May 2009
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In February director Chris Valentino and board member Haakon Leiro traveled to Kenya to meet with the WWN staff to again review our mission, encourage one another and plan for the future of our sponsored children in Kilimambogo.
They carried with them over 350 pounds of clothing (always desperately needed by growing children), and pounds of candy to fill 500 goodie bags for a very happy Fun Day with tootsie pops, skittles, pens with Watoto Wenye Nguvu printed on the side and small cards with Bible verses.
Fun days always include food and games, entertainment, gifts of soap and pads and clothing as needed; classes for the older children in health and safety; classes for the guardians in health, responsibility and education. The shed has been extended to help protect the 400 or so participants from the hot sun and rain. The children, guardians and staff all thank you for these monthly expressions of your love!
Chris and Haakon were also able to take 6 solar powered lanterns. “Many of the children live in homes with no electricity. They must use kerosene lamps to study at night and in the early morning. These solar lamps have a hand crank so they can be used in any weather. Our goal is to bring at least 6 lanterns on each visit until all the children who need one have one. You can make a gift of $35 to donate one of these lamps.”
We are grateful to KLM/NWA for their support is accommodating our travels through Amsterdam to Kenya. (On a previous trip we were able to take 3 mountain bikes for our field workers to use as they oversee our orphans throughout the county.) If you fly KLM or NWA please express our gratitude for their generous help to our children.
Drought effects food prices
Chris: “The long awaited rainy season in Kenya still has not arrived. This will be the third dry year. In a farming community that relies on seasonal weather for subsistence, the lack of rains has been devastating. Many in the area are facing near famine.
To make matters worse, the cost of food has increased almost 100% just since our visit in February. We are now getting ready to purchase the food supplies for the school feeding program for the next three months. Our program provides a noontime meal for over 4600 children every school day. Please continue to pray that the rains will come, that the price of food will stabilize and that the Kenyan government will intervene.
In the meantime we will also pray that God provides us with additional funding to cover the cost for the food increase. Our program is so critical in the lives of these children that we cannot let it fail. Without our program many of these children will have little if any food during the next three month.”
Kusitawi Village
While Kenya is suffering from severe heat and drought, the water system put in last year is running perfectly and the farm continues to thrive. The farm provides food for Kusitawi and the surplus is sold. During our visit they were harvesting corn and drying the kernels. Farm production during January and February was very good, netting over $1000. This is great news as we want the safe houses to be as near self sufficient as possible. This year we hope to raise money to put in a drip system that will not only save water but time and money as well.
During a maintenance visit, the supplier of the river pump was so impressed with Kusitawi that he offered to donate a new well pump if we increased the depth of the well. This is important because while the river water must be settled and chlorinated for drinking and cooking, the wells provide potable water without treatment. The well has now been hand dug to 106 feet. Davis and Shirtliff provided a submersible pump, a 5000 gallon tank, pipes and installation. The well is now pumping 1200 liters of water every day. You can know that WWN has a respected reputation in the community.
The Next Step
Chris: “In Kenya many of our children will be approaching the end of their schooling and sponsorship. Please pray with us that we may know what role we should take in moving these young people forward in the next step of their lives. Many will still be without family or support with minimal skills in a poor and suffering country where the cost of food alone has doubled in the last year.
And on this side we are seeing sponsors dropping out due to the hard economic times as well. We have children in the program needing a new sponsor and children still waiting to get into the program. Pray that more sponsors will come forward.
I would again thank everyone who sponsors a child. As a sponsor you are the heart and soul of the program. My first hand report is that each one of your children tells me how much they love you and that they pray for you! As you have reached out, your helping hands have traveled around the globe to small villages in Africa where your names are spoken in love and gratitude. May God bless you in all areas of your life!”
FYI – All U.S. board members and staff volunteer their time. There are no salaries or honorariums. All travel at their own expense. Your sponsorship and gifts go directly to support the children and staff in Kenya.