Six weeks ago, I received a visit from a gentleman who had a high position of authority, whose question to me was...... I want to do what you are doing', who is your donor,? I replied, God is. No,! he said, I mean, Who is the 'big' donor who gives you all the money to do all these programmes, that you do to help people,? I replied, God does. Oh yes, he replied, I know you have to pray for money, but who actually gives you the money!! Once again, I replied... God does... But unfortunately, the man thought I was either refusing to disclose to him what' big charity' gave LIA the funding or that I was not telling him the truth.......... so I explained in detail, what a wonderful God I serve and how he touches and inspires hearts. Here is just a few examples of how students, volunteers, visitors have been inspired to help us, in some cases, year after year.
A young student doctor from Germany, came and visited us when we were living on the mountain, and helped us take a some children to a clinic for an examination, he said 'goodbye, and we didn't hear from him again until he wrote to tell me he was getting married, and he and his future wife, had agreed NOT to ask for wedding presents but for any gift to go to help the children of Light in Africa. We received a gift of love, - as we have each year since- from this wonderful, caring couple. Lucy, a volunteer, who is with us for the third time, wrote a letter to her parents, who then passed it onto her grandparents to read, who then read it to their friends. A gentleman was going to celebrate his 80th birthday, and decided he had enough possessions and that he would ask his family for money instead to give LIA children who were victims of the HIV/AIDS virus a holiday. The children had a wonderful holiday in Tanga, and six weeks after the holiday, we lost a child, but we have some wonderful photo's of a very happy child enjoying the new experience of sand and playing on the sea shore, collecting shells.
This year, two young people stayed with us in February, a young lady from Austria, and a young man from Poland... We said our 'goodbyes' and in November, Gerlinde wrote to me to say she was going to hold a slide and picture show in her village hall with her mum and dad providing biscuits, they raised an amazing amount of money, with Peter and his mum, and an unknown donor providing further cheques.
And to-day, I open my emails to find, a young lady who came from Scotland with a Gap challenge group and camped on our lawn in August has persuaded her father to -- have his legs waxed -- hold an auction and a quiz at the college he is employed at.... It is all so wonderfully amazing.
From a volunteers mum in Richmond, USA making jewellery and selling it at the school where she works, to Lorraine and her friends in Canada baking and selling cakes at her place of work, to Suzanne making a calendar from the pictures that she took of our children and out-reach work and the proceeds being forwarded to us, their is just no end to the love, and talents of all the lovely people who come and volunteer, or who are inspired to help us do more for this desperate area where we live.
So YES, I state again, It is ALL God, answering our prayers for hearts to be inspired to help us in our mission, to show the love of His Son in the works that we undertake, solely for HIM.
MAY WE HAVE A 'GOD BE WITH US, ONE AN ALL, CHRISTMAS, AND A NEVER ENDING PEACEFUL NEW YEAR. ...... MUNGU AKURBERIKI..... MAMA LYNN
[ add comment ]
| related link
this realy is a cry for help..... we are just at our wit's end, not knowing what to do. Has anyone any idea's
FACTS; we have a 12 month old, servo positive baby, who weighs about 7 kilos. He is our biggest problem child as, in the daytime he is absolutely adorable, has big smiles for everyone, and is a great little guy.....But, in the evening,,,,, he cry's all night..... he sleeps for 10 minutes, awakes screaming, we give him a drink, and he falls asleep for a further 10 minutes, this pattern exists all through the night. We have had Pastors come in to pray for him, we have had doctors look at him, but we cannot find a solution to this child's problem, nothing we do, helps.
Can anyone give us any idea what this is all about......assanta sana, mama lynn
[ add comment ]
| related link
Hi everyone, just left Boma Kids Club, where this week we have seen an increase again to 119 children, who have just had a great time with our visitors from Canada, I'm sure football will never be the same again!!!
We have just completed our first year as a Non -government Organisation, and as to comply with the regulations of Tanzania Government have produced our audited accounts and minutes of our meeting to the necessary authorities. WE STAND IN AWE WHAT GOD HAS DONE. the medical team produced their report for the committee and this ;year has seen an increase in 50% of desperately poor people receiving medical treatment.......4793........ patients received 'free' medical assistance, with 12 patients receiving major surgery.... Children have increased who have joined us at our centres, some arriving after intervention in crisis situations....Our food programme has just had to increase by each week as more and more people arrive at our centre starving from the effects of the famine..... no one has left empty handed...... our out-reach programmes into Massai Land are increasing more and more with more practical help been given...... We thank all you wonderful people, who, without your inspired gift we would not have been able to achieve so much. May you all know great peace, health and prosperity. Mungu Akubairiki.......mama Lynn
[ add comment ]
| related link
DEAR FRIENDS, THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE ON WHAT IS HAPPENING AT THE MOMENT.
BOMA KIDS CLUB WAS STARTED LAST JULY WITH AN IDEA THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO TRY TO STOP THE SPIRAL OF CRIMINALITY BY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE OFTENED ORPHANED, AND LIVING ON THE STREET AND ARE LED INTO CRIME. AT THAT TIME, WE DIDN'T KNOW THE IMPACT THAT IT WOULD HAVE ON THESE CHILDREN. ALTHOUGH THE AREA WE LIVE IN IS MUCH LIKE A SMALL VILLAGE, THE CLUB LAST WEEK WAS ATTENDED BY 111 ORPHANED AND UNSUPPORTED CHILDREN.
EACH SATURDAY MORNING, BOMA KID'S CLUB IS A BEHIVE OF ACTIVITY, WITH CHILDREN ARRIVING FROM OF THE MOUNTAIN OR SURROUNDING AREA HAVING WALKED MANY MILES. THEY COME TO HAVE ' TIME OUT' FROM THE PRESSURE OF LIFE SO THEY CAN JUST PLAY AND BE KIDS.... SO THEY ARRIVE, LOOKING RAGGED, OFTEN WEARING NO SHOES, HUNGRY, EXPECTANT, AND START TO PLAY, FOOTBALL - VOLUNTEERS HAVE JUST BROUGHT THEM SOME NEW GEAR TO WEAR, SO WE NOW KNOW WHOSE ON WHAT TEAM111- THE GIRLS EITHER DRAW, SKIP, PLAY BALL, OR GET INVOLVED IN THE MANY GAMES THAT ARE ORGANISED..... IF A CHILD IS UNWELL, IT CAN VISIT SISTER GRACE, WHO HOLDS A 2 HOUR DISPENSARY, OR THEY CAN TALK TO PASTOR PAULO WHO IS THERE ADVOCATE - LAST WEEK A FAMILY OF FOUR CHILDREN WERE BEATEN BY THEIR RELATIVE AND LIVED IN A SAND PIT FOR A WEEK, BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO INTERVENE - THEY THEN HAVE A TIME OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP AND THEN THE FOOD IS BROUGHT IN HUGE CONTAINERS..... WE TRY TO FENSURE THEY HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL MEAL, EACH WEEK WITH THE NUMBERS GROWING WE HAVE TO RE-THINK HOW WE ARE GOING TO COOK IT! AS WE JUST COOK OVER A FIRE ON THREE STONES... EDUCATION ON HYGIENE IS GIVEN AND WE OFTEN DISTRIBUTE A PIECE OF SOAP AND THE FOLLOWING WEEK A PRIZE IS GIVEN FOR THE CHILD WHOSE WASHED HIS CLOTHES AND LOOKS SMART.... A TOUR COMPANY WHO HAS ASSISTED OUR MANY VOLUNTEERS WITH THEIR CLIMB OF MOUNT KILIMANJARO OR THEIR SAFAIS, KINDLY OFFERED TO TAKE 30 CHILDREN FROM THE CLUB ON A DAYS SAFARI TO ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK, THIS WAS A VERY EXCITING DAY FOR THEM, AS SOME HAD NEVER SEEN THE COUNTRYS ANIMALS LIKE THE GIRAFFE AT CLOSE RANGE BEFORE.
OVER THE YEAR WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET SOME CHILDREN BACK INTO EDUCATION BY PAYING THEIR SCHOOL FEES, ALSO SOME HAVE GONE ONTO A TRAINING SCHOOL TO LEARN LIFE SKILLS, WHILST OTHERS HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED WITH CLOTHES AND FOOD EACH WEAK TO SUSTAIN THEM....... SO THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS FOR ALL THAT INPUT AND EXHAUSTED GAMES YOU PLAYED, THEY KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE..........MAMA LYNN
[ add comment ]
| related link
Dearest Family, Friends, and all of our Wonderful Volunteers and Supporters.. It has been some time since we have been able to access our 'News Page' as we have just undergone a change in Web Masters... We are so very very grateful to Wessel in Holland who was the original designer of our Web Page. He is now studying very hard at the University and so has handed all the procedures over to Harry McLaren who is over here with his mum and dad and 4 sisters to assist with the Christian School. Our deepest thanks to all concerned.
It has been a very emotional week-end as I have just handed Reheema our six year old little girl into the arms of Jesus. This is the third child we have lost in 4 months to this dastardly HIV/AIDS virus. We have also said ' Goodbye' yesterday to the last of our 38 medical volunteers from Leeds and Newcastle University, they have been a tower of strength over this weekend as we roller coasted from the celebration of opening our 1st stage Dispensary for the Maasai in Lerai to coming home and Reheema dying, and not finishing the initial preparations until 4am, they gave their all. I particularly want to thank our 'special friends' who have visited us for the second and third year.... Dustin / Tanya.... Kristen / David from the States, Sjoerd from Holland, team leaders Aleesha and Joel, and their amazing team of committed 'house builders' - see them in the picture gallery - - Vicky from Newcastle K.A.O.S. (KIDS ACTION OVERSEAS) thank you for the special gift you left of a 'rocking chair' and the water for Malaika, Sandy Cripps, first to see the White House) - Louise from Leeds K.A.O.S.- sorry we wont see you next year Lousie - but Bless you indeed for all the hard work you put in in organising KAOS in AFRICA- THE TEAM CHALLENGE Kids from the UK (who camped on our front lawn.) all of our wonderful 'travelling' friends who 'just popped in' the children have loved every minute of your time and holidays with you. We now are waiting for our visitors from Canada and Germany, some of whom are staying with us for 5 months. Bless you all.
Our Farm Project which our dear friend Celeste Crouch and friends initiated for us in America is going well with our two 'mature' cows giving milk everyday for our centres and feeding the two calves. We have still to build a 'chicken shed' for the chicks that Heifer International are going to provide for us, perhaps that is a project for our new arrivals?
I just cannot express to you the words that I feel when I see these wonderful people helping out in all situations - from their hearts - to benefit the community. They have arrived at the centre from being out in the bush bush caked in mud, after building houses for the poorest of people, some suffering from malaria and sickness, but stoicly returning to the projects as soon as they were well enough. Others helping out, with night duty, when a nurse is off sick, others, just providing a shoulder to cry on when we have ' a bad African day'. May God Bless You All Mightily with his Peace and love. Laura - my daughter and her family, Gemma, Sophie and Jarrod are returning to the UK for 7 weeks from the 10th September. I understand the UK are going to see the 'first ever' Maasai Wazungu's doing the OTLEY run through Leeds, the mind boggles, as to what they will look like..... love to you all mama Lynn
[ add comment ]
| related link
Back
News Updates from Light in Africa - Kilimanjaro Region - Tanzania
Archives
