Ode to Late Payments!

Never know what nice surprises will be in the mail!!  I received this note recently.

"Back in April my son and I were in Independence at the World and USA conferences, and the woman at the Peace Village table was kind enough to sell me a necklace for $15.00 on credit as I was out of cash.  I proceeded to lose the business card she gave me with the website to make a donation the equivalent of the necklace.

 

I finally cleared through the pile of all the paperwork I brought home the other week and found the business card, and I have finally had the memory, the business card and internet access all at the same time.

 

Because HealthEd Connect had to wait so long for their payment, I have made a donation of $115.00 to be used as you see best fit.  My apologies for the tardy payment, as it was my full intention to have it paid before I left Independence."

Meet Mabel

       Mabel

Reported by Kelsey Welch -

Mabel is 13 years old. Her father died and she now lives with her mother. She said that she receives encouragement from the CSS group when she finds it difficult to think about her dad. She says that the group also has helped her to learn unity.

 

Meet Sharon

             Sharon

Reported by Kelsey Welch -

Sharon (left) is 13 years old. Her mother died but she doesn’t know the cause. She says she has many questions and wants to know the circumstances. She says she thinks her grandmother who cares for her should know the answers to her questions, but she feels she is not able to ask these questions. Before her mother died, she enrolled Sharon in the community school. Now Sharon feels a daily connection with her mother each day she attends school.

Thank you bride and groom!

Board Member, Denise Leichter, recently planned and presided at the marriage of a neighbor.  Jim is a Neonatologist and Lori is a Hospice Volunteer, and they had recently moved from LA area to Denver.  When she was asked what her fees were for the service, she handed them a HealthEdConnect brochure and asked them to make a contribution to her charity of choice.  They researched the site, the types of programs for women and children, our percentage of funds to the direct services etc.  At the conclusion of the service; Denise was provided with a thank you note and a very generous check payable to HEC!  This was an “easy ask” and a great way to bridge professional and ministerial services with generosity of others. 

Meet Fred

Fred (center front) in brown shirt

Reported by Kelsey Welch -

Fred is 15 years old. He has some sort of physical disabilities that leave him with stiffened mobility and difficulty in speaking. According to the CSS, when they first met Fred, he hardly talked at all and when he did, it was very simple words, almost like a baby speaking. His range of motion with his hands was also very poor and he had difficulty walking. The CSS began to take Fred under their wing as they cooked lunch for the children each school day. They would talk to him and encourage him to help them by washing dishes so he could be involved and help while also helping to move his hands. Though he is still limited by his disability, his speech and mobility have both improved and his face brightens when he is with the CSS who have been his encouragers.

Meet Alfred

           Alfred

Reported by Kelsey Welch -

Alfred is a double orphan both parents are dead). During group he had the most beautiful clear voice and would lead many of the songs the groups sang as they gathered. He said that he enjoys being able to talk about memories of his parents and his life before their death in the group. And now he also feels more comfortable and confident to talk about those memories with his friends and others outside of the group setting as well so that they are incorporated into his daily life.

Photo Safari!

Very few of our story-telling photos make it into the Blog.   You're missing a BIG part of the story!  Do go to our website www.healthedconnect and click on Photo Gallery to see more pictures Jac has taken.  Treat yourself to a mini-trip to Zambia.   Here's some of our kids at play...



Playing Jacks with rocks -- no ball!



Every boy needs a truck.... 

....even if he has to make it himself!

Much better to be on top for this game.



My favorite... making body kites out of Mom's wrappers on a windy day!

Meet Stanley

            Stanley

Reported by Kelsey Welch -

Stanley is 8 years old. He is a double orphan from another province where they speak a different dilect. He moved to Kasompe after his parents died to live with his grandparents. When he was first in the CSS group, he would not speak and the CSS came to realize through talking with his teachers that he did not know the language. The CSS provided support as they had been trained and paired him with various children in the group to encourage friendship and learning. Stanley now communicates very well in Bemba and says that his favorite part about group is singing together.

Meet Bennett

          Bennet

Reported by Kelsey Welch -

Bennett is 11 years old and in grade 2. Bennet is not an orphan, but is a vulnerable child. Both of his parents are living, yet they separated for an unknown reason when Bennett was younger. He lived with his father and stepmother for a period of time, but was “mistreated” by his stepmother who no longer wanted to care for him. So he went to live with his grandmother who also tired of caring for him. He is now living with his uncle who is bedridden with an unknown illness which means that there is a strong chance that Bennett will again be moving to a new caregiver’s home in the near future. The CSS tell me that Bennett has been mistreated by his various caregivers by not being fed and being emotionally abused. He acts out in class and also has trouble with his peers. He is set to begin the new CSS Support group.

 

Monkeys on the loose...

Kali wasn't kidding when she said the monkeys were restless!  I found them hanging from the chandelier and candelabra when I got home from Africa. 

There were candy and bubble gum wrappers scattered all around...they had obviously had a very good time...and were totally out of control! 

Who would have thought such docile little monkeys that usually sit quietly in a little antique rocking chair would create such havoc when I was gone!

Jeff's run for Healthy Kids

If you want new insights on the board members who run HealthEd Connect, you MUST go to http://runningwithjeffrey.blogspot.com/.  One of our board members, Jeff Manuel, is preparing to run a marathon with HealthEd Connect as the beneficiary.  His Blog is priceless!  Jeff really should be a stand-up comedian instead of a physician.  He missed his calling.

 Enough said.....you simply need to read the blog for yourself.   And then support Jeff by helping him reach his goal.

Meet Ernest

           Ernest

 Reported by Kelsey Welch -

Ernest is 11 years old and in grade 4. His father died by suicide at his place of employment. According to Ernest, it looked as if his father hung himself, but he feels his father may have been murdered, as there were many who were jealous of him at his job. Ernest’s mother is still alive, but he lives with an aunt. As he talked about his father’s death, he looked down and began to have big crocodile tears roll down his cheeks and said that it makes him sad to talk about his dad. However, he said a memory that makes him happy is when his father gave him a chain necklace (which was then stolen away from him). Ernest likes going to school and his favorite subject is math where he loves doing multiplication tables. He is set to begin the new CSS Support group.

Now go back up and look at Ernest's picture again -- his sad little face has the whole story written on it.