HELP INTERNATIONAL NEWS

It is with a real sense of excitement that I am writing to you about Help International. It is probably completely off your radar as nothing has been heard of it for well over a year and yet it is still doing some amazing work. 

Since late January 2011 I have taken on the role of directing the charity and I have found out that 2011 is a very special year for Help International. It is the 25th anniversary of the completion of the first relief and development project that the charity started. Back in 1986, four containers of food, medicine and clothes were sent to Lusaka, Zambia. A seven-ton truck was also given to be used in transporting containers, building materials and other items, as well as people to church conferences and special meetings!

Since then, Help International, has been able to achieve so much across the developing world, through the generous donations of thousands of people and churches, along with the fundraising efforts of many unsung heroes over the last twenty five years. Literally hundreds of thousands of pounds have been raised to help so many people in need. In addition to this teams of enthusiastic volunteers have been sent (predominantly from the UK) to Africa and India to serve communities there through education and training, engineering, farming, electrical and plumbing skills, medical support in addition to a whole host of other practical works of service.

Here are a few examples how we have been able to help:

• In Zambia - A clinic built in Sachibondu. A Land Rover was also given to use as an ambulance / mobile clinic. 
• In Uganda - Constructed a Trade School and Teaching Centre. 
• In Romania - Working with ACET (Aids Care Education & Training) and the Romanian government to build a Residential Centre for children with HIV Aids.
• In Romania - Constanza – Through Help’s “The Children of the Revolution Appeal” £90,000 was raised through the collection of petrol tokens to purchase a house to be used as a Residential Home to look after children who were HIV positive. Two 7.5-ton lorries took supplies to the Home.
• In Zimbabwe - a seven-acre plot was acquired in Gweru for a poultry farm. A further plot was purchased to build a house and a farm. Two lorries were purchased for the farm project and bicycles provided for Pastors.
• In India - £30,000 was given to the relief of hardship in the Gujarat earthquake. (I remember this one as I had the privilege of carrying a large percentage of the total amount straight to those who needed it as the aid coming in from all over the world was being distributed by a Hindu extremist state government in The Gujarat and Christians and other minority groups caught in the crisis were not given aid by the government.)

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REPORT FROM ZIMBABWE

“I have had the privilege to travel there recently and to see first-hand how people and the church have survived the past twelve months.

I was so excited about going and yet there was a part of me that seriously wondered what I would find when I arrived, how would the Church have fared? Did God provide for them or are they struggling for survival despite God’s promises?

I need not have been concerned, God more than provided and looked after His Church. She did not merely survive but has grown in strength and size. I met many people who testified how they did not go to bed hungry.

Muchakata TreeOne lady explained “I give thanks to God that during the bad times last year I never went to bed hungry. God provided fruit from the muchakata tree (this is a prolific indigenous tree); every day we went out to collect the fruit and made it into porridge, buns and even a drink. We became very good at inventing new ways of eating this fruit. The fruit never stopped falling for the whole of that period of time”.

I learned that usually this tree only fruits once a year but during the time of starvation it produced fruit continually and there were enough trees for every family to claim one for their own. I heard many people testifying how this fruit had sustained them during the worst times.

The farm that Help International helped provide finances for has been a real life saver for the people. It has not only provided for Charles and his family but over a hundred families have benefited. During the period of famine Charles was able to give away between 2-3 tons of maize, because of irrigation he was able harvest two additional crops.

Everyone is saying that this coming harvest is going to a bumper one, despite having no fertilizer.

Many of you may recall we started a micro-finance project a couple of years ago. Although it started well and people had some great business ideas and opportunities the majority were overtaken by the huge inflation rates. Many bought wholesale and then sold the items either separately or in smaller amounts but when they went back to replenish stocks the price had increased by a 1000% or more. With the introduction of the South African Rand (ZAR) and the US$ as the only valid currencies the economy has now stabilised and this would be the ideal time to re-start the project as there is a sense that the country is picking herself up and starting to re-build. Help International has release money to re-start this project.”

SCRAP METAL BUSINESS MAKES PROFIT

Jonathan LumbaAfter just 10 months of trading our partner Jonathan Lumba is already seeing a small net profit on his Scrap Metal Business.

He employs four people who go out on bicycles with a side cart, they go around the local neighbourhoods and buy peoples rubbish! (A rather different story to us here in the U.K.) This is then sorted in to the various materials like plastic, copper, iron etc and passed on to the individual scrap merchants.

ORPHANAGE NEARS COMPLETION

The orphanage in Bisleg is nearly finished although it is already being used by the children! 

Help International was recently, through the generosity of one of our church partners, able to send funding to provide windows, furniture and bunk beds.

This place is already making a big difference to the children who live there. The alternative would be to live on the streets with all its inherent dangers.

Thank you

THE YELLOW HOUSE IS FINISHED!

I recently had the privilege of being the guest of honour at the opening of Yellow House, this is the fourth house to be built at the Rays of Joy Children's Centre in Northern India. Children dressed up and getting ready for their performanceIt was a great honour to cut the ribbon and welcome all the guests in to see the new home.

People gathering for the opening ceremonyAfterwards there was a presentation by the children from the other three houses; they performed various traditional and modern dances and it was wonderful to see children expressing themselves so freely through dance and acting. Each one did their best, and when I considered that many of these children had come from Children performingdifficult backgrounds, it was very moving.

Now comes the challenging, but rewarding task of selecting the children who will come and live in the new house!

Sally Murcutt

YELLOW HOUSE IS GOING UP!

Exciting new building workGreat news! Our partners, Rays of Joy Ministries, are building another house for a further twelve children on the Sharonsthan site in Northern India. This is thanks to the efforts of Jill Pettinger from Keighley, who raised a substantial sum cycling along the River Nile, and also the generosity of Airedale Church, Keighley. Many thanks.

This is the fourth house to be built and the difference it is making to children’s lives is extraordinary. Many arrive without even being able to dress themselves, but with loving care and attention, soon they are as quick as any of the other children in the home. There are currently three houses fully functioning, each house has House Parents caring for twelve children.

Many of the children are orphans, but some do have one parent but are unable to look after their child. This can be because of financial hardship, illness or simple neglect.

Many of these children need sponsoring through school and so if you can help please contact us for details of our Child Sponsorship Programme. 

SACHIBONDU IN FINISHING STAGES

Walls going up!The new extension at Sachibondu clinic is in the last finishing stages. It’s beginning to really take shape and the grand opening is expected later in May.

More money has been given to enable the inside to be finished and fully equipped.

Grateful thanks to all who contributed