Posts
Dear Heroes,
I have found a newsletter format a better fit to share with you what is going on in Zambia. On this blog you will find the news from 2010 and early 2011. For current news, please go to the News tab on the home page, and click on 2011.
Blessings,
Tanya Brenneman
Monday, December 19, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Behold! A Builder!
May 3, 2011
Dear Heroes!
For months we have been wrestling with the problem of finding a trustworthy builder to supervise the building of the first block of classrooms for the new school in Grippis Farm. Many local Zambian builders were considered, but none had clear reputations. In the meantime, a wonderful church in Texas was moved to fund raise and book tickets to go to Zambia to help build the classrooms! When Vincent was in the U.S. in March, we talked and prayed about the urgent need for a builder would arrive in Zambia by June 1, to set the stage for the team, get the materials, have the foundation ready by the time the Texas team would arrive on July 1. Praise God -with only one month to spare, God spoke to someone's heart to be our builder! Below is his life story and how it led to his acceptance of this role. He is a God-send, and we are so thankful for him!
Please Remember The GHIGolf Tournament on May 16 . It is our one major fund raiser for this calendar year to raise funds to support the school, the animal husbandry, the sewing, and the adult education projects. We still need 4 teams of golfers. Let me know if you want to put a team together to help us raise the needed funds. Email me at tanya@grassrootsheroes.org
Our Builder: Alvin Graber
I was born and raised on a farm in Central Illinois. I was introduced to residential construction at the age of 16 by working for my brother, who was a general building contractor, when I didn’t have farm duties. I became a Christian at age 15 and immediately sensed a call to some sort of Christian ministry. I and my best friend became leaders of a vibrant youth group at our church which lasted several years until we both went our separate ways. After getting married and starting a family, both myself and my wife Doris felt uncomfortable just living and working in my home community. After a time of fasting and prayer, we were led to serve as youth leaders in a stateside mission outpost in southern Indiana. While being there, getting acclimated to our new responsibility for only six months, the senior pastor suddenly died. The sponsoring mission board then asked me to serve as an interim pastor, which turned into a 10 year interim. Sensing the need for some additional pastoral training and having qualified local men who were willing to give leadership to the church, I and my family moved to Harrisonburg, VA for 2 years of additional training.
We then moved to Knoxville, TN to pastor another mission church. While there, the family became involved in a limited ministry to University of Tennessee international students, along with ex-prison inmates and displaced families. After seven years there, Doris’ aging parents requested us to moved close to their home to help care for them. In 1987 the decision was made to move to Waynesboro, VA where Doris ‘ parents lived. Upon hearing of our intended move, a local church requested for me to consider a pastorate there. It was accepted. That pastorate lasted until 1998 when for a number of reasons I resigned the pastorate to join the construction business that I and David Kanagy had launched in 1990. (Most all of my pastoral years were bi-vocational, pastoring while also working in construction.) I worked full-time until the fall of 2008, when work slowed to the point of needing to lay off some of our employee’s. Instead of laying off anyone, I chose to retire and pursue other opportunities. I have been doing a lot of volunteer work with various disaster relief organizations such as MDS, Samaritan’s Purse, CAMA (the mercy branch of the Christian and Missionary Alliance), and a national organization called, “Rebuilding Together”, which specializes in small additions and home repairs for low income families.
Doris and I have been working with international students from Mary Baldwin College, a local school. This has given us an opportunity for many cross cultural experiences along with numerous foreign missions trips sponsored by the churches we have attended, both presently and in the past.
Also our daughter and her husband are YWAM missionaries in Thailand. These connections and experiences have served to make us conscience of global needs. After being introduced to Grassroots Heroes International by our neighbor, Marilyn Burkholder and invited to an informational meeting with Vincent sharing about Grippes Farms needs, my spirit seemed to connect. After much prayer and some counsel from trusted friends and family, I said yes to the need as it was presented. I’m looking forward to serve the Lord, Grippes Farms community and Grassroots Heroes in the coming weeks of June and July.
Dear Heroes!
For months we have been wrestling with the problem of finding a trustworthy builder to supervise the building of the first block of classrooms for the new school in Grippis Farm. Many local Zambian builders were considered, but none had clear reputations. In the meantime, a wonderful church in Texas was moved to fund raise and book tickets to go to Zambia to help build the classrooms! When Vincent was in the U.S. in March, we talked and prayed about the urgent need for a builder would arrive in Zambia by June 1, to set the stage for the team, get the materials, have the foundation ready by the time the Texas team would arrive on July 1. Praise God -with only one month to spare, God spoke to someone's heart to be our builder! Below is his life story and how it led to his acceptance of this role. He is a God-send, and we are so thankful for him!
Please Remember The GHIGolf Tournament on May 16 . It is our one major fund raiser for this calendar year to raise funds to support the school, the animal husbandry, the sewing, and the adult education projects. We still need 4 teams of golfers. Let me know if you want to put a team together to help us raise the needed funds. Email me at tanya@grassrootsheroes.org
Our Builder: Alvin Graber
I was born and raised on a farm in Central Illinois. I was introduced to residential construction at the age of 16 by working for my brother, who was a general building contractor, when I didn’t have farm duties. I became a Christian at age 15 and immediately sensed a call to some sort of Christian ministry. I and my best friend became leaders of a vibrant youth group at our church which lasted several years until we both went our separate ways. After getting married and starting a family, both myself and my wife Doris felt uncomfortable just living and working in my home community. After a time of fasting and prayer, we were led to serve as youth leaders in a stateside mission outpost in southern Indiana. While being there, getting acclimated to our new responsibility for only six months, the senior pastor suddenly died. The sponsoring mission board then asked me to serve as an interim pastor, which turned into a 10 year interim. Sensing the need for some additional pastoral training and having qualified local men who were willing to give leadership to the church, I and my family moved to Harrisonburg, VA for 2 years of additional training.
We then moved to Knoxville, TN to pastor another mission church. While there, the family became involved in a limited ministry to University of Tennessee international students, along with ex-prison inmates and displaced families. After seven years there, Doris’ aging parents requested us to moved close to their home to help care for them. In 1987 the decision was made to move to Waynesboro, VA where Doris ‘ parents lived. Upon hearing of our intended move, a local church requested for me to consider a pastorate there. It was accepted. That pastorate lasted until 1998 when for a number of reasons I resigned the pastorate to join the construction business that I and David Kanagy had launched in 1990. (Most all of my pastoral years were bi-vocational, pastoring while also working in construction.) I worked full-time until the fall of 2008, when work slowed to the point of needing to lay off some of our employee’s. Instead of laying off anyone, I chose to retire and pursue other opportunities. I have been doing a lot of volunteer work with various disaster relief organizations such as MDS, Samaritan’s Purse, CAMA (the mercy branch of the Christian and Missionary Alliance), and a national organization called, “Rebuilding Together”, which specializes in small additions and home repairs for low income families.
Doris and I have been working with international students from Mary Baldwin College, a local school. This has given us an opportunity for many cross cultural experiences along with numerous foreign missions trips sponsored by the churches we have attended, both presently and in the past.
Also our daughter and her husband are YWAM missionaries in Thailand. These connections and experiences have served to make us conscience of global needs. After being introduced to Grassroots Heroes International by our neighbor, Marilyn Burkholder and invited to an informational meeting with Vincent sharing about Grippes Farms needs, my spirit seemed to connect. After much prayer and some counsel from trusted friends and family, I said yes to the need as it was presented. I’m looking forward to serve the Lord, Grippes Farms community and Grassroots Heroes in the coming weeks of June and July.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Report from Vincent in Zambia
April 26 2011
Dear Heroes,
Vincent sent the following report on the status of our projects in Grippis Farm. I rejoice that the transition has gone well so far with the new government officials. Notice that Vincent asks for prayer for the new leadership as they take on their new responsibilities. I also have a great praise to report! Vincent, the Grippis Community and those of us in GHI have been praying for a building supervisor to coordinate the construction of the new block of 3 classrooms this summer. A team from Texas is arriving in Zambia the first of July to help build it - but we had no supervisor. God moved in the heart of Alvin Graber, of Virginia, to take on this responsibility. I will post his story on the next blog!
Vincent's ReportOn Saturday April 23rd I was able to meet with the entire Grippis community and read Tanya's letters before everyone. I had a privilege to finally meet the three new community leaders. Mr Alfred Aisha the top chairman, Mr John Chungu the vice chairman and Mr Sakala the secretary.
The meeting went well and during this meeting I learned that Mr Titus Sachika still remains the executive chairman of the Grippis Corporative. He will be in charge of all the projects in Grippis
The new leadership continue to support GHI partnership and the projects. We ask that you continue to pray for this transition.
Projects:
Animal Husbandry: rabbits 95, ducks 40, goats 9 and two mothers are now pregnant they are multiplying. On Tuesday April 26th we plan to sell 15 rabbits :and two ducks so we can reduce the number a little.
Sewing Classes: the students are on break till May 3rd
Adult Basic Education: the classes continue to run we now have 50 students
The Animal Husbandry Training Center Construction Project :is almost complete. Three rooms were built plus a duck pond and a wall fence. We still need 1 metal door, 13 metal zinc and wire fence.
Micro Enterprise: we have 9 women that have gone through the business workshop and are are now ready to begin the loan projects. 4 women have applied for K500.000 each , 4 Women have applied for K700.000 each and one for K1,000,000 million some plan to begin a vegetable garden and some a small shop, and others would like to sell used clothes.
Vincent Luwizhi
Dear Heroes,
Vincent sent the following report on the status of our projects in Grippis Farm. I rejoice that the transition has gone well so far with the new government officials. Notice that Vincent asks for prayer for the new leadership as they take on their new responsibilities. I also have a great praise to report! Vincent, the Grippis Community and those of us in GHI have been praying for a building supervisor to coordinate the construction of the new block of 3 classrooms this summer. A team from Texas is arriving in Zambia the first of July to help build it - but we had no supervisor. God moved in the heart of Alvin Graber, of Virginia, to take on this responsibility. I will post his story on the next blog!
Vincent's ReportOn Saturday April 23rd I was able to meet with the entire Grippis community and read Tanya's letters before everyone. I had a privilege to finally meet the three new community leaders. Mr Alfred Aisha the top chairman, Mr John Chungu the vice chairman and Mr Sakala the secretary.
The meeting went well and during this meeting I learned that Mr Titus Sachika still remains the executive chairman of the Grippis Corporative. He will be in charge of all the projects in Grippis
The new leadership continue to support GHI partnership and the projects. We ask that you continue to pray for this transition.
Projects:
Animal Husbandry: rabbits 95, ducks 40, goats 9 and two mothers are now pregnant they are multiplying. On Tuesday April 26th we plan to sell 15 rabbits :and two ducks so we can reduce the number a little.
Sewing Classes: the students are on break till May 3rd
Adult Basic Education: the classes continue to run we now have 50 students
The Animal Husbandry Training Center Construction Project :is almost complete. Three rooms were built plus a duck pond and a wall fence. We still need 1 metal door, 13 metal zinc and wire fence.
Micro Enterprise: we have 9 women that have gone through the business workshop and are are now ready to begin the loan projects. 4 women have applied for K500.000 each , 4 Women have applied for K700.000 each and one for K1,000,000 million some plan to begin a vegetable garden and some a small shop, and others would like to sell used clothes.
Vincent Luwizhi
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
God Continues To Work!
April 12, 2011
Dear Heroes,
We enjoyed having Vincent Luwizhi with us in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Texas and California! He shared much of what God is doing in Grippis Farm. Below are a few of those stories. I will continue to share more stories with you so you get a full picture of what you are accomplishing in Zambia.
PRAISE!
God Continues to Provide for the needs of the people of Grippis Farm. He continues to express his love to them through you and others! Do you remember Leah, the 19 year old orphan and mother of 2 year old twins who came to Grippis last year?
The government leaders allowed her to build a mud house in their community, but she had no funds for a roof. Some of you provided those needed funds, and she got her roof! A church in Texas started helping Leah with food for herself and her children. Since that time, her sister died, leaving Leah with twin 4 year old nieces to raise as well as her own 2 year old twins. In March the bulldozers came into Grippis to build the roads that are part of the city development plan to make it into an official sub-division. Unfortunately, Leah’s little house was sitting where one of the roads is supposed to be. The bulldozer drivers allowed her to stay for a couple of months, but she has to relocate. Leah has no plot of land assigned to her in Grippis – the only way she can get one is for someone else to leave their plot. Even then, Leah does not have the money to purchase a plot for herself. I told her story to the First Christian Church of Larned, Kansas, and their hearts were moved to adopt Leah! They took up a collection which yielded enough for her to purchase a plot! Their heart’s desire is to continue to collect their spare change and bring it together once a month so they can help Leah build a proper concrete block house on her plot! When Leah has the chance for a plot of land, we will already have the funds for her to buy it and start building her new house! Praise God! God’s love is pouring over her. Vincent reports that her whole countenance is changing as she experiences the kindness of God through others in her life. She is also taking the Adult Literacy courses which are the first schooling she has had in her life. Transformation is happening!
PRAYER NEEDED
The people of Grippis held an election in March to select government officials. Mr. Sachika was the Vice-Chairman of Grippis for many years. He spearheaded efforts to get their plots of land for them, purchase the land for the school and many other important contributions. The community has elected a new Vice-Chairman – I only have a first name at this point – Aisha. Please pray that Aisha will take up the mantle of leadership with God’s blessing and lead the community’s efforts to become all that they can be with God’s help! I hope to have more information for you soon!
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE PROJECTS?
A new animal shelter is being constructed for the Animal Husbandry Project. This training center will continue to provide opportunities for families in Grippis to learn how to increase their personal income by raising small animals. The 12 families who received the first round of training in raising rabbits are now seeing the fruits of their training and efforts! They are selling their rabbits to the Chinese in Lusaka who buy them to cook and serve in their restaurants. 10 more families will receive training next month as well as the 12 high school students from Grippis who will use their money for school fees, uniforms, books, etc.
One family at a time, God is bringing hope into lives through the kindness of God’s people! Thank you for making it possible.
Richest Blessings,
Tanya Brenneman
Dear Heroes,
We enjoyed having Vincent Luwizhi with us in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Texas and California! He shared much of what God is doing in Grippis Farm. Below are a few of those stories. I will continue to share more stories with you so you get a full picture of what you are accomplishing in Zambia.
PRAISE!
God Continues to Provide for the needs of the people of Grippis Farm. He continues to express his love to them through you and others! Do you remember Leah, the 19 year old orphan and mother of 2 year old twins who came to Grippis last year?
The government leaders allowed her to build a mud house in their community, but she had no funds for a roof. Some of you provided those needed funds, and she got her roof! A church in Texas started helping Leah with food for herself and her children. Since that time, her sister died, leaving Leah with twin 4 year old nieces to raise as well as her own 2 year old twins. In March the bulldozers came into Grippis to build the roads that are part of the city development plan to make it into an official sub-division. Unfortunately, Leah’s little house was sitting where one of the roads is supposed to be. The bulldozer drivers allowed her to stay for a couple of months, but she has to relocate. Leah has no plot of land assigned to her in Grippis – the only way she can get one is for someone else to leave their plot. Even then, Leah does not have the money to purchase a plot for herself. I told her story to the First Christian Church of Larned, Kansas, and their hearts were moved to adopt Leah! They took up a collection which yielded enough for her to purchase a plot! Their heart’s desire is to continue to collect their spare change and bring it together once a month so they can help Leah build a proper concrete block house on her plot! When Leah has the chance for a plot of land, we will already have the funds for her to buy it and start building her new house! Praise God! God’s love is pouring over her. Vincent reports that her whole countenance is changing as she experiences the kindness of God through others in her life. She is also taking the Adult Literacy courses which are the first schooling she has had in her life. Transformation is happening!
PRAYER NEEDED
The people of Grippis held an election in March to select government officials. Mr. Sachika was the Vice-Chairman of Grippis for many years. He spearheaded efforts to get their plots of land for them, purchase the land for the school and many other important contributions. The community has elected a new Vice-Chairman – I only have a first name at this point – Aisha. Please pray that Aisha will take up the mantle of leadership with God’s blessing and lead the community’s efforts to become all that they can be with God’s help! I hope to have more information for you soon!
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE PROJECTS?
A new animal shelter is being constructed for the Animal Husbandry Project. This training center will continue to provide opportunities for families in Grippis to learn how to increase their personal income by raising small animals. The 12 families who received the first round of training in raising rabbits are now seeing the fruits of their training and efforts! They are selling their rabbits to the Chinese in Lusaka who buy them to cook and serve in their restaurants. 10 more families will receive training next month as well as the 12 high school students from Grippis who will use their money for school fees, uniforms, books, etc.
One family at a time, God is bringing hope into lives through the kindness of God’s people! Thank you for making it possible.
Richest Blessings,
Tanya Brenneman
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
One Person At A Time
Submitted by Dr. Kurtis Sauder
Dear Heroes,
I recently heard a story on the radio about the 2010 United Nations Human Development Index, an attempt at quantifying quality of life in different countries around the world using data on health, income, education, etc. While no index is perfect for measuring quality of life, I assumed there was some relevance and immediately wondered where Zambia was on the list. It turns out that Zambia ranks 150th out of 169 countries ranked (the United States is 4th). Some of the numbers that lead to such a dismal ranking for Zambia include a life expectancy of 47 years and average education completed by adults of 6.5 years. One wonders what could lead to such a dismal situation and persons much more knowledgeable than me have studied and written much about poverty in places such as Zambia with no consensus on the causes.
In speaking with Vincent Luwizhi this weekend during his visit to Virginia, I got a better sense of some of the factors in play. While he has stories of progress and hope, he is also constantly combating fear, lack of education and basic job skills, and pervasive mistrust by persons accustomed to a life full of broken promises, where corruption and treachery are an expected part of the culture.
These are problems that go deeper than their outward manifestations, problems that beg for a redemptive solution that can change people and communities from the inside out. But this does not negate the need for the basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, and shelter.
So what can we do in such a situation? Vincent told us about a 19 year old single mother of two who now was taking care of her deceased sister’s two children as well and how she has changed from being dour and overwhelmed to hopeful because of persistence in kindness and love directed towards her. I am reminded of the quote from Mother Teresa, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” If we really want to make a difference, it is going to take many of us doing many small things with great love.
Dear Heroes,
I recently heard a story on the radio about the 2010 United Nations Human Development Index, an attempt at quantifying quality of life in different countries around the world using data on health, income, education, etc. While no index is perfect for measuring quality of life, I assumed there was some relevance and immediately wondered where Zambia was on the list. It turns out that Zambia ranks 150th out of 169 countries ranked (the United States is 4th). Some of the numbers that lead to such a dismal ranking for Zambia include a life expectancy of 47 years and average education completed by adults of 6.5 years. One wonders what could lead to such a dismal situation and persons much more knowledgeable than me have studied and written much about poverty in places such as Zambia with no consensus on the causes.
In speaking with Vincent Luwizhi this weekend during his visit to Virginia, I got a better sense of some of the factors in play. While he has stories of progress and hope, he is also constantly combating fear, lack of education and basic job skills, and pervasive mistrust by persons accustomed to a life full of broken promises, where corruption and treachery are an expected part of the culture.
These are problems that go deeper than their outward manifestations, problems that beg for a redemptive solution that can change people and communities from the inside out. But this does not negate the need for the basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, and shelter.
So what can we do in such a situation? Vincent told us about a 19 year old single mother of two who now was taking care of her deceased sister’s two children as well and how she has changed from being dour and overwhelmed to hopeful because of persistence in kindness and love directed towards her. I am reminded of the quote from Mother Teresa, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” If we really want to make a difference, it is going to take many of us doing many small things with great love.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Urgent Needs in Grippis Farm
Dear Heroes,
We all have unexpected needs that we can’t see in advance and do not plan and budget for. Consider what happens when you are driving along thinking about something else and unexpectedly take out a row of mailboxes (or maybe that only happens to me). Suddenly there is expense that was not planned for – fixing mailboxes and fixing the car. And it interferes with your plans – “I’m supposed to be somewhere else now but I need to stay here and talk to the guy whose mailboxes I just ran over. And when am I going to have time to get the windshield fixed and the fender reattached and how much will all of this cost?”
Now consider a situation in which you are already living on the edge, barely surviving, and suddenly you have a need that could not have been anticipated. You have no insurance for such things and your family and friends are similarly destitute and not in a position to help. Grassroots Heroes often hears of these situations but they are not in our budget. We know they will happen, that something will happen. But we can’t plan for it because we don’t know the who, what, why, or when until it happens. So we would like to start an emergency fund, money to have set aside for these situations that we know will occur.
Right now there are several needs that have been brought to our attention. James and Levy are brothers who live in Grippis Farm. James, 10, attends Mango Grove Community School and Levy, thanks to his GHI sponsors, attends the public high school in Chamba Valley. (James pictured right, Levy shown above red, helping construct new school building) Their father died several years ago, and their mother, Violet, worked hard to meet their basic needs. Tragically, in January this year, she died, leaving James and Levy orphaned. Their aunt has taken them in, but has no means to support them. GHI would like to provide emergency food for the family for a few months while the aunt and the boys are trained and equipped to raise small farm animals in order to help them become self-sufficient.
Mrs. B.,(pictured right) a single mother of 6, has had a difficult life scarred by abandonment, domestic abuse, and extreme poverty. She works hard both at her job as a maid and at home as a home maker. Recently she developed an infection behind her fingernail that ate part of her finger away. In August of 2010, Grassroots Heroes International paid for her to have surgery to clean out the infection, which was threatening to become gangrenous. The finger has now reopened, and she needs to return to the surgeon for more help. One visit to the surgeon costs twice as much as her own monthly salary ($50) with which she tries to feed and sustain her six children. GHI would like to pay for her surgery, which could save her finger and prevent further spread of infection causing more serious problems.
One of the teachers at Mango Grove Community School is also going through a crisis. Her husband died in January and her son is not able to go to school because of the sudden loss of his father’s income. She is asking GHI to pay his school fees for one year so that she can get back on her feet financially.
If you would like to help any of these individuals or simply contribute to our emergency fund to help in similar situations in the future, you may give via our website, www.grassrootsheroes.org or by mailing a check to:
Grassroots Heroes International
P.O. Box 10
Mint Spring, VA 24463
Submitted by:
Dr. Kurtis Sauder
Grassroots Heroes International Board Member
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
"We Were Ourcasts"
Dear Heroes,
The following entry is from Dr. Kurtis Sauder, from the Board of Directors of Grassroots Heroes International.
My travel coffee mug is getting old and leaky so today I ordered this really cool one with a black bear on it for $25. I was pretty excited about my new mug because I live in the mountains and enjoy seeing bears. It seemed like a way to take a piece of the Blue Ridge Mountains with me when I leave home. It’s kind of pricy for a mug but it is heavy duty and I figured it will last a long time and it is still a lot cheaper to make my own coffee and take it with me than to stop and buy a cup on the way to work in the morning.
After surfing for mugs and prior to our Grassroots Heroes board meeting tonight, I was reading reports sent by Vincent Luwizhi about the different projects going on in the Gripps farm community – animal husbandry, tailoring, and adult literacy to name a few. Among the reports of all of these great projects, one paragraph stood out to me and I read it over and over. It was a quote from a woman who is in the adult literacy class. “I appreciate so much for I came empty-minded, but now I know the entire alphabet in saying and writing. I will continue coming until I know how to read. It is my prayer to Tanya, Leland, and Vincent for coming miles and miles to help us here in Grips for we were the outcasts before you people. I shall continue coming to learn and know the Bible. May God have favor upon you with much blessing and a prosperous new year.”
And at the meeting, when we discussed the budget for 2011, a number stood out to me – $25 per month. That is roughly what it costs to send a child to school. For the price of my coffee mug, an orphan living on his own, without hope in a mud house, can go to school, can have hope for the future.
Sometimes it feels like we are spinning our wheels. Things don’t work like they are supposed to, disagreements arise, and I wonder if we are making a difference. We sometimes respond with resignation, “TIA” (this is Africa). But consider the woman who no longer feels like an outcast and the orphan with the opportunity to go to school. There is an impact on these people. No one ever said that helping people out of poverty, despair, and ignorance was easy. But Jesus did say, “Whatever you have done for the least of these my children, you have done for Me.”
Kurtis L. Sauder, MD
The following entry is from Dr. Kurtis Sauder, from the Board of Directors of Grassroots Heroes International.
My travel coffee mug is getting old and leaky so today I ordered this really cool one with a black bear on it for $25. I was pretty excited about my new mug because I live in the mountains and enjoy seeing bears. It seemed like a way to take a piece of the Blue Ridge Mountains with me when I leave home. It’s kind of pricy for a mug but it is heavy duty and I figured it will last a long time and it is still a lot cheaper to make my own coffee and take it with me than to stop and buy a cup on the way to work in the morning.
After surfing for mugs and prior to our Grassroots Heroes board meeting tonight, I was reading reports sent by Vincent Luwizhi about the different projects going on in the Gripps farm community – animal husbandry, tailoring, and adult literacy to name a few. Among the reports of all of these great projects, one paragraph stood out to me and I read it over and over. It was a quote from a woman who is in the adult literacy class. “I appreciate so much for I came empty-minded, but now I know the entire alphabet in saying and writing. I will continue coming until I know how to read. It is my prayer to Tanya, Leland, and Vincent for coming miles and miles to help us here in Grips for we were the outcasts before you people. I shall continue coming to learn and know the Bible. May God have favor upon you with much blessing and a prosperous new year.”
And at the meeting, when we discussed the budget for 2011, a number stood out to me – $25 per month. That is roughly what it costs to send a child to school. For the price of my coffee mug, an orphan living on his own, without hope in a mud house, can go to school, can have hope for the future.
Sometimes it feels like we are spinning our wheels. Things don’t work like they are supposed to, disagreements arise, and I wonder if we are making a difference. We sometimes respond with resignation, “TIA” (this is Africa). But consider the woman who no longer feels like an outcast and the orphan with the opportunity to go to school. There is an impact on these people. No one ever said that helping people out of poverty, despair, and ignorance was easy. But Jesus did say, “Whatever you have done for the least of these my children, you have done for Me.”
Kurtis L. Sauder, MD
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