Newsletters
With our regular newsletters, we aim to keep you posted on all the interesting and important news and updates of our programs and various activities. Enjoy reading!
October 2008
Dear friends and partners, My daughter Miriam and I have just finished a mother/daughter lunch. It’s a special one because on Saturday, Miriam turns a double digit (10 years old) – which makes us a double digit family. For some unfathomable reason, it seems to be of great importance to her – for me, it just makes me realize how fast this girl of mine is growing up.
We were talking about what she would like for her birthday – her list was quite modest. Then she turned to me and said, mum, what would you like for Christmas? I said your love and a big hug. She got quite put out with this and said, you have that – what would you really like. She made be quiet for a minute – and said – think about what you would really like. I would like to share my answer with all of you. What I would really like is that all of our families that we work with, would be at a stage of development that they too; could sit with their sons and daughters, over a lunch and talk about how good their lives are, to share a special moment of love, of caring deeply for each other. I would love to see all of our families have daily work that resulted in satisfaction and earned enough to put food on the table and to put clothes on their children’s backs; that would keep a roof over their heads and enough water for all their daily needs; to be able lay down at night, content with the day they had and not fretting over where to get money for the next day’s needs. It is a desire of mine that burns strong – because you see, if all our families have this, then I too, can enjoy my own labour, and food and shelter. This past program year was a journey towards that wish for so many of our families. 17,317 families were able to eat good food each day, 134,356 children were able to attend school, 1,311 families were able to have a sturdy home, another 8,270 families were able to achieve food security through buying of rice, 3,024 families were able to buy pigs, another 3,642 families were able to buy chickens, ducks, cows and fish to raise and sell; 6,119 families were able to buy rice and vegetable seeds, 4,695 families were able to pay for medical help; and the list goes on. My wish is that this program year that we have just started may fulfill the dreams for even more families. The problem is that we can’t do this unless you help us. For all of our families to achieve the next step to a good life, it costs us $20 US dollars per year. Doesn’t sound like much to us – but it’s the difference between hunger and despair to hope and a full stomach for all our families. Miriam gave me $20 out of her saved money from allowances – I will save and give you a second family present at Christmas – it can’t get better than that. On my 60th birthday I shared my dream with all of you and you responded in unbelievable ways – now I share my dream again – only this time, my dream is to help 30,000 families – if we can find 1500 partners at $20 each – then my dream of families living a life of dignity and of respect will happen. My God has given me such a good life – I am so thankful. He has given me, all of you and I am so thankful. He has also given me the responsibility for so many families in this land of sorrow and I am so thankful. It can’t get any better.
Janne
