. Sarah Witbrod started a website called Wren’s Song as a living tribute to her adopted daughter, she said. The website also is a way to help people understand what the orphans endure. People can donate at the site, and she makes sure that all of the donations go directly to the orphanages.
She also bought a building at an orphanage in the DRC called Center Emmanuel, and the couple has donated money for repairs there.” Click here to read the article.
Click here to visit their website to learn how you can make a difference for the orphanage and children in the DRC.