I would like to start by thanking all the many generous people who have supported Helping Children in Crisis (HCIC) in the year and a half we have been in existence. With your help we are truly making a difference to the children in the General Church Sacred Care orphanage in Etora, Kenya.
A year and a half ago Reverend Samson Abuga reached out for help when he suddenly needed to care for 33 more children on top of the 32 he already had. His resources were overwhelmed and in the previous 18 month he had had 7 children die. In the beginning we were overwhelmed too…but determined to make a difference. A year ago we were struggling to raise enough money during the month to support the children for the next month. We still have a long way to go but there is much to celebrate.
The support for HCIC does not just come in dollars. HCIC could not exist if it were not for the countless volunteer hours that members of the executive committee and others put in. These are people who have very busy work and home lives, but who carve out a significant number or hours to do the necessary work behind the scenes. It is a privilege to work with them and learn from their expertise.
We are working towards establishing an on-going orphanage that serves approximately 30-40 children. This seems to be a number we can easily support with the resources we have available. As the older children “age out” we won’t replace them with new ones until we can get the numbers down to a sustainable number.
The following is a partial list of what we have accomplished since November, 2012:
- Approximately 50 of our 63 orphans have sponsors and fundraising efforts have so far provided for the others until sponsors can be found.
- There have been no deaths since HCIC stepped in to help.
- The children are being raised in a safe, loving, spiritual environment.
- The children now have beds, mattresses, bedding, and mosquito nets.
- They also have necessary clothing, toiletries and medicine.
- The children are all being educated. Elementary school-age children attend Reverend Samson’s New Church elementary school. The high school students attend nearby Christian boarding schools. Recent test scores demonstrate the children are doing well.
- We were able to purchase land adjacent to the church on which we hope to build two dormitories, and an eating pavilion. The children are currently housed in very cramped rented quarters. Reverend Samson has been working with Kenyan government officials to meet their standards of a government approved orphanage.
These are some of the tangible accomplishments for the children that have been accomplished since our conception, but equally exciting are the intangible accomplishments beyond the children’s needs: the joy it brings to donors, involvement of scores of young people in the work of the church (ranging from elementary school age children through college), mentoring Kenyans on budgeting and accounting skills, excitement that the General Church of the New Jerusalem is involved in a work of charity, hope for the future of the New Church in Kenya, communities working together for the welfare of children who need us.
We are so pleased to have your interest, prayers, financial support and volunteer support be part of the HCIC family. “God bless us, every one!”
– Kay R. Alden, HCIC Chair