Update from Cambine

Greetings again from Cambine. It is Monday evening here. Today was a day of assessing needs for food and repairs and buying food and supplies. First on the food front. As we thought the budget and donations are not adequate for the monthly needs for food for the Orphanage at todays prices. To put it in perspective, the budget for food for year ending June 2008 was $581/month, and the budget requested for year ending June 2009 is $1186/month (double). The problem is that the only outside donation is Sweden at $375/month. So as prices rose each month this year there was not enough money to buy all the food that is needed. The shortfall has been partially offset by the fruit program supported by New Milford UMC, the bread made on a self funding basis by the new bread oven and vegetables and eggs from Dieudonne's farm. Texas conference has pledge $333/month but that hasn't started yet, and Virginia has pledged support but hasn't identified the exact amount for food. They want to build a third dorm, which is needed, and provide some food support for 2009.

Today we purchased one months supply of food with part of the money raised by New Milford UMC for our mission here. This should keep them from running out of food for a few months until we can get a better handle on Virginia and can see what the ongoing gap will be. We believe however that NYAC may need to do more in the future. As for the repairs there are 12 broken windows, 5 torn or missing screens, and both dorms need painting on the inside and out. One child is the primary reason for almost all of the damage. Today, again with money raised by New Milford, we purchased the supplies needed to fix the windows and screens,and that work will be completed tomorrow. Tomorrow we will buy paint and that work will be commenced on Wednesday. On a brighter note, the kids are just great., and there are many new ones, but not so many babies as three years ago. They have grown so much. We brought clothes, toothpaste and toothbrushes, toys, and candy, donated by New Milford church members, and it has been like Christmas around here for the kids and the seminary students. We brought two soccer balls, and Jerry who loves to play soccer has been playing with the older kids. We still have craft class (Kay) and Recorder class (Jerry) to squeeze in and that will start Wednesday afternoon we hope.

We are going to Chicuque hospital on Thursday to take the supplies collected by NMUMC medical professionals, and to Inhambane on Friday to see our first three scholarship students, Florencia, Elias and Castigo. They begin computer class soon and with a small facilitation payment we were able to get three laptops brought by two people through customs. We forgot to report that Sunday we attended worship at the UMC here, and it was beautiful, but all in there native language (not portuguese). We had hymnals but some of the words are hard to pronounce. Sunday afternoon we saw Candido, who says hello, and Anuario the young man that we support in college in Maxixe. You may not hear from us for a few days because we are going to be busy, but we just want everyone to know how important everything you have done to support our mission here has been. God bless you all, and all glory to Him.

Kay and Jerry