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 18,2006

            	
Dear friends and partners, Last month, the newsletter dwelled on the sadness poverty and the question that was asked was who will hear them when they cry? I said that you and I will hear them. We have just finished our annual report and I would like to share some of the ways we heard these people cry.
                
In the past 12 months, • 12,050 new families with 95,400 people ate three meals a day – the children did not go to bed hungry • 5,675 families with 45,400 people were able to buy rice – enough for three months – no hunger during these months • 4,445 families with 35,560 people ate their meals from food cooked in their own pots and pans and eaten from porcelain plates – water was drunk from real glass glasses – what a joy • 6,094 families with 48,752 people were able to buy blankets, sleeping mats and mosquito nets – the nights were ever so much better • 2,459 new families with 19,672 people were able to have a few hours of light each night because they had bought a battery – the night terrors were put to rest for a few hours each evening • 1,062 new families with 8,496 families were able to buy a bicycle – an average of 75% of our school aged children are going to school this year – up from the 15% that attended several years ago • 3,624 families with 28,992 people were able to pay for medical treatment this year – before they suffered without help • 4,254 families with 34,032 people were able to raise pigs, another 2,213 families with 17,704 people were able to raise chickens or ducks; and another 6,525 families with 52,200 people grew vegetables; another 4,034 families with 32,272 people were able to buy farm tools and fertilizer; 405 families were able to buy a cow or buffalo to plough their fields - all of these families increased their income from less than .50 cents a day – to an average of $2.50 per day – they have visions of being able to build a safe home, to have their children in school, to work and live with dignity – what a gift that is. • 586 families – most of them street women – a number living with AIDS – were able to earn a very good income this year because of you – • 823 volunteers came from all over the world to build 376 houses for 376 families – so many are able to sleep at night without fear, without being rained on. • 845 wells were dug this year – giving life saving water to 4,225 families with 33,800 people – their neighbors have access to this water – a gift of hope for much can be grown, a gift of life for the illnesses have decreased – a gift of rest as no one has to walk far to receive the water. • and there is so much more …… You and our staff heard the cries of 27,061 families with 216,488 people this past year. Now I’d like to challenge each of you – this New Year that started a couple of weeks ago is full of visions – we’d like to reach out to 35,435 families with 267,673 people. It is an amazing vision – one we cannot do without each of you. • The budget for the development program is $280,378.00 US dollars – we need to have 2800 people commit to $100 for this year – sounds impossible – not if each of our Foundations in Singapore, Canada, USA, Australia and the UK found 560 partners for this amount – are you able to be a partner? • We have visions of installing 1,032 wells impacting a minimum of 3,660 families with 29,280 dependents – this means we need 86 wells per month at $85.00 Us each – over the 5 foundations this would be 18 wells per month – will you stand with us in this vision? • We have visions of building houses for 550 families – but they are equally divided amongst our ten provinces – some whom require sacrifice to get to – are you able to bring a team that would be willing to go the extra mile? • We have a vision to sell at least $45,000.00 worth of our products so that our many workers can live with dignity – will you help us to promote the workmanship and dignity of all our workers? There are so many challenges in this year that lies ahead – each of you have made so much possible – each of you have hear their cry. I thank you for the grace you have given to so many – I look forward to the blessings that will come this year. I thank my God for each of you. If you would like to know how to be a partner – contact the Foundation nearest to you. Send me a quick email if you sign up so that I can rejoice with each of you. Janne