November 30, 1999
Web posted at: 11:57 p.m. EST (0457 GMT)

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (CNN) -- To save the lives of abandoned newborns, the Rev. Cheryl Allen, pastor of a Baptist church in one of Johannesburg's poorest neighborhoods, has punched a hole in the wall.

Allen made the opening in the church wall in a bid to help solve a problem that plagues a city where an estimated 30 babies are dumped every month.

From her prior nursing experience, Allen knew just how slim the chance an abandoned baby has of surviving.

"We investigated and found that a number of babies were being killed," she said. "And so we wanted to do something about it. We put up posters and asked the ladies in the neighborhood not to kill their babies or dump them -- but to bring them to us."

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She said that, after praying and thinking about the problem, "I came up with the idea of putting this hole in the wall, because a lot of the ladies didn't want to just come and give them to us."

The system allows the mothers to remain anonymous and avoid prosecution.

The opening in the wall of the Hillbrow Baptist Church is known as the "Door of Hope." It offers unwanted children an improved chance of survival - and gives childless couples a new opportunity to adopt.

When a baby is deposited through a metal hatch in the wall of the church compound - anytime, day or night -- a pressure- sensitive switch sets off a siren and flashing lights inside the church. A church worker then comes outside, opens the hatch and collects the baby.

During the project's three months of operation, 11 babies have been brought to the church. As word spreads of this humane alternative for desperate mothers, the flow is expected to increase.

Allen hopes to find adoptive parents for all the abandoned babies. Some are harder than others to place. Baby Andrew was lucky. He was connected with an American couple from Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Two weeks ago he tested positive for the AIDS virus, but that did not deter his foster parents from making a commitment to take him.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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