Siloam Baptist Church

These are a special group of people who have made extra special efforts to support the Children's Home and make life just
that much better for the children.

Here is the story from Reverend Islwyn Morgan, Christine Rees, and Gillian Lennard of Siloam Baptist Church,
Tafarnaubach, Tredegar, Gwent, South Wales.

"In December 2006 Sandra & her family, while on holiday in Mombasa, made a visit to the Children's Home. On her return she told us about the visit and the problems that the children and their carers were encountering. As a result Siloam decided to adopt and support them in any way that we could. So far we have donated £500, offerings from the Harvest, Christmas and St David's singing Festival and a love gift of £2000. Having seen a video recording of the children, Pastor Islwyn, Gill and I (Chris) decided to visit them in Kenya, and did so for 3 weeks from 12th September to 2nd October 2007. Calvary Zion has a loving, disciplined environment, that encourages children to develop and grow to their full potential.

The home is very basic with a small sparse sitting room/dining room and kitchen, 4 bedrooms, with 4 bunk beds in each room, where two children sleep on each mattress. They have only two toilets and two showers and these are often out of use due to water shortage.

Despite the circumstances the children and their carers find themselves in, the love of God exudes from them, and is evident in their love for one another and for any one who visits the home. Their faces continually beam and they are always grateful for any gift, however small.

Before leaving Wales £1040 was donated by various individuals and churches. With this money we were able to meet some of Calvary Zion's needs: a washing machine, cooker, food mixer, two irons, mattresses, mosquito nets, various utensils, toiletries and food items. With emphasis on their needs rather than what we thought that they wanted. Plus 69,000 Kenyan shillings - £552 - to pay for 3 months rent, electricity and water. We just wish that you could have seen their faces when they received the gifts and how overwhelmed and grateful they were.

As the current home is rented, the project's priority is to build a new home that will accommodate 70 children, with a much improved environment. This is where our current help is needed; the new building will cost 3,000,000
Kenyan shillings - £240,000.

In 2005 I worked with Calvary for a month and a half. On the same day that I started at Calvary a baby also was delivered to the home and it became my desire to look after and nurture him. His name was Prince. I am so fond of this little boy because I felt it was my role to ensure that he was loved and cared for in the first month and a half of his life. At the time he came in he was extremely poorly and under nourished and the staff and myself ensured that he had the best start to life possible.

When I came back to the UK after volunteering in Kenya I made a resolve one day that I would go back and ensure that he was put through private school
and university so that he had the same chance that I have had as a child. I
felt a real maternal bond with him and really think of him as a first child in a
way. He has driven me to seek out work in the charity sector and ensures
everyday that I check myself and give what I can when I can.

When I returned to the UK I went to university and so therefore was not in
a financial position to help. However now I have just got my first job and I am finally able to consider making a contribution to Prince's education.

Eventually I would like to contribute the full amount for Prince's education and also aim to contribute at least a quarter of the amount of the £12000 quoted on your website to help the other children have the same opportunity.

Rob Weygers

We started the idea of giving support when we were in Mombasa. We now visit on regular basis as the group are mostly pilots and cabin crew of Thomas Cook Airlines who fly to Mombasa weekly during season.

Visit our Facebook page for information and photos of the children.

Tanja Fischer and Rainer Frank

Nach einem Besuch des Waisenhauses von „Mama Jane“ in Kiembeni unweit der Stadt Mombasa in Kenia stand für Tanja Fischer und Rainer Frank aus Geislitz fest, hier muss geholfen werden. Zunächst konzentrierten sich die Aktivitäten der beiden auf finanzielle Unterstützung und auf die Beschaffung von Sachspenden.

Als dann immer deutlicher wurde, das seit 1999 gemietete Haus platzt aus allen Nähten, haben sie sich spontan entschlossen, einen lang gehegten Traum von „Mama Jane", der Gründerin und Leiterin des Kinderheims, Wirklichkeit werden zu lassen. Deren langfristiges Ziel war schon immer ein größeres Haus mit einem Grundstück, auf dem etwas Landwirtschaft betrieben werden kann. Deren Erträge sollten dann mit zum Unterhalt beitragen und eventuell sogar eigenes Einkommen ermöglichen.

Mit der Unterstützung der Kirchengemeinde Linsengericht wurde begonnen, Spenden zu sammeln. In 2007 war ausreichend Geld für den Erwerb eines geeigneten Geländes vorhanden. Dieses wurde überwiegend in Handarbeit gerodet und eingeebnet. Ein Brunnen wurde gebohrt und eine Mauer errichtet.

Zwischenzeitlich sind die Bauarbeiten für das Wohnhaus der Kinder in vollem Gange. Das Erdgeschoss ist fertiggestellt, derzeit entsteht der erste Stock. Mit dem Bau eines kleinen Wirtschaftsgebäudes soll demnächst begonnen werden.

Die landwirtschaftlichen Aktivitäten auf dem neuen Grundstück tragen bereits erste Früchte. Eine Schar Hühner fühlt sich in der neuen Umgebung sichtlich wohl und wird nicht müde, Eier zu legen. Die kleine Ziegenherde liefert nicht nur Milch, am letzten Weihnachtsfest gab es schon einmal einen saftigen Braten. Bananen, Papayas, Wassermelonen, Bohnen und Passionsfrüchte aus eigener Ernte stehen heute schon auf dem Speiseplan der Kinder.

Die neuen Gebäude sollen Ende des Jahres bezogen werden. Auch wenn die Stiftung Pro Afrika die Ausstattung des ersten Bauabschnitts mit Möbeln finanzieren wird, hoffen Tanja Fischer und Rainer Frank, dass es auch künftig ausreichend Sponsoren gibt, die das Projekt tatkräftig unterstützen.

Einen wesentlichen Beitrag zu den Unterhaltungskosten des ausschließlich aus Spendengeldern finanzierten Kinderheims leistet auch die in Großbritannien registrierte Charity "Calvary Zion Children´s Home Support Trust". Unter deren Internetadresse www.czchildrenshometrust.org sind ebenfalls Informationen (in englischer Sprache) über das Heim erhältlich.

English translation

After a visit to “Mama Jane’s” orphanage in Kiembeni, not far from the city of Mombasa in Kenya, Tania Fischer and Rainer Frank from (the German town of) Geislitz were convinced that they had to help. Initially they concentrated on financial support and the collection of donated goods.

When it became more and more obvious that the house, which has been rented since 1999, was bursting at the seams they spontaneously decided to bring the long cherished dream of the founder and leader of the Children’s Home to reality.
Her long term goal was always a bigger house with land which could be farmed. The yield should then contribute to their support and possibly even give them an income.

With the support of the church community of Linsengericht they began to organise donations.  In 2007 enough money was available for the acquisition of an appropriate piece of land.  This was predominantly cleared and levelled by hand.  A well was bored and a wall was erected.

At present the building work for the living quarters for the children is in full swing.  The ground floor is finished and currently the first floor is being built.  A small outbuilding is next on the agenda.

The agricultural activities on the new plot of land have already produced their first fruit.  A flock of chickens is feeling very much at home in their new surroundings and is never tired of laying eggs.  The small herd of goats delivers not only milk, last Christmas there was a succulent roast, bananas, papayas, water melon, beans, passion fruit and items from their own harvest are on the children’s menus.

They will move into the new buildings at the end of the year.  Even if the Pro Afrika foundation will finance the provision of furniture in the first stage of the building, Tania Fischer and Rainer Frank hope that in the future there will also be enough sponsors to actively support the project.

An important contribution to the upkeep costs of the Children’s Home – exclusively financed from donations – was made by a charity registered in the UK "Calvary Zion Children’s Home Support Trust". Their internet address - www.czchildrenshometrust.org – contains further information (in English) about the home.

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