Chapter 97: – The Lord Is With Us (18)

༺ The Lord Is With Us (18) ༻

Based on Mr. Gilford’s description, the orphanage was in dire straits.

The number of children under their care far exceeded two hundred, a figure that would normally require several full-time volunteers. However, ever since the demonic beast’s raids, there was not a single volunteer left at the orphanage.

Under normal circumstances, they would have hired part-time staff, but the Gilford Orphanage had long been plagued by financial difficulties with no spare money to do so.

The damaged building was one of the consequences of this. There was no money left to properly take care of the children, let alone maintain and repair the building.

The only saving grace was that the children took turns cooking and cleaning. Otherwise, Gilford Orphanage would have been impossible to continue.

Mr. Gilford mentioned how that was one of the things that broke his heart. The children were at an age where they should have been focusing all their energy on learning and growing, but instead, they were already maturing beyond their age as they divvied up the chores.

All so they could live. They had nowhere else to go if they were forced out of the orphanage.

The reality was cruel. Gilford Orphanage still stood as one of the better, if not only, options for the orphaned children as there was no other place where children without guardians could find food, clothing, and shelter.

Children without parents were thoroughly helpless, remaining true even within the walls of the orphanage. They were so grateful that they were simply being fed and housed that they never complained.

Some orphanages even exploited the children under their care. It was not uncommon for them to be fed only one meal a day and then be forced into labor on farms owned by the director.

The continent teemed with orphans and orphanages, making it difficult to subject them all to scrutiny. Oftentimes, the nation even turned a blind eye to alleged crimes.

But regardless of terrible conditions, orphanages remained sanctuaries, places of refuge for the children, and the fact was that the continent needed more of them.

Orphanages were the only places capable of housing a vast number of orphaned children. However, assisting those kids required additional investment in administrative and security policies.