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Successful
5th Annual Summer Garden Event
(...the best
Cream Tea for miles")
Zimbabwe
A Bright Tomorrows
associate has been working in Zimbabwe for the past
2 years, running training workshops for volunteers working
with children orphaned by AIDS. Here is an update from
one of her recent emails:
“Now that I have a digital camera, thought you
might like to see something of where I get to go. I
was doing a 2 day workshop for ZOE volunteers at this
church in the middle of what was once a township, but
has been 'cleared up'?! 
As you can
see people are living amongst the rubble where their
homes used to be. This is a view that I took from within
the church - which is like a haven completely surrounded
by destruction. The pastor and his wife have 11 people
living in their small 3 bedroomed home, another 2 couples
live in the small offices, and then they hide blankets,
etc under the floor for people to sneak in and borrow
to sleep on the floor when it's too cold for them outside.
From here they are managing to feed 25 orphans a day!
The pastor doesn't know where the food for each day
will come from, but miraculously they keep finding more?!
Also there is nothing at the clinic, not even water...
Very humbling couple of days with such amazing people.
I'm off to Karanda and Rushinga later this week - quite
far to the north of the country and rural. Little nervous,
but know it will be good!
Venezuela
Bangalore
In
February we went to Bangalore in South India to see
the school and present them with the money raised by
Francis White's parachute jump.
Many of the parents pay something towards the school
fees, although the children are not turned away if they
cannot pay and those who turn up with no lunch are fed,
and those with no uniform are given one. The school
has been running for seven years. It has rapidly grown
to the present day with more than 200 children. The
classrooms are very small and bare with the children
sitting on small plastic chairs or benches. The have
no desks, but balance their books on a board on their
knees. The school is inspected regularly by the government
and is well regarded. They do well in local area competitions
and enjoy activities such as games and dancing as well
as formal subjects. The children learn computers from
a text book and the school has one computer with no
printer which would have been condemned and thrown away
years ago here!
While we were there the school did a special presentation
and we used that opportunity to present the school with
our gift of a 6mtr parachute and 2 dozen balls. We also
gave them a range of equipment and materials. Earlier
in the day Sarah presented the cheque from Francis'
parachute jump which almost paid off the loan for the
school building extension. The children attend the school
and sleep in a classroom on mats on the floor. They
are exceptionally happy children and we really enjoyed
playing with them and sharing their lives.
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New
Child Sponsorship Scheme:
For
as little as £5 per month you can provide
the school fees, the uniform, lunch and books
for 1 child and/or Tsunami orphan...
Email
us for a Standing Order form today. |
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