Barbara & Randy Off to Songwe Again! How Can You Help?
by Barbara Barnes
Randy and I will be going back to Africa on July 19th. We will be again going to the little village of Songwe in Zambia and try to make a difference there with the help of those who very generously make donations. Unity of Monterey Bay is now a joint sponsor of this poor village of primitive mud huts with no electricity and no running water, where all food is cooked over an open fire. This is a village where grandmothers take care of the many orphans and where just getting enough to eat can be a constant problem. Your donations provide many needed items and opportunities for the village, mostly for the local school. Thanks to Unity of Monterey Bay and many of its members we are bringing hope to a few of the very poorest of the poor in the world.
Last year we raised enough money to purchase a lot of much needed school supplies, paper, pencils, books and teacher aids. It is my desire to keep as many children in school as possible and paying the relatively small tuition is huge. In Zambia the most basic education is only made available until the 7th grade, so paying tuition in many many cases is the only way a lot of these children can attend school past the 7th grade. Education can change the lives of these children. We must keep the children in school. Last year two members committed to supporting a pre-school in Songwe, making pre-school available to fifty young children.
Besides the school supplies in the past we have helped build a small two-room clinic and a nurses house, materials to repair desks, soccer balls, supplies for a school garden and bowls and spoons for the feeding program. We are trying to restart the chicken project, building a chicken house on the school grounds supervised by a teacher with student involvement. The chicken house is now done and we will buy layers in July.
Randy and I can take two suitcases each weighing 50 pounds, so we will be taking some things with us. A few things light enough take and hard to purchase there. Some of the things we will be collecting: new or very kindly used baseball caps, watches, reading glasses, unopened bottles of Aspirin or Tylenol, and antiseptics.
We hope you will make a decision to donate to Songwe. You can make your check out to Inspired Connections and give it to the church office and your donation will be tax deductible.
This link will take you to my online photo album of Songwe from last year's trip there.
Thank You, Ocean!
Our Leadership Council is calling on all members to join in the "Thank You, Ocean!" movement. The ocean is vital to life and touches us every day. The ocean gives so much to California: food, water, commerce, recreation, and the opportunity for quiet contemplation. Even medicines that heal us and the air we breathe come from the ocean. Yet, today the ocean is in trouble. Our ocean faces threats of pollution, marine debris, endangered populations, beach erosion, and more. You can help. By learning about the ocean, getting involved in ocean activities and voicing your opinion to lawmakers, you can join the millions of Californians who are saying, "The ocean takes care of us, let's return the favor…"