GARAGE and BAKE SALE

Saturday May 12

8:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Central’s Missions and Outreach Committee

welcomes donations in support of our

local/national/international missions projects.

Please bring items that are GENTLY USED,

CLEAN and IN GOOD REPAIR.

NO ELECTRONICS will be accepted.

Toys, books, garden stuff (plants), games,

baked goods (no nuts), kitchen stuff, music,

clothes, crafts, furniture, other.

Please bake muffins for us to sell with coffee and tea.

Items may be dropped off at the church

Friday May 11 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Please contact Denise McClellan for more information

dmcclell@uoguelph.ca or 519-658-5857

Proceeds from the sale will support our missions including, Rachel’s Children’s Home an orphanage for the child victims of Africa’s AIDS crisis.

Come early to find hidden jems. The sale will be held in the Church Hall and will be held rain or shine.

Plastering the walls around Rachel's first bathtub

Could you imagine never having had a bath?  The children at Rachel’s Home can.

One afternoon while doing their chores, the girls invited me to come along. They showed me the bathtubs waiting to be installed in the shower facilities we were building -our main project for the Lesotho Mission 2012. The girls danced around the tubs in anticipation of their first baths.

Last week, Hilda, the creator of Rachel’s Home, updated Elsie, our trusted leader, on the status of the shower project. Elsie wrote in an email:

 ”They are busy plastering the walls inside. We hope they will be done by next week. The project is nearly completed.”

We completed the building of the exterior of the facility and plumbing with the help of skilled Sotho plumbers.

New desks for the preschool classroom

We also received word that new desks have arrived for the preschool classroom. Hilda said being in this room is like being transported somewhere far away from the harsh realities faced at Rachel’s. The mural was painted by the talented artists on our team.

Lunch time at Rachel's

Birthday Party in Maseru

August was Women’s Month in Lesotho.

As part of a celebration of the role and work of women in Basotho society, Hilda and the children were invited to attend ceremonies in Maseru. While there, a local woman decided to celebrate her birthday with the children of Rachel’s Home. It was a beautiful day and the children enjoyed themselves. Instead of receiving gifts, she chose to give to the children. This generous act gave the children a rare and special day of joy.

Hilda frequently finds herself at the front door of the orphanage confronting a pair of police officers. They often have a child in tow that they are hoping Hilda will take in. Recently a pair of Police women showed up at the orphanage. They didn’t have a child. Instead they had brought gifts for the children. God had touched their hearts reminding them that they too are mothers and that these children have nothing. Along with the gifts, they brought instruments and food. The day was filled with music and laughter.

These are the moments that change lives.

Hilda's Birthday Party

We praise God for life!

August 28th was my birthday. So much has happened and God has blessed me in so many ways through the years that I could write a book!. I am 38 years old now. My heavenly father has blessed me and my family in so many ways. My birthday was a wonderful day, one of the happiest days at Rachel’s Home that I can remember. I received lots and lot of handmade cards and pictures. Somebody recited a poem that brought tears to my eyes. They were tears of joy.

My chldren here at Rachel’s Home make me so happy and I can’t imagine life without them.

God Bless!

Currently, there are 50 students in the school and 4 teachers. We are also sponsoring 7 students at boarding school and 4 students at university. One student is in a gifted program and hopes to become a doctor. Our first student will graduate university next year with a degree in nursing. This will have such a positive impact on Lesotho as the next generation begins rebuilding a country devastated by AIDS.

As sponsors, we provide tuition as well as money for housing, food and expenses. Without Central Presbyterian Church’s support, education would be unattainable for these young people and they could only look forward to a bleak future.

We also continue to support the orphans at Rachel’s Home by providing milk, bread, peanut butter and vitamins. Sometimes this is the only food they receive in a week and so it is vital to their health.

Unfortunately, Hilda’s health is not good and she needs surgery. A temporary manager must be found to run the orphanage and school while she is recovering. We hope and pray for her and her health. Hilda is the backbone of Rachel’s Home and she needs to be strong.

Please pray for Hilda, Godwill and all the children. We are making a difference in so many lives. The orphans we help now, will continue to help others as they become educated.

Thank you for your support.

Sharon with the Kids

Sharon & Jane are from opposite ends of Canada. They know each other and us only through their and our involvement with Rachel’s Home.

Sharon is a retired person with many years of experience with international aid projects. She stumbled across Rachel’s Home in her travels after her retirement. The children grabbed hold of her heart from the moment she met them. From that point onward, she was committed to doing whatever she could to help.

She returned to Rachel’s Home in December 2010, where she plans to spend several months helping Hilda and the children get through Hilda’s surgery and recovery.

Sharon is keeping a news blog of her work at Rachel’s Home and we will try to keep you informed with links to her blog.

Jane & her husband adopted Makalo in the fall of 2010. Since, then Jane has continued her involvement in Rachel’s Home. Jane’s efforts on behalf of Rachel’s Home, led her to a local NGO in her home town in BC. Among other things, they provided the funding for a special Christmas dinner for the children.

Rachel’s Home still struggles to make ends meet; but, our efforts along with those of our friends from across Canada are making a difference.

With your prayers and and your support, we can make a difference in the lives of these children. We can produce leaders and role-models from among them and we can give Lesotho what it needs most. Young, educated, committed and caring Basotho who understand their people, their country and its problems and who have to tools and skills they need to make a difference.

Sharon’s Blog:

• January 2010 – Rachel’s or Hilda’s Home?
• February 2010 – Just Clowning Around
• December 2010 – Lame in Lesotho
• December 2010 – Celebrating Christmas with the Children
• January 2011 – A Progress Report

Please pray for Godwill, Rachel and the Children. Let’s fill those envelopes in the In-And-Out box. They need the supplies more than ever.

What a transformation!

It’s hard to imagine that, the basic cinder-block structure that we built could be transformed into such an inviting structure for young children to come to learn. We will be returning to Rachel’s Home in March of 2012 to improve the accomodations.

In the mean-time we continue to support Rachel’s Home through our vitamin program, our in and out boxes, our sponsorships of Libuseng, Moloshane & Tsepang.

Please, help us help the children of Rachel’s Home.