Mid Year Information

The first 6 months of 2011 are almost over, here in Kenya, we are at the middle of our Winter. Though Kenya strides the equator, we still experience a cold season at this time when the sun is down the tropic of capricorn. Today it's down to 16 degrees celcius ( not cold by European standards) but to a people used to 28-35 degrees, it's freezing. Now these past 6 months have been really trying in terms of our ability to meet our most basic obligations. While we have scrapped through, it has been a struggle. As I had posted earlier in the year, our struggles started when we had to abruptly demolish some 12 housing units which we used to rent out and earn income from. Then e had to erect a wall along one side of our land for security purposes. Within this struggles, 40 children were added to our home. ( read earlier report).

Now the other big source of struggles is the failed long rains, so there is no harvest to talk about from our farm. To compound all this, the high cost of fuel (gas) prices have escalated the prices of all the commodities and our budget is overstretched. Note: In the last 2 months, the Kenya shilling has depreciated from 80 to the US dollar to 92!! within the same time, a liter of petrol has gone up from Kenya shillings 85 to 115!!!

But in all this I would like to thank the following for coming out to assist us: Stichting Weeskinderen Kenia, Wings of Support, Stichting WANAWA and it's director Jane, United dreams Kenya and it's founder Ira, Stichting Studiebol, ( all these are coincidentally from Holland) Thanks too to Louise of new zealand, Lydia Breu and Albin, Ineke, CP shoes, Maroo Polymers and all the kind Kenyans ( you are so many and we appreciate you all), The Management Board of the home have also been very supportive. This list is not exhaustive and for those who have not been mentioned, you are highly appreciated and you are daily in our prayers.

We are now looking forward to the next 6 months to the end of the year and although the future may look bleak and the challenges are getting bigger and tougher, yet we have the faith in our God and also a reason to believe that our calling is noble and our work sacred. With this in mind, we are assured that we can only march forwards and a giant hand of providence though invisible will always be there to guide us. May our heavenly father bless you all.

Wishing You all a Happy Easter holiday

The children are on school holidays since April 1st. They are all doing fine and the big ones do home studies in preparation for end of year exams. We would all like to thank our friends, our supporters, the volunteers who visit us for their warmth of heart, the donors who unreservedly keep this home well catered for, and all who in one way or another make us believe in a brighter tomorrow.

You are God's messengers and we celebrate you just as we celebrate the holy season of Easter. May God touch you and bless you abundantly, may He shower you with loads of happiness this Easter.

Clarification/Information

In the post of 03 Feb. 2011, I listed some of the new developments at the children home. Among the items was that of the digging of a water well and the picture of the well. Due to the different nationalities and hence language differencies of our readers, supporters and donors, I would like to clarify that a well is a shallow water hole, usually dug (excavated using manual labour, and is in most cases of a depth of upto 30 feet) and it's water is drawn out using manual methods. A water well is not a bore hole. A borehole is drilled using drilling rigs ( machinery and equipment, and can be more than 500 feet deep). Due to it's depth, it's water is pumped out using electric or mechanized pumps. At our farm, a donor had funded the small amount required to dig a water well, to be used temporarily for supplying water to the already functional green houses, while we waited for fundraising for the more expensive but effective borehole to be excavated.

I hope this clarification is understandable to all our friends. More inquiries are welcome via our email, (st.pauls.children@gmail.com)

Urgent Funds Appeal

• As I published earlier, the Children Home is facing a crisis on it's recurrent expenditure funding. We are currently behind schedule in the payment of salaries and electricity. We have also cut expenditure on normal program costs such as foods, clothing, electricity bill, travelling and medical supplies. Following are the reasons for this crisis.

1. From the end of last year (2010) a major donor who was funding the salaries for teachers ended his/her 3 year funding. This was a direct loss of funding.
2. In November last year(2010) we were required to demolish the rental houses that were generating about 200 euros per month. This was also a direct loss of income.
3. The prices of food have been going up since the last quarter of 2010 due to the current dry season. This directly affects our tight food budget.
4. Additional children (7) have joined secondary school bringing the number of high school students to 12. This is a direct increase in expenditure on school fees, travelling and uniform.
5. Since mid February, some additional 40 children have been hosted at our institute after their home was closed by the government. This is a direct stretching of our budget and resources.

It is for these various reasons that I am appealing, on behalf of the children of this institution, and with the resolution of our board, to all of our well wishers and supporters. We call upon you to come to our aid in whichever form. The management has identified several possible projects which will help plug the deficit. Despite our resourcefulness in creating various ways of generating income, the foregoing challenges have become in-surmountable and we look up to any and all our friends to come to our aid. Those in a position to assist may write to us via our email (st.pauls.children@gmail.com) so that we may engage on the various ways to tackle the challenges facing us. May God touch each and everyone of you in a special way. Be blessed.

INTERESTING PICTURES

Lydia Breau has facilitated the digging of a water well at our farm. The excavation/digging is currently in it's final stages. The greenhouses have ready tomatoes for harvesting. And the children enjoying a sumptuous meal. We contineously thank all of you who make these things a reality.

New Year & Back to School

After the long school holiday and X-mas festivities, and as is usual here in Kenya, Schools opened on January 4th. All the children are back to school. The candidates who sat for KCPE exams performed well and are awaiting to join form 1 at Secondary school.

We hope that this year (2011) will be better than the last and wish all our supporters a year full of abundant God's blessings.

News/ Updates

The last 2 months have been very trying for all of us at St. Pauls Children Care Center. One Girl was doing exams for entry into University (Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education-KCSE). The results for these exams will be out in mid March 2011. Other children ( 7 in all) were doing exams for entry into secondary school ( Kenya Certificate of Primary Education-KCPE) the results for these exams will be out just befor new year) We had prepared these children well academically and also psychologically. We do hope that they pass the exams.

This is a big challenge to the management since the 7 students will be required to join secondary school and the fees payment is a real challenge to us in February 2011. If the one girl for university acquires the right grades, we will be requesting one of our partner foundations ( Stichting Studiebol for possible sponsorship)

Then at the beginning of November, the ministry of roads decided to enlarge the road which passes next to our compound. We were thus required to demolish the rental houses which are just next to the road and which generate revenue ( appx. Kenya shillings 16,000 each month). We shall not be compensated for this loss and we also need to build a fence along this stretch since the houses were build in such a way as to act as the fence.

The challenges are many but our dedication is intact and strong, our faith too, our hope and our prayers keep us going despite the hardships. But it is also due to all our supporters,be they local here in Kenya, or foreign from across the globe, we would not be where we are without the support that you give to us.

We thus wish to pass our sincere gratitude to all the individuals and organizations that partner with us. We appreciate each and every one of you, we pray for you and we wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy new year 2011.

From the entire community of St. Pauls.