Wells of Life

The Need

2008-11-24T23:00:00.000-08:00

No clean water. No electricity to pump water from the underground wells.

No food. Grocery stores are empty. Children are starving to death.

No medical care. No doctors, no electricity, no medicine.

No hope.

Here at the intersection of a devastated economy and a corrupt government, the precious people of Zimbabwe are starving to death everyday. I don't know the statistical numbers about how many are dying, but I do know that I can't imagine the horror of watching my own children thirst or starve to death. In current conditions, we are finding that caretakers are beginning to take their own lives simply because they cannot deal with watching the children die from starvation.

Our goal at the Wells of Life project is to provide life for those in Zimbabwe through donations, which are carefully distributed on the ground by personal friends of ours. To find out more about our distribution process, click here. We are proud to report that in 2008, Wells of Life has been a part of providing food for over 6500 people for a month! AND one of our first wells in Harare struck fresh water earlier this year!

Every good thing in the world begins with a small step. This blog may not be much, but it is our attempt to let the world know what we can do together. I believe that there are people in this world who have resources to share and give, but desire to give to a worthy cause where they can be sure that their resource will not be wasted or divided up among "administrative costs." This is it! 100% of donations will go directly toward bringing hope and life to the people of Zimbabwe.

You may be wondering "What can I do that will make an impact halfway around the world?" Here are some areas where you can help!

--Link this blog to your website! more exposure = more opportunity!
--Donate Blog Design skills!--we would like to make our blog more professional looking so that it appears as credible as the people behind it are.
--Donate money to help us provide food and fresh, clean water for the dying!--Just $10 will provide food for one family for an entire month! EVERY CENT of your donation will help someone in Zimbabwe fill their empty and swollen bellies with food and clean water.

Please contact Julie Hamilton at julie@hiscreations.com or 951.660.3464 to find out more about how to make a tax deductible donation to the Wells of Life project.

It seems impossible, but it is true that YOU can make a difference in the life of a child on the other side of the world who is hungry and thirsty every single day. Imagine the true story of one single widow who is attempting to care for her eight young grandchildren because all of her sons and daughters have died. Then, we come to the house bringing gifts of beans, maize, candles, soap. She's overwhelmed with the previously unattainable hope that the children can eat another meal. With tears of joy, she is inexpressibly grateful for those who have blessed her life in such a way and YOU are a part of it! We can do this together. Please consider partnering with us!

Sincerely, Julie and Damion Hamilton

PS. Please scroll down or click on the labels on the right side to check on the progress of this project!

Update on Zimbabwe

2008-11-24T08:14:00.000-08:00

Well, once again my heart is breaking for Zimbabwe. Because of the broken down sanitation services and the devastation and lack in the hospitals, there has been an outbreak of Cholera, which is projected to affect at least 1.4 million people by conservative estimates. There are very few doctors left in the country, so it is reported that hospital floors are covered with patients lying in their own infected feces and vomit because there is no where to place them. There is nothing that the people on the ground there can do because the government is refusing assistance from the outside world. How long must the people suffer for the governments choices? It's easy to believe the first hand reports that are reaching us that care takers are now committing suicide as they watch their children starve to death. Our friends are starving.

Please, if the thought of these conditions moves your heart, please help us purchase food for the swollen bellies and tablets to cleanse the water. The ordinary people like you and I have no options.

$10 will feed one family for a month. 100% of your donation goes directly to the families of Zimbabwe. Please contact me at julie@hiscreations.com if you would like more information.

Zimbabwe Update

2008-10-24T08:12:00.000-07:00

I realized that I never posted the FINAL information from our July trip on this blog!

For all of those who have helped donate $ to feed the orphans/displaced people of Zimbabwe, we are thrilled to announce the fruits of your labor (and donations). In July, our team was able to distribute:

-31 TONS of corn

-1698 lbs of beans

-748 candles

-225 gallons of cooking oil

-447 bars of soap

-1102 lbs of sugar

-868 lbs of salt

-447 boxes of matches
in 4 different locations! In summary, between Wells of Life donations and other private donations, just this amount of corn is feeding 3, 832 people for a month. The report is that some of the elderly people were so hungry that they were eating the ground corn meal straight from the bag and mothers were crying and smiling because now they could "go home and feed our children." The people were so hungry that both elderly and children were picking up whatever remnants of food had fallen to the ground long after the food was distributed. If you would like to make a difference by helping us to feed the hungry in Zimbabwe, remember that you can feed 4 people for a month with $10. 100% of your donation goes directly towards the purchase of food. Please contact us if you would like to help!

Update on Zimbabwe Food Orphan Support and Food Distribution

2008-07-23T07:39:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update about the Zimbabwe food distribution. Thank you to everyone who donated their precious dollars to help our team buy food for those who are starving in Zimbabwe. I heard a quick report yesterday that the team has felt safe in Zim and has had no trouble. Over the weekend, they were able to do the first of several food giveaways and this time, they provided a month's worth of food to over 400 families, with the main focus on feeding those who are caring for the many orphans and displaced children there. We are so grateful to have this opportunity and will be extending this program on a permanent basis in the coming months. If you are interested in donating, as always, please contact me at julie@Hiscreations.com

Lastly, you might remember that we were trying to implement an education program there. Their educational system would obviously be the best option for the students, however most of the teachers have left the country to find work and feed their families. In Zimbabwe, the teachers are paid approx $60 US dollars per month whereas the neighboring countries are paying $800 per month. Seeing the devastating effect of the children actually losing hope in their future and dreams (they know that education is the only way to a better life) prompted several of us teachers to get together to write curriculum for a once-weekly supplemental program for students K - High School in Zim. There are courses in everything from Art History to Higher Mathematics. I wrote the curriculum for the upper level remedial reading. It was extremely challenging because here's the question that we all faced..how do you teach someone to read or write (or do math) when they have no paper to write on and hardly any books to read? Answer: We used a lot of alternative methods which hopefully are supported by their strong oral tradition and culture, as well as lots of manipulatives which could include anything found...rocks, sticks, etc! Anyway, I understand that the program was presented successfully over the length of an entire day to about 40 adults who are excited about moving forward with the future of the children.

Just wanted to give you an update and say thank you again for all of your support and love that is going across the miles!

For His glory,
Julie

Fresh Clean Water at last!

2008-06-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

As you might know, in late fall of 07, we began constructing and drilling wells in Harare and Bulawayo. We have a great report to share with you! As this time when the lack of public sanitation is causing so many people to fall ill from being forced to drink contaminated and dirty water, we have struck fresh clean water in Harare! This is great news for the people in the surrounding areas!! I have not gotten the statistics on how many people this well is providing for on a daily basis, but I cannot wait to find out!

Also, we are in Phase II of establishing the orphan/caregiver program so please check back soon to find out more about what you can do to fill a child's empty tummy.

Remember that just $30 will feed one "family" (made up of mostly orphans and widows) for one month and you can fill that need. %100 of your money will be used to supply food to a hungry family.

To fill the need by making a tax deductible donation, please contact me at julie@hiscreations.com

Check this out!

2008-04-28T21:13:00.000-07:00

As well as being an outstanding photographer, Ron Storer is a very dear friend to Damion and I. Many thanks to Ron for featuring us in a spot on his blog :) Click here to read Ron's blog post on Wells of Life! And be sure to check back, he is always featuring encouraging and thoughtful tidbits on his blog.
Thanks Ron! Love ya!

World Day of Prayer for Zimbabwe--April 27th

2008-04-26T19:30:00.001-07:00

The church leaders of Zimbabwe have collectively shared that they believe that they are on the verge of a genocide. They have called out to the world to stand with them in prayer on this Sunday, April 27th. Here is the link to learn more about it.

If you have ever prayed a prayer, please say one on this day as Zimbabwe is descending into utter madness and a clear human rights disaster. The goal is to have "a continual, strong stream of prayer and supplication flow up to the Lord on behalf of all the people on this Day of Prayer, exhorting His divine intervention throughout the nation."

As you may already know, the media is not reporting the extent of the atrocities that are happening now. Here is a link to a very honest and disturbing letter forwarded to me. It is written by a man in Zimbabwe (whose name has been removed for security reasons) and clearly spells out the danger and chaos that they are facing now: houses being plowed and burned down, thousands of people sleeping homeless outside, no media allowed to document this destruction, organized torture tactics being spread throughout the county to discourage those who would vote or did vote for the opposition government. After reading it, I believe your heart will moved to do something!

First, one of the most powerful things that you can do is join us in prayer on Sunday, April 27th, World Day of Prayer for Zimbabwe

Secondly, remember that just $10 will feed one "family" (made up of mostly orphans and widows) for one month and you can fill that need. %100 of your money will be used to supply food to a hungry family.

To fill the need by making a tax deductible donation, please contact me at julie@hiscreations.com

Most sincerely,
Julie

Food Distribution Update

2008-04-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends,
Some of you may have been wondering about the status of our Food Distribution from the March donations. I am blessed and excited to tell you that the funds have been received in Zimbabwe and have been divided and distributed to three of the most needy areas of Zimbabwe. The food distribution was planned to begin this week and should already be in progress! We are anticipating the results and finding out how many people received food through this widespread distribution! I will continue to post updates as I receive more information.

I was stirred by a question that I was asked this weekend and I wanted to share the answer with you. The question was essentially this "How do I know that 100% of my donation is truly being used for it's intended purpose?" This is such a important question and one that I've given a lot of thought to over the last few months. You will actually see the answers in video interviews that I did of my Zim friends because I asked them the same question! The answer to this question is multi-faceted:

1) I personally know the people who are distributing the resource. It is a goal of Wells of Life to only donate to established programs with whom we have had a long-standing relationship. I know it must seem ambiguous because I purposefully don't include their names on this blog and that is only to protect them.

2) The programs that we are donating to are church based. This means that those to whom we are giving the resource to are leaders who care deeply about their people and their country. Not only are they accountable to others, but feel a deeper sense of conviction to be accountable to God for their actions.

3) Accurate Reporting. It is a goal of Wells of Life to only donate to programs who can meet specific criteria in terms of reporting. We are asking for specific information from each of these distributors in order to confirm the success of the distribution of resources. We also have the privilege of knowing many people who travel to Zimbabwe and even have the possibility of traveling their ourselves (although not this year) to follow up on the progress. With the record of names kept from the distribution, we will eventually have opportunity to meet some of those to whom food has been distributed and to discuss the actual process with them and find out how they benefited. This will also allow us to track other, more specific needs in the area of widows, orphans, and perhaps an educational program to benefit the orphans.

We know that your donation is a precious investment and we are taking every step that we know of to be sure that your donation makes it to the intended destination! We take your investment as seriously as you do.

Remember, just $10 will feed one "family" (made up of mostly orphans and widows) for one month.

To fill the need, please contact me at julie@hiscreations.com

Most sincerely,
Julie

March Donations for Food!

2008-04-13T16:29:00.000-07:00

Here is the blog post copied from our photography blog, but with updated numbers!!!

I was truly shocked and amazed at the generosity that poured out after our plea for help to buy food for our friends and their families in Zimabwe. (Click here to read the post)

With donations still arriving, our friends have donated an amazing $6,780!!! Their generosity will feed approximately 670 families and the orphans that they care for, for one month!!!

Here’s how their gift will be carried out practically. Teams will travel to Botswana to purchase the food. Upon bringing the food into Zimbabwe, one representative from each family will come to receive it. These representatives are required to sign their names and register to receive the food (to prevent duplication). Then, they will pass through the line to receive essentials such as (1) 60 lb bag of solid kernel corn (to be ground into corn meal), beans, sugar, tea, and perhaps soap, candles, and matches if they are available.

We are truly humbled and so grateful to be able to give this gift on behalf of our friends who have opened their hearts to give so much.

Remember, if you want to change someone's life, it's not too late to help! Just contact me at julie@hiscreations.com or leave a comment and I will send you more info on how to make a tax-deductible donation, of which %100 will be given to the intended destination.

Also, please continue to check out www.wellsoflife.com as we are working on a program which, in the near future, will allow our friends to help feed and care for the orphaned children of Zimbabwe through a one-time donation or monthly donations.

Greatly blessed, Julie

Giving Back

2008-04-11T21:51:00.000-07:00

Wow, I just finished watching Idol Gives Back (thanks to the wonders of TiVo!) and I find it so amazing how they accurately represent the growing crisis of orphans from the AIDS virus. The stories that they showed touched my heart and just gave a small glimpse of the reality that many people around the world face. I think one star said it best when she stated that she wished every American could come to Africa to see the truth about how grateful we should all be!

It is estimated that more than 15 million children under 18 have been orphaned as a result of AIDS. More than 12 million of these children live in Sub-Saharan Africa.

You see, since writing the previous posts about feeding "families," I realized that most people here in America might be picturing a mom, a dad, and 2.5 children. But the truth is that most of these families consist of a few options:
1) Poor widowed grandmas who have no means of supporting themselves, surrounded by knee-high children..their grandchildren, all that remains of their sons and daughters that have died of AIDS.
2) Families of siblings of whom both parents have died. The eldest sibling might be responsible for taking care of three or four other children. Sometimes the oldest child might be 15, 12, or even 10--with the weight of the world on their shoulders or
3) The families might consist of moms and dads who care for their own children as well as those of family members, neighbors, or friends who have also died. As we speak, my friend Peter in Zimbabwe is currently caring for 13 children; his own children and his brother's children. And yet, there is not even enough food to feed a small family.

Just $10 will feed one "family" (made up of mostly orphans and widows) for one month

To fill the need, please contact me at julie@hiscreations.com

Let's make a difference,
Julie

Schools in Zimbabwe

2008-04-11T10:53:00.000-07:00

To keep track of the situation in Zimbabwe, I often read daily news articles on websites such as www.allafrica.com and www.zimbabwesituation.com

Today I came across this heartbreaking article entitled "Demolishing Zimbabwe's Education System Teacher by Teacher." As a teacher myself, it is a difficult article to read as you are listening to the children's hope fly away.... (You will have to scroll down on the page from the link until you get to the correct article.)

The Miniature Earth

2008-04-10T22:32:00.001-07:00

Take a look at this thought provoking video. Thanks to Rick Rosen for sharing!

Letter from Zimbabwe

2008-03-26T19:49:00.000-07:00

Here a letter I received that was written from a man in Zimbabwe, explaining the current conditions:

I reckon that these are the last days of TKM and ZPF. The darkest hour is always before dawn.
We are all terrified at what they are going to destroy next........I mean they are actually ploughing down brick and mortar houses and one white family with twin boys of 10 had no chance of salvaging anything when100 riot police came in with AK47's and bulldozers and demolished their beautiful house - 5 bedrooms and pine ceilings - because it was "too close to the airport", so we are feeling extremely insecure right now.

You know - I am aware that this does not help you sleep at night, but if you do not know - how can you help? Even if you put us in your own mental ring of light and send your guardian angels to be with us - that is a help - but I feel so cut off from you all knowing I cannot tell you what's going on here simply because you will feel uncomfortable. There is no ways we can leave here so that is not an option.

I ask that you all pray for us in the way that you know how, and let me know that you are thinking of us and sending out positive vibes... that's all. You can't just be in denial and pretend/believe it's not going on.
To be frank with you, it's genocide in the making and if you do not believe me, read the Genocide Report by Amnesty International which says we are - IN level 7 - (level 8 is after it's happened and everyone is in
denial).

If you don't want me to tell you these things-how bad it is—then it means you have not dealt with your own fear, but it does not help me to think you are turning your back on our situation. We need you, please, to get the news OUT that we are all in a fearfully dangerous situation here. Too many people turn their backs and say - oh well, that's what happens in Africa. This Government has GONE MAD and you need to help us publicize our plight--- or how can we be rescued? It's a reality! The petrol queues are a reality, the pall of smoke all around our city is a reality, the thousands of homeless people sleeping outside in 0 Celsius with no food, water, shelter and bedding are a reality. Today a family approached me, brother of the gardener's wife with two small children. Their home was trashed and they will have to sleep
outside. We already support 8 adult people and a child on this property, and electricity is going up next month by 250% as is water.

How can I take on another family of 4 -----and yet how can I turn them away to sleep out in the open?
I am not asking you for money or a ticket out of here - I am asking you to FACE the fact that we are in deep and terrible danger and want you please to pass on our news and pictures. So PLEASE don't just press the delete button! Help best in the way that you know how.

Do face the reality of what is going on here and help us SEND OUT THE WORD.. The more people who know about it, the more chance we have of the United Nations coming to our aid. Please don't ignore or deny what's happening. Some would like to be protected from the truth BUT then, if we are eliminated, how would you feel? "If only we knew how bad it really was we could have helped in some way".
[I know we chose to stay here and that some feel we deserve what's coming to us]
For now,--- we ourselves have food, shelter, a little fuel and a bit of money for the next meal - but what is going to happen next? Will they start on our houses? All property is going to belong to the State now. I want to send out my Title Deeds to one of you because if they get a hold of those, I can't fight for my rights.

Censorship!----We no longer have SW radio [which told us everything that was happening] because the Government jammed it out of existence – we don't have any reporters, and no one is allowed to photograph. If we had reporters here, they would have an absolute field day. Even the pro-Government Herald has written that people are shocked, stunned, bewildered and blown mindless by the wanton destruction of many folks homes, which are supposed to be 'illegal' but for which a huge percentage actually do have licenses.

Please! - do have some compassion and HELP by sending out the articles and personal reports so that something can/may be done. "I am one. I cannot do everything, ---but I can do something.. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of God, I will do."

Urgent Need!

2008-03-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

After spending time with our friends from Zimbabwe over the last few weeks, I have so much to share and update you on re: the need. In short, I have found out that the rain has again filled the dams, which is good news, but the water is dirty and bacteria laden, which is causing much sickness. HOWEVER, it is very apparent that the most pressing issue that Zim faces currently is the food crisis. I have copied here an email that I sent to family and friends re: this desperate need. Please feel free to pass this along to others who might be interested in it....and please, please contact me if you would like to share what you have to nourish the bodies of others who have no other option.

Sent on Tuesday:

Hi guys,
As I sat in my living room yesterday interviewing our friend from Zimbabwe, Peter Sibanda, for a video on the Wells of Life blog (www.wellsoflife.com) , he stated that his family as well as the people of his 28 churches and the hundred orphans that they care for are eating only one meal of porridge every 2 to 4 days. It broke my heart to hear that children are spending so much time hungry there and the thought of sending Peter back to eating every 3 – 4 days is very difficult.

He is leaving the US in one week (Wed 3-20)to return to Zimbabwe and I would like to send him back with as much money as I can to buy food for his family and his people. The time restraints make it challenging, but I am endeavoring to gather funds from corporate as well as personal resources.

100% of any money donated will go straight to an account in a neighboring country where the food will be purchased at a good rate and brought to Zim for distribution to the people. The economy is such in Zimbabwe currently that there is no food left in the stores. And the 1.5 acres where Peter used to grow vegetables to support and feed the many widowed and orphaned by the AIDS epidemic has withered because of the lack of electricity to pump the water from the well, which is 110 meters down. The government is such that it cannot afford to pay even the bills for it’s electricity, so it is nonexistent. The hospitals are closing because there is no medicine left in the country, they cannot operate without electricity and food, and the dr’s and nurses have gone to neighboring countries where they can get paid and feed their families.

Can you please pass this to anyone that you know of that might be interested in donating money to purchase food so that this precious man, his family, and the orphans that he cares for will be able to eat more often that every 3 – 4 days? I wish that I had something to reward the generosity of those who desire to bless him in such a way, but the only compensation that I can offer is that they will be feeding the poor and filling bellies which would otherwise be empty.

Damion and I will personally attempt to match any donations given, thus doubling the effort.

If anyone is interested, please have them contact me at julie@hiscreations.com or (909) 986-8424. We can gladly process pay pal for credit cards, cash, or checks.

With love and hope,
Julie

Thank you for reading this far! Also, I have been able to capture some interviews on video with these men, so that we can understand first-hand the daily struggle that the Zimbabweans are facing currently. It's barely comprehensible to our minds, but we must do something!

PS: Pictures have been scanned and are on their way, and video of the food distribution will be posted soon!

Victor's Eyewitness Account

2008-02-03T14:43:00.000-08:00

Victor is one of our readers who has recently returned from Zimbabwe. I was moved by what he shared about his experience there and he graciously agreed that we could post his comments on the front page so that everyone could have the benefit of reading his words. Thanks so much Victor for sharing your heart and experience with us and the world. Please feel free to share more.

"I was in Zim for the month of June, July, Aug and Sep. My experience was great and difficult at the same time. The people were so loving and grateful as you stated also. The financial situation was difficult for the people that I work with. Most of people that I worked with made about $4.00 USD a month and had to feed a family with that. I really learned, “we humans are resourceful”. Where I lived we had very few days of water, no electricity, no bread, or meat. On my return I stopped in Ireland and then back home to Ontario and almost cried of the abundance in our super markets. We are so blessed.
I had taken small gifts to the students that I was working with to pass O levels tests. I was told not to give them the gifts all at once, but over time I should do it. Well, I did just that. One day I had given the young adults a pencil each and a girl started to cry. I asked, what was wrong? The sister told me that the girl had never owned her own pencil. I was shocked! I latter told my students here in the States. They too could not believe it. I can’t express how much I received. I do believe that it is in giving we receive.

On my return home I had lost weight has had a multitude of experiences and was left transformed! Someone asked me why I had to go to Zimbabwe for a transformation? I said I’m not sure, I had worked here in my local area and in Los Angeles for many year with the poor and not been moved to see God’s love like this. All I can say is that God’s ways are not my ways.

May 2008 also bring you and yours many blessings!"

Please continue reading the post below to find out how you can change this difficult situation!

Exciting News Updates

2008-01-22T13:15:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately the update on life in Zimbabwe is getting worse, not better. Now, the people are resorting to eating raw food as the gov't has passed a law stating that they people may not burn wood in the city (gathered from the countryside.) So now, our friends are having to eat whatever food they can find uncooked.

While these reports are distressing and further emphasize what we must do (and quickly), I do have some exciting news on two fronts!

1) Our generous friends over at www.flosites.com have donated a completely custom blog to us! The blog should be finished anytime now. They always do such an amazing job, I can't wait to see how the blog turned out! And also on that note, the new address for the new blog will be www.wellsoflife.com, so change your bookmarks!

2) Three of our precious friends from Zimbabwe will be visiting the U.S. next month. They are the very people who are giving us news re: the need in Zimbabwe and I can't wait to see them. I am hoping to get some videos of each one to post on our new site along with photo galleries of the progress that is being made.

Again, thank you for reading. Please consider providing someone else with a lifetime of CLEAN, disease free water through your donation.

Rachel Tucker's Eyewitness Account

2007-12-03T08:22:00.000-08:00

Please read the following article written by Rachel Tucker, a dear friend who was able to travel to Zim this summer. She shares the beauty of the people there, as well as a couple of links that feature informative news articles showing how the lack of fresh water is crippling public facilities such as schools and nursing homes. Thank you Rachel for sharing your time, heart, and memories with us!

"I would love to take you with me to visit the memories I made in Zimbabwe this summer. A beautiful country that sometimes reminds you of quiet towns in the Midwest, and sometimes of wild landscapes in a National Geographic magazine, Zimbabwe is full of complexity. She now stands in the midst of tragedy, but walking down the street you would hardly know it. The people that we met in Zimbabwe were so warm and open, and the joy they expressed was contagious. We were greeted in the churches as family members. At the end of many services people would line up with unspoken problems and pain to receive prayer and kindness. As we prayed for people they often put their arms around us, and laid their heads down on our shoulders. Sometimes we would feel their warm tears falling on us. This is the Zimbabwe that stays in my heart, a connection that lives on despite the miles. Like the events we have watched on television from earthquakes to floods to fires, it is more than the cataclysmic event- it is about the individual person that we see who singularly must face their own pain and loss.

We may not be able to turn the whole situation around but we can help individuals.

Life is very difficult in Zimbabwe. School children sometimes get no food before they walk to school, unable to take a bus that no longer runs or is unaffordable. Water is in short supply and that makes everything from cooking, to washing, to hygiene almost impossible. Some report that the lack of water has led to disease outbreak and death, as some children are asked to bring water to school."

Students asked to bring their own water
http://allafrica.com/stories/200709060985.html

Bulawayo's water crisis cripples AIDS efforts - Wednesday, October 10, 2007
http://www.medilinkz.org/news/news2.asp?NewsID=21966

The Andolsek Raffle

2007-12-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

In a related project, well-known artist Barbara Andolsek generously donated a beautiful one-of-a-kind 8 x 10 oil painting to be raffled off on Thanksgiving Day. All proceeds from the raffle were designated to be donated to help drill wells in Zimbabwe. I am thrilled to let you know that Ms. Andolsek's generosity netted a total of $4200!!!

Flosites

2007-12-01T15:03:00.000-08:00

Flosites is a grapic design firm which offers a wide range of services ranging from creating new logos to building completely custom blogs and websites from the ground up. Everything that I have seen from Flosites has been excellent and above par. Thanks to Flosites generosity and dedication to helping charities around the world, we will have a beautiful new blog soon! Thank you Ross and Flosites!

R.I.M.

2007-12-01T14:54:00.000-08:00

Rancho International Ministries is the umbrella organization through which the funds for this project will be distributed. RIM is comprised of international partners throughout the world who strive to serve the needy. Over the last 12 years, RIM has been involved with various projects ranging from food relief and distribution and drilling wells for clean water to building a school for orphans in Uganda to bearing gifts and labor to benefit the local village communities of Ghana. They have also spent a significant amount of time serving the people of Guatemala, including Casa Bernabe Orphanage, and building homes in Mexico. The heart of RIM is to demonstrate love by serving the needy around the world.

Abundant Rain

2007-11-30T14:05:00.000-08:00

We recently received a report that the rains have been falling abundantly in the Bulawayo area and that they have been able to do the plowing for crops to be planted. We don't know how much rain has been received, but every little bit is progress towards the Zimbabweans have water to drink!

First well in Bulawayo!

2007-11-03T08:47:00.000-07:00

Latest report from Bulawayo:
"The money has been given to the person who will be drilling the well in Bulawayo. The well will be located at Luveve. The actual drilling will not start for another week due to the fact that the company is drilling wells for other organizations as well. It seems that a number of charities outside of Zimbabwe are responding to the need which is great since there are more than a million and a half people living in Bulawayo alone. Even if a hundred wells were drilled, it still wouldn't meet the need."

While it is a good report that other wells are being drilled, we must not forget that last statement "even if a hundred wells were drilled, it wouldn't meet the need." Let's try for at least one hundred! We might make a dent in the problem!

First Well in Harare!

2007-11-03T08:33:00.000-07:00

Here we go!
Latest report from Harare:
"The well that will be drilled in Harare should be starting within the next week. They have surveyed the land, and the water is about 50 meters down. They are very excited that this is happening! We are presently trying to acquire cement so that the caretaker's room can be constructed. This will be necessary to administrate the water and to watch over the tent that will be set up. The tent has been picked up from So. Africa as well as the generator."

Our friends have said that they do not have words to express how much they appreciate all the sacrifices the people in the U.S. are making to help them during this difficult time. They have asked us to communicate their love and greetings to all.

As soon as the construction starts on the wells, setting up tent etc., they will be taking pictures and sending them to us.

Life in Zimbabwe

2007-11-02T17:39:00.000-07:00

Curious about life in Zimbabwe? Here are some statistics reflecting the harsh realities of daily life:

*3500 people die each week of AIDS related illness

*25% of the children are orphans

*34 = life expectancy for women (lowest in the world) WHO

*37 = life expectancy for men (lowest in the world) WHO

*4.1 million Zimbabweans will not have sufficient food between Dec 07- March 08

*Highest inflation in the world. Official rate is over 100,000%. Independent analysts suggest that it might be closer to 250,000%

*>80% unemployment rate

*Faster declining economy that any nation at war (World Bank)

*Example of Inflation: Price of bread

January 2007 = 1600 Zim dollars

November 2007 = 400,000-600,000 Zim dollars

Thank you to Rachel Tucker for researching and providing these statistics.

My Background

2007-11-01T21:35:00.000-07:00

In 2004, I saw a picture that changed my life forever. The picture was taken by Bob Raber on a previous trip to Africa. It was 2 little dirty children probably about 1-2 years old and a little girl about three years old sitting on a dirty old step, just a shirt on, but tattered and torn. The instant that I saw that photo, the child on the step looked familiar because at that time, our daughter Miranda was 3 years old. I saw the same curiosity, vibrancy, and endless possibility in that as I did in my own daughter. But, what ripped my heart was when I thought of Miranda's life--enjoying preschool, her own room full of too many books and toys, realistically endless possibilities, and then I considered that little childs life. I knew in that instant that I HAD to go to Africa, not that I would save anyone or even see that little , but I knew that I HAD to go.

So, in May of 2004, off we went to Uganda, East Africa to visit the school that we had been helping to fund and build there (sponsoring kids, helping with construction costs for classrooms, etc) for several years. The trip was wonderful and life changing at the same time. Seeing the reality of the way that people have to live in poverty, so far beyond anything I'd seen here in the US was mind-wrenching. When you see these new things and experiences, it's almost as if your whole paradigm or structure of thought, is torn apart to be able to adjust to these new realities, and then it has to be put back together again in such a way that you can hold all of what you've seen and experienced inside your heart and head. It's quite a difficult process.

For several months after our return, I struggled with this question....why me? Why did I get to be born in America, the land of plenty, when others are born to places where most babies die? Why did my 3 year old get to have a room full of books, toys, clothes and was learning to read, while some of the 3 year olds that we saw there had no clothes, were lethargic and had tummies distended because of having no food in them, and their toys consist of stacking shards of glass onto an old rusty can or drawing with a stick in the dirt. Why?

I felt as if my struggle was resolved in this one moment of revelation--I realized that I have been put here in America because I have been presented with the unique opportunity of gathering the wealth of those who would like to give to a charitable cause and distributing it among the impoverished children of the world. I don't know what form that will take, whether it be grants, private donors, or a combination, but I do strongly feel that this is my purpose, the reason that I was lucky enough to be born into the land of opportunity, but to visit other nations: to see the need and help fill it!

I hope this gives you more information about that age old question: why?

Why are we starting this project? To fill the need.

Why should you give? Because you can fill the need in a way that is different from anyone else.

With great hope for a brighter future for many,
Sincerely,
Julie