Friday, December 30, 2011

Do You Use Wikipedia?

Dear friends,

Do you use Wikipedia?  I know I use it a lot and find it very helpful for the most part.  If you use it too, please consider making a small donation to keep it going. I made my small donation of $5. last year and again this year. If we all do our part, we can continue to have this service benefit us when we need it.

Here is an excerpt from the personal appeal from the founder of Wikipedia.
With just a few days to go in our 2011 fundraiser, we're so close to reaching our annual budget. Then we’ll have everything we need to keep Wikipedia going in 2012.
Only about 1 of 500 Wikipedia users donates each year. But that’s enough to keep us free for the whole world to use, without ads, and without restriction.
When we raise our budget, we stop fundraising. Please help us end this year’s fundraiser today with a donation of $5, $20, $50 or whatever you can.
Thanks and Happy New Year,
Jimmy Wales

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

An Update on Mama Linet

My friend visited Mama Linet on December 12, 2011 to take her some support I sent to try and help her get on her feet.  Some of you remember me writing about Mama Linet before. She is the young mother with the little girl named Linet who has a cleft palate.

I came to know of Mama Linet through my friend Jonah.  He found this little family while on a medical mission.  On that mission he learned about the little girl Linet who was rapidly losing weight and could not eat.  He felt led to help her get some medical attention and the right food to help her get stronger.  He was so gratified and excited when the little girl stopped losing weight and started to get healthier. Now the little girl is thriving, running around, playing and drawing.  She still needs cleft palate surgery and hopefully she will be able to get it some day.

In the meantime, we also wanted to help this mother try to provide for her family since times are very hard in Kenya with runaway inflation and poor maize prices.  Initially, the young mom thought she would like to try and start a beauty salon.  After she thought about it some more, she decided to start a  charcoal business instead.  I do hope and pray that she will make a success of it for the future of herself and her children.

(Click photos to enlarge)

Here is Mama Linet with her children and the charcoal she is now selling.

My friend also visited some Internally Displaced People (IDP) in early December.  He returned to see them on December 24, 2011, to take food.  I wrote about this in my last two posts in case you are interested in reading more about this. It will bless you so much to see that someone's Christmas was brightened.

Jonah has visited the IDP Camp whenever he can to try to encourage the people and bring them hope. He tries to take blankets and mosquito nets whenever he can purchase them.  These IDPs are Kenyans and they were displaced about 4 years ago from their homes.  They lost everything and escaped with their lives after the ugly violence that erupted soon after the last national election in Kenya.

Here is Jonah distributing candy and medicine to the children as well as mosquito nets to some of the elderly.

These are the living conditions at the IDP camp.

We know that most people will never get a chance to go and visit these places.
We want to show you the conditions the people live in so you can determine whether you can share whatever you have to help these people.

Even a little goes a long way but we don't want anyone to give what they cannot afford. We only want you to give if you have enough food and if you are thankful for what you have.
We want you to give if you feel blessed enough to help someone else and have faith that your future needs will be met.

If you can help, you can do so here.

God bless.

Photo credits:  Jonah, Missions of Hope

Sunday, December 25, 2011

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, 
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 
~ Isaiah 9:6



God is love. ~ 1 John 4:8

 


Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself ~ Matthew 19:19


Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas for the IDPs

On Christmas Eve day,  my Kenyan friend Jonah went shopping for food at the local Gilani's Supermarket in Nakuru town. He hired a truck and got together some volunteers. (Click all collages for a large view).


Their mission was to visit and encourage some people living in a camp for Internally Displaced Persons outside of Nakuru.  These people live in deep poverty.  That means they do  not have proper housing, jobs or food or clothes.  They live in ragged tents and ramshackle buildings constructed with scraps they have been able to find. They live without water, electricity or basic toilets. It is a miserable and hard life.

Now and then if they are lucky they might get a glimmer of hope through the gifts of strangers like Jonah and those that help him in the missions.

Here are a few photos of the children and the people of the camp.

Children love to be remembered. These small gifts of snacks made them happy at this time of year.



The grownups also love to be encouraged and remembered.  Many of the people in IDP camps once had land, homes, jobs. Now they live like beggars not knowing what will happen to them tomorrow. They are trying very hard to get some kind of compensation and a new start from the governing powers.


They were very happy to receive the gifts.
This is what the spirit of the Christmas season is about.
Bringing joy to others.

Blessings of the season to you.


Friday, December 23, 2011

Merry Christmas and a Blessed, Peaceful Season

I wanted to share something with all my blogging buddies for Christmas. 

Originally it was going to be a Christmas photo, But I came across this video which really "blew me away" and instantly knew this was what I wanted to share with you all.
The song is introduced by David Foster,  Canadian "boy" and well known music producer
and composer and sung by the wonderful Andrea Boccelli and the world reknowned
Mormon Tabernacle Choir.



Whether you are a Christian, or not,
I hope that the peace and beauty of this song will bless you.

Enjoy!

Peace, Joy, Love  & Hope,
be unto you.

Wise Words

A lie does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become a lie because nobody sees it.
~ Mahatma Gandhi

 

31Then said Jesus ...If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;  32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 


  50And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.  51Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

John 8: 31-32, 50-51


~ Jesus Christ 


Sunday, December 18, 2011

Wise Words


It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop.


~ Confucius


Hoping you are all enjoying your holiday preparations. 



Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Gift Catalogue - Missions of Hope

Hello friends,

I know you are all busy preparing for Christmas. If you are still considering what to gifts to buy for Christmas, I have some ideas for you. It is becoming more and more popular to purchase charitable gifts on behalf of someone else. We have some great ideas for you through the Missions of Hope. Please take a moment to consider whether any of these gifts would speak to your needs.  It would be also be great if you would feel free to share this post with your friends who may still be looking for Christmas gift ideas

Soon I will do a post on a woman who has been helped by gifts such as these.  Thank you so much for considering these needs.

Merry Christmas and happy shopping!

Orphan & Family Needs


$155 to $205 US - School Fees per Boarding student
$25 US School Uniforms per student
$15 US School Shoes per student
$25-50 US monthly for Orphan support
$55 US Family Support


Farm Animals





$5 US per chicken
$6 US per rooster
 
Just a few hens can help provide eggs and chicks to raise poultry for sale.


$55 US for one goat ($50) + vet inspection ($5)
A goat can provide milk and if two goats of opposite sex are purchased, can provide a simple livelihood for a family.





$800-$1000 US for one high grade cow

A good cow gives quality milk for consumption and for sale.
8 or 10 donors can help to purchase 1 cow.


Agriculture



$120 - $250 US for seeds & fertilizer per growing season   For several years, Missions of Hope has planted communal crops (corn, cabbages, potatoes) and given out the harvest to the widows and orphans.  We were unable to do this in the Jan.- March 2011 planting season.  Instead each farmer must find adequate funds for planting. Help us to help them, with the planting in Jan.-Mar. 2011.


Other Suggestions


* corn 30 kg  $22.00 US
* oil 1kg  $7.00 US
* beans 5kg $4.00 US
* flour $2.00 US
* onions 2kg $2.00 US
* royco 500 gr $2.00 US
* veggies $3.00 US
* rice 3kg $4.00 US
* meat 2kg $6.00 US
Based on monthly needs per family of 5 members
* $250 US to sponsor 1 mother for small business start-up or to learn a trade
 
* 300 US/yr to help 1 child attend school
OR
* $3000 US to send 1 youth to college/uni.
OR
* $60 US to buy 1 cell phone for pastor or college student
OR
* $10 US/mo. to buy airtime for pastor or student

* misc. $10.00 US (eg. soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, etc.)
Based on monthly needs per family of 5 members
* 1 pit latrine - $60 US
sponsor 1/2 latrine - $30.
* legal title deeds - This need has been met.
OR
* Build 1 Refuge Centre  $15,000 US OR any amount to help get project underway
* blankets n mattresses
$25-$50 US for 2-3 people
OR
*day clothes 1 child $15. US
OR
* medicine n doctor - $20 US
 
 
NOTE:  All prices fluctuate greatly in this time of incredible inflation. We have tried to give accurate costs to the nearest rounded up dollar. These figures will be updated when there is a significant change in prices.

DONATE HERE   (See top right of page).

If you wish to donate more than $300. US kindly contact us first by clicking here

Friday, December 9, 2011

Missions of Hope: Mama Linet

I wanted to share this uplifting missions update out of Kenya. (Click on the highlighted title below, to read the post).

"Mama Linet" and little Linet.

Missions of Hope: Mama Linet: Hello friends, I was able to meet Mama Linet on Wednesday of this week. Mama Linet, is of the Luo tribe, like President Obama in USA. She ...

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Soft Glow

Lamplight keep on burning while this heart of mine is yearning.
Lamplight keep on burning till this love of yours is mine.
Song: Lamplight (sung by the Bee Gees)


I stand at your gate and the song that I sing is of moonlight.
I stand and I wait for the touch of your hand in the June night.
The roses are sighing a Moonlight Serenade.
Song: Moonlight Serenade  (sung by Carly Simon)


Join Skywatch Friday here for more beautiful skies.

Summertime ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where we ask just 4 questions each week to give you something to blog about, something to think ...