We have received the following emails from our administrators in Kenya. 

“Am informing you that the situation is getting worse. No Maize at all. People are dying everywhere because the famine that is here in Kenya and not only Kenya this is almost everywhere. Please, if God will open a way, please, we need money to purchase Maize and Beans. This is God’s children. He loves them and He will never let them suffer any more…We have food for only two days. Anyway, we are crying to our almighty father to meet our needs at the right time. .Please, pray for God to meet our needs. Thank you so much for your concern in all. May the dear Lord bless you.”   Pastor Moses.

A similar letter was received from Pastor Maurice, who told us that he has to shop daily to try to buy grain.  The farmer, from whom he normally purchases grain and beans in bulk, has threatened to sell what was held for Hope Center and Good Samaritan to others if we don’t have the funds very soon.  Last December when we needed grain, we were blessed with a large grant from World Children’s Fund, as well as an anonymous donation of $10,000, giving us the $30,000 we needed to supply 3 months worth of protein based foods for storage.  Somehow, the Administrators have managed to keep the children fed during April and May, but the situation is becoming dire.  Recently Pastor Maurice was only able to find two bags of grains to purchase at the market, and it took 9 hours of waiting as there is such a shortage. Even if he would have had more money, he would have been limited to two bags. Two bags, to feed over 400 children! It is URGENT that we find a way to purchase the load of grain our supplier is holding for us, before he releases it to others. Today we learned that the children have gone hungry for two days. Then there are the children at the gates who count on us as their only source of a meal. Surely if we cannot feed our orphans we cannot feed them! 

We have disclosed that when Esther visited, she found over 200 children in residence at our orphanages that were unexpected bringing our total in house orphans to over 700.  Certainly this has exacerbated the problem as they have stretched their budgets to care for them.  Our board will be meeting soon to make the difficult decisions on what to do about all of these children.  But in the meantime, we are out of food.  It is not a time for recrimination, but a time to act.  Our children are going hungry, and our budgets are inadequate to meet the skyrocketing costs our projects are facing. Our donations are down due to the failing global economy, with World Children’s fund freezing its grants, as are many other foundations. 

Last weekend, Esther and I had the pleasure of listening to several African guest speakers at a conference we attended.  One in particular noted the work our ministry is doing, reminding us all that “the orphans and the widows are the apple of God’s eyes”.  He said that on judgment day, God will not be interested in our degrees, our homes, or our cars.  He will want to know “did we make a difference in someone’s life?”  We not only are making a difference, but we are saving lives, one at a time.  We have a huge challenge; we must raise at least $30,000 within the next few days.

 I believe we can do it! We must! Joined together, we are a force to be reckoned with.

Please send your donation marked “For the grain challenge” to our treasurer at:

Hearth to Hearth Ministries

P.O. Box 208

Lake Ann, MI  49650

God bless you, each and every one.

Vicki Kritzell

Some neediest and poorest Orphans never attend schools, our needs to join hands with you as now we are spnsoring, teachin

GOA

KAMPALA-UGANDA

After much negotiation and time passing this morning, we finally found ourselves on a bus to Kisii somewhere aroung 3:00 p.m. (10:00 a.m. was the agreed starting time.)  All of our luggage was stowed under the bus and we were stowed inside. Kenyan busses have three seats on one side of the aisle and two on the other, so it is a bit crowded. I joked to the young man sitting beside me that it was a good thing he was skinny because we would have never all fit on those three seats. After my comment, however, I regretted it when I realized that perhaps he was one of those who was truly starving.

During our trip, we kept hearing over the radio that they were trying to raise a million shillings in one day to help starving Kenyans. It was very encouraging to me to hear them working to try to help themselves in this situation.

When Moses negotiated for the bus, he asked them to not play the music because it bothered us. So for quite a time, we had peace and quiet. Unfortunately, it did not last. though they did keep the music lower than our previous experience. After the music had come on, the young man beside me remarked that it had been off because some passengers had complained that it wasn’t good for them. Truly, it wasn’t good for him either, though he did not know it. They say that without the loud music, no one wishes to board the bus. They will look for another that has that amenity.

We arrived in Kisii after dark and made arrangements for two vehicles to transport us and our luggage on to the orphanage–a trip taking about another two hours due to rutted roads.

Even though most of the children were already in their quarters, we received a very warm welcome from those who were available, as well as help with unloading our luggage and depositing it in our rooms.

The evening meal was served shortly after our arrival at Glory Children’s Center Orphanage–at about 11:00 p.m. It was a very delicious meal, consisting of pineapple, bananas, avocado, biscuits, hot chocolate and rice–if my memory serves me right. The table was very beautifully set.

It was good to crawl into a comfortable bed and sleep. God is good!

February 5

After sleeping on the plane from Detroit, and arriving at the hotel at about 11:00 p.m. local time (3:00 p.m. at home), I found it impossible to sleep. It did not help that there was a nightclub somewhere down the street with music blaring until after 3:00 a.m., and I’m sure the fact that it was still daytime at home had something to do with it as well. Somewhere after 3:00, I did get to sleep, and was able to sleep until 8:00 when my alarm went off. Five hours of sleep was not too bad considering it was about usual for the past several weeks.
This morning, after a breakfast of bread, papaya juice and bananas, we met Andrew and Sasha and Brigitte —US citizens now living in Jordan. Ten-year-old Sasha is all set for an adventure. He had already purchased a “football” in anticipation of playing a game with the children as soon as possible after arrival at Glory Center. Andrew and Sasha will be with us for only two weeks as they need to get back to their family—Andrew’s wife and four younger children. Brigette is Andrew’s sister-in-law. These three are staying with friends in the Nairobi area during our time here, so after a bit of orientation and instructions, they returned to the home of their friends.

Most of all, I was thrilled to meet my good friends, Fred and Olpha, who had cared for me so tenderly two years ago during the week I spent under treatment for malaria in a Nairobi hotel. Fred has a stall in a Nairobi market where he sells artifacts, many of which he makes himself. He is always very good to anyone coming from our ministry, showing us around and getting us the best prices.     I was also happy to travel by bus to their home and meet their beautiful children, a son, Hill and a daughter, Esther, just one year old and named in my honor. Olpha is a sister to Pastor Moses, our Glory Center administrator and their younger brother, Dennis was visiting from the Center. Dennis is an orphan who is sponsored by our youngest daughter’s family. Imagine his surprise when I made a quick phone call and he was able to speak to her and her husband in person. He remarked about it several times and how happy he was to have been able to talk with these people who have supported him for the past several years.
I was happy to be able to meet with an attorney regarding some of our paperwork and to also connect with Nick of Kick Start International. Though I did not meet Nick in person due to his heavy schedule, I did make the acquaintance of his lovely wife, Rose, who is directing a work for widows and orphans further north and west of our work. She was able to give me many good pointers and is putting me in touch with several other people who have programs going that will be of help to our work. We spent some time in my room at the hotel, looking through photographs, and Rose was very touched and impressed to see the work we are doing.
Pastor Moses had arrived from Kisii just before I was scheduled to meet with Rose, and was promptly dispatched to go to the airport to meet John and Jenna from the state of Washington. John and Jenna have been married only a month, so this trip is sort of an extension to their honeymoon. I believe it is Providential that they were able to come at short notice after we learned that Vicki would not be able to make it. Jenna’s mother is our new Projects Department Director, and Jenna will be her eyes and ears while she is here. John is an educator and artist of thirty years, who is keenly interested in the older youth and who loves to paint their portraits and tell their stories. I am thrilled that he is here with us and in a position to tell the story of our work so eloquently.
It was late by the time I was able to meet John and Jenna, and after a few words of orientation and instruction to them, we all retired for the night.

February 4

The flight from Amsterdam to Nairobi had many empty seats so after we reached altitude everyone began moving around to get more space. Since I had a window seat with two empty seats beside me, a woman asked if she might sit there. I guess God knew I really needed Vicki on this trip to keep me company because this woman reminded me a great deal of Vicki.
When she sat down in the aisle seat, she leaned over to introduce herself and to ask what I would be doing in Africa. What an opening!
She was very interested in our work and asked many questions. When the opportunity presented itself, I retrieved my laptop out of the overhead bin to show her Vicki’s picture, since I had told her how much I thought she resembled Vicki and that Vicki was our Fund Raising Manager. She, too, thought there was a resemblance when she saw the photos of Vicki.
Then I went on to show her some of the photos of our children and the Gates Children. All in all, I had a very pleasant trip visiting with my new friend from Finland, and she ended up giving me a hundred Euros to help with our work. As she did, she told me to tell Vicki that she has another fund raiser. I promised her that Vicki would be happy to write to her.
I had checked nine bags: two fifty pound and seven seventy pound. The airline had waived the “excess baggage” costs, which means we only had to pay $150.00 per bag for the seven extra bags. I am grateful to the airlines for the concession. It could have cost us a great deal more.
All nine bags arrived, though one had a small slit in the side and another (bag #1) was badly broken open. I will not be able to determine if anything is missing from either bag until we are able to open them all at Glory Center on Friday. On first look, they seemed to be pretty intact, but since the one badly broken had been packed by Vicki, I will have to take everything out and check it against her list before I can be totally sure.
I was met at the airport by Slavomir from Poland who had arrived about an hour before me, and Elinet, our new Assistant Projects Manager in Kenya. It was good to be on the ground. The vehicle procured to transport us to the hotel was only large enough for most of our baggage, so we took another in which to transport the remaining few pieces and some of us. I was asked to ride in the vehicle with the baggage in case the driver was called upon to explain his large load.

We are sharing with you the journal entries of Esther, the Director of Hearth to Hearth Ministries.  This journal consists of her thoughts about the trip she is on  to visit orphanages in Africa.

February 3

This day started out well at about 4:00 a.m. when I arose to try to finish up last minute details, such as proofing documents and getting them sent off to the Board and Executive Committee, Setting up polls on the Board website so Board members can vote on various issues, responding to last minute emails, giving instructions to George as to how to handle mail, etc., in my absence.
We planned to leave the house at 10:00 but knew we have allowed plenty of margin, so we ended up leaving at 10:38 and stopped by the bank for cash. That’s when I realized I’d forgotten the $50.00 battery charger we’d gone out of our way to purchase the day before. It was still plugged in at home, charging the battery for the video camera. We made a mad dash back home to retrieve it, then headed to our daughter’s in Brighton.
George had taken five pieces of baggage to our daughter, Melinda’s house, on Friday where he met Vicki who had brought two more, plus the cash people had sent her for the trip. Melinda already had those items loaded into her vehicle when we arrived, so we loaded two more, plus my two heavy carry-ons, ate the lunch Melinda had prepared for us, stopped by Radio Shack to purchase a firewire (to transfer video footage from the camera to my laptop) and headed for the airport.
Half way there, I realized we had left my pillow and jacket back in our car at Melinda’s. I do not recall forgetting important items on any of my three prior trips to Africa. I certainly hoped that we weren’t setting any precedents for the trip!
The flight from Detroit to Amsterdam was without incident. I had a very quiet seatmate and was able to sleep most of the way.

This was taken from the new issue of Spotlight on Orphans Extra that tells about the work that Hearth to Hearth Ministries is doing for African orphans and Orphanages.

Our organization is a non -profit making organ, and was founded in 2006, it is  located at little way primary school, kawempe-maganjo parish, Nabweru

sub-county
wakiso district – Uganda East Africa.

The organ has a registered number  of 200 vulnerable children,including those infected with HIV/aids, orphans,disabled , street children& others.The organization is establishing a home(Orphanage) in Buzika,Njeru Town council next to the source of the river Nile in Mukono district uganda.

Our mission is to provide maximum comfort,discipline welfare,child rights,and improve on the livelihood of vulnerable children.

And our vision is to advocate, and promote the lives of vulnerable children, through provision of Education, health care  services, & support.

We have a  set of objectives which include;

- Support children infected with HIV/Aids and orphans of Hiv/Aids scourage

in  health,clothing, beddings & scholarstic  materials.

- Co-ordinate scholarships for them at all levels

- Rural illetracy transformation, through vocational work

- Proividing shelther for the homeless & disadvataged children.

- Promote mutual co-operation amongest them &  lnternational relationships.

- Promote the girl child education

- Setting up projects for widows.

- Training children in  recreational activities i.e sports & drama e.tc

- Lobbying for development projects for these children in all   fields.

- To bring up our children in a God fearing , non seggregative & loving manner for

better citizens.

Alice Norah

Treasurer/Director

In the small stone farmhouse, the six children huddled in sleep. Their parents in another room, heard the dogs barking. They were always barking, sometimes at other animals looking for scraps of food and sometimes because of people passing by and sometimes they were thieves, trespassing for whatever they could lay their hands on and the dogs usually chased them away. This night would be somewhat different.

These miscreants were sent by unknowns like errand boys to deliver a message of fear.

They chased the dogs with stones, then hammered on the front door with the butts of their weapons and broke the glass panes on the windows and shouted to open the door.

The oldest of the six children, 17-year-old David, rallied the others and they barricaded the steel door with furniture. Minutes went by as the door pounding continued with the shouts of “open the door or we’ll kill all of you”.

On the road near the farmhouse, passing police, on their way to collect a body for burial, heard the noises and barking dogs and the sentry heard their vehicle, as in most of these gang attacks, a sentry is posted, to alert the others. The police used the rickety gate as the thugs broke into a run. They fired warning shots and yelled to stop. The brave boys ran even faster, splitting up, for they knew that in stopping, they might catch a bullet. Before bolting, they shouted to the occupants in the farmhouse that they would be back.

The attack occurred in September 1997. Two weeks later, David’s family received a handwritten note. It ordered them to leave or they would all be killed. It was only luck, that the police were there earlier but what of the next time—would they be as lucky?

They must leave, they agreed, and they packed what they could carry and came to the house of a relative in the dusty and meagrely developed town of Ongata Rongai about 15 miles southwest of Nairobi and moved into a small storage room. They would never return to Subukia and their farmhouse home.

But more troubles were on the way for this family as they struggled to find a means to survive. David’s father fell short in his ability to provide for them as he looked for work. With no particular skills, the jobs he took fell far short of what they needed. David and his brothers and sisters needed to attend school and there was no money for school fees. David took on various jobs at construction sites and hauling jerry cans of water to sell at a mere 10 shillings each.

His father also drank more and more, leaving less and less for food. He became an alcoholic, leaving the breadwinning to his wife. The other kids pitched in and did what they could. His sister did laundry for potatoes.

A teacher from an orphanage in the area heard about him and decided to help. Christ Cares Centre gave them what they could now and then and eventually raised enough money for David to return to school, thus demonstrating they were committed to assisting.

The long and tortuous days dragged by as the school fees were finally paid and he could finish his last year and amazingly attained a B average in his final exams. During these days after school, David found work, albeit short term as a tout or conductor with a matatu or public service vehicle, even entered the army as an athlete at Kibiko training camp. Even this was short term for without him, his 5 siblings were going hungry.

After the exams in 2001, and the good news of his high score, he found his ailing mother diagnosed with diabetes and now a new problem; raising money for her medication, for she was insulin dependant. This sad situation went on as she gradually became worse with episodes of seizures that drained her energy and damaged her organs. Between trying to feed the family, and purchase the expensive insulin and keep himself healthy, he would fall asleep before his head hit the pillow. David fought hard to keep her in daily doses but there were too many gaps in between; it was hopeless, and she finally succumbed. He was now the head of a dwindling family, (the youngest was still a toddler) in their one room home in Rongai, because his father took up with another woman and abandoned the family.

Christ Cares Centre, although falling short of funds to help David’s mother, was able to raise money to help his family now. They tried to get funds to send him to a college or trade school and he was actually able to do a year in Kenya Polytechnic in Nairobi in a gruelling class and work schedule. The public transport fees to and from the city sapped his meagre wages.

A promising break came when he was able to e-mail a cousin living in London who pointed him to a man in Nairobi who ran an NGO that helped bright and needy young people get an education. David knew he needed to set a base for his life so he could help his family and help others, so he found this man.

His name was Ngarari Mwaura. David had prayed hard for help, for hope and for a small miracle; and here it was, he was going to university in the United States.

Now for someone having never left the general area of Central Province of Kenya, the United States was like Dorothy finding Oz. It was confusing, mesmerising, and so full of white people. For David, going so far away for the first time, was an adventure and a half. He now had to make his way to Utah State University and make the deadline to register: another adventure! He did it but soon found he just could not afford to pay the stiff fees of $7000 per semester and so, with some difficulty, he transferred to Wayne County Community College in Michigan where he finally settled down for four years. He volunteered to help other students, primarily Kenyans who were fortunate enough to come to this school. And between this job and working in a campus restaurant, his classes and burying himself in the books, the time passed quicker than ever before. Amazingly, he maintained his B average.

From the outset, David had built a vision that he fervently wanted to give back to the community, to the poor and marginalised young who had no future. He was fortunate; there were millions at home without a chance who would die in miserable poverty. They were not even a number there. He talked about it constantly and in his third year, determined now more than ever, he talked with local church priest who agreed to help him raise funds to buy computers and ship them to Kenya. He would start a computer school that offered free courses to those unable to pay. To give them this chance to get better jobs and perhaps finish or continue their education.

In early 2008, despite the political furore, the fighting, deaths and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Kenyans, David Chege Njoroge returned, diploma in hand and with some fifty new and used computers, clothing and shoes, opened his computer college in Ongata Rongai. He’d beaten Goliath, the system that suppresses millions of Kenyans every day.

But David still faces the difficult task of maintaining this school. Of paying the rent, electricity and the fine teachers working there.

I met him there, at his computer college. one morning after reading an article about him in an African publication called Parents Magazine. I am a writer and my wife, who is Maasai, showed me the piece thinking I might be able to assist him somehow. After two hours, I was thoroughly impressed with this young man and decided to hitch my horse to his wagon. This computer school, I learned, was just the tip of the berg. David intends to build a school or institute that will house 300 students per full term of 9 months, who are impoverished and marginalised and teach them skills and a trade with which they can make a living with and all of it is completely free of any fees. A micro-finance system would be set up for those wanting to start their own businesses and a business course is provided. Counselling courses on HIV/AIDS, proper nutrition, family planning, gender equity and a host of others along with a curriculum such as automotive mechanics, welding and metal fabrication, carpentry, masonry, electrician/electronics, photography and beautician and cosmetology, for a total of 17 courses. This school will be called Careers for Life Institute. David is hoping to put this together this year and it’s a good bet he will he will.

We have registered NGO (non government organisation) to manage these operations. We have an office along Mombasa Road, Near Nairobi. We plan to come to the U.S. sometime this summer to fundraise and register the NGO as a tax exempt charity. This marvellous plan will not break this horrendous cycle of poverty but it will put a sizeable dent in it. Instead of facing the bleak and very dismal future in poverty, these young people can build their own future and give the next generation a chance. This will not by any means, be the only school. Plans for other areas in Kenya and Rwanda, Sudan, Burundi are being discussed.

But for now, David must keep this computer school open. As of this writing, the school is teaching nearly 70 students and a long list of others are waiting. The school should be expanded, with more instructors. All of this can be done for $2000 a month.

It is for this reason I am telling you his story. Perhaps, when you read it; David’s story and his mission of hope may touch you. It is unusual because it is so rare for a Kenyan, fortunate enough to receive an education in the West, to return to actually give back something of value. If you feel you would like to contribute something to help David keep this school alive; to enable these young Kenyans now in the school to finish their courses, and the many others waiting to enter. Here’s how: you can go to your bank and purchase an American Express travellers cheque, for any denomination and send it, if you wish, with a little note to David or after the end of March. You may address it to Careers for Life International. It is a safe way to send your donation. Please don’t send personal checks, as in Kenya, it is nearly impossible to deposit.

In turn we will send you a packet of information on the college, including photos and a list of students you might just want to correspond with . This can also be easily done through our e-mail if you prefer.

The packet will give you current information on what Careers for Life International (CLI) is doing with your donations and detailed plans for the future. We are now completely re-doing our website, which will be online at months end. Below is a list of our contacts and addresses. While David was at college in Michigan, Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church assisted him with some fundraising. David has asked Rev. Charles Morris to assist in the collection of any donations. You may send the travellers cheques in care of the church.

David and I and the many young Kenyans thank you in advance, from the bottom of our hearts.

Please address your donations to David Chege Njoroge in care of:

Saint Elizabeth Church Rectory Phone: (1) 734-552 0104 •••••9Am to 4Pm.

138 Goodell

Wyandotte, MI. 48192

David Chege Njoroge/Jerry Ross

P.O.Box 15593 P.O.Box 12988

Mbagathi 00503 00100 GPO

Nairobi, Kenya Nairobi, Kenya

Tele: +254 722-802 400 (Cell)

Tele: + 254 724-733 380 (Cell)

E-Mail: xchege@yahoo,com E-mail: jerrmaa@yahoo.com