AKCLI - Villages of Hope News

AKCLI (All Kids Can Learn International) is a 501(c)3, IRS approved, Christian ministry dedicated to rescuing orphans and raising them as disciples of Jesus Christ for their own nations. AKCLI is creating Villages of Hope, self-sustaining settings in which we provide orphaned children with quality care, education, Christian discipleship training, vocational training, and employment settings in which to grow and thrive.

Sunday, July 31, 2011

A Funny Story

A Funny Story

Last Monday Benedict and I met at our restaurant/Take-away for lunch.
As we walked in, a woman was holding a fussy baby and feeding it by
spoon some porridge. We got our food and went into the book store
part of the restaurant, sat down, and began to eat. After a while,
out of the corner of my eye, I saw the lady get up, and strap the baby
on her back. Then we heard the most awful sound. I thought, "that
baby is really sick. It has a terrible case of laryngitis." Benedict
thought, "what is that lady doing to that baby? Did she drop the
baby?" I was thinking that it sounded like a chicken. Then I saw the
woman leaving the building. The baby was on her back, and in her hand
she held a live chicken in a bag with the head sticking out. We had
not seen the woman arrive, obviously with a chicken. Our experience
of living in the US had not prepared us to expect that anyone would
bring their live chicken to lunch at a restaurant, while they ate!
This story continues to make be laugh!! i hope it does you too.

Tomorrow a team of 12 from Wisconsin arrives for 2 weeks. This team
includes a family of 7. This also is the last week of school for Term
2. We are preparing for a special program on Thursday. Grandmothers
and extended members of the children's families have been invited.
Lunch will be served to them. So it is a busy time.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Amazing!!

Amazing!!

I know that some folks regularly check this blog. (I'm grateful!) So
even though I can't write much right now I will say that we have a
team from CO here. There are only 4, but they have been doing an
Amazing job and keeping so busy. Mark, the mission pastor, has been
serving everyone and helping things to happen. As a former science
teacher he has done teachings on bees, taught the teachers how to use
microscopes, organized our science supplies, brought the message on
Sunday, is trying to deal with the bees in the tree in the courtyard
at the school, and doing our Bible lesson at Morning meeting this week
until he goes.

George is setting up a security system, running wire and all that is
entailed, as well as working on computers.

Verla has a sewing center set up in the Community Center. In the
mornings Chimwemwe Ladies come along with mothers and aunties from the
village. They are making different things, and for some it is the
first time to use a machine. In the afternoon, 5 of our girls are
learning to sew. She has over seen the cleaning and fixing and
setting up of the many machines that have been given, but that we
haven't been able to use until now.

And Sharlene has helped Verla get the machines going, worked with
George to network the computers in the office area, done lessons on
how to use computers with our teachers, and today was working on
designing a flyer about the road front to pass out to the truck
drivers and others to get more business.

So it has been a great and amazing time. They leave on Thursday and
we will all be sad about that. I'll write more later about other
interesting things that have been happening here.

Monday, July 04, 2011

An African Medical Minute

An African Medical Minute

Do you ever have a problem with nosebleeds? I have heard of the
natural solution here in Africa. This has been confirmed
independently by 3 individuals. You take a small piece of elephant
dung, set it on fire and then take several breaths of the smoke. You
can also use a porcupine quill burning mixed with the dung. I was
warned not to breathe in too much because it will give you a bad
headache. But according to Teacher Bruce, several years ago he had
problems with nose bleeds, and after doing that he didn't have a
nosebleed for several years.

I was told this information one day because Ethel, one of our
children, was having a nose bleed at the end of morning meeting.
Although we didn't try this remedy, we probably will in the future.
You may ask where we could get the elephant dung. One of our parting
gifts from Teacher Bosman was a bag with 3 chunks of elephant dung.
There are lots of elephants in the Livingstone area where Teacher
Bosman moved. Elephant dung looks like wood and wood pulp and fiber
all compressed. And that is what it is.

So if Ethel or any other child develops nose bleeds, I will put
Teacher Bruce in charge of dealing with the situation!