Silembe, Zambia | HOFO Update

We receive a new update from our team in Zambia, and the great news of our 5th child, and 1st girl -Natasha. The current status of the project is that we are within 30 days of completing the 2nd home at the property and the kitchen-laundry area. In addition, we are beginning the foundation on the third home:

Two rooms are plastered and work is being done on the 3rd.

The gates to secure the building were delivered today. A few alterations will need to be performed, but they will work. Progress on the fireplace walls is slow.

The boys seem to always be having fun.

This is our newest, and 1st girl, Natasha. She hasn't smiled a lot, as she is warming up to her new home. Her name means thanks in Bemba.

We are digging a ditch to drain water out of the foundation, since the ground water level isn't dropping fast enough. The re-enforced concrete will be poured in a few more days.

Linda and I will be in leaving early in the morning for Kasama. If everything works properly, I'll have email and will stay in touch.

The drain for the sinks has water in it as it cures, but drains properly. More pipes will be added to take the water farther away.

God Bless, from Mike

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Please keep the project, the team, and the children in your prayers. Blessings, WOR

Silembe, Zambia | HOFO Update

We heard this AM from our team in Zambia:

Grace is sifting sand for the plaster, while the boys have fun. Jo Anne is picking up a couple more children today.

The plaster work is moving slowly on the 2nd home due to some men out for funerals, etc.. Should finish next week. After plastering, ceilings, hanging doors, window glasses and handles, lights, paint, and furniture. Should be ready for children by the 2nd or 3rd week in May, or sooner.


The wall and grill work is also progressing slowly, with Comrade off again today. The gates for the entrance and over the sinks will not be ready until Thursday.


Golden stretches some rope to line up the plastic drain line on the proper grade.


I delivered the metal pantry doors today.

The grade for the slab will soon be ready. They continue to deal with a little water. We are into good rocky soil, so the foundation will be strong. The bricklayers should go straight from the plaster on the 2nd home to working on the foundation of the 3rd house.

Bricks are being delivered for the 3rd house. Probably another couple of weeks before I can collect rocks.

God Bless, from Mike

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We are currently caring for 4 boys at the House of Faith Orphanage in Silembe, Zambia. There names are Sibajane, Olick, Blessing, and Lovemore. We began receiving children on 14 March 08, and have another 8 children in queue to join us. Please keep these homes, our team there, and the community in your prayers.

ISRAEL-OPT: Islamic charity in Hebron fears closure

humanitarian news and analysis
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HEBRON, 14 April 2008 (IRIN) - A Palestinian charity in the West Bank city of Hebron is concerned it will be shut by the Israeli military and forced to close its orphanages and schools, employees at the institution told IRIN.

The Israeli military has ordered the closure of buildings rented by the Islamic Charitable Society (ICS), saying it is working for Hamas.

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CPT: Hebron orphanages and schools for 7,000 children ordered closed

April 2nd, 2008 Posted in Press Releases, Reports, Hebron Region

For more information about CPT’s work in Palestine click here

Last night (April 1st 2008) approximately 300 women, including teachers, mothers and students, protested the shut down of their school and orphanages by the Israeli government. This is one of several schools and orphanages serving 7,000 orphans and students in the Hebron area. Internationals, including Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), members of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and others committed to non-violence, slept in the school expecting armed Israeli soldiers to come and seal up the doors.

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To Russia with love

Pair will give toys, attention to orphans

BY KORIE WILKINS • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • April 16, 2008

According to statistics from the Russian Ministry of Education, there are about 700,000 orphans in Russia. About 90% were taken away from abusive, alcoholic or drug-addicted parents, according to Payne's Web site. Payne said most receive the equivalent of an eighth-grade education.

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Silembe, Zambia | HOFO Update

We heard from our team in Zambia over the weekend:

I hadn't sent pictures of the cushions. Olick is gaining weight.

The plaster is looking better in this house compared to the 1st.

I bought ceiling materials for this house. I think the inside doors and solar are the only things yet to be bought, plus paint and furniture.

The finished portion of the wall is too dark in this picture to see clearly. It's looking good.

The iron gates and metal doors were not ready on Saturday due to Zesco (the local power company) outages. I felt I needed to be on site to check the cooking grill work and at the same time deliver a load of materials. Comrade is the one working on the grill and he took off Friday, so he had only done a little by Saturday morning. I bought a load of cement and rebar. The brick layers should be able to go straight from the plaster to the foundation of the 3rd house. Not much more in terms of materials are needed to get the 3rd house to roof level.

Grandmothers, the unsung heroes of Africa

Kenneth -ROTOM, 13 April 2008, Sunday

WITH SUPPORT from the Stephen Lewis Foundation, Reach One Touch One Ministries (ROTOM) is implementing the ROTOM ’grandmothers support project’. The aim of the project is to provide psychosocial, medical, economic and spiritual support to poor grandmothers in the Bukinda sub county, in Kabale district, so that they are in better physical and emotional health to raise the grandchildren under their care.

Many grandmothers, who assume responsibility for orphans, are living in absolute poverty, and struggling daily- to provide for the numerous children under their care. After having endured the trauma and distress of watching their children and grandchildren struggle with HIV/AIDS, the stress and isolation is compounded by the lack of resources available to them.

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