New kids at Golden Village

Here is a note from Randi George, who is in Kete Krachi working with the kids at the Golden Village...

The craziest thing has just recently happened. On tuesday, we were just hanging out expecting a non-eventful day of rest when all of the sudden some guys show up with three fishing children! Apparently, their master was near Kete Krachi building a house and left the boys unattended for a while. They took that as an opportunity to escape and paddled a conoe to the shore of Kete Krachi. They started running and a friend of George & family saw them and asked them what was happening. They told them that their master had been beating them and that they ran away. He immediately took them to George's house because they knew of PACODEP, etc. Immediatly, George got the police involved so that the fisherman sould be hgeld accountable. We went to the shore to collect evidence that these boys were indeed fishing children. We talked to the other fishing boys that were still there (it is unknown why they did not escape as well, but they looked in a lot better condition then those who did). They confirmed the story and told George that the fisherman had 12 children! We are now talking to the fisherman to gather more information. Fortunately because the children ran away, the fisherman has no rights to ask for any compensation in exchange for the boys. They came on their own free will- George did not go to do a resue of them. George has just obtained permission from the Woman and Children's Association to get custody of the children until their parents can be located and their situation can be assessed. We have bought them mattresses, clothes, soap, towels, toothbrushes, etc. They are so happy be safe and clean. They are finally able to eat 3 good meals a day, instead of one meagre one.

The boys are amazing and are so appreciative of everything! There is Sakura, Macho, and Famous.

Sakura is very skinny and malnourished. He has so much pain in his little face. He has been through so much in his young life and it is apparent in everything that he does: he is so quiet, timid, he walks with his head down, and has a little more trouble with eye contact than the other boys. He breaks my heart!!