Penpals from America, a medical clinic and Fort Jacob Farm

CHANGING LIVES IN ARUSHA, TANZANIA | SPRING 2017

In January, volunteers and director Happiness Wambura surveyed land where the Fort Jacob Farming Project will be, southeast of Arusha.

LOHADA to begin farm project, vocational school

It has long been a dream of LOHADA Director Happiness Wambura to open a vocational school for children aging-out of Camp Joshua Christian School. Now the dream is coming true.

Thanks to a generous donation of land southeast of Arusha, the Fort Jacob Farm Project will provide an alternative to traditional secondary education for students wanting "hands-on" education in farming, irrigation and livestock care. On six acres known as Mount Horeb, the farm is part of a multi-phase project that eventually will offer vocational instruction in carpentry, sewing, early childhood teaching and electrical training, as well as a traditional secondary school. Up to 200 students will live there, with space for classrooms, dormitories, a dining hall, library and housing for teachers.

For now, corn and beans are being planted there to help feed the children at Camp Moses and Camp Joshua. Other crops will include watermelons, green vegetables and tomatoes. A well will be drilled to irrigate crops. Temporary housing will be built for students helping to run the farm, to be replaced with permanent structures once the secondary and vocational schools are established.

"I want to thank you all who have stood with us for all these years," said Mama Wambura, "because this is a very big step towards growth. The organization is growing, and the children are growing too. Soon they are going to be adults and we will look back and praise the Lord. Once again, thank you so much."

An envelope from across the world, with love

It all starts with one human connection. When Justine Johnson came to LOHADA three years ago to volunteer, who knew how she would impact both children at LOHADA and children in the United States? After returning home, Justine immediately set to work raising funds to send Bryson to a special needs school in Tanzania.

She and fellow volunteer Megan Chiusaroli sold sandals made by women in Tanzanian slums, allowing the women to support their families.

Now a special education teacher at Winthrop Middle School in Massachusetts, Justine has introduced the children in her seventh-grade class to her "loves" at LOHADA. The two classes have become penpals; Winthrop students received their first letters from Tanzania in March.

The students were so touched they decided to put on a talent show to raise money to buy food for LOHADA. They raised $200. Our heartfelt thanks to Winthrop Middle School, Justine and her fellow teachers, Amy Gallagher, Michelle Harrington and Ellen Baxter, for helping with the fundraiser and the letters!

GIFT OF NOURISHMENT
The women of Shree Hindu Union Charitable Dispensary in Arusha recently donated cooking oil, maize flour, rice, beans, clothing and shoes to LOHADA. The food will nourish the children for three months. Many thanks for this life-giving donation.

Got x-ray equipment? How about a defibrillator? We need them

When LOHADA friend and volunteer Tricia Allenby and her husband, Greg, visited Tanzania in January, they saw a new aspect of outreach ministries affiliated with LOHADA. In the northern Shinyanga region, home to many LOHADA children, a new medical clinic has opened. Tricia, a physician, was there to lend a hand for the Golden Grace Dispensary's first two days, when hundreds of people arrived for free medical care. Now Tricia, longtime donor Bob Worgul and Glenn Sullivan are mounting a massive effort to gather medical equipment and funds to make the center a full-fledged hospital. Find out what they are looking for, and what the facility will mean to the region. Read Tricia's blog here.

A new wall and gate at Camp Moses

When Anna Joanna Sikorska of Warsaw, Poland, volunteered at LOHADA, she began to understand a great need at Camp Moses home for young children. The children were vulnerable to thieves and assailants, especially at night. During the day, young children potentially could wander away unnoticed. So she generated a campaign, raised $2,000 and saw the completion of a new wall and gate at the center. Our hearts are full of gratitude to Anna and her friends for making Camp Moses a safer place for children in need.

We couldn't do it without you

Special thanks also to Kathy Renick, Karen and Paul Jacobs, Kevin Millar, Hannah Benton, Tricia and Greg Allenby for their recent donations. Also thanks to Jeff Gable, for increasing his monthly sponsorship, and to Louise and Pernille Schiermer, twin sisters from Denmark who recently volunteered at Camp Moses (see photo). We love our volunteers!

Thanks as well as to all our faithful sponsors who remain steadfast in their support of children in need. God bless you for the way you give and for the lives you change.

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