The groundbreaking ceremony for El Haven — a safe home, a refuge for unwanted babies or orphanage, took place at Number Two Lagoon two days ago.
Thanks to Pastor Dorolyn Laloyer and her husband Leonard Laloyer for pioneering the project, Vanuatu Mission for supporting it and two dynamic couples namely Shirley Coombs and husband Leon Coombs and Katie Snyder and husband Joseph Snyder, for standing with the ni-Vanuatu couple to make it happen.
When completed it is going to be the first institution of its kind in the country.
Pastor Dorolyn Laloyer says it is going to bring hope to the hopeless and home to the homeless.
Where mother and baby are not welcome at home, they have a place to stay at. She says it is where mother and child can seek refuge until they are ready to return to their families again.
Landlord and custom landowner, Chief Andrew Kalpoelep, of Eratap Village says the project falls in line with his dream to build such a place for unwanted babies some years earlier.
“I brought the idea to the Malvatumauri National Council of Chiefs during my term, only for the chiefs to knock it back saying such an idea would be detrimental to traditional family unity and orderliness,” he recalls.
However he is excited knowing that he is now connected to the project and offers his full support.
The truth was that Pastor Dorolyn Laloyer, an Adventist, told her husband of her wish to meet the composer and singer of the song called ‘Semi’.
“I met him on a bus one day and told him his song really motivated me to build such a place for unwanted babies to which he replied, “But that’s why I composed the song”.
“He agreed to release another song and this time I asked him to include ‘Papa i no wantem mi’ in the song”.
But God called the artist home early before he could put pen to paper.
