Autumn update

I regret it has been so long since I last updated you on the happenings of the orphanage. It was a very hectic late summer and early fall for us; but much has been happening that I want to share with you.

As you know it has been Eddy's dream to be able to send the older children to boarding school when they age out of the orphanage. With the help of three very generous donors, we have begun an educational fund that, at this point will cover the first and second year for two students. Novi and Harriet will be taking their 7th
grade exams in November, and if they pass will begin boarding school. Please keep them in your prayers.

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In August, Seton Catholic School in Hudson, celebrated its 10th anniversary. As part of the celebration a collection was taken up at the anniversary Mass. The entire collection was given to Children of Ubumi, a whopping $1800. The staff at the orphanage decided to use the donation to improve the living conditions at the orphanage. The dining room is too small for the number of children who eat there. If children could not get a chair or share one, they would simply sit on the floor to eat at mealtimes. So benches have been built for the dining room, to accommodate more children at the table. On hot summer days, the dining room was too hot and stuffy for meals. The outside patio is being covered over to provide shelter from both sun and rain, and a new dining area is being built for the outside.

Tiko and Mary in her school uniform doing dishes in front of the area that is now covered. Additionally, dishes and pans had been left outside, as there were no cabinets in the kitchen. The Seton donation also covered the installation of cabinets in the kitchen for storing cooking utensils, pots and bowls.

The school in Musonda, donated by the Evans sisters and their friend Lisa Beus, is nearing completion. We will put pictures in our next newsletter.

Lastly, while we were in Zambia last year, we took supplies for macrame and showed the children how to make simple hemp bracelets. They loved it, and picked it up very quickly. So we devised a plan to have them make simple tie-on bracelets that have a red bead in the center for AIDS awareness. We designed a card to which we could attach the bracelet. One one side of the card is a picture and information about one of the children. On the other side of the card is information about AIDS in Africa and the Ubumi project. All the funds from the sale of these bracelets will go to a special education fund for the children. Eddy emailed that the first shipment of 200+ bracelets has been mailed.

Children at Old Trail School in Bath, hearing this story, decided to join in solidarity with the children of the orphanage in making bracelets. We figure that the bracelets will sell for about $4 each. If you would like to order some, or have an idea where we might offer them for sale, please let us know.

Continued thanks for your interest, support, and ideas. You cannot imagine the good you are doing for these children and the people of the Musonda Compound. You are making their difficult lives easier, and more importantly giving them hope.

Wishing you all the blessings of this beautiful time of year.

Penny