December 1999

December 3rd

Dear Friends of Makeni,

GOOD NEWS!

Last night we received a communication from WILDE GANZEN (Wild Geese), a Christian aid agency in Holland, that they are offering D.fl. 25000 towards the purchase of the Nutrition Village, which is to become an Orphanage for children whose parents have died of AIDS! That amount translates to about K29million in our currency. What a wonderful gesture of support!!

The situation now is that the Dutch Embassy in Lusaka has contributed K42.5million plus Wild Geese K29million making a total of K71.5million, leaving "only" K13.5million to be found within the next 4 weeks. You see, God rewards leaps of faith and does answer prayers!

We thought we should let you know this good news as soon as possible! The not-so-good-news is that it will cost about K5million to do all the repair work and repainting of the buildings of the former Nutrition Village, once it becomes our property.... Well - that's the way it goes!

December 8th

Dear Friends of Makeni,

1.Re: Purchase of Nutrition Village: More good news!

Since we last wrote to you two more donations have been made towards the purchase of the former nutrition village in Makeni Centre, which we hope to turn into an orphanage for children whose parents have died of AIDS. The congregation of the Reformed Church of the Netherlands in Zevenbergen, Holland have donated D.f.4000 which should provide about K4,580,000.

Also, the congregation of Little St Mary's Church, Cambridge, England have donated Br£900 towards this project, which should translate into about K3,690,000.

Both congregations have already been written to in order to thank them most sincerely for those contributions. The situation is now:

Cost of purchase of nutrition village           K85 million
Cost of repairs and redecoration                K 5 million
TOTAL COST                                      K90 million
Donations so far:  
Royal Netherlands Embassy               K42.5 million
Wild Geese, Holland                     K28.6 million
Zevenbergen Reform. Church              K 4.6 million
Little St Mary's Church, England      K 3.7 million
TOTAL RAISED                            K79.4 million 

SHORTFALL K10.6 million

We are nearly there - further promises of funding have come from the Dorchester Team Ministry, Dorchester,Oxford, England and possibly from Farley Church of England Team Ministry. It looks like we shall reach the target by December 31st! Please keep this project in your prayers! A big thank-you to all of you who have rallied to our aid!

Wild Geese/Wilde Ganzen, Holland have asked for a further budget for the necessary repairs and redecoration of the orphanage buildings, and the equipment needed  for it. This budget is being prepared.

2. A shocking statistic was released in Lusaka yesterday - at a UNICEF press conference Mrs Helen Matanda, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Child Development, revealed that Zambia will have about 1,000,000 street children by the year 2000AD or "one-tenth of the population of Zambia" - children for whom no adult is willing to care. Many of these are AIDS orphans. The "Times of Zambia" carried a leader on this report expressing profound concern, warning that a crime wave will descend on Zambia far worse than we are presently experiencing...

December 9th

Dear Friends of Makeni,

The costing for equipping the AIDS Orphanage has now been completed, being Stage III of the project implementation (Stage I = purchase; Stage II = repairs and redecorating). Please mention this project wherever you can to raise support for it.

BUDGET FOR FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT FOR:
MAKENI ECUMENICAL CENTRE ORPHANAGE 

I. BEDROOMS/DORMITORY  
25 x single beds or cots K4,375,000      
25 x matresses K3,125,000
50 x pairs of bedsheets   K  800,000
50 x pillowcases K  625,000
25 x blankets K  875,000
25 x bed covers K  875,000
8 sets of curtains K  100,000
Sub-Total K10,775,000
II. KITCHEN EQUIPMENT  
1 x Deepfreezer K1,700,000
1 x Refrigerator K  990,000
1 x large electric stove K1,490,000
1 x hotwater cylinder/geyser K1,200,000
Cooking and Kitchen utensils, Crockery and Cutlery, tables, chairs, cupboards, food preparation tables and surfaces K3,500,000
Sub-Total K8,880,000
III. ABLUTION AND TOILET FACILITIES
Plastic and tin baths, bathing towels, face cloths, soap holders, etc. K 750,000
   
ESTIMATED TOTAL  K20,405,000

Very Revd Canon Pierre J Dil,
Honorary Chairman Makeni Ecumenical Centre  P O Box 50255,Lusaka, Zambia
Private mail: Private Bag RW51313, Lusaka, Zambia
Tel 260-1-274991  Fax 260-1-272437
e-mail:mecdil@zamnet.zm