NEWS

March 2004

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News reported during February 2004
Great news – the trip is ON and there is much excitement in Tanzania. A special thanks to all those churches and schools who provided letters of invitations – the Vice Consul at the British High Commission was impressed by the support shown in support of our applications for Visas (we will be contacting you all shortly). Thanks go to the Tanzanian authorities for their help in providing the passports etc. More details of the trip click here.
New boys and girls for Bethany:
Bringing the total children in our care to 42.
This month saw two new boys at Bethany bringing the total to 40 children (28 boys, 12 girls). Also Paulo (Lufuta’s half-brother) aged about 11 yrs arrived one day frightened of returning home to his uncle since he had lost one of the cows he was looking after. Both Paulo’s parents had died but was being looked after by an Uncle. One of the Bethany  team ( another Paulo) returned him to his uncle who fortunately had found the missing cow!
Masaga and Marco Lucas:
On Thursday the 12th February we were visited at Bethany by Louis, a new lady from the social welfare in Magu. She asked the team if they would consider taking in two brothers, Masaga (2 yrs) and Marco Lucas (3  yrs). Apparently the department had received a request from some village elders saying that the father of the children was unable to look after the children due to his epilepsy.  Their mother had left the family shortly after the birth of Masaga. When Louis visited the family she found the children on their own in a distressed state not having eaten for 3 days. She left them some food and then came to see us the following day. Members of Bethany visited with food to investigate the family circumstance. Again the children were found on their own eating the food left by Louis. We left some more food with one of the village elders and asked them to tell the Father we would visit the following morning. We returned to Bethany where the team decided to accept the two boys into the family. The following morning accompanied by Louis the team went to pick up the boys and bring them to Bethany. Masaga was suffering very badly from malnutrition , was cold to the touch and very very thin. Sheila (Graham’s wife) was handed Masaga by his father for the trip back to Bethany. When Sheila felt and saw his condition and the fact that in the sweltering heat he was so cold she prayed that he would not die in her arms on the journey back. In the few days that Masaga has been at Bethany he has found it difficult to eat or drink and has suffered from diarrhea.  The team took him to Magu hospital on Friday the 20th but they could do little for him only telling the team to keep trying to get some food down him.

New Girls join the Bethany Family:
On the 28th March the Tanzanian team reported two new girls (sisters) had joined the Family. They are:
Immakulata Robert Bujiku (age 14yrs) born 1990
Elizabeth Robert Bujiku (age 10yrs) born 1994

Their mother had died in 2001 and nothing is known of their father. They were being cared for by their grandmother who could no longer provide for them as her only income was derived from producing and selling charcoal.

Health: No problems reported at present

Clinic & Water: The clinic and water systems are working well.

Home news: Sheila and Graham Pountain returned from Bethany Tanzania on Tuesday 24th February 2004. They have much good news to share. Graham Pountain and Eddie Marshall travel out to Bethany on the 21st March. Eddie will stay at Bethany helping Paulo whilst the children make their way to England. Graham will travel back to England with the children.

UK Team: Everyone very well but now are very very busy making the arrangements for the visits the children will be making

Future Trips: Several people have shown an interest in visiting Bethany and we are looking at trips in July and August and also in September. If you are interested please contact us (the sooner the better). Click here to e-mail

New vehicle grant: We have been so busy making preparations for the trip that this has been put on hold but we will be proceeding with it when the children return.

Hairdressers

Passports

Singing

 

Sheila’s report
(click here)

Masaga Lucas

Marco and Masaga

Lucas's home

Marco and Masanga’s Home

new girls settling in

Agatha and Josephine

Going to School

Now going to school!

Letter writing