Oliver Ejanj

BORN: December 25, 2005 

Favorite thing about SGU: It is a lively home with loving people and friends who think about the future.

One Wish: To become a teacher

God is: "my protector"

Favorite Bible Verse: "Children, obey your parents in the lord, for this right." - Ephesians 6:1

Oliver'S STORY:

Oliver’s father died of AIDS when she was only one year old, leaving her family in immense poverty. To make a better life, Oliver’s mother moved Oliver and her older brother in with their grandmother. Oliver can remember frequently running away from home with her mother because her uncle, who lived nearby, would try to abuse them.

Even though life was difficult, Oliver never gave up. She and her mother would work at a nearby rock quarry to make money for food and for Oliver’s school fees. Unfortunately, in May of 2017 Oliver’s mother died of an unknown illness. In that moment Oliver felt as if all hope for a successful future was lost. Though Oliver was still living with her grandmother, her grandmother was very old and had no way of providing for Oliver. Drunken uncles began to abuse Oliver. She could no longer afford school fees and was forced to drop out.  

She began spending all of her time working at the quarry to make just enough money for food for herself and her grandmother. Occasionally, Oliver could save enough money to pay the exam fees at a local public school. Without ever attending classes, she would frequently score in the top 30% of the students. Although Oliver never lived permanently on the streets, her life in her village was very similar to that of a street child. Many children in her situation would have run to the streets, but Oliver believed remaining in her village and doing the grueling rock quarry work was her best chance for success.

In the summer of 2018, one of Saving Grace’s U.S. teams met Oliver while taking a hike up the mountain she worked next to. They invited her to climb up with them and soon learned her story. After meetings with her grandmother and further discussion, Oliver was taken to the Children’s Village to live with her new family. Oliver is an intelligent, hardworking, and driven young girl. She is adjusting to her new life in school and with her new sisters she lives with. We know that God arranged for the team to meet Oliver on the mountain that day and that He has great plans for her life!