Hagen children have Christmas party they’ll never forget

By TONY PALME

Destitute children in Mt Hagen will remember Christmas 2017 because they celebrated it in a hotel.
More than 30 abandoned children, looked after by the Bible Faith Orphanage Outreach Centre at New Town in Mt Hagen, were treated to a Christmas banquet on Dec 22 by the management of Highlander Hotel.
The 36 children, aged between eight months and 16 years, attended the banquet nicely dressed with founder and director of the centre, Rosa Kepo.
Hotel manager Leo Berka said this was part of the hotel’s community engagement partnership aimed at giving something back to the community around Mt Hagen.
“We are very impressed with the charity work that Rosa Kepo and her team are doing in reaching out to the underprivileged kids of our city,” he said.
“She’s doing an amazing job trying to give hope to our hopeless kids.
“So why not we give some moral support?
“We spent around K3000 in providing lunch for these children.
“They enjoyed themselves so much. It was a lifetime experience for them.
“They had so much fun swimming in the pool even though it was a cold day.
“We would like to do this every year for these children.”
The hotel also gave each child a Christmas present.
Kepo thanked Berka and the management of Highlander Hotel for the “very special treatment” accorded.
“We see kids on the streets and settlements,” she said.
“Some of their parents have died of diseases, some have separated, and some have run away from their communities because of sorcery, tribal fights, or poverty.
“They have nowhere to go.
“It is our responsibility to make them happy.
“They have untapped potential.
“There’s a future prime minister walking down the street or sleeping in the slums.
“You’ve only got to make them happy and give them hope.
“It all starts somewhere.”