First I want to thank so many of you for reading all those Blackberry updates from me! It is really a blessing when I receive an email back from you and I know you are reading the updates.
Second I want to tell you I have changed this email group from Kenya Releif to Partners as Kenya is now moving to the next phase of their post-election crisis to resettlement. The ministries are now all sworn in (all 42 of them) and Kenyan goverment is starting to function again. There are still people in IDPs and we visited two of them this last trip but they now have food for the most part and are preparing to resettle somewhere. There are still needs including funds for school uniforms, sanitary pads, things for the children to do, etc.
I wanted to share with you some iniatives GOA/Partners for Care are beginning. If God leads you to be involved you are needed to partner with us to complete these iniatives!
First is mosquito net distribution. GOA/Partners for Care distributed 5,000 nets last year thanks to our partner HEART – Vickie Winkler. We distributed nets in areas where nets had never been distributed – Turkana and in Marsabit. This year we hope to distribute many more nets. 92 children a day die in Kenya from malaria and every year 6,000 babies are born below birth weight because of malaria creating a life-time of problems. Kenya goverment is distributing 3 million treated nets over the next year for children 5 and under and pregnant women. Distributing the net is only part of the issue – delivering the net to the far remote areas of Kenya and teaching the proper use of the net is necessary to ensure a reduction of the malaria. Partners for Care/GOA nurses and social workers will help with this process. If you want to “cast a net” and support the transporting of bed nets you can donate to Partners for Care at ILI PO Box 1005 Carrollton, GA 30112 or on-line www.iliteam.org
and designate the funds for “cast a net”.
Second is the Partners for Care/GOA Reach a Million/Test a Million youth HIV/AIDS iniative. Led by SN and partnering with Emory Faith-based office Partners for Care/GOA are targeting the youth as the chosen generation to create a HIV-free generation. Using sports, music and testing this team of counsellors, pastors and musicians will travel throughout Kenya leaving behind sports programs in churches throughout Kenya with the focus of HIV prevention. This iniative was launched this last trip in Mathare slum where 5,000 youth were reached with the message of HIV prevention and 400 tested for HIV. The team has its own van now and this week travels to Bungoma for three days of sports, music and testing. If you want to support this team you may send funds to Partners for Care and designate – Reach a Million. This team is committed to end both the ever increasing number of orphans and to stop children like Rebecca, Emanual, Faith and so many other children from being born infected with AIDS.
Last is GOA will be having another children’s conference in August. This one is for children who attend GOA churches. So if you liked the updates from the conference and want to help with the next one please let me know. This time we are hoping for more more financial support early on so the conference can be held in a school with better accomodations for the children and the staff. Although I must admit Tumaini was really a wonderful place to hold the conference and nobody seemed to mind sleeping on mats on the floor! I don’t think that conference could have been any more special than it was!
Also please let me know if you want to be off this update list! Also please pass this on to those you know who want to help widows, orphans and who have a heart to eliminate the diseases that rob children’s lives or that infect them for a lifetime.
Blessed to be able to serve,
Connie Sent via Cingular Xpress Mail with Blackberry