by Charles Barnard
The following article was adapted from an article written by Louise Bevan that first appeared in the Epoch Times on October 24, 2021. It was then updated on November 1, 2021.
“He was only wearing dirty trousers that he could not hold up. He was in so much pain, could hardly walk, and was crying out loud.
“His condition was very critical; it was a matter of life or death. He had been sexually abused and molested,” stated Anja Ringgren Lovén when recalling their rescue of a battered child.
Anja Ringgren Lovén and her husband David Emmanuel Umem the founders of a NGO, Land of Hope, were preparing for a Christmas party on December 12, 2019 when they were informed of the urgent need to rescue an abandoned child. Without hesitation, they headed out to the site where the boy, Saviour, had been seen, which was about a thirty-minute drive from their Children’s Center in the state of Akwa Ibom, Nigeria.
Anja had no idea how bad off this child would be. She had been rescuing children for about eight years, but was completely shocked when she saw Saviour.
(Pictures Courtesy of Anja Ringgren Lovén and The Epoch Times)
Saviour had been outcast by his family because they believed him to a witch. He was on death’s door when Anja and David found him alone on the streets. The child was so weak and sick, they feared he would not be able to survive.
Saviour was HIV positive and was diagnosed with malaria, typhus, a worm infection, severe bruises, and malnutrition. Anja told the Epoch Times, “I’m not a doctor, but I have witnessed a lot of child abuse, and Saviour was not only in a lot of pain; he was really very sick. I kept asking our nurse if she thought he would survive because, even though we immediately gave him HIV drugs, I was afraid it was too late.”
Saviour, though, had somehow developed a resilient mindset; he had a fighting spirit. Under the care of their center, Saviour began to not only recover from his trauma, but he began to thrive. Within a week, he was walking around Land of Hope watching other children play soccer. Only a couple of weeks later he began school. Moved by his transformation, Saviour’s photos were posted on Facebook.
Land of Hope gives part of the credit to his recovery to the other children they have at the center. Anja told the Epoch Times, “When we rescue children and they are brought to Land of Hope, and are among other children, they feel more safe. It is also our children who welcome new children; [they] bathe and give food to the new children.”
Anja emphatically believes: “When children are given the right medical treatment, and a lot of love, care, and protection, they feel safe. They can really survive anything.” The truly become resilient.
Those who know Saviour today say he is the “happiest child, who loves to play and have fun.” He thoroughly enjoys school and despite not ever having attended school before, the opportunity to learn new things and read books has renewed Saviour’s spirit and brought a huge smile to his face. He endears himself to those he meets because he is modest and polite. According to Anja, Saviour is very fortunate. She told the Epoch Times, “over 10,000 children are accused of being witches every year in Nigeria.” Tragically, thousands of those children die.
Anja stated, “For me, to witness the incredible transformation of all our children is what makes life beautiful. I feel very humbled to be part of the children’s development, and sometimes I do believe in miracles.
“It is very often difficult for me to believe that children who have been molested, tortured, and outcast by an entire community, and left alone to die on the street with feelings of not being worthy of love, can ever survive such horrors and even be happy again. All we need is love.”
Today, the Land of Hope reports that Saviour’s is one of the happiest children they have ever known. Imagine.
One beautiful aspect of this story is the organization is proving that we can train children to have a resilient mindset – the mindset of a champion. The Land of Hope works with some of the most severe cases and yet they transform lives. If more young people developed these skills and this mindset what a difference it would make generationally.
Land of Hope is in need of donations for its brave ongoing work. You can follow the initiative on Facebook, Instagram, and via the Land of Hope website.
For more information on training mindsets checkout Growth Mindset Training Academy.