June 2017 Report


Helping Children in Crisis report June 2017

Kay R. Alden, Chair

Kay, Hesbon & Kathy (1 of 1)

In February three members of the HCIC executive committee traveled to Kenya.  The main purpose of the visit was to mentor the new General Church Sacred Care  treasurer in financial practices and to create a working budget for 2017.  Language and cultural differences provided plenty of challenges to the process but in the end a balance budget was created. Now the task before us is to see if it can be followed!

 

The children are all doing well. Many of them are reaching the age where they soon will be leaving our care.  One has left and is now teaching at Samson’s New Church School.  Another received a scholarship and is attending university.  Three more recently graduated from high school.  Two of the graduates are making plans for vocational studies and the third has found employment.  It is exciting to see these young people making their way in the world.  As we map our way through this new territory it has become clear that we really need to re-write our “Matriculation Policy”.  These are the policies that address the expectations of the young adults following high school graduation and culminating with their leaving our care.  Our intention is to provide two years of some kind of vocational training if they want it so that they will have the means to be independent useful members of the community.  Sarah Odhner is leading the effort to re-write the policies and draw from our “lessons learned” so far.

 

We are focusing our current fund raising efforts on bringing in electricity and running water to the property.  Our policies require that GCSC submit at least three different bids for the work.  The bids we have received so far to bring in electricity are so high that we may not be able to do the electricity at all.  It looks like we will  have to continue to rely on generators until we can get the costs down to a more reasonable level.

 

On June 21st we are hosting a Children’s Concert at Be Well Bakery in Bryn Athyn, PA.  Both adult and child performers are coming together to provide a delightful program for all ages. This event will also premiere this year’s raffle which is a beautiful quilt made primarily of Kenyan fabric by Beth Alden and quilted by Lori Odhner. Many thanks to these ladies for their support.

 

We have been in existence now for almost five years. We knew when we started that there would be plenty of challenges along the way and this expectation has held true.  The challenges are counter balanced, though, with the great reward of watching these children grow and thrive under the care of Rev. Samson Abuga and his staff. Many of them would not be here if it weren’t for our efforts. It is a comfort to think that as each of these children reaches adulthood and goes out into the world they will be emissaries for value of bringing New Church doctrines to life.