Thank you Ben Jang, Peter Jackman, Henry Boschman, Val Grimes, David Chew, Adam Spear, Andrew Jackson, Kitty Yan and anonymous others. You helped build a sports court for "my" orphans in Ndola Zambia ... a gracious thank you for your kind heart and helping hand. It has taken many months of time, much volunteer effort and strategic sourcing of materials ... but the work is now done ... and you will be happy to know that the boys and girls of this orphanage school can exercise and play every day, even during the rainy season when mud would otherwise keep them inside.
The children of Seeds of Hope orphanage (and Grace Academy School) are primarily children of deceased HIV parents. A life in the shanties as outcast children has turned to safety and love within the walled compound of Seeds of Hope Children's Ministry. Here, it is understood that the way to break the cycle of extreme poverty is through love and education. The children are part of a family that extends out to sponsors and donors throughout the world. Educating and training them there means they will stay and contribute to their future economy.
Some supporters donate with money, while others donate with skill and labour. In this case, you have helped with the money to get this small project done for less than $ 20,000. Next time you see Canadian kids playing at a sporting event, know that you have helped build a sports court in Zambia for really nice young people on the other side of the world who don't have parents and are joyfully happy to play ... even without owning a pair of sport shoes.
What to do next?
Effective giving is habit forming. When it gets done right, you want to do something right again. I will continue to seek great projects to contribute to. And I hope you will help too ... and remember that by helping these orphans, they are now also "your" children.
From me, and on behalf of John Chalkias (Executive Director of Seeds of Hope), a sincere thank you. ... jg
PS. That's John and Jack at the site prior to a thick steel reinforced slab of concrete, a perimeter chain link fence and the regulation size basketball court which will also be used for soccer and other sports.
PPS. www.seedsofhopecm.com/our-projects/grace-academy.php ... check out Grace Academy School. The children of this school will soon be heading to college. Received as babies, many near death ... Grace Academy will be graduating these future leaders to local colleges and technical schools.
PPPS. Copy and Paste to Google-Maps, these GPS coords to see the school before the sports court was built ... 13.07424S, 28.70515E
