In This Newsletter:
- Financial Help Needed!
- Welcome to the new website
- A quick Review
- Milestones
- Exciting News about House 4!
- Some practical project options
Help Us End 2015 in the black!
It’s that time of year again. As we head towards our fiscal year end, we take stock of our finances. We need to ask you to consider making a special contribution to help us end this year strong! We have some specific needs that need to be met, and the general budget is not where it should be for pledged monthly giving.
If you are able to send a contribution by mail, or by PayPal, every dollar counts. We really need some help to enter 2016 strong and in the black.
If you have been considering becoming part of the monthly support team, please make that step. Contact Jennifer or myself , (jason@mission180.ca, or jennifer@mission180.ca), and we will let you know how to proceed.
Or go to the donate tab on this website and follow the directions for PayPal. Please scroll down to the bottom of the screen to find the PayPal options.
Welcome To The New Website!
Welcome to the new web site, designed and developed by our good friend Stephanie Dilsner. We are so grateful for your help and excellent work Stephanie! This is a much needed upgrade, combining both the blog/newsletter as well as all of our information in one familiar location. Now there is no need to visit www.m180.blogspot.com, as it will soon be taken down. Please visit us here at www.mission180.ca for all updates and newsletters, photos, videos, and general information. Take a few moments and explore, let us know what you think! There are still some additions waiting for input from us here in Nairobi. We will add photos a bit later!
A Quick Review
It’s been a few months since our last post, July 23rd to be precise! A lot has transpired in that time.
- In July and August we hosted the Behrendt Family and Karen Gagnon. We had an amazing visit as they partnered with us in our work, and got to see much of this beautiful country!
- In September and October Jason traveled to Canada to do some fundraising. It was a great trip, thanks to all who decided to become a part of supporting Mission:180’s work in Kenya.
- In October/November we hosted a very special guest, Marjorie Andrew. This was her 3rd visit. She is such a blessing. “Grandma” Marjorie is much loved by us, all the staff and children.
- In November we hosted Mark and Nancy Emde. They are part of Mission:180’s team, Nancy manages the Canadian Office and is the CFO, and both Mark and Nancy are valued mentors and advisers, having served 12 years overseas in Thailand themselves.
- On December 18 we pick up Larry and Pat, Jen’s mom and dad for an extended visit, all the way through to March. We look forward to having them with us!
Milestones
In December of 2014, we had 10 babies in our care. We were using 2 homes for childcare at partial capacity.
Team Mission:180 Kenya, December 2014!
We had a total of 15 staff. Its been a year of growth for Mission:180, in so many ways.
Team Mission:180, October 2015
House Mom Florence and her babies!
Most significantly we have been given the awesome privilege of rescuing 20 more precious little lives! We now have 30 little Kenyans in our care. Our excellent team of caregivers and support staff has grown as we take in more children. We now have 22 aunties plus 7 other support staff in various roles. We have promoted three of the aunties to the role of “House Mother”.
House Mom Lillian with the toddlers!
This is a middle management role that helps us create stability and more organization in each home. It tightens up resource management and most importantly benefits each little one because it creates a higher level of consistency in caregivers. Each home has a House Mother who is present in that home all but one day a week.
House Mom Janet, with the older kids from her house.
This new development has been extremely beneficial and successful.We have plowed some new ground, literally, and planted another acre of garden space. We have 1 pregnant cow and 1 heifer. We have many chickens and rabbits as well. The running joke is that all the rabbits have the same name, “Stew”.
Time to Open House 4!!!
House 4, called Pamoja House. In swahilli, this means “together”
We are now gearing up to open house 4. This means taking in another 10 babies! Of course, this means more staff, more resources, etc. We need your help in this area! If you would consider becoming a part of our monthly pledged support base, this will help us prepare to hire new staff and get the house ready. Or, if you would consider becoming a child sponsor, even in advance, it would put us in a better position to rescue the next little one we are asked to care for. Sponsorship is a total of $160.00 per month, which we divide into 4 slots of $40.00 each. “Pamoja Nyumba”, or “Together House”. We can make this a reality, if we “Kazi Pamoja”, work together!
Some Practical Needs
A 40 foot container
Finally, we have some needs in the area of infrastructure. We desperately need some secure storage out at the children’s homes. And we need some office space. All this can be accomplished with a couple of sea containers. One 40 foot container for storage, would cost around $5,000 dollars to purchase and deliver. A twenty foot container that has been converted to an office, with electrical wiring, windows and a door, would cost
What a 20 foot container converted to an office could look like.
around $6,000.00. If either of these needs seems like something you could get behind financially, please consider making a donation to help us make these purchases.