Chistime Association, St Lawrence, Home of Hope - Project Update
The Home of Hope, alongside St Lawrence Church, Msisi, provides accommodation, teaching and emotional support to boys who are rescued from living on the streets. The project is run by Brother Jacek Rakowski who goes to great lengths to find the families of these boys and to help the reunite and integrate. We have recently received the following update from Br Rakowski.
In Zambia and at Home of Hope, we are experiencing a severe drought considered the worst to hit our country in more than two decades. The ripple effects of the lack of rain have been profound for our nation and for Home of Hope specifically.
While in typical years Zambia produces a food surplus, this year our crops have largely failed. The price of the mealie meal we use to feed our children has doubled as a result. Since 95% of Zambia’s power comes from hydroelectricity and relies on the rains, our country’s ability to generate electricity is severely diminished. So at Home of Hope, we have learned to eat most of our meals, hold classes, and carry out our administrative work with sporadic light and power. More concerning, at times we have had to cope with having no running water, since we use electricity to pump water from the well into our tanks.
The responsibility of keeping our 91 boys safe and fed in this context has weighed on us heavily, as it weighs so many of lower income parents across Zambia in this moment.
At the same time, in recent weeks our wonderful network of supporters has heroically come alongside us to help provide for our needs. Last month friends from the Netherlands and Northen Ireland financed a solar panels and batteries pack that we can use to pump water and have the lights on without any interruption. Emergency gifts have provided us with the resources we need to – at least for the moment – keep purchasing sufficient food at inflated prices to offer children three meals a day. Friends from the Netherlands pooled their funds to replace a vehicle that had reached the end of its lifespan, allowing us to continue the work of reuniting children with their families.
Each contribution you make directly impacts the lives of boys in our care, providing them with the medical care, education, and nurturing environment they need to overcome their challenges and thrive. Your support is not just a donation; it's an investment in their future, in building a world where every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Mishek
The against-all-odds success of our graduates also fills us with joy. This spring Mishek graduated with the highest marks possible in all subjects. He is already attending University in pharmacy with the hopes of working his way through medical school over time. Frank, another of our graduates, has qualified for College in electrical engineering. A number of our graduates will be working to support themselves while attending school.
With 26 years of dedicated service, we've honed our expertise in caring for and nurturing boys who have faced unimaginable challenges. Our team's commitment to their well-being and development is unwavering. We also understand the importance of transparency and efficiency in managing the resources entrusted to us. Every dollar you donate is maximized to have the greatest impact on the lives of our children.
We consider each of you a part of our beautiful, unruly extended family. We give thanks for you, knowing that without your participation in this family we could not carry on. We invite each of you to celebrate the many parent and child reunions and graduations of this household along with us, to thank God with us for the food at our table we continue to enjoy, and to pray for our wellbeing during a time of drought and difficulty, as we pray for yours.
With gratitude,
Br. Jacek, Children and Staff of Home of Hope
I