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!
January 18, 2007
Dear friends and partners, Happy New Years to each and every one of you. It’s a very good beginning for us this year as we begin our work after being closed for holidays. We came back to being able to work freely as there are enough funds to meet everyone’s needs. What a blessings you have brought to so many here.
Last year, I wrote several newsletters, in March I wrote about our new sewing group that are living with AIDS. In December I wrote about our theft through our security people – and my despair that this should happen. After this threat – we revised our security at the office. Now everyone must have a Tabitha security card – it includes a picture, name, and our official stamp. I had resisted this for so many years as I like to live in trust.
I often hear the Biblical phrase that out of bad there is always something good. Our ladies living with AIDS found it very difficult to rent a place to live – people were afraid of them. Landlord after landlord turned them away because they have AIDS. The women couldn’t keep their children, they couldn’t have a family. Each night they found sleep in a shelter – not a place to call home, not a place to be free – but a place to sleep.
When we issued the security cards – miracles began to happen – all of our women found a place to rent. The landlords would look at the cards and see that these were women had work, had value. These were women who were worthy of being rented to. I shake my head in disbelief – and then shudder with joy. What had been so terrible is turning into a blessing that I would not have thought of. These women who though they lost all now rejoice as their children can come to a place called home.
In 2005, I wrote about two young ladies who have no citizenship in any country. The first time we paid them for their work, they stood in disbelief and wanted to give us some money back – they said it was too much money. Their parents were desperately poor – badly in debt because of medical problems. The young ladies were determined that the debt would be repaid. It took a year and that was done. In this last year, both young ladies have been able to send enough money for their families to rent land and to build a small home - this year, both girls are traveling home in April for the New Years celebration – they need to cross borders without a passport – a very risky task - their new ID card gives them identity – they can travel without fear – “we want to celebrate life with our families” they tell me.
Over this week and next, 65 of our families will get a home from ten teams that are here. I met several of these families who last year had no hope – they were despaired because they had no papers – they had no land. Our staff worked hard to change that and land was bought and or given – with real papers. As the houses are being built – the family’s hopes become reality – we are somebody, a woman told me, we are important.
I have a faith – I have a faith that all people – irregardless of color, race or creed, irregardless of wealth or poverty, irregardless of education or lack of it – are of equal value before my God. Each of you makes that faith real – each of you believes in people that you have not seen or never met. You stand with us from your heart – you touch others in faith. Rejoice with us – for so many people here have felt that sense of value – of equality because you cared.
May the year 2007 be a year full of the blessings that you have given in faith – may these blessings be multiplied and returned as blessings to each of you. Happy New Years to each of you.
Janne
