DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO – They huddle in the jungles, terrified of those who will capture and hurt them as tribal conflicts rage all around. Little girls like Nessa. And Chantal. And hundreds of others—orphaned, abandoned, and scarred in the worst way.

Just a few weeks ago, Operation Blessing International worked with a partner organization to help rescue 29 of these broken girls. We drove them to The Dina Center, a haven of safety and hope for orphans in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

These girls now have a home—they have a safe place to sleep, food, medicine, and the chance to learn. Currently, 150 girls who have been rescued from jungles find refuge at The Dina Center. These orphaned girls, many just toddlers, have been abused by rebel soldiers, and Operation Blessing is helping provide them with a safe place to live.

Operation Blessing has helped expand The Dina Center with shower and bathroom facilities as well as a dining hall and kitchen. Before arriving at The Dina Center, most of the children slept in the jungle and dressed in rags, but we are providing many of them with mattresses and clothing.

The girls who find refuge here have been wounded—some show physical scars, for others, the damage is not as visible. But The Dina Center provides medical care and counseling to help these girls heal as best they can.

The conditions are humble, but clean and safe, and the children here are thriving. They dance and sing, and they are beginning to heal from their wounds.

For the first time in their lives, the girls at The Dina Center have the chance to learn, they are taught life skills like sewing and cooking as well as crafts that will help them someday earn a living.

These girls now have the hope of shedding their broken pasts and living healthy lives.