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Download Hearth to Hearth Ministries' new Brochure. Spotlight on Orphans newsletter Spotlight on Orphans' Youth Site
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Spotlight on Orphans Spotlight on Orphans newsletter is put out by Hearth to Hearth Ministries' volunteers once a month to keep subscribers up to date on the work that is being done for the African orphans in Kisii, Kenya and Oyugis, Kenya. The reader will also learn about the work being done for the African orphans and African widows in Mbale, Uganda and Kampala, Uganda. You can subscribe and receive Spotlight on Orphans newsletters free of charge by filling out the form below. Adobe Reader is required to view the Spotlight on Orphans newsletters from the links below. If you do not have Adobe Reader you can view the newsletters in webpage format by going to the Spotlight on Orphans newsletter website. The current issue of Spotlight on Orphans newsletter is full of information on how Hearth to Hearth Ministries' volunteers are helping African orphans and African widows. Most orphans at our orphanages are orphans because of HIV/AIDS. Many African widows had their husbands die of HIV/AIDS leaving them to care for their children without a way to support them.
Current Spotlight on Orphans newsletter.
Click the month links below to read that month's Spotlight on Orphans newsletter. Membership to the Mailing List hthmail@hearthtohearth.orgOn this web page you can subscribe to, or unsubscribe from, the mailing list hthmail@hearthtohearth.org.2009 January Spotlight on Orphans for the new year.
2008 January Vicki could not sleep thinking of dying mothers begging to have their children admitted to one of the African orphanages. I thought of the mothers of our African orphans, suffering from AIDS, shunned in their pain, surrounded only by their children. I thought of what must be going through such a mother’s mind, knowing there would be no one to care for her babies, wondering if they would even survive. Maybe they would also have the disease and they, too, would be shunned. I thought of her orphaned children, digging a grave with their own hands, no flowers, no family, no friends to share their grief; all alone. What family does come often slaughters all the family livestock for a feast and helps themselves to any treasured items, leaving the orphaned children with nothing. And I thought of the mothers, coming to our gates and begging for their soon to be orphaned children to be taken in so they could pass with the knowledge that the little ones would survive. Finally, I thought about how we have to refuse them, and I could not rest. Because of each of you, over five hundred of these orphaned children are surviving and have a hope for a bright future. And I am pleased to tell you that in February, Esther and I are returning to Africa to visit your children again. February Chaos in Kenya Africa. African orphanages running out of food for African orphans. “There is hunger in most parts of the country. The price of some items are doubling and get ting them is also difficult. Things have be come here very expensive and we are un able to purchase most of the things. We are con fused what to do here with the situation. We have a very bad situation. We were un able to purchase most of the things since they are very expensive and we have no money. Please, we need to store enough food. Kenya has changed totally. We need to store enough maize and beans. Few days from now, I don’t know what we will give the children. March Hope for Children Center Orphanage/refugee center. On Sunday, one of the displaced women at Hope for Children Center gave birth to twins—a boy and a girl. She named the girl Hope Waithera, this is in remembrance of our place that rescued her. Then she asked for the name of the organization sending the funds for their survival. I told her it is Hearth to Hearth Ministries. So she named her son Emanuel (God with us) Hearth Waweru! She is a woman from another tribe who had seven children. Six of them were killed along with their father on Jan.2, 2008. She only managed to escape with the last born who is about two years old. She is so glad God gave her twins. Now she has three, even though she does not know how she will feed them. Everything she has is gone. Please pray for her and the children. [Maybe we can find sponsors for the children (even though they are not total orphans) and the mother can volunteer to help at the orphanage.]
April tax free nonprofit statusOur Public Charity status is: 509(a)(2) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
May Hope for Children Center Orphanage's administrator saved from execution. ...As soon as the vehicle came to a stop, people came running from homes near the road and ordered all Luos to get out of the matatu. About twelve apprehensive passengers got out. All twelve were then stripped totally naked and all of their possessions were taken, including their shoes. Then they were escorted to a nearby house where Pastor had no doubt that others had been killed in that very house. He knew that they were also to be killed by these Kisii people who were bent on avenging the deaths of their loved ones in Luo land. June The strugles of getting food for the orphans and starving children of Africa. ... To further clarify, he told the following
story:
July Cybertrip to Kenya What is the geography and climate of this country so far away from us in miles, but close in our hearts?How do the people make a living? What language do they speak? Why do the people of this land struggle with poverty and hungerwhen there is such abundance in somany other areas of the world? What caused AIDS to be so prevalent there, resulting in the thousands of orphans who have become our mission through Hearth to Hearth Ministries?
August Hunger and Starvation in Africa By Maurice Anyango
September Hearth to Hearth Ministries' 10th Aniversary Ten years ago this month the first issue [Sept./Oct. 1998]
of Hearth to Hearth magazine rolled off the press and into
the mail, thus launching Hearth to Hearth Ministries—a
ministry to women, from our“hearth” to theirs. My partner in that
venture was my friend, Grace Cox, of
October October Spotlight on Orphans Newsletter The following poem written by fourteen year old Sarah Moravetz is found on the last page of this monts Spotlight on Orphans. Imagine a child, Imagine a child, Imagine this child, Imagine this child, Imagine this child, Imagine this child, Imagine this child, Imagine this child, Imagine this child,
November Over a hundred children in our orphanages needing sponsors We still have over a hundred children in our orphanages waiting for sponsors. As a result of increasing food prices and 16% of our orphans being unsponsored, it is increasingly difficult tomeet our budget each month. There is also a psychological toll of being an unsponsored child. These children have great hope of being sponsored and receiving letters from their sponsors like the other children.
December Change is coming HTHM has a Board of Directors
that governs the organization from a
strategic level. The Board has set up a
new organization that will manage the
implementation of the strategy and
day-to-day operations. This organization
has an Executive Director, Esther
McDaniel, who will continue to manage
the operations. Reporting to the Executive
Director are a Finance Director,
Projects Director, and Public Relations
Director. Click the links below for 2007 back issues. January Let Them Come Unto Me Pastor has helped so many African orphan girls and is still speaking on behalf of many. They see Hope for Children Center Orphanage as a Center where they can find peace and refuge. Most of them are too poor to survive on their own. God has truly provided this orphanage for them, even though most of them don’t stay in the compound. Pastor has organized with some Christians who care for them in their homes. However, these people cannot educate them when they want to go ahead with education. February Off to Africa with Love By the time you are reading this article, Vicki and I will already be in Kenya, interviewing, photographing and hugging our/your orphans. We are very much looking forward to seeing them, learning their hopes and dreams, telling them about their families abroad and assuring them of your love. March Volunteers go to Africa to help the orphans. After breakfast, we were greeted with the reality of life at this orphanage. Before we could even start our day, Pastor took us to the gates where children had clustered, praying this day they might be admitted. The sight of these small children clad in rags was more than we could manage. There were about sixty. We brought them in and began to sort through the clothing we had brought with us for the children of our volunteers. We also had clothing left over from three bales we had purchased for Glory Center. By the time two hours had passed, we had replaced their rags with beautiful new clothing. They were so proud. (The next morning we were faced with four times this original number. We had nothing for them, so had to send them away to come back on Sabbath. We purchased one more bale and replaced the clothing of over 200 before church.) April Visit to Uganda Africa I knew that we would be visiting very poor people, but I was not prepared for how some of these people live. So many of them have absolutely nothing and sleep on straw or rags. Some have roofs that let water pour in. Others have no latrines or just broken down remnants. Some go to neighbors to beg for food. Some of the houses are falling over and are propped up with poles. No matter how poor they are, they greet us kindly and give us the best seat they have. Several times we have been offered gifts of food, which I am sure they could not spare.
May African trip As we pulled into the drive, I couldn't help but notice the new gate and guardhouse that had not been there when I had left. Wonderful! I knew the money had come in for this much needed addition to the Center and it was thrilling to see that it was now in place.
June Fundraising Vicki Kritzell has done a wonderful job of raising funds for this ministry from its inception (in addition to directing the Sponsorship Department). She just seems to have a talent in that regard. So it is not surprising that our Board has asked her to be the Director of this new Fund Raising Department. Keep in mind that she will be looking for recruits. Although Vicki considers each individual involved in the ministry a “fund raiser,” she will be looking for help with specific projects in various areas.
July Ministry on the Grow
» The dormitory at Glory Children's Center Orphanage is nearly completed.
Funds are needed to furnish doors, windows, paint, and other internal finishing
touches. Look for photos of the progress in SOON Extra, on our website. Very
soon the children will be able to move to their new facility.
August An Interview with Pastor Maurice Anyango
The final week of
Esther’s, Steve’s and Vicki’s visit to Hope Center, in February of this year,
revolved around Administrative Council Meetings with our administrators and
their wives from all of the projects, both in Uganda and Kenya.
September Administrator sick.
It is August 20, and
three weeks have passed since we have had any word from Pastor Maurice. Pushing
our worry to the back of our minds, our Ministry Board ponders different
reasons: he is busy purchasing the land for the secondary school; he is
interviewing teachers; the van has once again broken down; he has traveled to
town only to find the power down once again. None of us mention our biggest
fear, that he is
October Bridge of Hope Center Orphanage administrator in an accident. On September 5, we received word that our dear pastor, Alfred Mukhooli of Bridge of Hope Center in Mbale, Uganda, was involved in a motorcycle accident September 3rd. The word was that he had been knocked unconscious and his wallet, along with all his ID, had been stolen. I can't help but wonder, if he had not come to, how long it would have taken them to identify him. Fortunately, he did come around and was able to call Fred Musungu to come to his assistance. The next day he was also able to reach his friend (and ours) Moses Kisiibo.
November Orphans value there education
Before visiting Kenya in February, 2007, I had been told that Kenyans value
education more than food. I can’t attest to that, but my visit to Glory
Children's Center and Hope for Children Center reminded me of the fundamental
desire of the human mind to learn when unhampered by cultures where abundance
has dulled this inherent desire.
December Non profit status We are planning to have our nonprofit documents filed before the end of this year. This is a grueling process, but once we receive that status, it will allow us to solicit funds from organizations and corporations that have greater resources to help us accomplish our goals faster. We are experiencing extraordinary growing pains and trust the Lord to continue leading us down the path He designs. We hope you will be pleased by what you see and will encourage your friends and relatives to also get involved.
Click the links below for 2006 back issues. Below each link you will find a paragraph about a article in that issue of Spotlight on Orphans newsletter. January Establishing a Scholarship Fund. This generous donor (who has asked to remain
anonymous) has opened a new door for our orphans. We have decided to use
these funds to establish a Scholarship Fund, to
February Famine!!! 2006 Four orphans on our waiting list died of starvation near Oyugis, Kenya “Dear Vicki and other board members, please remove the names of the following children from the waiting list, they are all dead. They have died of starvation. “1) Loyce Auma – No. 202 in the waiting list 2) Onesmus Okoth – No. 199 in the waiting list. 3) Wycliffe Otieno – No. 190 in the waiting list. 4) Austine Oduor – No. 203 in the waiting list.
March The Sting of Death -- Malaria. Many articles concerning the orphans
we work for have centered on the huge problems caused by the disease of
HIV/AIDS. The primary reason for this is, of course, most children we work with are orphans because their parents died from complications
of HIV/AIDS. We know a whole generation of young adults aged twenty to forty are
being wiped out in Africa, with the problem spreading to India, Russia, and
South America.
April God's Wonderful Care for His Children. As I think back over the past few years, I see how God has blessed this project over and over again, beginning with the closing of OBREC by UNICEF. A few struggling orphans came and knocked on Pastor Maurice’s door because he had been their Bible teacher and they loved him. These orphans had no place else to go besides the streets. He opened his door to these orphans and Hope for Children Center orphanage was born.
May On Top of the World! When I was a boy I wanted to be a steeplejack; a fellow who would climb to the top of a church spire because it needed a new coat of paint. Or perhaps climb a municipal water tower whose letters had been weathered away and be the one to put shiny new letters on it. I would look up at those men, longing to be one of those men on top of the world. Oh, the dreams of a little boy.
June Going Above and Beyond... So many sponsors go above and beyond sending their monthly fees. This is done in many ways, by sending photos, little gifts, and writing to the children. Often, it goes beyond even this, to a much more personal level with their children. We are happy to share two such stories with you this issue, and will continue to do so in future issues. Truly, these wonderful folks have caught the vision.
July Youth with a Heart. The work sponsors in raising funds for the orphanages is just exploding! This month, we would like to feature two groups, beginning with “Youth with a Heart.” These young people come from very different locations, but are joined at the heart in working for our orphans and widows. Youth with a Heart was born by the desire of a few young Christians who felt called to relieve the suffering of widows and orphans that Hearth to Hearth Ministries is working with. They come from Alaska, California and Colorado.
August Longest-serving Teacher Succumbs to Malaria. Near Oyugis, Kenya Just yesterday, on July 24, we received the following word from Pastor Maurice: “I am very sorry and sorrowful to inform you that we lost one of our very good teachers. Her name was Maria (Mary) Adhiambo Ochuodho. Mary was a hard working teacher and loved the children so much. She was the longest-serving teacher in our institution. She started with us while we were still in Oyugis, Kenya. Esther knows Mary and had even written a letter to her in 2004. She died of Malaria.”
September "Spring" Has Finally Arrived. The crops are now coming in and the price of grain and other commodities has fallen, at least temporarily. Pastors Maurice and Moses are planning ahead to prepare for what now seems inevitable, another famine. We have been through three in the past three years. The pastors have asked us to consider trying to lay aside grain in storage while the prices are forty percent lower than just a month ago. This will ensure that not only our own orphans will be secure, but also the many who live outside our gates but have come to depend on us.
October Our Very Own "Mother Teresa" near Oyugis, Kenya Teresa is the administrator of our newest
orphanage, brought about because of thirty-one children who were brought to Hope
Center in March, by the Kenyan government.
November Introducing Bridge of Hope Center-- Mbale, Uganda It is with great pleasure that I am finally able to officially introduce you to the Bridge of Hope Center, the newest orphanage to be sponsored by Hearth to Hearth Ministries. Actually, we have been working with Pastor Mukhooli and this Center for the past two years behind the scenes. The main reason why we did not give our official recognition to this orphanage earlier is because of the lack of funds to nurture it. Note: The work on Spotlight on Orphans newsletter is done by volunteers who receive no monetary compensation for their hard work. Please let the volunteers know that you appreciate the hard work they do, by sending a letter to one of the volunteers listed in a Spotlight on Orphans newsletters or send an email to volunteers@hearthtohearth.org
December A Letter from Logan After seeing so many people survive with so little, I sometimes wonder why God chose to have me born as an American. I remember wondering what it would really be like if I was born in Africa or in some other third world country. (Logan spent six months in Africa volunteering with the orphans and widows.) |
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