February 2008 Update

February 2008

Dear Friends of the Children:

News from Zambia:
Harriet and Novis have begun boarding school thanks primarily to a specified donation. Novi was accepted into one of the premiere high schools in Zambia. In fact, the current President of Zambia went there. Harriet is attending a Seventh Day Adventist School. Both are in Ndola, only about 45 minutes away. This is a big move for them, and a great privilege. It is difficult for many Zambians to send their children to high school.

Novi with Eddy, Head Boy, and Simone at Chiwala High School.

Harriet welcomed by classmates at Mupapa Adventist Academy.
On the home front:
There has been a lot of activity over the past month. The Hudson Key Club has been selling the bracelets made by the children at the orphanage and by students at Old Trail School. Cinda Sheldon advisor to the Key Club, has been extremely positive about the project. Now that Hudson High is “cashless” and using swipe cards for lunches, selling the bracelets presented more of a challenge. Undaunted, Joseph Selinger took his 10 bracelets to synagogue where they netted $175! Our thanks to him for his resourcefulness, and to the people of his synagogue for their generosity. Despite the “cashless” challenge, the Key Club has raised $695 for the children’s education so far. There are still a few bracelets left, but they are going fast.

Additionally Key Club has also kicked off the Kids’ Campaign for An Orphanage of Our Own. They are collecting signatures, especially those of children, to present to Hudson City Council asking Council to pass a resolution “adopting” the Ubumi Transit Home as Hudson’s orphanage. This project is going a little more slowly, and we may need to call in some reserves to help with gathering signatures. If any of you have children in the lower grades who would like to gather signatures from their classmates for this cause, please let me know and I will get a signature sheets to you.

What does adoption by the city mean? The resolution reads as follows:

We, the children and youth of Hudson, respectfully request the city council to recognize the Ubumi Transit Home in Kitwe Zambia as our city’s orphanage. Such recognition is not intended to give preferential status to Ubumi or in any way to supplant the already established charities of the people of Hudson. Rather, we propose that the recognition of this orphanage serve as a touchstone and point of contact for the commitment of the people of this city, and especially its children, to the support of vulnerable populations wherever they may be and an indication of our desire to bend our efforts toward the solution of global problems. We understand that even small efforts, when undertaken by enough people, can have significant results.

We hope that recognition of the Orphanage will give it higher visibility, allow teachers and religious education classes to reference it in their curriculum, and inspire other communities to also adopt orphanages. Please keep this initiative in your prayers. We will let you know how it is proceeding.

Finally, put the morning of April 5 on your calendars. That’s the day that Seton Catholic School will be sponsoring the Run for the Orphans. It will begin at Seton and then wind through Hudson Springs Park. There will be T-shirts, prizes, and food. Ubumi will be the beneficiary of the registration proceeds. However, we are inviting other area churches to list their orphanages for donations beyond the registration fee. Seton hopes to make this an annual event, attracting runners/walkers from the entire area. We invite you to join us in this Spring kick-off event. See our website children-of-ubumi.org for registration details.

Keep our children in mind as you slog through the end of winter—they are in the middle of summer. Wishing you every blessing, and thanking you for your continued interest and support,

Penny