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| Mama Lizbeth from Norway outfits Wema and Winnifred, the Chikira sisters, with gifts from home |
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| Evalin, Angela and Margaret with new dresses after a trip to town! |
It is 7:54 p.m. and I’m in bed watching Evalin wash her face
with my clay cleanser (thank you Julie).
For someone so young she’s starting with pimples already and is self-conscious
about it. Aisha needs to watch her and
Angela is watching Aisha watch Eva!
Glory just came for the company.
What is really happening is Glory, not wanting to go to bed (songs have
just ended) is trying to stay up with the bigger girls but she’s caught! Pendo gets to sleep with Mama tonight so
she’s in their giving instructions to all her bigger sisters!
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| Priska sends her thank you to Mama Cindy her sponsor |
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| Angel & Glory say thank you to Mama Kathy |
We’ll get our Christmas “shrubbery” soon and decorate
it. The volunteers have been incredibly
busy preparing for Tumaini’s second Christmas and all of us are excited . . .
On the home front, pole (sorry) for all of the work being
done both in the U.S. and Canada, getting our container together and ready to
go. Photos will follow but we here at
Tumaini must thank all of you for your love, hard work and support! We are so, very grateful. . .
Reward is responding to his meds. He has a parasite in his brain caused from
eating undercooked pork. The treatment
is almost as bad as the parasite, except we’re hoping he’ll heal and be well
again. Today we met a man who suffers
terribly from elephantiasis, see the photo and requires surgery to drain
it. His name is David and Dr. Pat has
offered to help him get the surgery he requires . . .
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| Volunteers Mark, Erica, Rachel, Michael and Jon paint our classroom with the children |
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| Jon from Norway, never stops asking what he can do o help! |
There are so many people to thank for help this year . . .
first and foremost our sponsors, new and old for continuing to love and support
us . . . you will receive your child’s report soon and please know how grateful
they are for having you in their lives . . . we’ve been gifted this Christmas
with not one but TWO cows for Tumaini and should have them this week . . .
thank you donors for making this enormous difference in the lives of our
children! Milk! Every day!
The children read . . . Glory, Harriri, even Latifa basic
words. Jenny too! Some of us are struggling . . . Evalin,
Athuman, Vitalis, Paskaly and Kelvin, but for the most part their difficulties
surround language and reading and that takes practice. We continue to work on that also.
We enjoy fresh bread every few days because of our
oven. A new dish added to our menu
includes potatoes, green beans and meat mixed in a light tomato sauce . . .
it’s delicious and nutritious.
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| Angel and Margaret wrapping gifts for volunteers. They are so happy to give back |
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| Eva and Francis busy wrapping . . . |
To each of you in the bustle of Christmas we say thank you,
so very much. There is so much we do
here every day and when I look around I reflect upon how little we would
actually be able to do without you and your help. . . to Osteroya Kindergarten
in Norway, Mama Lizbeth and Matz and Jon thank you so much for your kindness,
your incredible donation, support and your hard work here at Tumaini. To kaka Michael and the McCann (Rebecca and
Rachel) clan here AND at home in Australia . . . how do we thank you for
embracing not only Gerhad but all of us here at Tumaini and gifting us with
your presence, your incredible fundraising efforts (follow Michael McCann on
his Kili climb for Tumaini) leaving Dec. 26th, to Erica who will
leave us on the 21st but must return, for loving Athuman, to Robyn
and Mathilde, Alison and Katy, day after day after day . . .
From Oddo and myself, to each of you. Our sincerest thanks for helping us help our
children to enjoy a second Tumaini Christmas . . . to God for keeping all of us
safe and together . . . our condolences to good friend and Tumaini supporter
Blair D. on your loss, our prayers are with you, to our mother Margaret, you
also at this time of concern, and to each and every person who has reached out
to us at Tumaini, Merry, Merry Christmas to you and yours with wishes for
peace, health and happiness in the year ahead.
