A Normal Day?

A friend asked us to describe a normal day at ‘Morning Star’.  When we’d stopped laughing, Norma replied, ‘There’s no such thing as a normal day out here’.  Here are some photos to show a few ‘normal’ days over the last two weeks. 

Teachers and parents at one of the rural schools in the vicinity around ‘Morning Star’ standing in front of a teacher’s house which needs renovating.  Currently 6 teachers, including the headmaster, share four rooms and a single fireplace for cooking.  As a result few teachers remain here for more than one Term (three months).  Thirty bags of cement,  some timber and roofing sheets should encourage them to stay.

These children walk over 5 miles to school each day. They were happy to hitch a lift on the ‘Morning Star Express’ today!!

Orphans getting their ‘daily bread’.

Four years ago, a church in Atlanta, Georgia helped us set up a feeding scheme for 300 vulnerable orphans.  We’ve discovered that over half of the children in the 6 primary schools around ‘Morning Star’, are orphans who are seriously under-nourished.  For US$900 per month, we could feed 1500 children a wholesome meal three times per week.

Grade 7 pupils engaged in reading.

Pupils tested for reading comprehension skills in six schools around ‘Morning Star’ were recently tested and found to be up to 5 years behind for their chronological age - not surprising when one considers that none of the schools have any library books.  In March, the CharChar Trust donated a ‘pink’ chest containing 720 reading books and other educational materials to each of the 6 schools.  The Roger Federer Foundation is supporting us in a programme to encourage reading in the schools.  The aim is to see a CharChar chest in each classroom. Visit the Trust’s website: www.helpmyfriendsinafrica.orgor www.thecharchartrust.org for more info.

Ready for school, but where’s our teacher?

Gamina Gawena Sports Centre – Phase 1 (foundations laid)

The 2nd phase is due to begin shortly – casting a floor and installing basketball hoops. Young people in the rural area around us have few facilities for recreation.  We believe that the sports centre will attract them and give us a platform for sharing the gospel (Youth Evangelism Through Sport - YETS).  We are praying for funds to complete the complex and also build two all-weather tennis courts. 

If you feel led to support any of the above initiatives, please let us know.

In His Name

Chris and Norma

‘ … whatever you did this for the least of these brothers of mine, you did  for me’.  (Matthew 25: 40)