In 2009, the founder of One Small Step and her family adopted two teenage Congolese girls who were orphaned and fending for themselves on the streets. While traveling to Kinshasa to bring her daughters home she was introduced to two orphanage workers, Father Prosper and Sister Petronille. She visited their orphanage, Our Lady of Joyful, and quickly realized that these children were the lucky children in Kinshasa, that they were fortunate to have the love and affection of Prosper, Petronille and the other caregivers. The children were clean, very open and warm – but they were hungry. They sang songs in English and gave her a tour of their little “school” room which doubled as the dining room, activity room and chapel. Prosper and Petronille spoke at length about the childrens’ desires to go to school; an impossibility unless the families of the children or outside donors provided financial assistance. Simply by asking, enough money has been donated since November, 2009 to feed the children of OLJ three times daily and to send 30 children to school.

One Small Step is just that – the first step on a long journey towards self-sustainability for one orphanage.  Slowly, change is happening, one step, one child and one orphanage at a time.