Make a Change

Meet Carlos!

2011-11-18T09:27:00.006-06:00

This is the most recent of my writing-children. His name is Carlos and he lives in Guatemala. Here is his information:

Birthdate:	12/12/2003
Information last updated:	7/1/2011
Schooling
US School Grade Equivalent:	1
School Performance:	Average
Child is attending school
Family Duties
Running errands Making beds Cleaning
Hobbies and Sport
Group games Soccer/Football Bicycling Baseball Marbles Swimming Reading Other ball games Story telling
Guardians
Father Mother
Natural Parents
Marital status of parents:	Now married
Natural parents are together Father is alive Father is living with child Father is supporting child Mother is alive Mother is living with child
Employment
Father/Male Guardian other employment:	industry worker
Father/Male Guardian is employed Mother/Female Guardian is unemployed

I have already received on letter from him. I look forward to 12 more years of communication with him. It is so much fun to here about how people in other countries live!!

Meet Aldair!

2011-11-17T09:22:00.001-06:00

This is the second writing-child I was assigned to. His name is Aldair, and he lives in Colombia. Here is his profile information:

Birthdate:	11/27/1994
Information last updated:	3/1/2011
Schooling
US School Grade Equivalent:	9
School Performance:	Average
Completion Date:	20121101
Child is attending school
Family Duties
Running errands Cleaning
Hobbies and Sport
Soccer/Football Bicycling Listening to music
Guardians
Aunt
Natural Parents
Marital status of parents:	Were never married
Father is alive Mother is alive Mother is supporting child
Employment
Mother/Female Guardian other employment:	Differents jobs
No Father or Male Guardian Mother/Female Guardian is at times employed

As you can see, he will be 17 this month! He is very dedicated to his studies, and wants to go far in life. His letters have been informative, and very nicely written. I have been writing to him for about 6 months now.

Meet Lilian!

2011-11-16T09:15:00.000-06:00

This is Lilian. A friend told me about an organization that allows sponsors to write letters to the children for support, while someone else chooses to send the monetary donations. This is perfect for me since my family is at poverty level in annual income. I can not make sponsorship donations. However, it is so easy to send a letter, and the children really appreciate it!

I have been writing to Lilian for almost a year now. Her information was just updated. Here is her updated information:

Birthdate:	8/5/1999
Information last updated:	11/1/2011
Schooling
US School Grade Equivalent:	6
School Performance:	Average
Child is attending school
Family Duties
Washing clothes Gardening/Farming Running errands Cleaning Carries water Child care Gathers firewood
Hobbies and Sport
Group games Hide-and-Seek Running Reading Jump rope Singing Other ball games
Guardians
Grandmother
Natural Parents
Marital status of parents:	Now married
Natural parents are together Father is alive Father is supporting child Mother is alive Mother is supporting child
Employment
No Father or Male Guardian Mother/Female Guardian is at times employed Mother/Female Guardian is a farmer

She writes very sweet letters, and I send her a letter from myself every 2 to 4 weeks. It has been a very fulfilling relatioship. I have since added 2 more children to my account and write to them regularly as well. I don't even pay for stamps because I write the letters via their web-site!!

Edward and his family

2011-06-16T15:07:00.000-05:00

Edward with his father and sister-in-law

Above is Edward in school studying at his desk. Below is Edward's sister-in-law fixing the family's meal.

Above is Edward's school, and below is the water pump. He was telling me that the water pump does not work, but you can see by the sign that there is a phone number posted of who to call with any pump problems... I guess this doesn't work??

Above is Edward's bed and below is his house

Edward is one of my Mwana Hope/CHILDHOPE Zambia kids. I have been sponsoring him for a year now. He did a great job with his camera and took some awesome photos.

Mwanza's New Photo

2011-06-14T19:03:00.000-05:00

Mwanza sure has been growing up quickly!! Check him out! He will be 16 on August 5th. He is still raising his brothers and sisters, and seems to have grown into a happy young man. Such a change from when I first started sponsoring him. You may remember that 3 years ago, he wasn't even in school, and had nothing to eat. This is what sponsorship is all about!

Ana in Guatemala- Fundraiser #36 Response

2011-06-13T19:02:00.000-05:00

Post by Katja:

This is the report for fundraiser #36 for Ana in Guatemala. Her family was in need of a wardrobe and Ana needed a bed and new clothes.
On the last day of last year John finished off the fundraiser and Ana was able to receive the things as a belated birthday gift (her birthday was at the beginning of January). There were 18 people, who helped me with this fundraiser and we were able to send $350 to Ana's family. Yay!
Ana was able to buy 1 wardrobe, 1 single bed, 3 pants, 3 blouses, 1 sweater, 1 pair of shoes and 6 underwear.

Here are the beautiful photos of my happy Ana with the things that she purchased with our money.

Ana's letter (written by her sister) is as follows:
"Ana greets you with much love wishing you are in good health along to your dear family and the people around you. She thanks you for the single bed, for the jeans and the blouses and for the pair of shoes, and the underwear and the sweater she was able to buy which were of great support to her. She says so long to you with much love and a huge hug."

Thank you so much to everybody who helped with this cause! I wouldn't have made it without you!!! A special thanks to John, who finished off the fundraiser, to Heather G. for creating the fundraising page and of course for Heather M. for getting everything started and going!

Leydi's 2011 Photo!

2011-05-15T22:12:00.000-05:00

This is Leydi's most recent photo. She looks to be trying to smile when she doesn't really feel like smiling. She has had one big loss after another in her lifetime, and she is only 10!! I wish I could scoop her up and hug her forever! There is only so much I can do for her from so far away. I hope the days become better for her!!

Dulce's 2011 Report!

2011-05-06T21:02:00.000-05:00

Dulce's new photo and report:

Height: 4 Feet 7 Inches	Weight: 68 Pounds		Hair Color: Black		Eye Color: Black
2. Attends School: Yes
3. Favorite School Subjects: Mathematics
Favorite Pastimes: Playing with dolls, Running
Chores at Home: Running errands, General housework
Talents or Hobbies: Drawing, Dancing, Singing
Languages Spoken: Spanish

INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S FAMILY:
4. Approximate monthly income for the family (in U.S. Dollars): $100.00
5. Name of Father: Victor Manuel			Occupation:
(If not present, why?) Does not live at home at present
6. Name of Mother: Dulce Maria			Occupation:
(If not present, why?) Deceased
7. Brothers and Sisters:
8. Child lives with: Relatives

INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S HOME:
9. Description of Home: Three Bedrooms, Dining Room, Kitchen
Construction: Walls: Concrete block		Roof: Concrete		Floor: Concrete
Cooking Facilities: Gas Stove
Sleeping Accommodations: Beds
10. Facilities and Services:
Water Source: Running water in home
Electricity: Available
Sanitary Facility: Toilet

Goodbye, Diego!

2011-04-15T14:58:00.001-05:00

Diego (in the middle) shown here with his friends has come a long way in the sponsorship program. He was just a toddler when he entered the sponsorship program, so at 13 years old (he will turn 14 in July), he has been in the program for more than 80% of his lifetime. You may remember his health issues that led me to ask Aura's House to add him as a project on their site. His aunt was able to pay off her debts, and Diego was able to get many things that would improve his health.

The fundraiser through Aura's House was a success, and it raised the family's standard of living. Of course, that was the point of the fundraiser- we want all of our children to get out of poverty, right?! I don't know if this is the reason, but I have a strong hunch- Diego's family has left the sponsorship area! I hope they have moved into their own place, as the place they were staying in was not their own. In my head (since that is all I have to go by), I imagine that they moved to a better neighborhood that is closer to Diego's school.

While I am happy for the family, don't child departures just suck (and no, I do not want the other child they have chosen for me- bwah, bwah, bwah)!?!?!?

Muntanga and his family

2011-04-11T14:51:00.011-05:00

Muntanga above in front of his house and below a profile shot of himself in the dark

Muntanga with his goat above and Muntaga's sister Memory (sponsored by Sara) below

Muntanga with his school notebook above and with his family below (mother, father, Memory and little Luse)

Muntanga's mother below fixing dinner

Muntanga had some great photos on his camera. His younger sister Luse is still in need of a sponsor. If you would like to sponsor her, send an e-mail to macandmic@gmail.com

Alex's Camera

2011-04-10T15:45:00.005-05:00

Alex and Warring above (not sure who the guy is on the left) and Charles and the unknown boy below

The boy above looks like a Michelo. Does anyone recognize him? Below, Alex decide to photograph feet. LOL!

Charles' Camera

2011-04-09T15:26:00.001-05:00

Alex above with the electronic game filled with candy that I sent him and below the Kalalu children working at home

Charles' family above and below the place where they cook their food

Charles did not take any pictures of himself, as you can see. His cousin whom he calls his brother is an orphan and spends a lot of time with Charles and his family. The cousin's name is Alex. Well, Charles took a photo of Alex, and then, Alex used his camera to take some photos of Charles. You will see Charles in the photos that Alex took when I post them tomorrow. =)

Fanwell and his extended family

2011-04-06T03:14:00.003-05:00

Fanwell above with his cousins and below with his grandmother, aunt, and cousins

Fanwell's house above and his bed below

The Magoye river above and the part of town where they go to buy things below

Fanwell playing football above and playing billiards below (pretty inventive, huh?!)

Fanwell is a child that I sponsor with Mack. We started sponsoring him after we heard of how sick he was and how he needed immediate medical attention. He still looks ill in a lot of these photos- like he is in pain. I hope that he will start feeling better soon! We have paid for him to see the doctor, and we will see what the outcome of that is... Maybe he can take extra vitamin supplements.

Anyway, he did a great job with his camera. I like the river photo and it is cool to see what the town looks like, too. He looks happy with his extended family, so that makes me happy =)

Daniel and his Camera

2011-04-05T15:17:00.006-05:00

Aren't these two adorable?! I have no idea who they are because Daniel didn't fill out his scavenger hunt sheet, but I plan to ask him in my next letter when I send him the pictures.

Daniel's self-photo above and then, more pics of the cute little toddlers below

Daniel didn't do as well as some of my other kids did. I noticed that the girls took the exercise a little more seriously than the boys- though I did have a couple of boys that did a good job as well. The ones with the least amount of good photos were Daniel, Ashes, Alex and Charles... But, I did get SOME pictures, so it is still nice to see their surroundings.

Thandiwe's Pictures

2011-04-04T15:07:00.003-05:00

Thandiwe above and below dishing out supper

Thandiwe's grandfather above and her bed below

Thandiwe lives with her grandfather. The video that I have of her, she said that she lives with him because her mom died. I am guessing that her father died as well. She has such a sweet spirit. When she spoke of her mother's death, she started to cry. It really moved me because my father passed away when I was 9, so I know the loss that you feel from that.

I had to add Thandiwe to my family. I hope that our correspondence will fill the void of her parents in some small way.

Ashes and Family

2011-04-03T18:30:00.001-05:00

Ashes above with his sisters and brother and below with his mother, 3 sisters and 2 brothers (his father was taking the photos)

Ashes above outside his school Naleza Basic which teaches grades 1 to 9. Below is the bed that Ashes' father made for him out of wood.

I now have a bunch of photos of my CHZ children! Ashes did not do so well with is disposible camera, but I did get a few nice pictures. From him, I learned the most from his scavenger hunt sheet. For example, he has 2 other sponsored siblings and 3 that are not sponsored. His best friend is Ronald Juma who is, also, sponsored.

At his school Naleza Basic, there are 9 grade levels and 1 teacher for each grade. If you have a child in Naleza, you will be able to figure out who is in the class with whom if you know their grade level. That is very interesting, and I will have to investigate it more after I finish basking in the fun of looking at these wonderful pictures!

I will be posting more photos of some of my other children over the next few days. There were a total of 50 cameras returned to sponsors this week. Each camera had the potential of having 27 photos- that makes for 1350 photos!!! Unfortunately, some of the children only did a few good ones, so the average was about 20 good photos per camera, or 1000 photos!! We still have over 50 cameras in Zambia that will be returned shortly. If you would like to participate in the program, it only costs a total of $16 per child. That purchases the camera, and ships it to and from Zambia! Plus, you wind up with lots of great photos, and you get to know your child better. I feel like I have already taken a trip to Zambia and back!

S. Henry

2011-03-29T15:26:00.000-05:00

Henry is here with his mother and siblings outside his house. He is wearing the red shirt. Below is Henry's mother. She is part of the bead making cooperative.

Henry above is 2nd from the right in the front. Below Henry is 2nd from the left in the front with the blue button-up shirt.

Henry talking to Hellen and giving her his details so that she can find him a sponsor.

Henry is the child I started sponsoring way back in 2009 because he was the closest one in age to my daughter Morgan. At the time, he was listed as 4 years old. Morgan wrote him a few letters. When we got a letter from Henry, it said he was 7 years old! Wow! He aged 3 years in just a few months! LOL! So goes one of the problems with sponsorship programs that are formed in the slums or villages- a lot of times birth dates and age are unknown because they are home births, and no one sees the importance of notating the specific day a child is born.

Like Vanesa, I stopped the CUS sponsorship of Henry when I was not happy with where my money was going or not knowing where my money was going. I kept in contact with Henry because his mother started making beads in our bead making cooperative. Now that Maureen is in charge of the CUS sponsorship program, I am sponsoring Henry again.

I will stick with those 2 CUS children- Vanesa and Henry. I still have the other 2 Ugandan children from Tiffany's group, too- Jenina and Waird. 4 Ugandan children- 2 girls and 2 boys =)

Mercy in Zambia

2011-03-28T12:51:00.001-05:00

Hey, everybody!
I want to thank all of you who have contributed to buy beds for my little girl, Mercy, in Zambia. Her fundraiser has now moved from FirstGiving to Aura's House, and it is almost complete (only $80 left to go!). I won't ask for any more donations right now because it is not a Thursday, lol
I just got back photos from the Direct Package that I sent to Mercy around Christmas time. I want to share this sweet excerpt from the letter her mother wrote in response:
"Mercy is all smiles today because of the beautiful parcel she has received from you. She has promised to use them properly. She is so much in love with everything you have sent her. You have really changed my daughter's life for the better."
It makes me feel so good to hear things like this, and to know that I am making life a little happier for one child halfway across the world! I enjoy seeing Mercy's smile so much that I don't even care if she wants to use the things I sent her "improperly".
Mack
PS: The red shark that Mercy is hugging in one picture - I won it for her playing that game where you grab things with a mechanical claw. The same day, I also grabbed two stuffed hippos for Paola in Mexico to remind her of our trip to the zoo. I'm quite proud of my animal-snatching skills (but I won't mention how many game tokens I used up in the process!)

Vanesa

2011-03-27T18:48:00.028-05:00

Vanesa is the child most directly in front of the camera

Vanesa is the girl in bright pink-above is the picture of my original 12 children in CUS in 2009

For those of you who have not been following what has been happening with CUS, they have a new sponsorship program. I know many are unhappy with how things were done before, so this is a sweet relief for those who still want to support the children.

These are the same children whose mothers are a part of the bead making and doll making cooperative Miracles in Caring. That cooperative is growing as far as profits. Profits have doubled this year compared to last year. We are hopeful that having the dolls available for sale for our CHZ program will bring the women regular pay they can count on every month.

Originally, 2 years ago, I was sponsoring 12 children in the CUS program. However, due to the strange happenings with the coordination, I couldn't keep throwing my money into what seemed to be a hole to nowhere. Now Maureen is running the show, so I went with the first two I had started sponsoring first back in 2009. Vanesa is the girl that had chosen because Jaden wanted her for a penpal. Vanesa is back in our "family" now that I know the money will get to where it needs to go. (I will let you know who the second child is tomorrow)

Waird

2011-03-26T18:44:00.002-05:00

Here is the second child I took on from Tiffany's group. Tiffany was able to get a photo of Waird holding my letter and stickers, too. What a cutie! I can't wait to get the letters that Waird and Jenina write to me!

Jenina

2011-03-25T18:42:00.000-05:00

Jenina has the orange top on

I know I am a little behind the times when it comes to grass-roots sponsorship programs. Tiffany has been doing this program in Uganda for awhile. I have only just in the past two weeks picked up two children from her program. Jenina is one those children. I sent her a letter and stickers right after I signed up as her penpal. Tiffany took a picture of her with her letter and stickers and I got to see it today. Jenina looks so haunted. I will need to get a few minutes to put a small package together for her.

My CHILDHOPE-ZAMBIA Girls March 2011

2011-03-24T17:21:00.017-05:00

Thandiwe above is now my oldest child. She is in 9th grade. My other 9th grader left to go to school in Lusaka, so she is not in the program any more. Mutinta below is my 7th grader.

Dorcas above in 2nd grade always cheers me up with her smile. Elizabeth below is not a child I sponsor, but I sent her a gift of mealie meal.

Gladness above finally made it to her first distribution. Ronah below was born the same year as Jaden, so I hope they will eventually become friends.

Tubi below is in grade 2- Like Dorcas, she always has a big cheerful smile!!

Here are my CHZ girls that I had not posted about earlier. I already posted Elizabeth, Margret and Agness who are all twins. I just realized after making this post that my boy to girl ratio is not equal. Oh, well, can't change that now while I am unemployed. Maybe after I get another contract I can add a few girls to get them even =)

My CHILDHOPE-ZAMBIA Boys March 2011

2011-03-23T19:59:00.001-05:00

Daniel above is in 2nd grade and holding the folder the girls decorated for him. Fanwell below is in 5th grade and holding the certificate that says his school fees have been paid in full.

Charles above with his folder and mosquito net. Alex below with his folder. Alex and Charles are related- sometimes calling each other brothers because they live together with their grandmother. They are both in the same 4th grade class.

Muntanga above is in 5th grade, and Paul below is in preschool. I do not sponsor Paul, but I am sending him gifts until he can find a sponsor.

Cacious above is in preschool and Evans below is in 7th grade.

Netto above and Ashes below are both 7th graders.

These are my boys that attended this past distribution (only the ones that I have not posted about earlier- Ray and Mukwisa were in earlier posts). Not all of my boys were there, but I hope the ones that didn't make it will go to the next distribution in 2 weeks. All of my kids will be getting photo albums with their distribution photos in them next time. =)

Math Class

2011-03-19T17:52:00.000-05:00

www.childhopezambia.blogspot.com

Ray and Lee

2011-03-16T11:23:00.000-05:00

These little cuties make me want to run and pinch their chubby little cheeks =)
Ray and Lee are half brothers. They are now both sponsored along with their older sister Pretty. Pretty is sponsored by John, and she seems to be the leader of the senior secondary group. She is well spoken and not afraid of the camera.
I sponsor Ray with 2 other sponsors, and Lee is sponsored by 3 other sponsors. Pretty writes the letters for the boys, and she seems to be really proud of her bothers (as seen in the video where she is introducing her brothers to sponsors in order to find sponsors for them).

This Month's Photos of My CHZ Twins

2011-03-15T06:25:00.002-05:00

Margret above and Elizabeth below

Agness above and Mukwisa below

Here are my two sets of twins getting their gifts for this month. Margret and Elizabeth are holding the folders that I sent them. Kelly gave me this idea- She sends folders with a legal pad of paper, activity pages, pens, stickers, etc. I made one for all of my CHZ kids. This will encourage them to write and draw pictures as often as they would like to. They are wearing their new primary uniforms which was their gift for this month (even though they are still in preschool).

Agness is holding the stuffed animal I bought for her, and Mukwisa is holding his soccer ball. Each one of those items was only $6, so it was no big feat on my part. And, it is great to see their sweet faces! Agness is wearing the dress I sent her in a previous package. That always makes me smile, too =)

Updated Photo of Perla in Mexico

2011-03-08T07:20:00.004-06:00

Perla's new photo arrived! She is getting so big! You may remember we did a fundraiser for her large family. Her newest report stated she is now living with relatives, but it did not explain why =(

A Letter from Mutinta~ Feb 2011

2011-03-07T17:11:00.008-06:00

This letter was sad to me. Mutinta said that her mother was in the hospital around Christmas for 2 weeks!! Now, I have to hurry and write her back and see if her mother is ok. =(

A Letter from Ashes~ Feb 2011

2011-03-07T07:07:00.010-06:00

Ashes letters are always short. He is 14 years old and I am sure he has better things to do than write to a lady that is a mother- mothers are not the "in thing" at this age. =) He wants to be a preacher, and usually mentions that he goes to church.

A Coloring Picture from Ray~Feb 2011

2011-03-06T17:04:00.011-06:00

Little Ray colored the activity page I mailed him. He missed a few retangles and the pentagon, but I think I can cut the 4 year old some slack =)

A Letter from Muntanga~ Feb 2011

2011-03-06T07:14:00.013-06:00

Muntanga, always concerned about his family. He is long for a sponsor for his baby sister who is 1 year old. She attends CHZ's supported preschool. She is A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!! If you would like to sponsor Luse, she is still available for only $9 a month. Here is her photo:

The Nursery sponsorship program is the most fun, I think, because the little ones get learning toys, learning books, etc. You can visit the blog here: http://www.childhopezambia.blogspot.com/ If you would like to sponsor Luse, send an e-mail to macandmic@gmail.com

Fundraiser #34~ 60% to Goal!!

2011-03-05T17:07:00.010-06:00

Maria's fundraiser is over halfway finished!! Only $154 more is needed and the family will be able to start their own business! Every dollar counts- to donate to this fundraiser, visit her webpage fundraiser here

A Letter from Elizabeth M~ Feb 2011

2011-03-05T07:01:00.016-06:00

Elizabeth wrote this sweet letter. She was one of the children I sent a Christmas card to. I have always loved her sweet face, but I am not her sponsor. Right now, I am unemployed, so without work, I can not add ANY more kids =) If you would like to sponsor Elizabeth for only $9 a month, send an e-mail to macandmic@gmail.com

A Letter from Paul~ Feb 2011

2011-03-04T16:57:00.007-06:00

This sweet little 3 year old is not a child I sponsor. He replied to my Christmas card and colored the Disney picture I sent him. Paul needs a sponsor. If you would like to sponsor Paul for only $9 a month, send an e-mail to macandmic@gmail.com

A Letter from Daphne~ Feb 2011

2011-03-04T08:57:00.007-06:00

As you can see, Daphne has great penmanship!! This letter is very informational. I can't wait to see the rest of my children grow up and write like this!! Daphne is a 9th grader.

A Letter from Netto~ Feb 2011

2011-03-03T16:56:00.009-06:00

Netto is one of the children that lives with Mrs. Mweemba. She is the grandmother taking care of 18 grandchildren!! How do you keep track of 18 children?! =)

A Letter from Elie~ Feb 2011

2011-03-03T08:55:00.010-06:00

Elie says she would like to be a doctor. Wow! She is a great writer. I have received 8 letteers in 8 months! And, you know I love letters!

A Letter from Alex~ Feb 2011

2011-03-02T16:24:00.005-06:00

This is the letter from Charles' brother/cousin. They are an inseparable pair, so I had to sponsor Alex to even out the combo =)

A Letter from Charles~ Feb 2011

2011-03-02T08:14:00.004-06:00

I am not sure how I will ever write all of these sweet children back!! But, I know I will. Jaden and Morgan have taken up a lot of letter writing, but after writing to 5 children each, they are pooped!! LOL!

A Letter from Tebby~ Feb 2011

2011-03-01T16:10:00.008-06:00

Little Tebby even wrote to Morgan!! He says that his mother is very sick. I hope I get to meet her before she passes away. It seems like time is against us, but I will pray that she will always have God's comfort.

Creative Writing by Fanwell~ Feb 2011

2011-03-01T08:03:00.003-06:00

More great writings from Fanwell =)

A Letter from Fanwell~ Feb 2011

2011-02-28T18:38:00.007-06:00

Here is sweet Fanwell! I really enjoyed his letter because he said that I would like to see the shops where they buy things and his school. He said that I really care for him, which made me smile. And he told me about his family. What a sweet young man!!! Well, I guess he could have been talking about his other sponsor Mack. LOL!

On Their Way to You!!

2011-02-28T13:53:00.000-06:00

The picture above shows my packed mailbox. Those are just a few of the letters that are on their way to their sponsors. Tons of letters!!! You will see some of the letters I received in the next few posts. If you like letters, join our yahoo group. I have a database that shows you which unsponsored children have written to their potential sponsors. Once sponsored, those letters get mailed to the sponsor immediately!! You can see the children available for sponsorship here: http://www.childhopezambia.blogspot.com/

Easter Gifts for CI Children Announced

2011-02-22T10:04:00.011-06:00

Here is the list of gifts for 2011- It looks like al but one of my children are receiving shoes:

Chile, All Children: A new pair of black shoes.

Barranquilla, All children: A stylish new pair of tennis shoes.
Cartagena, All children: A new pair of tennis shoes.
Quito, All children: New shoes for school.
Guayaquil, Children 2-10: A pair of black leather shoes and three pairs of socks.
Guayaquil, Children 11+: A new pair of black leather shoes.
Dominican Republic, All girls: A new blouse.
Dominican Republic, All boys: A collared shirt.
Guatemala, All children: A new pair of school shoes.
San Pedro Sula, All children: A backpack, shirt, toothbrush and toothpaste.
Jalisco, All children: A new backpack.
Manila, All children: Select a pair of shoes from a variety of styles.
Quezon City, All children: Choice of shoes, new socks and an umbrella.
Tabaco, All children: Select a pair of shoes from a variety of styles.
Legazpi, All children: Select a pair of shoes from a variety of styles.
India, All children: Two pairs of sandals or a pair of school shoes and socks.
United States, All children: Age-appropriate books, totaling $50 per child, thanks to a matching gift from Scholastic Book Fairs.
Lusaka, All children: A pair of athletic shoes.

Fundraiser #37

2011-02-21T08:56:00.015-06:00

We are 1/4 of the way to our goal of providing Adriana and Dario with beds for all 3 children. $90 has been raised so far. and only $288 more is needed! This $90 can be used to purchase the 3 sets of sheets, but we need beds to put the sheets on. To make a donation, visit their fundraising site here:
http://www.firstgiving.com/furniturefor3siblings

A Letter from Muntanga Part 2

2011-02-20T09:18:00.009-06:00

Another letter from Muntanga. This one had a picture of a cow that he drew on the back. Pretty good artist =)

Creative Writing by Muntanga

2011-02-19T09:06:00.001-06:00

A Letter from Mutinta

2011-02-18T09:10:00.004-06:00

Another pumpkin letter =) I really enoyed this one as I did not know when they harvest and plant. Very good information!

A Letter from Daniel

2011-02-17T09:14:00.007-06:00

It is interesting that 9 year old Daniel asks if we have cotton in America. I didn't know they have cotton crops in Zambia! We are both learning from each other! What a beautiful world we live in!

A Letter from Elie

2011-02-16T09:03:00.009-06:00

Elie is a sweetheart. She didn't write much in this letter, but it is always fun to hear about what she likes. With a superpower, she would like to make a garden because she loves vegetables =) Too cute!

Letter from Fanwell

2011-02-15T08:59:00.012-06:00

Twelve year old Fanwell is a child that I share with Mack. He has been extremely ill but looks much better now that he has been sponsored for a few months. I am waiting for the results of his medical exam, but he will get treatment for anything that ails him. I am anxious to see how he improves after a year or so of sponsorship.

A Letter from Tubi

2011-02-14T09:43:00.005-06:00

Of all 20+ letters we received this week from CHILDHOPE-ZAMBIA, this letter was Jaden and Morgan's favorite! Eight year old Tubi told them that she was praying for them and that she loves them. Jaden said, "Did she really say that?!" When I told her "yes, that is what her letter says, " Jaden had tears in her eyes.

A Letter from Edward

2011-02-13T10:35:00.011-06:00

Edward recently turned 11 years old on my birthday in January. Last year in the fall, I sent him information on fall festivals, pumpkins, etc. I, also, gave him a pumpkin to color and asked him if they had pumpkins in Zambia. This was his response to me. I am learning every day!!

A Letter from Ashes

2011-02-12T10:10:00.002-06:00

This letter is from 14 year old Ashes who is part of the CHILDHOPE-ZAMBIA program. I love how he says their staple drink is a sweet beer- really?!?!?! Please tell me the toddlers aren't drinking it!

Creative Writing by Mutinta

2011-02-11T10:01:00.006-06:00

I went onto enchantedlearning.com and sent creative writing suggestions to my oldest CHILDHOPE-ZAMBIA children in November. I have received a few of them back already. This one is from 13 year old Mutinta regarding her trip to Lusaka (Zambia's capital city) in 2009. It is a great way to get to know them, as I would never have known she had been to Lusaka before.

A Letter from Tebby

2011-02-10T19:33:00.000-06:00

Here is a letter from my little Tebby. His father passed away 2 days before Tebby's birthday last December.
I love his latest picture because he is wearing the soccer outfit that I bought him and holding the soccer ball that I purchased in Zambia (via the gift shop for only $6!) I hope my letters and presents plus sponsorship gifts show him that someone far away loves him and cares about him. I wish I could mail him a hug, and this has to be a rough time for him!

Letter from Muntanga

2011-02-10T18:34:00.001-06:00

Here is one of the many letters I received yesterday from my CHILDHOPE-ZAMBIA children. I was surprised to receive several letters from some of them. Tebby, for example, sent me 6 letters!!! Muntanga, whose letter you see above wrote 4 different letters! I have received a total of 7 letters from him in the 7 months I have sponsored him. Very sweet!

Our New Band for Distributions!~ CHILDHOPE- ZAMBIA

2011-02-06T13:17:00.000-06:00

www.childhopezambia.blogspot.com

Christmas Package Received- Sayonika in India

2011-01-28T09:50:00.000-06:00

Post by Dorothee:
And here are photos of Sayonika in India. Her photos are actually quite dark - it looks like they took them at dusk outside.

And her thank you letter: (I got this in December actually!)
"Dear Dorothee,
I start my letter with best wishes. I hope you all are well. We are all fine. My school has re-opened after our holidays for Durga Puja festival. We had sports in our school and I participated in it. I am doing well in studies. I am very happy to receive from you a stuffed toy (baby elephant) and a red beaded wristlet. I have worn the wristlet on my wrist. I have kept the toy elephant with care and I play with it on holidays. I thank you for the lovely gifts. I end my letter with love and regards,
Yours,
Sayonika"
She seems happy but I do hope that she doesn't keep the elephant just for holidays!

Christmas Package Received- Patricio

2011-01-24T19:13:00.000-06:00

Here is Shana's sponsored child Patricio with his MAC Christmas package.

Christmas Package Received- Roselle in The Philippines

2011-01-22T20:38:00.000-06:00

Here is Holly's sponsored child Roselle from Tabaco receiving her MAC Christmas package. Nice shades!

Christmas Package Received- Dulce O in Mexico

2011-01-22T02:06:00.000-06:00

Post by Dorothee:
Here's what her letter said, it's written by her mother who's also named Dulce: (my boyfriend co-sponsors her with me, and her mother remembered - so impressed!)
"Dear Dorothee and Nick,
We are so happy to say hello to you. Dulce Sayuri became so happy when she received your gift. She is very happy and she thanks to you. She loved a lot the Teddy bear and she also liked the story books, because she likes me to read stories. The [coloring] book will be very useful for her, since she loves to color and drawing. She loves a lot the rings and bracelets, because she likes the fantasy jewelry like bracelets, ring and necklaces and thank you for the glasses, she also loved them too. She is a girly girl. Thank you so much for making my daughter Dulce Sayuri so happy.

Sincerely,

Dulce

Christmas Package Received- Michelle in The Philippines

2011-01-20T22:12:00.000-06:00

Here is Heather G's sponsored child Michelle in Quezon City. She is posing with her MAC Christmas package. I see she even has some of the things she received displayed on her neck and wrist!!

Christmas Package Received- Perla in Mexico

2011-01-19T09:36:00.000-06:00

Post from Susan:
"Sharing some photos from the Christmas package you sent to Mexico for Perla.

I'm sorry I can not find her letter at the moment, but she told me that she looks forward to learning how to read the book and she will look pretty with the jewlery. She wants me to write soon."

Update on Brayan in Mexico

2011-01-15T15:31:00.000-06:00

I just got a new photo and update on Brayan. It looks like the IGP is going well as his income has gone from $0 to $233 a month!!!! I am so happy for him and his family! Here is his report:

Age: 7 Sex: M Date of Birth: 3/13/2003
Height: 4 Feet 3 Inches Weight: 71 Pounds Hair Color: Brown Eye Color: Brown
2. Attends School: Yes
3. Favorite School Subjects: Grammar
Favorite Pastimes: Playing with friends, Playing soccer, Playing with toys and cars
Chores at Home: General housework
Talents or Hobbies: Drawing
Languages Spoken: Spanish

INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S FAMILY:
4. Approximate monthly income for the family (in U.S. Dollars): $233.00
5. Name of Father: Ausente Occupation:
(If not present, why?) Unknown reason
6. Name of Mother: Marlen Occupation: Homemaker
(If not present, why?)
7. Brothers and Sisters:
Name: Adán Age: 19 Sex: M Name: Alfonso Age: 16 Sex: M
Name: Blanca Age: 23 Sex: F Name: Brandon David Age: 4 Sex: M
Name: Noé Age: 19 Sex: M
8. Child lives with: Mother

INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CHILD'S HOME:
9. Description of Home: Bathroom, Kitchen, Two bedrooms
Construction: Walls: Concrete block Roof: Concrete block Floor: Concrete
Cooking Facilities: Gas Stove
Sleeping Accommodations: Beds
10. Facilities and Services:
Water Source: Running water in home
Electricity: Available
Sanitary Facility: Toilet

First Distribution 2011 Montage

2011-01-13T19:50:00.001-06:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Attendance at 1st Distribution 2011~ CHILDHOPE- ZAMBIA

2011-01-13T17:01:00.000-06:00

Our first distribution of the year! Children arrived to receive their Chirstmas cards, too.
www.childhopezambia.blogspot.com

Child Hope Feeding Program

2011-01-07T06:33:00.001-06:00

Here are some of the pictures of a few of the children getting breakfast before school. The feeding program relies on donations. As donations are received, children are fed. A UK donor sent it over $1,000 to provide food for the children in Manyana. This food is given to the children regardless of whether they are sponsored or not. Most of these children you probably don't recognize, but if you know your child is in Manyana, you may want to scrutinize the rest of the photos on the Child Hope Blog to see if your child is there. I found one of mine in the mix =)

Kevin Bryan Christmas 2010

2011-01-06T15:33:00.000-06:00

Here is Kevin's new photo =) This is the child I share with Mack. We got an updated photo not too long ago and now we just got another... But, I'm not going to complain ;)

A thank you video

2011-01-02T11:51:00.000-06:00

Clive Maimbo~ CHZ

2011-01-01T15:49:00.000-06:00

Translation by Chim:
The boy told me that he was Clive Maimbo and that he appreciates the help the he has received from his sponsor in the past. He has received uniforms, bag, pencils etc. These things have really helped him. He says he would appreciate more support because when he completes school, he will be able to get a job and help his family members. He said that without this support, he will be unable to help himself and his family members because his family can not afford to pay the school fees and purchase the things he needs for school.
To sponsor Clive for only $9 a month, send an e-mail to macandmic@gmail.com

Hanatonga Gets His Wheelchair!!

2011-01-01T11:09:00.000-06:00

Here is the photo of Hanatonga in his new wheelchair!! The wheelchair money was raised during our 12 days of Christmas rafflethon. Doesn't he look great in his new wheels?! To see the 3 videos that were taken of him getting his wheelchair, visit http://www.childhopezambia.blogspot.com/

Fundraiser #37 Has Launched!

2010-12-31T15:18:00.001-06:00

Fundraiser #37 is for Adriana in Colombia. The fundraiser will provide a bunk bed and single bed that will be enough for Adriana and her 2 siblings to sleep on. Right now, all of the girls and the mother sleep in one bed while the one boy and his father sleep on a mat on the floor. As you might imagine, this fundraiser will help the family immensely! To donate to this fundraiser, visit Adriana's fundraising page here Thank you for helping this deserving family!

Fundraiser for Ana is Complete! Thank you!!

2010-12-31T10:39:00.000-06:00

Just in the nick of time, John completed Ana's fundriaser! Now she will get her bed in January! Yay! Thank you all for helping Ana to get a good night's sleep!

Christmas Package Received- Diego in Ecuador

2010-12-30T06:05:00.000-06:00

The Christmas package to Ecuador arrived just in time. Here is Heather G's sponsor child Diego with a BUNCH of Christmas stuff.

Only $50 more needed!!

2010-12-29T01:08:00.000-06:00

http://www.firstgiving.com/wardrobe4ana

We only need $50 to complete Ana's project! If we can pull this off in the next 3 days, she will get her bed, dresser and clothes in January! If you can help Ana, please visit her fundraiser using the link below. Even $1 helps!! Thanks so much!

Vernon family- CHILDHOPE-ZAMBIA

2010-12-23T20:49:00.000-06:00

Translation by Chim:
I asked the lady in the video what her name was. She told me that she was Banji Moonga and the children in the video were hers. I asked her if the children were in school and she told me that they were not and they would start next term when everybody else opens school. I asked her the name of the child in green gum boots. She told me that the boy`s name was Joseph Moonga while the small girl was Charity Moonga. Asked how we would help her children, she told me that the children require books, school fees, shoes etc. I asked the lady how the health of her children was. She told me that the smallest girl`s body temperature gets high and she usually develops Malaria. If you would like to sponsor Charity (#1122) or Joseph Moonga (#1121), send a e-mail to macandmic@gmail.com To see more about this great organization in Mazabuka, Zambia, visit www.childhopezambia.blogspot.com

Christmas Visit Between Mack & Barbara

2010-12-21T18:47:00.000-06:00

Post from Barbara:

In a previous article last year you may have read about CI and ChildHope Zambia sponsors Macky and her Mum, Carolanne (who made the lovely quilt for Macky's recent raffle), from Washington State and Barbara from Vancouver, Canada meeting in Vancouver for an Halloween visit.. This Xmas they visited again this time for two days with Macky's grand-mother, Dorothy, a spry 80 year old in order to take in the sights and lights of Chrismas in Vancouver. We had great plans for a carol cruise, the Bright Nights in Stanley Park and several other sites.

Unfortunately, since everything was booked ahead with so many other prospective visitors all descending on the same sites we could not get tickets for the 'children's Xmas train ride' until nine p.m. but we filled in the time taking several photos of the many beautiful lighted Xmas scenes. Since both Macky and I have two little boys in Zambia we tried to find appropriate photos to take which wasn't hard to do since there was such a variety. Because two of the proposed raffle prizes, the Grinch and his dog Max, were not claimed we were going to send the Grinch to Macky's sponsored boy, Fanwell and his dog Max to my child, Maxwell. So, naturally when we saw the Grinch in lights we had to have our photo taken with him to send to our boys. We also took other photos to show them how Christmas is celebrated in the West and also the igloo to teach them about the Eskimos and penguins.

After filling our stomachs at a well-known chinese restaurant we returned to Stanley Park to take our turn on the Xmas train.. We had thought there there might be fewer people for the last rides but, boy we wrong!! There were literally thousands of people all hoping to get on the last rides and mostly adults like ourselves. We had to wait in line for almost two hours with Dorothy and I frozen to a park bench under a blanket until Macky and Carolanne made the front of the line. It was a lot of fun on the train with the music, some brave people singing carols and the many lights and scenes set amongst the forest portion of the park. Here are a few photos for your enjoyment and Happy Xmas to all our sponsors.

Christmas Gift- Cost= only 30 cents a day!

2010-12-19T01:57:00.001-06:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

And the Winner for Day 12 is...

2010-12-14T18:00:00.000-06:00

Maria and Roland!! Katja writes: "This time I also used random.org like some of the others did. There were 74 raffle tickets as follows:

Sara 1 - 5

Amanda 6

Maria and Roland 7 - 31

Inga 32 - 36

Steve 37 - 61

Heather 62 - 69

Jim and Mack 70 - 74

The winning number is 20 = Maria and Roland! Congratulations!

A big thank you for everybody, who donated for Ana's fundraiser! It's so great to see how many people already helped.

Katja"

December 2010 Fundraiser Update

2010-12-14T11:41:00.000-06:00

I wanted to give everyone an update on how our MAC funraisers are fairing. We currently have 2 active fundraisers that you can donate to. Remember 100% of your donation is tax deductible, so get in your donation before the end of the year!

35. Candace- Maria* current fundraiser- we need $230 more to complete this fundraiser. To help us reach this goal, visit http://www.firstgiving.com/igpformaria

36. Katja~ Ana Gabriela in Guatemala- current fundraiser- we need $124 more to complete this fundraiser. To help us reach our goal, visit: http://www.firstgiving.com/wardrobe4ana

37. Candace~ Adriana in Colombia

38. Cherise~ Sabrata in India

39. Barbara~ Miguel in Mexico- COMPLETED 12/13/10!!

40. Bernie~ Josselyn in Ecuador

41. Shana ~ Sonia & Yiseth in Colombia

42. Dorothee ~ Sayonika in India

43. Heather G ~ Diego in Ecuador

44. Holly ~ Yoselyn in Honduras

45. Jennifer~ Santanu in India

46. Candace~ Johel in Colombia

47. Mack ~ Mercy

48. Inga ~ Yuselfi in Colombia

And the Winner for Day 11 is...

2010-12-13T14:35:00.002-06:00

Thanks for your donations to Mercy everybody! We got a great start on her fundraiser for later when her turn comes up at #47!

I'm really, really busy today (and no family members are in the raffle), so I skipped shooting a video of my Random.org visit. You'll just have to trust me (and the laws of statistics) when I announce that JOHN is the lucky winner. Hooray! John gets to choose between two quilts and a set of Dr. Suess stuffed toys!

Thanks again, everybody!

Mack

And the Winner for Day 10 is...

2010-12-12T22:52:00.008-06:00

Mack! Congratulations! Thanks to Mack and Sara for adding some funds to help get a laptop for the Zambian office after the other was stolen. We still need a little under $500, but we are one step closer!

On the 12th Day of Christmas...

2010-12-12T21:14:00.002-06:00

This raffle is for Ana in rural Guatemala again. The prize consists of the following Germany /Christmas themed items:

- 1 dark-blue mug with a winter motive (bought at a Christmas market in Cologne)
- 1 rubber duck, which is dressed as a clown and is holding a beer and the Cologne Cathedral
- 8 cork coasters with pictures of Germany / Rhine river
- 1 bar of Lindt Christmas chocolate (with almonds, cinnamon and coriander)
- 20 tea bags of winter tea (fruit)
- 5 tea bags to make mulled wine
- German lebkuchen (gingerbread)
I might also include some postcards of Germany for those who wish them.

Ana's fundraiser is here: http://www.firstgiving.com/wardrobe4ana . For every $1 you will receive one raffle ticket. You have until December 13th at 10PM CST to get in on this raffle.

And the Winner for Day 9 is...

2010-12-12T10:44:00.001-06:00

Barbara!!! Congratulations! Barbara, you know the drill =) Contact Candace and let her know your info. Thanks for everyone's dedication!

On the 11th Day of Christmas...

2010-12-11T21:54:00.002-06:00

Today's raffle is for your choice between two Christmas quilts (made/donated by Carolanne Miller), both with colorful, soft flannel backing or a set of stuffed toys.

The first quilt (smaller) is mostly red and green, with sparkly (glitter?) blue snowflake squares.

The second (larger) one is nicknamed the "9-11 Quilt", because it was made with fabric issued post-September of 2003 when our nation was feeling especially patriotic. This might not be a good choice for a blanket to send to a sponsored child (or for a Canadian), because if you look closely you'll see that the ornaments decorating the material are Red/White/Blue and the little snowmen are wearing "US flag" clothing. There are also flags around the quilt's border.

The 3rd option is two cute and soft Dr. Suess toys - the loveable "Grinch", and his even more loveable dog "Max". These stuffed animals will make an awesome Christmas gift when combined with a copy of the book "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (don't worry, he gives it back at the end).

The raffle will benefit Mercy in Zambia. You may remember that she is the little one that is in need of a bed. Mercy and her siblings currently sleep on mats on the floor. Beds will give them a better night's sleep and allow them to hang mosquito nets safely over the frames. To help Mercy and get a chance to win one of these gift quality quilts, simply donate here by December 12th at 10PM CST:

http://www.firstgiving.com/help4mercy

$1 gets you one 1 raffle ticket. The more you donate, the more chances you have to win!

On the 10th Day of Christmas...

2010-12-10T22:51:00.003-06:00

Doll #1

Doll #2

Doll #3

Today's fundraiser raffle is for any of the 3 active CHILDHOPE fundraisers* we currently have going on. The winner will have their choice of the following items:

Doll #1 shipped to you or your sponsor child in the CHZ program!

OR

Doll #2 shipped to you or your sponsor child in the CHZ program!

OR

Doll #3 shipped to you or your sponsor child in the CHZ program!

OR

Set of 3 beautiful handmade African necklaces for you or to be shipped to CHZ.

OR

$20 credit to be used on anything in our Etsy store

OR

$20 gift card!

Is that enough choices to pique your interest? To enter the raffle, send an e-mail to macandmic@gmail.com Then, I will send you an invoice for the amount you wish to pay toward any one of our 3 causes. And $1 gets you 1 raffle ticket until December 11th at 11PM CST. The more you donate the more chances you have to win!!!

By the way, in order to up the ante, anyone who donates $2o or more will automatically get their choice of a necklace made by our MIC group- regardless of who wins the raffle!

*The 3 current fundraisers that you can choose to donate to are:

1. wheelchair for Kaonde. Kaonde is the young man that is currently using crutches to walk. If you watch the video, you will see the strain it is for him to walk with crutches. He really needs a wheelchair, and this will help him to continue his education. His wheelchair is adult size because he is 20 years old, so we need to raise $785 for this. You can see his video here: http://childhopezambia.blogspot.com/2010/10/meet-kaonde-wasco.html

2. laptop- The Zambian laptop was stolen, and we need another $500 in order to replace it.

3. feeding- This will be used to purchase food for distribution and during the medical exams.

And the Winner for Day 8 is...

2010-12-10T22:41:00.003-06:00

(We are still waiting for the results of raffle #8. They will be posted as soon as they are received.)

Barbara writes:

Without a scanner or knowledge to work a complicated computer programme the draw was done old fashioned and done on the honour system. Each person who participated in the raffled was given a raffle ticket for each dollar donated and their names deposited in a bowl. Then, my elderly neighbour, Jack, without looking picked a name out of the bowl and the name drawn was........John. So, many thanks to him and others who also participated in helping Miguel's family to open their own small business. I know they will be delighted. John please let me know what you would prefer either the $20.00 donation to a fund-raiser of your choice or the leather cushion covers.

Many thanks

Cheers

Barbara

On the 9th Day of Christmas...

2010-12-09T21:54:00.002-06:00

Today's raffle is for a $20 donation to any fundraiser of your choosing (this could mean that you would be able to put $20 into another raffle for another chance to win as well!).

OR

Two small or one large soft real leather cushion covers from Morocco. The larger one is a light brown colour - about 17 inches across and when stuffed 2 inches high hand tooled with squares and gold stars. The two smaller covers are about eleven inches across and one inch high. One is dark green with similar tooling to the larger one and the other is a cream colour with a central gold tooled star and square and eight extensions ending in a decorative square. These would make an exotic gift for the person who has everything but loves decorating their house with eclectic items.

The raffle will benefit Miguel in Mexico. His family would like to start a business selling milk, soda, and tortillas. Every $1 gets you one raffle ticket. To enter the raffle, click here to donate by December 10th at 10PM CST:

http://www.firstgiving.com/generalstoreigp

Good luck!

And the Winner for Day 7 is...

2010-12-08T22:26:00.004-06:00

Maureen! Maureen, let me know which one of the prizes you would like. Also, everyone who donated $20, make sure to tell me your necklace choice =) Ya'll rocked this fundraiser!! We raised $125 in less than 24 hours for this deserving young boy- and that $125 is matched to bring the total raised today to $250!! Then, add that to the total we raised during the first raffle ($76), and that is $326!! The wheelchair will cost $500, but if we can come up with just $87 more by Saturday, we can still get the dollar for dollar match!

I appreciate all of those that came out to help with this wheelchair purchase. This will be the best Christmas ever for a sweet 8 year old in Mazabuka!

On the 8th Day of Christmas...

2010-12-08T21:50:00.001-06:00

Today's raffle is for a $30 Amazon gift card or a $30 donation to the winner's fundraiser. $1 gets you one raffle ticket and every dollar counts. Make sure to get in to get a chance to win! The more you donate, the more chances you have.

The fundraiser this raffle is benefitting is Johel and Sebastian in Colombia. They need home repairs and a bunk bed. As you can see, the bed that Johel sleeps in is too small for him (it is a crib!)

To enter the raffle and help these two boys get a comfortable bed to sleep in, donate here:
http://www.firstgiving.com/bunkbedfor2brothers

On the 7th Day of Christmas...

2010-12-07T22:30:00.001-06:00

Doll #1 is 12" long with shiny milk chocolate brown skin

Doll #2 is a mommy doll with baby and beautiful chocolate brown skin. The baby can ride on hr mother's back or tummy. Mommy is 17" long and baby is 6".

Doll #3 is a Spanish-style doll with black hair and cream pearl skin. She is 17" long

The necklaces below are the traditional east African necklaces around 60" long and can be doubled and tripled up depending on how long you want the necklace to be.

Today's raffle is for Hanatonga. Remember that he is the little boy in Zambia that is in desperate need of a wheelchair. We need to raise a little over $200 to make his Christmas dream come true! Up for raffle to make this happen are your choice of the following items:

Doll #1 shipped to you or your sponsor child in the CHZ program!

Doll #2 shipped to you or your sponsor child in the CHZ program!

Doll #3 shipped to you or your sponsor child in the CHZ program!

Set of 3 beautiful handmade African necklaces for you or to be shipped to CHZ.

$20 credit to be used on anything in our Etsy store

$20 gift card!

Is that enough choices to pique your interest? To enter the raffle, send an e-mail to macandmic@gmail.com Then, I will send you an invoice for the amount you wish to pay toward Hanatonga's wheelchair. Remember that your donation is matched dollar for dollar!! And $1 gets you 1 raffle ticket until December 8th at 10PM CST. The more you donate the more chances you have to win!!!

By the way, in order to up the ante, anyone who donates $2o or more will automatically get their choice of a necklace made by our MIC group- regardless of who wins the raffle!

And the Winner for Day 6 is...

2010-12-07T22:00:00.000-06:00

...Sara. Holly used random.org to pick a winning number = 3
Sara 1-5
Heather G 6-10
Jim & Mack 11-15
Heather M 16-20

Congratulations, Sara on winning the digital photo keychain! Now you can show off our fair pictures to eveyone at work. LOL! (side note from Heather M)

And the Winner for Day 5 is...

2010-12-07T10:18:00.002-06:00

Thanks so much to everyone who donated to Mercy's fundraiser! We raised $95 toward the cost of her bunkbeds/blankets! I used random.org to select a raffle winner, the results of which are shown on this incredibly boring silent video. For those of you who do not have the time/desire to watch an incredibly boring silent video, I'll go ahead and give away the ending. The winner of the MP3 player is ... Congratulations to the Ladenberger family! (The only Facebook friends who responded to my plea for contributions) Thanks again everybody, and see you all next time!
Mack
PS: A video isn't absolutely necessary when using random.org (we all trust each other, right?), but since my father was a contender, I thought it would be best to have "proof" if he happened to win.

On the 6th Day of Christmas...

2010-12-06T21:50:00.002-06:00

Today's raffle is for:

Tao Digital Photo Key Chain
It comes in 6 different colors: blue, pink, purple, red, black & gray
1.5-Inch TFT photo display (128x128)
8MB internal memory, save 100 photos
Rechargeable Battery
USB 1.1; no memory cards
PC / MAC Compatible
a perfect gift for your family member or sponsored child

The fundraiser the raffle is benefitting is Yoselyn and will help her mother start her own business. You get 1 raffle ticket for every $1 you donate to
http://www.firstgiving.com/vendingigp You must donate by 10PM CST on December 7th in order to qualify for the raffle. Good luck!

And the Winner for Day 4 is...

2010-12-05T23:57:00.000-06:00

Heather G used random.org to choose a number which was 29.

Sara 1 -5
Melinda 6 -10
Heather 11-15
Barbara 16-20
Katja 21-25
Jim & Mack 26-35

Congratulations! More fun raffles to come! Thank you to all who have helped!

On the 5th Day of Christmas...

2010-12-05T21:50:00.000-06:00

"Hi" to all you blog-followers!

Today's raffle is for an Ematic 2GB MP3 Video Player with 1.5" Screen! This small, but useful, device makes a great gift for a loved one - especially if you pre-load it with special photos, videos, or songs.

An MP3 player is also a great gift for an older sponsored child. I have purchased one each for my two teenage boys in Honduras, and I will be loading the players with some of their favorite music + the videos that I took of them during our water park trip. Not only will these be fun and personalized gifts, but they are also little, light, and cheap to mail!

The Ematic MP3 Video Player up for raffle is bright green, because green is my favorite color. Please see the description below (stolen from Amazon.com):

Product Description
This player has 2GB Capacity and 2GB Flash Memory, which stores up to 1000 songs, hours of videos or hundreds of pictures. The built-in FM Tuner and recorder lets you listen to your favorite radio stations and record songs right off the radio! It has a 1.5-Inch Color Display with Video Playback, and for easier navigation and viewing of artist and song titles, or playing your favorite videos and movies. Use the voice recorder to record lectures, notes or anything else. This includes Conversion Software so you can play MP4, AVI or MPG format videos. This also supports MP3, WMA, MTV, BMP, JPEG and Protected DRM Files. The Built-In Equalizer lets you tweak your music just the way you like it (Over 19 Different EQ options). The player has ID3 Tagging and Lyrics synchronization. The E-Book Function allows you to browse Text Files including Electronic books, TXT docs and more. The High Speed USB 2.0 Connection ensures quick transfer of music, videos and pictures onto the player. It also has a Hold button so you can place the player in your pocket without worrying. Languages supported: English, Spanish, French, Portugese, Hebrew and many more. PC and MAC compatible. Comes with a 1 Year Limited Warranty.

The proceeds from this raffle will go to help buy a set of bunk beds, so my Zambian child, Mercy, and her 3 younger siblings no longer have to sleep on a concrete floor.

Remember $1 = 1 raffle ticket. The more you give the more chances you get to win this awesome prize! To enter the raffle, make your donation here by 10PM CST on December 6th:
http://www.firstgiving.com/help4mercy

Thanks for your support, and good luck!

Mack

And the Winner for Day 3 is...

2010-12-05T19:24:00.001-06:00

Barbara! Barbara, Candace wanted you to know you can take the $30 Amazon gift card or $30 towards your own child's fundraiser. Just e-mail her and let her know which you prefer.
Thank you to all who participated!!

On the 4th Day of Christmas...

2010-12-04T21:16:00.005-06:00

Today's raffle is for a $20 Bath and Body Works E-Gift Card or a $20 donation to your own fundraiser! The fundraiser this is benefitting is Diego of Ecuador. The funds will provide Diego's father with tools for his trade and allow him to get more jobs. Remember $1 gets you 1 raffle ticket, so every dollar counts!! The more you give, the more chances you have to win. To enter the raffle, make your donation to Diego's page here by December 5th at 10PM CST: http://www.firstgiving.com/constructiontoolsigp

Thanks! Good luck!

And the Winner for Day 2 is...

2010-12-04T10:27:00.002-06:00

Katja used this tool http://javascript.internet.com/games/lottery-numbers.html to pick a winner and the lucky number is 7 = Sara. Congratulations to her!

Sara, make sure to e-mail you address to Katja and tell her which 3 sets of stationary you would like. Enjoy!