Newsletter November 2018

Dear Friends,

"Almost a little too much," should really be the headline of this newsletter. One could also say, "God is good!"

Erecting or completing four buildings simultaneously is quite a lot, especially when you consider that we don't contract a construction company locally, but rather tackle everything ourselves – with our own hired masons and other construction workers. Although this method of building is very time-consuming, as you have to procure all materials yourself, it also has several advantages. Firstly, we can better ensure the quality of the construction – it's not just built "with sand" – and secondly, the costs are significantly lower, at about half of what a general contractor would charge.

Currently, the following two buildings are in shell construction:

1. a church and school center
2. the third orphanage building for boys aged 6 to 12.

Furthermore, the interior finishing of two other buildings is progressing:

3. the administrator's house (i.e., our own home),
4. the second orphanage building for girls aged 6 to 12.

The long-awaited construction of the first water tower has been completed. The tower only needs to be painted, and a steel door will be installed in the basement. A solar water pump (donated by Grundfos) has been connected to six photovoltaic panels and is functioning perfectly. Due to the height of the building, the 10,000-liter tank provides a pressure of approximately one bar. Two additional tanks of the same size can be installed on the tower in the long term. We thank all donors for their intensive support of this important project and hope that we can erect another tower of the same size on the other side of the property next year.

No, it's not (yet) too much – and God is truly good!

1. Church and School

Since the first of our orphans will soon turn six and need to go to school, it was important to begin building the school.

Students from Stuttgart made the entire school possible in the first place. The design is the master's thesis of a student named Saskia Maier. Together with her 12 fellow students, who assist for several weeks between August and Christmas, she is on the construction site and actively lends a hand. We thank God for this commitment, as part of the project's financing is also covered by the students and the University of Stuttgart.

It is planned to also enable children from the village to attend school. The school operation is intended to be self-financing, which would be the case with a class size of approximately 15 students per class (and about 12 Euros in monthly school fees). However, instruction will exclusively be in English to give the children a further advantage for their long-term future. The building will become a place of encounter – for general education with Christian moral values. The peaceful coexistence of Christians and Muslims will be learned and promoted through interaction in childhood. The coastal region around our orphanage is strongly Muslim-dominated; about 80% of the people belong to Islam.

On weekends, the school will be used as a church. Therefore, the building will be more than just a house of education. It will simultaneously provide a new home for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Puna.

2. The Third Home Building

Construction of the third home building (for boys aged 6 to 12) began at the end of July. The land was cleared, the string line was set, the strip foundations were excavated, and the foundations were poured. Meanwhile, the floor slab has even been completed and part of the masonry has begun. The aid organization of a major German daily newspaper has provided us with the financial means for the construction of this building.

3. The Second Home Building

The second home building continues to be developed in small steps. The interior and exterior plaster, most doors and windows, the tiles in the bathrooms, and the plumbing installation are almost complete. What is missing is the electricity supply, the painting, and the development of the upper floor - which is not as crucial in the short term, as all children and care staff will be temporarily accommodated on the ground floor. The house is intended for our girls aged 6 to 12.

4. Renovation of the Administrator's House

Unfortunately, we still have to wait a bit longer for our privacy, as the carpenter let us down with the production of doors and windows during the renovation of the administrator's house. Despite an ample down payment, he has not yet completed his work since May. We are trying to solve the problem with the help of the local Village Chief (similar to a mayor) and hope that we might be able to move into our new home by Christmas.

Volunteer Program

Since August, our orphanage has been supported by two female volunteers who are spending a voluntary social year with us. They are sponsored by the "Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development" (and facilitated through the "Weltwärts program" and "ADRA"). They provide valuable support in caring for the toddlers and managing the many household tasks.

(Further information on the BMZ/ADRA volunteer program can be found at: http://www.adra.de/mitarbeit/)

We are also grateful for the support of a volunteer from British Guiana. Dwayne came to us through our US partner organization "Restore a Child" and provides valuable work in construction and other manual tasks. All volunteers, by the way, have residence and work/internship permits valid for two years.

The Most Important Thing - The Children

In the last report, we gave a brief overview of each of our children. Since then, we have taken in more children. Currently, there are 15 toddlers - three of them babies - in our care. The oldest is six years old and goes to preschool, and the youngest came to us four weeks ago at the age of three days. His mother died during childbirth.

At this point, we would like to share a wonderful story in connection with our second-to-last child.

A few weeks ago, Dwayne, our volunteer from Guyana, went to Dar es Salaam with Beate and another staff member to do some shopping. On the way, the three made a short stop to deliver a small token of appreciation to someone; this person had given us 150 kg of cornmeal. As Dwayne, Beate, and our staff member wanted to continue their journey, the engine of the aging Land Rover wouldn't start. It seemed to be an electrical issue. A nearby car mechanic couldn't solve the problem initially and called a colleague. This is pretty much the worst thing that can happen to you on the road in Africa: an irreparable breakdown. After a few hours - I don't want to know how (because the actual problem wasn't solved) - the three could finally head home. It was a truly frustrating experience for everyone involved.

Suddenly, on their way home, they saw something that deeply moved them. A child was sitting on the gravel road, and behind him was a slightly confused person who appeared to be his mother. There was nothing genuinely dangerous about the situation, and the child seemed fine. But the scene gave pause for thought. As it wasn't an acute emergency and little could be done, my wife and the two companions continued towards Dunia ya Heri.

Nevertheless, it bothered Dwayne. So he prayed silently and said, "Lord, please take care of these two people - especially the child." He couldn't explain why he was so moved, but he could clearly recall the little boy's face.

Approximately two weeks later, social workers from "the Ministry" came to us again to ask us to take in a child. Dwayne immediately recognized the face of the little boy who had been sitting on the road. There was no one who could care for the boy except his apparently mentally disturbed mother. We gladly took the little boy in. One might think it was a coincidence. But we were convinced that God had just answered a prayer.

P. is 16 months old and has been with us for about six weeks now. Some of his behavioral problems have already significantly improved, and he is settling in well. Unfortunately, his mother has disappeared from the clinic where she was admitted by the social welfare office. No one knows where she is. Our prognosis is that P. will remain with us permanently. With us, he receives everything a child needs: attention, love, and security.

It's like another small miracle: With the help of some generous donors, we were able to acquire a new vehicle. It helps us with our trips to the city and in case of medical emergencies. This way, we no longer have to rely on the aging Land Rover, which has let us down more often than we can afford lately.

A Big Thank You!

We remain grateful for every donation and especially for every monthly contribution. It is precisely these monthly payments - no matter how small - that help us cover our regular costs. After all, we now have 18 employees on permanent contracts.

Apart from that, we want this time to explicitly ask for your support to complete the church and school. The building is intended to serve both purposes simultaneously and thus help the local population beyond the orphanage's boundaries. While there are primary schools in the nearby village, they have class sizes of over 80 children. Furthermore, the teaching is partly influenced by pagan-spiritualistic practices. After the completion of the school, we will apply for state approval for teaching the first four grades.

Yours

Thomas Küsel

Vice Chair
Dunia ya Heri

Yours

Judith Klier

Chair
Dunia ya Heri

Donations

To help as many children as possible, we rely on donations. Thank you for your help.