Angel Covers


  July 2005 Update

"When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because
God did not take care of him or her.  It happened because neither
you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed."
Mother Theresa

Although I spent part of this last month in Africa and have been very focused on the children there, so much has been happening in other countries as well.  I want to thank all the wonderful volunteers who helped keep the administrative and product arms of Angel Covers moving forward while we have been out.  I promise to try and keep this as brief as possible, but want to share a summary of my trip with you as well as what is happening in other countries.

My trip to Kenya


This was my first trip to Kenya, but it won't be my last.  Although I have extensive contact with the directors of the homes and schools we work with via email and reports from others who have visited, it was wonderful to finally meet them in person, work with them side by side, and spend time meeting the children we serve.  The directors, teachers and children are all wonderful.  The progress we have been made is tremendous.  But, the need is still incredible and we will continue to work to reach the many new goals we set.

I started my trip at Humble Hearts School for the deaf.  I spent a lot of time with Beatrice, the director, discussing what has been accomplished and more importantly where we need to go in the future.  It was great to be able to see her and tell her that my personal goal of having sponsors for all of the children we had on our website had been met.  It has been even better to tell her how many more children we have had sponsored since my return home. 

While I was there we were able to establish the library for Humble Hearts.  It is currently housed in Angel Cottage for better security.  This library is our tribute to little Beatrice attended Humble Hearts and was killed in a fire.  The children helped me complete the banner with hand prints that now marks Bea's Book Corner.  Along with the library, we were able to purchase some much needed textbooks.

Sponsoring children at Humble Hearts helps in so many ways.  Rent money for Humble Hearts hasn't always been available in the past.  Now it is.  The increase in the number of children staying at Angel Cottage means food and supplies were stretched thin.  With more sponsorships additional fund are avilable for food.  Sponsorships also mean the children have the school supplies they need to do work and uniforms.  Teacher sponsorships have allowed the teachers to recieve a monthly salary.  None of the teachers have left the school for other work now that these sponsorships have begun.  Thank you so much to everyone who sponsors a child, or teacher or has sent a donation to help us with Angel Cottage and Humble Hearts.

My first trip to Galilee Primary School and Waddington High School was on a weekend so there were no kids in class.  As I walked through the doorway to some of the classrooms of the primary school I sat down and started to cry.  The conditions were not as good as I had hoped for.  The primary school consists of corrugated tin sides and roofs, many of which are pieced together and rusting.  These are held up by poles.  Not a complete frame structure, but simply poles that are more like twigs.  The floors in the classroom are dirt, and filled with fleas living in the dirt.  The desks and benches are made to hold three children.  Later when I returned to the classrooms most desks were holding five children.  Blackboards were falling apart in the same manner as the walls and doors.  There are 850 children in 15 classes and only 14 teachers.  I cried.

But, it was amazing to see how happy the children were during school the next few days.  They helped me to see past the need that exists to the progress that has been made.  When Angel Covers started working at Galilee, there were 650 kids.  Now there are 850.  There was 1 latrine.  Last year we built 4 more.  There were not enough desks so children sat on the floor with the fleas, now although crowded they all sit in a desk.  In most cases there was only 1 book for about 30 students, now there is 1 book for each desk and sometimes more.  There was no library before but we held the library dedication while I was there.  There was no high school to attend, now the second and third highschool classrooms are being built.  There were so many children not getting any meals, now 240 children are served lunch.  It's not enough, there are still hungry children, there are still overcrowded classrooms, there are still not enough textbooks, but tremendous progress has been made.  While I was there I was also able to give the director money to hire another teacher.  A student teacher ratio of 85:1 is not good, but it is better than 85:0.

The high school is tremendous.  It is amazing compared to the primary school.  It is one of the things that truly gives the children hope for the future.  They look at it and know they can continue their education.  While I was there the land was purchased for the expansion and construction was started.  The walls have been going up quickly.  Just this past week we received to very generous donations that combined with the money that has been raised already should be enough to complete the high school.  Not just the classrooms we need for next year, but hopefully all the classrooms we need for the entire school!  Thank you to everyone who made this possible.  The children will watch the building being constructed and know they have a future and that people care.

Thanks to a donation by Sybase, Inc., Angel Covers was able to provide the high school with laptop computers that will start a computer lab.  Several volunteers hand carried laptops to Kenya this summer delivering them to the school.  It is vital for the kids to develop computer skills they will need in the future.

My next stop after the schools was Holly House, a home for orphaned children who attend the primary school and high school.  Holly House will comfortably house 25 children.  As we returned to Holly House one afternoon we were met by a woman with a orphan boy who needed a place to live.  He had been living with non-relatives in the community, but they could no longer afford to help care for him.  We of course moved him in to Holly House.  He makes 37 children living in this home built for 25.  Two of the children sleep in the storage room.  It was the only place available to put another bed.  This new young man will share a bed with another boy.  A new Holly House is desperately needed.  We have started fundraising to purchase the land and build the facility, but it is way past time to start this project.  We have a donor willing to match up to $1000 raised, so we ask that you take advantage of the opportunity to double your contribution.

The thing I found universal among the children we work with in Nairobi is their connection to their sponsors.  The children know their sponsors names.  They know someone across the globe cares about them, and they are always excited to receive a letter or a small gift.  These things bring hope and help them to overcome their current status and rise above the poverty.  They work hard at school to make you proud of them and they want to say thank you for making a difference in their lives.  So on behalf of the children, I say "Thank you" to all of our sponsors!  If you are not a sponsor and want this kind of connection please visit our child sponsorship page.

Babies Bouncing in China


Project Tigger continues to flourish.  We received some new photos of babies in bouncers last month from the Fujian province.  It is always wonderful to see more babies out of their cribs and seeing their world.  We are preparing to place our next order for approximately 400 bouncers.  These bouncers are going to some very poor orphanages in Anhui and other provinces.  It will be great to have even more babies bouncing.

Tibet Sponsorships


It has been great to be receiving sponsors for the children in Tibet.  We still have many more who need sponsors.  Our information on the individual children was not available as early as we hoped, but we are confident that we will have it before the end of the summer.  Thank you so much to those who have started sponsoring children without even knowing a name!  For $10 a month you can make a tremendous difference for a child in Tibet.

Trip to Russia


Our Russian program coordinator will be traveling to Russia in September.  She has a very full schedule that will take her to 10 orphanages in 6 different cities.  She will be meeting with directors and other personnel who Angel Covers has developed relationships with.  I know she also is looking forward to spending time with the children.  One of the orphanage she will be visting is inside a hospital.  The children at this orphanage have no toys to play with.  Along with delivering some toys all children need, she will be meeting with the staff and determining how Angel Covers can best assist them in the future.  You can help us make a difference in the lives of these children.

We recently received a request to help two little girls in the St. Petersburg oblast, who reside in an orphanage for the disabled. Tanya, requires enzymes to digest her food, but the orphanage does not have the necessary resources. Her medication cost $10/day for three different types of enzymes. Tanya is a 7-year-old but the size of a 3-year-old. Alonya, is a 13-year old who requires a walker. A walker will cost $60.  Help us make a difference for these girls and other disabled orphans who suffer due to a poor Russian economy.

Currently, at approximately 17 years of age, Russian orphans are turned out of the orphanages without having any life skills. Without the security of families to provide guidance and support, 90% of orphans are unable to cope and commit crimes, end up in prison or prostitution, or become addicted to drugs or alcohol. Within 5 years many commit suicide. Because of this, Angel Covers will be working to provide a transitional care program to prepare these children for life outside the orphanage.  This two-year, live-in residential care, program will provide experienced Russian mentors to assist the children in life-skills, education, and vocational training. Training by electricians, carpenters, auto-mechanics, seamstress will provide vocational training and all children will receive classes in English and access to computers. The children also receive counseling from a psychiatrist. The children live in staffed, family units where modeling can occur and lessons taught. You can help these children learn to cope and become productive members of society.

Children of the Month


This month we are featuring a wonderful sibling pair from Haiti.  They have been waiting a long to find their family due to the recent unrest there.  The orphanage is once again open for adoption and Blandine and Jerry are ready for a family.  Blandine is an 8 1/2 year old giggly girl who loves to play with dolls and her 4 year old brother.  If you want more information about Blandine and Jerry or adoption from Haiti, please contact Terri at One World Adoption Services, 1-866-714-6612 or by e-mail terri@oneworldadoptions.org.

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Everywhere we turn the problem is very similar; poverty causing children to lack food or education, children who don't receive needed medicinal care.  In most cases it takes so little to make a difference, yet in the time it took to read this newsletter many children died because of where they live.  One child at a time we can make a difference.  One child at a time we can provide children with food and education.  One child at a time we can treat a medical need that could take a child's life.  Thank you so much for partnering with us and helping us to make the difference!

Kari
Director, Angel Covers


p.s. We have created a Yahoo group for those who would like more details on an on-going basis of the work we are doing or would like to find a way to volunteer.  The group is called Angels for Orphans.  Subscribe today and find your place in making a difference in the lives of children.

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