The plans for the building of the girl's dormitory are coming along well, thanks to Penny Lander and Ralph Allan for all their work. If you were at the Prayer meetings last week you'll have heard the latest update and prayer requests-please see below.
- Please pray for approval by the planners in Serenje. The EFZ board have given the go ahead to the plans, but now there’s a whole procedure to go through with the local planners. Ralph Allen also has to produce more detailed plans for the planners.
- The EFZ board are meeting with the pastors in Serenje to put together a sustainability/management plan for the long term running of the dormitory – selection of girls, staffing, paying bills, all that will go into running it – so that it’s effective for years to come.
- Then there's the process of selecting a contractor – it’s a big building for Serenje, and for any builders. We want the right builders, with integrity, to build a high quality building, at the right price, and in good time.
It's so exciting to see this project moving forward. Please be praying for Penny, Ralph, EFZ and the pastors in Serenje as they all work on this together.
Zoe
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Saturday, 31 December 2011
Crowthorne CE Primary School
Crowthorne CE Primary School is partnered with Kashitu Basic School in Serenje. Ruth Jackson is the Deputy at Crowthorne and over the last year they have been doing lots of fundraising activities, including a sponsored skip! Ruth was part of the Kerith schools trip earlier this year and visited Kashitu School for the first time. She was able to see the huge difference that the money her pupils had raised would make.
Kashitu Basic is a rural school based about an hour from central Serenje and the journey to the school is a bumpy one down hilly dirt tracks and through the countryside. The school had been facing a number of problems, such as a lack of study books for the pupils in grade 8 and 9 and no science equipment (pupils only knew the science apparatus by names but had not seen them physically). They also lacked mattresses for children who travel long distances and therefore sleep in one of the classrooms on the floor during the week. It was also felt that a decent structure needed to be constructed for the male pupils who are weekly boarders. These pupils had been sleeping in a two roomed thatched shelter which was almost collapsing.
With the £4629 raised by Crowthorne CE Primary, Kashitu school have been able to buy:
- 240 books for all the key subjects such as Maths, English, History, Geography, as well as atlases and dictionaries. The headmaster Mr Chisulo said ‘This has brought a lot of joy to pupils especially the grade 8 and 9. The school is now fully stocked with study books for the pupils.’
- 40 mattresses for the girls and boys who board during the week.
- Building materials for the boys’dormitory. The construction of this building will commence in April 2012 once rains have almost wound up. Mr Chisulo says ‘This will change the face of the school. Pupils are so excited about this good news. The school authority at Kashitu Basic School is so thankful to the Crowthorne CE School for the support and wishes the school administration all the best in their endeavours. The contribution made to the school will go a long way in helping build the future of many children within and outside the community who are going to learn from this school.’
Thank you to Ruth Jackson and all the pupils and staff at Crowthorne CE Primary school. It's amazing the difference that this will make to the lives and futures of the pupils at Kashitu Basic School.
Kashitu Basic is a rural school based about an hour from central Serenje and the journey to the school is a bumpy one down hilly dirt tracks and through the countryside. The school had been facing a number of problems, such as a lack of study books for the pupils in grade 8 and 9 and no science equipment (pupils only knew the science apparatus by names but had not seen them physically). They also lacked mattresses for children who travel long distances and therefore sleep in one of the classrooms on the floor during the week. It was also felt that a decent structure needed to be constructed for the male pupils who are weekly boarders. These pupils had been sleeping in a two roomed thatched shelter which was almost collapsing.
With the £4629 raised by Crowthorne CE Primary, Kashitu school have been able to buy:
- 240 books for all the key subjects such as Maths, English, History, Geography, as well as atlases and dictionaries. The headmaster Mr Chisulo said ‘This has brought a lot of joy to pupils especially the grade 8 and 9. The school is now fully stocked with study books for the pupils.’
- 40 mattresses for the girls and boys who board during the week.
- Building materials for the boys’dormitory. The construction of this building will commence in April 2012 once rains have almost wound up. Mr Chisulo says ‘This will change the face of the school. Pupils are so excited about this good news. The school authority at Kashitu Basic School is so thankful to the Crowthorne CE School for the support and wishes the school administration all the best in their endeavours. The contribution made to the school will go a long way in helping build the future of many children within and outside the community who are going to learn from this school.’
Thank you to Ruth Jackson and all the pupils and staff at Crowthorne CE Primary school. It's amazing the difference that this will make to the lives and futures of the pupils at Kashitu Basic School.
Friday, 23 December 2011
Thank you
Back in October we set out to raise a total of £170,000. This included £80,000 for year 4 of the project and £90,000 for Project 125, the building of the girl's dormitory.
If I'm honest I felt a little daunted by the figure of £170,000. It's a huge sum of money. And yet as we head into Christmas we can celebrate that we have reached our target! It's incredible - what a faithful God and what a faithful church. Thank you so much to everyone who gave, who believed, who prayed.
I'd like to say a special thanks to our young people who raised thousands of pounds towards Project 125. They conga'd to windsor, did sponsored silences, washed our cars and much more. Thank you to Amy Mehta and Alice Benham who were the driving force behind so much of this.
Christmas is about hope and you are part of bringing hope to the thousands of people in Serenje. Thank you for making the following possible:
3000 orphans & vulnerable children receiving support (school fees, uniforms)
1000 families receiving agricultural support (training and seeds)
117 church and community volunteers visiting and supporting people living with HIV and AIDs.
110 (50 church leaders and 60 community leaders) receiving leadership training.
100 girls will have a safe place to live and sleep while they attend secondary school.
Merry Christmas.
Zoe
If I'm honest I felt a little daunted by the figure of £170,000. It's a huge sum of money. And yet as we head into Christmas we can celebrate that we have reached our target! It's incredible - what a faithful God and what a faithful church. Thank you so much to everyone who gave, who believed, who prayed.
I'd like to say a special thanks to our young people who raised thousands of pounds towards Project 125. They conga'd to windsor, did sponsored silences, washed our cars and much more. Thank you to Amy Mehta and Alice Benham who were the driving force behind so much of this.
Christmas is about hope and you are part of bringing hope to the thousands of people in Serenje. Thank you for making the following possible:
3000 orphans & vulnerable children receiving support (school fees, uniforms)
1000 families receiving agricultural support (training and seeds)
117 church and community volunteers visiting and supporting people living with HIV and AIDs.
110 (50 church leaders and 60 community leaders) receiving leadership training.
100 girls will have a safe place to live and sleep while they attend secondary school.
Merry Christmas.
Zoe
Thursday, 27 October 2011
Gift Days
Over the last fews weeks it's been so encouraging to hear all that has been happening in Serenje. It was amazing having our dear friends Bishop Samson Kasele and Pastor Bernard Ngosa with us and then to hear further news of what is happening with the prayer requests from Leah.
How are you getting on with the rice and beans challenge? It's been great reading people's Facebook updates and knowing we're sharing in this!
This Sunday is the last of the 3 Serenje Gift Days. We are aiming to raise a total of £170,000. This includes £80,000 for year 4 of the project which will enable the following to happen:
3000 orphans & vulnerable children receiving support (school fees, uniforms)
1000 families receiving agricultural support (training and seeds)
117 church and community volunteers visiting and supporting people living with HIV and AIDs.
110 (50 church leaders and 60 community leaders) receiving leadership training.
And then £90,000 for Project 125, the building of the girl's dormitory.
There will an opportunity to give at all 3 services this Sunday or you can give online at http://www.kerith.co.uk/PaymentGroup/Registration.aspx?group_id=150844
How are you getting on with the rice and beans challenge? It's been great reading people's Facebook updates and knowing we're sharing in this!
This Sunday is the last of the 3 Serenje Gift Days. We are aiming to raise a total of £170,000. This includes £80,000 for year 4 of the project which will enable the following to happen:
3000 orphans & vulnerable children receiving support (school fees, uniforms)
1000 families receiving agricultural support (training and seeds)
117 church and community volunteers visiting and supporting people living with HIV and AIDs.
110 (50 church leaders and 60 community leaders) receiving leadership training.
And then £90,000 for Project 125, the building of the girl's dormitory.
There will an opportunity to give at all 3 services this Sunday or you can give online at http://www.kerith.co.uk/PaymentGroup/Registration.aspx?group_id=150844
Tuesday, 25 October 2011
Prayer requests
Part of why we're doing the rice and beans week is to focus our minds on the people in Serenje. And it's great to use that to stir us to pray. I received an email from Leah at EFZ today with some prayer requests - so it's great timing! She asked if we could:
- Thank God for the church to church links programme co-ordinated by Tearfund which brought about EFZ/ Serenje – Kerith Church Link, resulting in the fulfilment of the biblical mandate on mission (Mathew 28: 19- 20: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.).
- Pray for commitment by the guardians of orphans and vulnerable children, to ensure continued attendance despite long distances from their villages.
- Year 4 started October 1st 2011 and is also the beginning of the farming season. Pray for good rains.
- Pray for volunteers as they serve the communities in view of the huge scale up in the number of orphans and vulnerable children (1700 last year to 3000 this year) and new farmers.
- EFZ Staff - Ian Kapongo, Chewe Nalomba and Leah Mutala will need your prayers for wisdom and strength as they co-ordinate the various stakeholders in the project.
- Pray for project beneficiaries to commit themselves to the sustainability strategies already being implemented.
- Thank God for the church to church links programme co-ordinated by Tearfund which brought about EFZ/ Serenje – Kerith Church Link, resulting in the fulfilment of the biblical mandate on mission (Mathew 28: 19- 20: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.).
- Pray for commitment by the guardians of orphans and vulnerable children, to ensure continued attendance despite long distances from their villages.
- Year 4 started October 1st 2011 and is also the beginning of the farming season. Pray for good rains.
- Pray for volunteers as they serve the communities in view of the huge scale up in the number of orphans and vulnerable children (1700 last year to 3000 this year) and new farmers.
- EFZ Staff - Ian Kapongo, Chewe Nalomba and Leah Mutala will need your prayers for wisdom and strength as they co-ordinate the various stakeholders in the project.
- Pray for project beneficiaries to commit themselves to the sustainability strategies already being implemented.
Sunday, 23 October 2011
Rice and beans
It was great to spend last Sunday celebrating all that has happened in Serenje over the last 3 years of the project. If you were there last weekend you'll remember us talking about the rice and beans challenge. We're encouraging everyone to eat rice and beans for lunch and dinner this week.
It's one thing to hear about people going hungry and having to eat very basic meals, but another to experience it personally. Often it's not until we experience what others go through that we can truly understand something of what it must be like. As we take part this week, my hope is that the people of Serenje are in our thoughts and prayers, and that we have a fresh appreciation of how blessed we are to be able to eat what we want, when we want.
I've had lots of questions about what is ok to eat this week and what is not! If you want to go all out it's rice and beans (any kind of bean will do). Some people I've spoken to are choosing to give up eating meat this week, others are cutting out snacks and treats. Whatever way you choose to take part, can I encourage you to blog and share via Facebook/Twitter how you're finding it.
'I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.' Philippians 4:12
Zoe
It's one thing to hear about people going hungry and having to eat very basic meals, but another to experience it personally. Often it's not until we experience what others go through that we can truly understand something of what it must be like. As we take part this week, my hope is that the people of Serenje are in our thoughts and prayers, and that we have a fresh appreciation of how blessed we are to be able to eat what we want, when we want.
I've had lots of questions about what is ok to eat this week and what is not! If you want to go all out it's rice and beans (any kind of bean will do). Some people I've spoken to are choosing to give up eating meat this week, others are cutting out snacks and treats. Whatever way you choose to take part, can I encourage you to blog and share via Facebook/Twitter how you're finding it.
'I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.' Philippians 4:12
Zoe
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Project Tehila
Hannah and Sam Fairs-Billam have exciting plans to go to Zambia in Spring 2012. An opportunity has arisen for them to volunteer for EFZ for 12 months. During this time they will aim to implement a new Child Protection Policy across the organization. The vision is to take forward a process of change in perceptions, which will see children and young people’s lives changed forever. They will aim to develop and facilitate a training programme, equipping people with the skills to recognise and respond appropriately to a child that may be at risk from harm. This will be good for the children, their families and for Zambia. Hannah and Sam are inviting people to journey with them and in particular they are asking if anyone would be interested in offering
financial support. To read more about Project Tehila please visit www.tehila.org or contact Sam/Hannah Fairs-Billam 07737675064.
Don't forget that this Sunday all 3 services are a celebration of what's happened in Serenje over the last 3 years of the project. As so many people in Serenje walk long distances to get to church, we're encouraging as many people who are able, to walk to church this Sunday. Wouldn't it be amazing if the church car park was empty this weekend!
financial support. To read more about Project Tehila please visit www.tehila.org or contact Sam/Hannah Fairs-Billam 07737675064.
Don't forget that this Sunday all 3 services are a celebration of what's happened in Serenje over the last 3 years of the project. As so many people in Serenje walk long distances to get to church, we're encouraging as many people who are able, to walk to church this Sunday. Wouldn't it be amazing if the church car park was empty this weekend!
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