Wednesday, April 11, 2012

March Update- HOPE Kabanana

We have had a good month (March) with the kids in Kabanana. We have started providing breakfast for the newer children that have joined in the program. Their guardians were not able to provide that for them and so the kids were arriving at school hungry and without anything to have for their break time. This of course was effecting their performance in school and was not "looking good" on our part.
We are thankful this need was brought to our attention and so now the children each receive a nutritious meal shake for their breakfast.

Maureen is continuing to cook lunches for the kids that do not have the option to have lunch provided at school. We also are looking at next term having some of the other children eating lunch as well from Maureen rather than the school. It will save us some money. So we have begun our "feeding program" even though we still do not have a kitchen set up. Maureen has been cooking from her place. I was able to buy good quality pots and pans when we were back in America so that she has those to use.

We have been so thankful that a donation was made to start on building a kitchen. The money has been wired over here and now we are just waiting for that project to begin.It will make it much easier on Maureen as well as enable us to be serving the children from the building.

We have just hired two part time tutors. The first is Mr. Peter Mulolwa. He is a member of Faith Baptist Church and a student of Lusaka Ministerial College. He is a retired teacher and superintendent of a school. He is overqualified for the position and we are thankful he has agreed to help us. He will be teaching the older boys who are working on writing their grade 9 exams this year.

The other tutor is our very own Fanny Chirwa. She has been working with us and for us as a volunteer and we are able to offer her a part time job tutoring the kids. She will be working with the younger kids giving them extra help 3 to 4 times a week half of the day. We are also thankful for her help.

The kids finished their first term of school and are now on holiday break for part of the month of April. The finishing touches are being put on the classroom at the building. We are eager to get moved in there. We have started purchasing furniture and hopefully by the end of the month the classroom will be functioning!

We are beginning to start looking to add 10-15 more children. We have people on a “waiting list” to sponsor kids and now feel like we are at a good place to begin adding them. If you think of us we continue to appreciate your prayers for the Lord to direct us to the kids that He would have us to help.

We were able to purchase a bale of blankets, it is starting to get colder here at night. We were able to give 2 blankets each to the new children and we have saved the rest to give to the children we are planning to add.

Lastly, tomorrow we take the newer kids we added in October to get tested for HIV. Please pray for them and for the Lord's hand upon us as we do not know what the day will hold. Thank you!

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