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A History of the Jamaa Letu Orphanages

In 1998, the Council of Bishops responded to an appeal from United Methodist bishops in Africa to assist with their children. The program was designed to provide relief and reconciliation to innocent child victims of wars, famines, and the destruction of schools and hospitals through the unrest. The intent was to generate programs with special attention to the children’s physical, social, and spiritual well-being.

In 1998, Bishop Elias Galvan called together a task force to respond to the African bishop’s request through the Council’s Hope for the Children of Africa effort. To guide the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Conference’s response, the bishop appointed Jan and Kurt Kaiser, Patty Jones, and Mel Woodworth as his local task force for the Africa appeal.

In consultation with Bishop Galvan from the PNW Conference and Bishop Kainda Katembo representing the South Congo Episcopal Area, the United Methodist churches of the PNW built a relationship with UM churches in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Although the Congo has a wealth of minerals (copper, malachite, and cadmium), it is one of the poorest countries in the world. The official language is French, but it is multilingual, with 242 languages spoken. Ninety percent of the population are Christians. Only 35% of children complete high school, barely 5% attend university, and girls are much more likely to drop out.

Between 1998 and 2001, the PNW Conference raised more than $150,000 to build an orphanage— the Center of Jamaa Letu (CEJAL) – which means “Our Family” in Swahili. Before constructing the permanent facility, sixteen girls lived in a temporary facility on the grounds of the Jerusalem UMC in Lubumbashi. This is the second largest city in the Congo, located in the southeastern part near the Zambia border. The ground was broken for the new building in early 2001, and the building was dedicated later that year. The orphanage can house up to 60 girls, who are considered the most vulnerable. 

A group of boys was then moved into the temporary site, and in 2006, fundraising began for a permanent boys’ orphanage. This orphanage, dedicated in 2010 and occupied in 2011, is named BART in honor of Francine Tshisola and Barbara Dadd Shaffer. Mama Francine Tshisola, a Congolese social worker trained in Switzerland, served as director of the two orphanages (later only the girl’s orphanage) and primary coordinator of the efforts in the DRC. Barbara Dadd Shaffer was the Bishop’s Task Force chair in the PNW Conference then. The boys’ orphanage can house 25-30 boys. They have a garden and grow some of their food.

In 2001, the first of three Volunteer In Mission teams traveled to the DRC to help repair schools, assist in constructing the orphanage, and provide medical care. Subsequently, three more volunteer teams worked with students at a women’s training center. (WEDAEC).  In 2008, four forty-foot containers of medical and educational supplies, furniture, clothing, and other supplies for use and distribution in the DRC were sent at approximately $20,000 each. Solar panels and computers were installed in the orphanages in 2015 as a shared project with the PNW Connectional Table, UMComm, and some local partners in the Congo. Another mission team held VBS in 2017. In 2018, the Shikiya mission team recorded the stories of 18 university students. These stories were compiled into a book titled “Stories of the Congo,” published by the PNW United Methodist Church. The books were sold for $25 each, and copies are still available.

In 2009, we saw the first student from the orphanage enter university. Claudine Kasongo Nyota, known as Blessing, received her bachelor’s degree in public health and nutrition. After she graduated, she was able to come and participate in the General Conference in Portland in 2016. A dinner was held, bringing stakeholders and leaders of the two Episcopal areas. During her visit, she was also able to visit several churches across the PNW Conference. With the “love offerings” she received, Blessing purchased acreage outside a small village about 50 km from Lubumbashi. Her goal was to develop sustainable agriculture to help eradicate hunger and provide people with supplemental financial resources. The villagers there subsisted by burning trees and selling charcoal. At first, she planted corn and soya. Since then, the farm has been expanded to 23 hectares with many different crops added and was recently incorporated as an NGO, which is the Congolese designation for a nonprofit. The farm employs the people, and Blessing educates them about farming and good nutrition. When the farm has an abundance of vegetables, these are shared with the orphanages. Blessing, now married with three young children, also teaches kindergarten at a Methodist-sponsored school in Lubumbashi. She maintains a blog about the farm’s activities at https://villageblessings.wordpress.com/.

Since 2009, 43 students have started college, and 25 have graduated as of January 2023. Of the group that started, only two quit before completion, and one was forced to withdraw because of illness, leaving 15 students still attending school.  The graduates include an accountant, an attorney, and a pastor. Most give back to the orphanages as much as possible by teaching, providing technical support, or translation. 

The PNW Conference and the Vancouver Methodist Foundation currently give $95,000 in scholarships each year to former residents of the orphanages, partially funded by donations and sponsorships from local churches. University costs, including tuition, fees, books, housing, transportation, medical care, and personal expenses, have increased considerably, now nearly $5,500 per year. Parishioners can sponsor a scholarship for students in multiples of $500 per year.

Funding for the bulk of operating costs for the two orphanages has come through special appeals and sponsorships of $493 by churches and individuals in the PNW Conference. It now costs about $3000 per year per child to provide shelter, food, clothing, medical care, and education. For years, the PNW Conference churches sent $80,000 a year but had to cut that back to $60,000 ($15,000 sent quarterly) in 2021. At the General Conference held in Portland, Oregon, in 2016, a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the bishops overseeing the PNW Conference and the South Congo Episcopal Area. This MOU stated that the churches in the DRC would take over more and more of the support of the orphanages. With little movement occurring on that front and fundraising efforts in the PNW growing stagnant, it was felt that the reduction to $60,000 annually was appropriate and necessary.

This long partnership between the two Episcopal areas aimed to support the children of the DRC based on the needs at the time. Over the years, many people working from both sides of the ocean have been blessed by meeting and working alongside one another. The financial support goals for the physical buildings have been met, and now these children are grown. The orphanages continue to welcome new children, and they continue to develop sustaining local support. Some years have passed since the PNW United Methodist Church, and the South Congo Episcopal Area have discussed this partnership at the local authority level. It may be time for that again.

Resources

Website: www.pnwumc.org/hfca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/HopeForTheChildrenofAfrica


Jamaa Letu News—Winter 2022

Loving Our Neighbors At The Jamaa Letu Orphanages

Friends,

The pandemic has caused so many of us to become focused on our communities and neighborhoods as we watch case numbers, vaccination rates, and local protocols for gathering. In so many ways, to notice the people who live near us and to recognize our interconnectedness is what it means to be a follower of Jesus. He does, after all, tell us that the two greatest commandments are the love of God and the love of neighbor.

But we also recognize that the word neighbor extends far beyond those people who live next door or down the street. We have all heard the news about the global pandemic and how infection rates in one country impact countries halfway around the world. We also know that God’s love knows no borders and our love is meant to be the same.

It might be easy to allow our love for the children half a world away in the Democratic Republic of Congo to fade during these trying times. But our faith compels us to recognize that our care and support of these children is a tangible way we can love our neighbor, even if they are a neighbor we might never meet in person.

Along with the love of neighbor, Scripture calls us to support orphans, often some of the most vulnerable people on earth. We can do this through our prayers, lifting up the children of Jamaa Letu in our daily time of prayer. We can also do this through financial support, which helps provide safe housing, food, and education for these children. Please, consider continuing your support of the Jamaa Letu orphanages, making an extra gift, or sponsoring a child.

Grace and peace,

The Hope for the Children of Africa
Task Force


The Jamaa Letu Orphanage newsletter is compiled from the Third and Fourth Quarter Reports for 2021 from the Directors of the BART & CEJAL Jamaa Letu Orphanages.

Girls Orphanage —CEJAL
(Centre for Jamaa Letu)

The main activities are still the same concerning the program HFCA: Food, shelter, education, health care, religion, social reintegration, and family reunification etc.,
for the Children of Africa!

Events and Other Activities

We had different set of activities during the third and fourth quarter of 2021:

  • We attended the 66th session of the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church Southern Congo Area on July 21st, 2021.
  • We were invited to the inauguration of the Memorial Temple Kakudi Malunga Jean-Claude at UMC Gilgal Parrish in our District of Samaria. 
  • We were visited by Mr. Aboubacar the auditor from GBGM. He thanked us and congratulated us on the working progresses, especially about the regulation on the taxes and social security related fees despite our financial difficulties.  
  • We have received the resignation of our Secretary Mr. Muteteke Cedrick on September 1st. He has left CEJAL and he is awaiting for his final settlement.
  • We thank him for his dedication and the time he spent at CEJAL.
  • Our Bishop Kasap has recommended Mrs. Mujinga Obarianne to replace him has Secretary for CEJAL orphanage.

We were visited by several friends and partners:

The children have been honored this quarter by many visitor of good faith especially during Christmas and the New Year’s celebrations. Among them we can mention:

Jadot Mwamba:
AGAPAO Foundation president
Mrs. Nathalie Yav
The Young Visionary Foundation
Reverend Pastor Hortense Wakadilo
(daughter of former & deceased Bishop Wakadilo.)

D’el Group

  • Wesley Memorial Church UMN / USA (Mrs. Fresie Chikomb’s Church).
  • National Deputy Rene Otshudi.

We are always looking for people of good faith to assist our orphan children in any way they can. Such people came to our aid this quarter.

We Gave Some Assistance to the BART Orphanage

We helped with 40 bags of corn flour, cooking oil, salt, charcoal and other food to reach out to the orphan boys in these difficult times.

Family Reintegration

Clarisse M was reunited with her biological relatives who were looking for her for a while.

Ruth K N was reunited with her relatives after they found her at the orphanage and decided to take her back home.


Water Project

The sanitary facilities have been fully repaired and can now be used properly by the children at CEJAL orphanage.


We have celebrated a few birthdays at CEJAL


Medical Care

Victoire M has her anemic problems as usual and has been hospitalized several times during this last quarter. Her situation is still not improving.

Emany K has a skin problem and saw a dermatologist. She is under treatment

Director Rosine Kayombo went through surgery at Louis Pasteur Hospital in Pretoria / South Africa. She has recovered since.

School Report

CEJAL Kindergarten School

Our kindergarten opened school year 2021 – 2022 on October 4th, 2021. We started with things are going smoothly and 112 pupils at CEJAL Kindergarten: 

  • There are many potential pupils this school year 2021 – 2022, due to the lack of proper education last year due to the pandemic but also because many parents like the setup by CEJAL.
  • Our classrooms are very small and cannot contain all the potential pupils trying to enroll. This situation could be resolved by building two additional classrooms for our Kindergarten school.
  • We will continue to enroll as many pupils as we can in order to minimize the losses usually occasioned by student withdrawals.
  • At the present moment we have set the enrolment fee at $15 and the tuition fees per month are $14.
  • In the fourth quarter we enrolled 60 more pupils . We turned away 40 more due to the size of our classroom. We had to hire an additional teacher for the 2nd grade.
  • The Kindergarten school participates to the Orphanage purse (and urgent needs like medicines for kids and transportation fees).
  • The school also pays the episcopal fees for Methodist schools.

Elementary School

NameGradeAge
Clarisse M K5th11
Dimercia M Y7th14
Dorcas S3rd7
Eliane L2nd11
Emmanuelle (Emany) K6th10
Francine T7th13
Jaelle K2nd8
Jemima S4th10
Lolotte K6th11
Olive L7th12
Patricia M7th13
Ruth N K7th14
Stephanie S5th10

Secondary & High School

NameGradeAge
Prisca K4th Science15
Suzane K M5th Science17
Jemima K L2nd15
Deborah K3rd16
Micheline K I6th Social Technique17
Astrid (Assy) M E6th Social Technique18
Chatty M T3rd14
Abigael S3rd15
Naomie S N4th Science15
Kulofwa Z2nd14

Professional School

NameGradeAge
Ruth K4th/Couture19
Marie-Choudelle I6th/Couture23

Celebrating Our Top Students

Three of our girls are trying their best to perform at school. To encourage them, we have decided to take them to the Hellenic Center for some quality time. This was an initiative coming from one of the children’s partners, Mr. Samuel Okani .

These are our three top scholars:

We still encourage all of our girls to double their efforts at school for their own good but, also to encourage our partners who are making many sacrifices on their behalf.


Our Thanks and Gratitude

  • Our partners for PNWAC (Eric Sparkman and the Task Force members);
  • Mrs. Cecilia McGurk and Mr. Tim Graham; GBGM team (Elisabeth Tasciotti, Soila Vincent & Frido N. Kinkolenge) for the $16,000 to the benefit of Jamaa Letu.
  • Our US partners (US Churches, PNWAC: Barbara, Eric Sparkman, and the all the Task Force members);
  • Missionary Jean-Paul Dietrich.

Despite the difficulties in these troubled times you are still remembering your children at Jamaa Letu; God bless you and May He open other door for you and for the good continuation of Jamaa Letu.

Thanks for your support, guidance and love!

God Bless You all!


Boys Orphanage—BART

Education

We had nineteen children with one new boy added this year.

Primary School

NameGrade
Bernard L I2nd
Marcelo I M B1st
Joseph K N5th
Joseph M S4th
Leon N M6th
Lievin I3rd
Raphael K4th
Simon T R5th

Secondary School

NameGrade
Ely M S7th
Gracia M3rd
Jenovic M3rd
Kelly K7th
Leon M T6th
Nathan M N6th
Patrick N S6th
Sandji M M2nd
Willy K5th
Yannick K M6th

Meet Our Graduates

Four children wrote their state exams and only three passed and one failed their exam. The graduates are listed below.

Mukut Z, Simon K, Ndembo K

Medical Care

We still give thanks to God during this period despite the pandemic all the children are doing well and they have respected the barrier gestures.

Boys Activities

The main activity of children remains the same, there is not a big change. Whenever they are not busy they do the following:

  • Play games, football and basketball.
  • They take care of their rooms and the grounds.

The photos below are of the children in their classroom and the school compound.

They also took pleasure in cleaning the compound, their rooms and also participating to different activities.



A Visit to the Girl’s Orphanage

On December 18th, 2021, we have been invited to CEJAL Orphanage by Geulord Nutete.


Visiting on Christmas and New Year

On December 25th, 2021, we were invited by Mr. Ushidi for visiting with him on Christmas and New Year.


Some Visitors to Our Orphanage

On December 22nd 2021 we have received the family of the visionary of the Mardoche Church and have brought meals, cooking oil, drinks, etc.


On December 30th 2021, Jerusalem District Superintend has visited the orphanage and brought some food.

Meet Our New Boy

This is the new little boy we have received by the name of Marcello I M B, and he is six years old.

Marchello I M B

We also want to inform you that Gracia M is no longer part of the orphanage; he has left to live on his own.


We Need a Generator!

We need a generator to allow us to have reliable electricity. We are not able to keep fresh food in our refrigerator because of the power shortage. Also, our boys have difficulties reading and studying after sunset.


Offices Activities and Work Done

Nothing has really changed; here are some activities and works done:

  • Take care of the boys at all level
  • Share the word of God.
  • Teach them civism; how to live and be useful to the society where they live.

We have participated to the executive committee held on Saturday 11th, December 2021. The theme was: Let’s walk according to the doctrine of Jesus Christ and not according the human thought.
John 7 :16-18, John 8 :32


Thanks

We thank you our partners and friends for the prayers and financial support. May our Lord bless you all and your families?

Blessings
Paul Kafweta Naweji, Director

Thank you for your support!

Support the Orphans Through These
Donation Options

Donate Online

You can help support our orphans and students by going to our websites www.JamaaLetu.org & www.JamaaLetuEducation.org and clicking on the Donate links.

Donate Through Your Local UMC

Local UMC Instructions: Mark donation to Jamaa Letu Orphanages & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support. Talk with your coordinator.

Donate Directly Through the
Pacific NW Conference Office

Send Donations to Jamaa Letu Orphanages Pacific Northwest Conference Office P.O. Box 13650 Des Moines, WA 98193-1009. Mail donation or direct your bank to send the funds & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.

Sign-up for Our Newsletter

Jamaa Letu News September 2021

The Jamaa Letu Orphanage newsletter is compiled from the June Quarterly Report from the Director’s of the BART & and the June Quarterly Report from the Director’s of CEJAL Jamaa Letu Orphanages.

Girls Orphanage—CEJAL
(Centre for Jamaa Letu)


The main activities are still the same concerning the program HFCA: Food, shelter, education, health care, religion, social reintegration, and family reunification etc., For the Children of Africa!

Celebrating with Our Friends

Congo Unis, June 30th (Independence Day)
 

Events And Other Activities

We had different set of activities during this quarter:

We Lost Our Sister and Daughter

We are very saddened to announce you the death of our daughter and sister Jose Ilunga (married 2 years ago) who passed away last June 22nd, 2021 from a long term disease.

The orphanage lacked the means to help with the funerals but we did get help from some partners and friends, including Missionary Jean-Paul Dietrich and Jethro Muyombi.

COVID Protocols

We are still sensitizing the girls and employees about the future of our orphanage and the pandemic we are facing so that God may help us through our church and partners worldwide.


Visits from Partners & Friends

We had a lot of partners and friends who came to visit, comfort and assist us this last quarter.

UMC Kipendano welcoming Mrs. Rosine from CEJAL


Youth Congo
(Motto: mutual love for the living)

Blankets
(gift from Mr. Mwenze Kongolo)

Little refrigerator
(gift from Dr Wetshi)

Gifts from UMC Samarie District

Gift from Rose Samba
(USA) via Ms. Natacha

Etoile Brillante School


Director of Christian Education and his team preaching at CEJAL (gave Bibles to all children and employees)


Zawadi 14 years-old

Eliane L (11 years-old)
Dress and shoes gift from Pastor Luzolo

Emmany K, 11 years

Naomie N, 14 years

Legal Issue

An anonymous family signaled de disappearance of their daughter. We were summoned alongside other orphanages to appear before the authorities for questioning and investigations. The director of CEJAL answered the call accompanied by our church lawyer. The orphanage was obviously cleared and we had to pay $150 to the lawyer for his services.


We have faced a few cases this last quarter among children and employees as well:

Choudelle I:

We consulted a doctor from South Africa here in Lubumbashi. He saw Choudelle and gave us his estimation of $8,800 for her case.

In the meantime Choudelle is experiencing pain and she is almost always in her bed. She can hardly manage to go to school.

We ask for good willing people to help Choudelle so that she can recover from this painful situation.

Victoire M:

After surgery the screws were taken off. She will have an X-ray next month for control.


We Give Thanks:

To all of you we say “thanks a lot”: the children are praying for you. They need to keep smiling especially during these difficult times.

  • To God almighty for his love and for the life is giving us;
  • To Ms Cecilia McGurk;
  • To Laura Weir and Tim Graham for their financial donation last May 2021;
  • To Eric Sparkman for his continued support;
  • To Jean-Paul Dietrich for advising and supporting us despite his many duties;
  • To Mrs. Jenny for the initiative of publishing information about our orphanages;
  • To our Episcopal office for gathering all the means necessary to support our children.

Our Girls

Primary StudentsSchool Grade
Lolotte K4th
Emanuelle K4th
Jaelle K2nd
Olive L4th
Elaine L2nd
Clarisse M K3rd
Patricia M5th
Dimericia M Y5th
Ruth N K4th
Dorcas S1st
Jemima S3rd
Stephanie S3rd
Francine T
Secondary StudentsSchool Grade
Prisca K3rd Science
Suzane K M4th Science
Jemima K L2nd
Deborah K2nd
Micheline K I5th Social
Astrid M E5th Social
Chatty M T2nd
Abigael S2nd
Naomie S N3rd Science
Kulofwa Z2nd
Professional SchoolSchool Grade
Ruth K3rd Couture
Marie-Choudelle I4th Couture

Plea for CEJAL

Following the COVID 19 pandemic the means at our disposal hardly allow us to live decently.

Children have grown up and they have more needs due to that.

To you our unconditional partners we ask that you continue to support us and help us find good people willing to come to our rescue.

Thanks for your support!

Boys Orphanage—BART

Thanks be given to God for His unconditional support and protection during this difficult time of Covid -19 pandemic.


We are doing the following activities and work for the Boys:

Our Boys

  • Taking care of them
  • Giving them good food
  • Teaching them how to interact with people in the society
  • Teaching them how to protect themselves against this COVID- 19 pandemic
  • Teaching them how to respect church leaders and others
  • Continuing to search for new local partners
  • Contacting and receiving good people who brought different gifts for our boys
  • Teaching them the Christian life
  • Working in collaboration with the pastor cabinet
  • Supervising their school performance
  • Carrying for them
  • Taking them to the hospital when needed
Nathan N S
Simon K
Mukut Z
Chadrack K N
Yannick K M
Willy K
Mukey J
Gracia M
Kelly K
Leon N M
Simon T R
Raphael K
Joseph K N
Bernard L I
Lievin I
Sandji M M
Ely M S
Joseph K

Some Donations from Our Local Friends

The Mama Kipendano team have visited the orphanage and donated some soaps, cooking oil, goat, and some other important things as shown on the images below.

This donation (breakfast meal) is from the P.P INILU team but did not want to appear on the photos.

Boys Activities

There is no much change about the activities, they are almost the same as usual and they are presently focused on their studies as the school year is ending soon.

About The Boys

The boys are doing well and we thank God for his everlasting love.

Education

All the kids are well and they are doing better in their studies however due to the pandemic COVID 19 pandemic.

Medical Care

All the boys are doing well, no sickness registered, and thank God for his protection


Thank you so much for reading our report and May God bless you for helping and giving to the orphans another chance to life.

Kafweta Naweji Paul, Director

Thank you for your support!

Support the Orphans Through These
Donation Options

Donate Online

You can help support our orphans and students by going to our websites www.JamaaLetu.org & www.JamaaLetuEducation.org and clicking on the Donate links.

Donate Through Your Local UMC

Local UMC Instructions: Mark donation to Jamaa Letu Orphanages & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support. Talk with your coordinator.

Donate Directly Through the
Pacific NW Conference Office

Send Donations to Jamaa Letu Orphanages Pacific Northwest Conference Office P.O. Box 13650 Des Moines, WA 98193-1009. Mail donation or direct your bank to send the funds & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.

Sign-up for Our Newsletter

Jamaa Letu News June 2021

The Jamaa Letu Orphanage newsletter is compiled from the March 2021 Quarterly Report from the Director’s of the BART, and the March 2021 Quarterly Reports from the Director’s of CEJAL Jamaa Letu Orphanages.


Girls Orphanage—CEJAL
(Centre for Jamaa Letu)

Jamaa Letu greets you in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus-Christ.

We thank all of our partners especially from PNWAC and our Task Force for your engagement and support since the beginning of our Ministry and throughout this period of pandemic.

May God almighty restore your bodies and shower you with blessings for your families and your activities.

We thank our dear Missionary Jean-Paul Dietrich for his unwavering guidance and support to our Jamaa Letu family.

Jamaa Letu wishes you all the best for this year 2021.


A Message from Jean-Paul Dietrich

Dear friends of Jamaa Letu orphanages

I was invited to address a greeting to you. Since several years you have been supporting the two orphanages financially and with love. For this I thank you with all my heart. At present, 25 girls and 19 boys find a temporary home. They are fed, enrolled in school, and experience a Christian community of life. In addition, these children and young people are prepared as well as possible for the hard life in Congo once they leave the orphanage. It is obvious that they are not spared from illness and some of them need major medical interventions that can hardly be financed from the current budget. The local parishes, other groups and individuals support the orphanages financially and in kind. The church leadership is also aware that it will have to take on more responsibility in the future. However, Congo is one of the ten poorest countries in the world in terms of income per person, which means that most of the people and members of the Methodist churches here in Lubumbashi are also poor. Therefore, good will might not be enough to bear the burden of the two orphanages in the short and medium term. Dear donors, dear brothers, and sisters in Christ, I appeal to you to continue to support these girls and boys in the coming years and to accompany the two institutions with warmth and advice.

Cordial greetings, Jean-Paul Dietrich (Switzerland), Global Ministries Missionary, Member of the board of trustees of the Jamaa Letu orphanages.


Events and Other Activities

We had different set of activities during this quarter:

We are sensitizing the girls and employees to pray for our partners and for the future of our orphanage so that God can help us through our Church and partners.

Girls praying for our partners
 

Jamaa Letu Fundraising

The pandemic has been hard on many things including the fundraising for the orphanages. For at least a decade, HFCA has been struggling to raise the funds necessary to provide quarterly support to both the CEJAL and BART Orphanages and the pandemic did not help in this struggle.

Thankfully the program has had a “savings account” of undesiginated donations to the Hope for the Children of Africa received more than a decade ago. These undesignated funds have been used to make up the difference between the support provided to the orphanages and the donations received each year from sponsorships and the Jars for Jamaa Letu giving. 

While these reserve funds have helped us maintain provision to the orphanages at $80,000 annually. However, even before the pandemic, we were not raising the necessary funds on an annual basis. The last year we raised the full funding for the orphanages was 2016, the year we hosted Blessings and she spoke at Annual Conference.

In an effort to provide as much stability to the funding as we can with the resources that we have we were forced to reduce the amount we normally provide by 25%. Our reserve funds have been depleted and the pandemic has severely limited some of our normal fundraising avenues such as in person church, Jars for Jamaa Letu offering at Annual Conference, and other in person fundraisers.

Additionally, in 2019 we attempted to bring over another former resident of Jamaa Letu and education scholarship recipient. These efforts were crushed when the application for a visa for the student was denied by the US embassy, twice.

The work of the orphanages continues and our financial support allows the kids to receive shelter, food, clothing, and education. We ask that you continue your support, donate early if possible, and even increase your giving if that is an option. The Jamaa Letu children thank you.


How You Help Support Us

Donate Online

You can help support our orphans and students by going to our websites www.JamaaLetu.org & www.JamaaLetuEducation.org and clicking on the Donate links.

Donate Through Your Local UMC

Local UMC Instructions: Mark donation to Jamaa Letu Orphanages & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support. Talk with your coordinator.

Donate Directly to the Pacific Northwest Conference

Send Donations to Jamaa Letu Orphanages Pacific Northwest Conference Office P.O. Box 13650 Des Moines, WA 98193-1009. Mail donation or direct your bank to send the funds & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.


Visiting Group

We were visited by different groups, foundation, church members and friends:

Laure Foundation (brought loin clothes to our girls for the month of women)

UMC Kipendano Conference visiting and supporting CEJAL
 

Program

The main activities are still the same concerning the program HFCA: food, shelter, education, health care, religion, social reintegration, and family reunification etc., For The Children Of Africa!


March 8th, 2021 (International Women’s Day)


Celebrating Birthdays

We have celebrated a few birthdays at CEJAL as a new way of pleasing our girls and make them feel valued. We hope to continue to do this for all our girls despite our little means.

Dimercia (14 years old)
 
Ete — at the right (18 years old)
 
Victoire’s birthday (30 years old)
 

Medical Care

We have faced a few cases this last quarter among children and employees as well:

Choudelle

Choudelle is very sick and anemic (as mentioned in previous reports) just like Victoire.

She needs urgently to go through a costly pelvis surgery. Her health is deteriorating quickly and she has lost a lot of weight these last days as you can see on the picture below.

Victoire

The screws form the metallic plate are loose as we can see from the x-ray.

Her condition is serious but our missionary Jean-Paul Dietrich his following this case despite his many responsibilities.

Victoire is a young woman with Sickle Cell Anemia. She is too ill to continue in the university. She is recovering from the second surgery for badly broken bones in her hip area, the first being to insert some metal pin, etc., and this one to remove them. Victoire is also experiencing pain from her leg.

Help Support Our Orphans!

Your gifts in support of our orphans are needed and greatly appreciated!

See page three for how you can help.


CEJAL KINDERGARTEN SCHOOL

Our kindergarten school resumed activities on May 1st 2021 since the confinement that started in December 2021 was lifted again. The school activities were slow since we had only a few kids attending school.

Yet another event came on and disturbed once again the work we are doing:

  • Rumors about COVID-19 vaccines came out and parents were afraid that their kids would be compelled to take the vaccine without authorization from their parents. So, the parents decided to keep their children at home since we have indeed received official vaccinators from our local healthcare teams before, vaccines concerning other diseases like polio…
  • Thing are getting back to normal after three weeks of activities.

These confinements are weighing heavily on our finances:

  • Many parents started bringing their children last November 2021 instead of October 12th 2021 (official opening for school year 2020-2021).
  • Moreover, many of them didn’t pay the fees for last December due to the confinement.
  • We are collecting those fees now with difficulty since the parents believe there might be another confinement in the days to come.
  • Among our pupils, 16 of them are still not attending school yet. We hope that we can continue at least with the remaining kids until the end of this school year due on September 8th, 2021.
Enrolled Pupils:151
GradeGirlsBoysTotal
First-Grade232245
Second-Grade292655
Third-Grade232851
TOTAL6874151

Issues At CEJAL Orphanage

  • This quarter we have received only 75 percent of our usual budget (9,000$ instead of 12,000$).

    We had discussions with the employees about finding a way to save more money and raise more funds locally.

    One idea was to lower our salaries to that end but we realized that it is impossible at this point since the salaries are already low.

    So, we are focusing on getting more gift locally (food especially).
  • Following the many interruptions of electricity from our unstable power grid, our electric water pump was damaged.

    We have a repairman looking at it and we expect details concerning the costs.
Primary StudentsSchool GradeAge
Lolotte K4th10
Emanuelle K4th9.5
Jaelle K2nd7
Olive L4th11
Elaine L2nd10
Clarisse M K3rd10
Patricia M5th 12
Dimericia M Y5th14
Ruth N K4th13
Dorcas S1st7
Jemima S3rd10
Stephanie S3rd10
Francine T6th 12.5
Secondary StudentsSchool GradeAge
Prisca K3rd Science14
Suzane K M4th Science16
Jemima K L2nd14
Deborah K2nd16
Micheline K I5th Social16
Astrid M E5th Social18
Chatty M T2nd13
Abigael S2nd14
Naomie S N3rd Science 14
Kulofwa Z2nd13
Professional SchoolSchool GradeAge
Ruth K3rd Couture19
Marie-Choudelle I4th Couture22

Boys Orphanage—BART

Thanks to our God for continually protecting us during these very difficult times of COVID-19, Glory be to Him now and forever more, Amen.

Our Boys
Nathan N S
Simon K
Mukut Z
Chadrack K N
Yannick K M
Willy K
Mukey J
Gracia M
Kelly K
Leon N M
Simon T R
Raphael K
Joseph K N
Bernard L I
Lievin I
Sandji M M
Ely M S
Joseph K

Meet Our New Orphan

The twentieth of January 2021, we have received from the office of social affairs of the township of Lubumbashi, a 9 years old orphan boy, whose father passed away, by the name of Joseph K K abandoned by her mother.

Joseph K K

We Had A Visit from the Bishop

The same month we have received people from the office of Bishop Kasap’ Owan led by the Reverend Tshamusa.


Another Visiting Group

The twentieth of March 2021, Madam Liliane, the president of Kipendano conference visited us accompanied by other members of Kipendano District and brought Food to the orphans and moral support during this time of COVID 19. They brought oil, soap, sugar, fish, chicken, etc. as shown on these pictures bellow.


Boys Activities

The activities are still the same, there is no a big change. During this period of school.

They also took pleasure in cleaning the compound, their rooms and also participating to different church activities such as choir worship.

The 14th of January 2021, people from the MMG company also came and brought Food and some Christmas gifts to the orphans.


About the Boys

As for the boys, they are all doing fine despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

We thank our partners from the Pacific North West for their support, may God bless you abundantly.


Education

The children go to school as usual and observe the security measures by wearing masks and sanitizing their hands.


Medical Care

Only two orphans, Kafeko N and Kelly K fell sick and were admitted to the hospital but now they are all doing fine.


Office Activities and Works Done

We are doing the following activities and works:

1. Taking care of them

2. Giving them good food

3. Teaching them how to interact with people in the society

4. Teaching them how to protect themselves against this COVID-19 pandemic

5. Teaching them how to live a Christian life

6. Teaching them how to respect church leaders etc.


Thank You Jean-Paul!

Thanks to our missionary Jean-Paul for assisting us with $100, the money that allowed us to fix the electric problem for the orphanage

Thank you for your support!

Support the Orphans Through These
Donation Options

Donate Through Your Local UMC

Mark donation to Jamaa Letu Orphanages & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.  Talk with your local coordinator for more information.

Donate Directly Through the
Pacific NW Conference Office

JAMAA LETU NEWS-March 2021

The Jamaa Letu Orphanage newsletter is compiled from the December 2020 Quarterly Report from the Director’s of the BART, and the September & December 2020 Quarterly Reports from the Director’s of CEJAL Jamaa Letu Orphanages.

Girls Orphanage —CEJAL
(Centre for Jamaa Letu)


Program

The main activities are still the same concerning the program Hope for the Children of Africa: providing food, shelter, education, health care, religion, social reintegration, and family reunification For the Children of Africa!


We were visited by different groups and foundation as usual:

Agapao Foundation held some lessons of baking, hair dressing and make-up for the girls of CEJAL.

We visited other orphanages to share our respective experiences

Centre Maison Kwetu & Maman Thabitha Orphanage
(Kolwezi / Dr Congo)

We were invited at Katalis Farm to share some quality times with friends

Visit at Katalis Farm with Missionary Jean-Paul Dietrich

We Also Visited the UMC Center on September 29th, 2020

Visit from Auditor

We have been visited by the auditor sent by GBGM to evaluate the work that has been done since last year.

We have participated to the meeting held at the UMC Center in Lubumbashi. The various topics included the status of our Church, the remarks made by the auditor and the line of work to adopt for the future.


A Gift of Supplies

We have received two additional laser thermometers to check every entrance to the orphanage from Wesley UMC /Nashville USA via Mr. RUKANG.

Reintegration

At Florence’s request, we have finally found a foster family. Mrs. Noella with the permission of the Episcopal Office was willing to take Florence into her care. Florence has left Centre Jamaa Letu on July 7th, 2020 and now lives with her new family.


Rosine/Jean-Paul/Florence Katalis (Farm)

Events and Other Activities

We had different set of activities during this last two quarters:

  • We are continuing to educate the girls and employees about the world’s pandemic and all preventive measures to be taken.
  • We participated to our Annual Conference from August 2nd to August 4th, 2020.
  • We participated to several briefings of our local United Methodist Church and we participated to our annual Executive Committee held on December 19th, 2020.

Christmas Celebrations and Gifts

The girls have received some pocket
money from our usual US partners as a Christmas gift.

We were visited by different groups and foundation around Christmas.

Medical Care

We have faced a few cases this last quarter among children and employees as well:

  • Jael K was hospitalized for a short time.
  • Choudelle I is still experiencing pain from her pelvis.

We had some quality times with friends

The Kikula Foundation and the Baraka Foundation

Gifts of Needed Supplies

We have also received some gifts from many friends and partners.



Water, Electricity, & Maintenance

We are experiencing a few problems with our power grid which is getting old in addition to the instability of electricity in our neighborhood.

We received some help from the Burgomaster of Ruashi to partially empty our septic tank.


School Report

We have started new school year 2020-2021 on October 12th, 2020.

The activities started slowly until mid-November when we enrolled 142 pupils.

All school activities in Democratic Republic of Congo were again frozen on December 23rd, until further notice from the authorities.

CEJAL Girls @ School

Secondary
Students
School
Grade
Primary
Students
School
Grade
Prisca K3rdLolotte K5th
Suzane KM4thEmmanuelle K5th
Jemima KL2ndJael K2nd
Deborah K2ndOlive L6th
Micheline KI5thElaine L2nd
Astrid ME5thClarisse MK4th
Chatty MT2ndPatricia M6th
Abigael S2ndDimericia MY6th
Naomie SN3rdRuth NK4th
Francine T1stDorcas S1st
Kulofwa Z2ndJemima S3rd
Stephanie S3rd

Professional School

Marie-Choudelle I5thRuth K3rd

Thank You From CEJAL

We thank you our partners from Pacific North West Annual Conference for your continued love and support especially during these difficult times of crisis.

We thank our Missionary Jean-Paul Dietrich for being faithful in his guidance.

To our Church, donors and partners we say:
Thank you and God bless you all!
CEJAL prays for you and your families.

Thank you for your continued support even in these difficult times! May God Bless and keep you through this pandemic.


Boys Orphanage—BART

Thanks be given to God our Lord for the gift of life, his name be praised, Amen.

Boys Activities

The activities are still the same, there is no a big change.

During December vacation, boys celebrated Christmas joyfully. They also took pleasure in cleaning the compound, their rooms and also participating to different church activities such as choir worship. They also cook, wash plates etc. during the weekends.

This was on Christmas day children ate and they were very happy and satisfied . They enjoyed the celebration of Christmas and New Year

As you can see the kids were rejoicing and present their gratitude from their bottom of their hearts   to God the creator   who always provide life for them , the gift of life , people who love and support them, good and sound health and they are praying to God to give them a better future and hope . Children are presenting their gratitude for all what you do and still doing for them to have a better future. May God continually bless you.


Our Boys
Patrick NS
Nathan MN
Simon K
Joseph ZM
Chadrack KN
Yannick KM
Willy K
Mukey J
Gracia M
Sandji MM
Ely MS
Kelly K
Leon NM
Simon TR
Joseph KN
Bernard LI
Lievin I
Raphael K

About the Boys

By the grace of God all the kids are well and fit since last year up to now we give God all the glory and we also thank you for your support. May God bless you.

Medical Care

Boys who have been sick have benefited of medical care, they have been taken to the United Methodist hospital.

Education

All the kids are well and they are doing better in their studies however due to the pandemic COVID 19 schools were closed last year and they were supposed to restart early January but the minister of education hasn’t yet say anything concerning the reopening of schools. So the kids are just staying at home not learning they don’t have private tutors and access to internet to access online classes.

Information

When the recent auditor came he visited the orphanage and said all orphanages need to have an accenting and a supervisor. Now the problem we are running into is how pay they salaries, because the funds we are receiving per semester will not permit to pay salaries for the two worker and also the foods price are becoming very high due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Offices Activities and Work Done

Apart from our routine works we are participating in the church meetings at district level (Jerusalem district), we also look for support and we received many people who brought different gifts, support for the boys.

  • Taking them to hospital once they are sick.
  • Supervising their school performance
  • Helping them to understand their situation
  • In general advising them
  • Carrying for the boys
  • Giving them good food
  • Letting free kids who obtain their State Diploma
  • Contacting people for help.
  • To teach them the Christian life

Thank You from Bart

Together with kids we are very grateful, thankful from the bottom of our hearts we thank you for all what you do and continually do for us. May the almighty God continually protect and bless you.

Done in Democratic Republic of Congo the 20th January 2021

Paul Kafweta Naweji
Director

Thank you for your support!

Support the Orphans Through These
Donation Options

Donate Through Your Local UMC

Mark donation to Jamaa Letu Orphanages & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.  Talk with your local coordinator for more information.

Donate Directly Through the
Pacific NW Conference Office

Send Donations to Jamaa Letu Orphanages
Pacific NW Conference Office

P.O. Box 13650 Des Moines, WA 98193-1009

Mail donation or direct your bank to send the funds & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.

Sign-Up for the Jamaa Letu Newsletter

JAMAA LETU NEWS-November 2020

The Jamaa Letu Orphanage newsletter is compiled from the November Quarterly Report from the Director’s of the BART & and the June Quarterly Report from the Director’s of CEJAL Jamaa Letu Orphanages.

Boys’ Orphanage—BART

Bart’s boys and staff thank God for his glory and goodness in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and we went to take this opportunity to wish you the best in Jesus name.

We thank you very much for your financial, physical, and moral support and encouragement. You have given them shelter, education, food, and everything that a child needs to grow, and be able to contribute to the development of successful adults.

May our God continue to bless you all and your families abundantly

Kafweta Naweji Paul, Director of the Orphanage
November 2020


Boys Activities

The whole country is in a state of emergency because the Corona virus pandemic, and the Congolese government had announced the measures of restrictions to limit spread. Because of these restrictions the children have been involved in the following activities:

  • Wearing masks
  • Washing hands using hydro-alcoholic disinfectant
  • Avoiding contaminated objects
  • Cleaning their rooms
  • Cleaning the compound

Education

Here we have 22 children but 4 children finalists of secondary school were waiting for their results. This is the reason why they still are remaining in the orphanage. Once they graduate we will stay with 18 children.

Our Boys
Secondary StudentsSchool Grade
(March 2020)
Patrick N S5th
Nathan M N4th
Simon K5th
Joseph Z M5th
Chadrack K N5th
Yannick K M5th
Willy K4th
Mukey J2nd
Gracia M3rd
Sandji M M1st
Primary
Students
School Grade
(March 2020)
Ely M S6th
Kelly K6th
Leon N M 5th
Simon T R4th
Joseph K N3rd
Bernard L I2nd
Lievin I2nd
Raphael K2nd

Our Graduates

These four children who were finalists at the school passed the state exams:

Kazadi M, Chadrack K M, and Fernand K
Gauthier N M
 

Schools results

We thank God so much for giving us protection and good results of all our children of primary school, secondary school, and state exams.


About the Boys

The more the boys grow up the more they change their dreams. Many prefer to be missionaries and pastors. We pray to our Lord to guide them in achieving their dreams.


Medical Care

We still give thanks to God during this period despite the pandemic that all the children are doing well.


Difficulties and Needs

  • Shortage of the electricity; it is very hard to keep fresh foods.
  • Need of generator

Main Activities and Work Done

We had participated in the annual conference which was organized by Bishop Kasap’ Owan in August 2 through 4, 2020.

We had also participated in the meeting which was organized by Bishop Kasap’ Owan on September 29, 2020. The meeting was for sharing of strategies to advance the orphanages.

The following images were recorded during the meeting.


About the Boys

During this period of school the children are concentrated to their studies, reading their lessons according to the time table.

Sunday, August 4, 2019, we did participate d at the annual conference on which the Bishop Kasap’ Owan was the preacher. The theme of the annual conference was: we are called to live in spirit Romans 8:12.

  • Contacting people for help
  • Attending the kid’s school meeting
  • Supervising their school performance, etc.

Thank You

Thank you so much for reading our report and May GOD bless you for helping and giving the orphans another chance in life.

Kafweta – Naweji Paul, Director

How You Help Support Us

Donate Online

You can help support our orphans and students by going to our websites www.JamaaLetu.org & www.JamaaLetuEducation.org and clicking on the Donate links.

Donate Through Your Local UMC

Local UMC Instructions: Mark donation to Jamaa Letu Orphanages & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.  Talk with your coordinator.

Donate Directly to the Pacific Northwest Conference

Send Donations to Jamaa Letu Orphanages Pacific Northwest Conference Office P.O. Box 13650 Des Moines, WA 98193-1009. Mail donation or direct your bank to send the funds & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.


Girls’ Orphanage—CEJAL
(Centre for Jamaa Letu)


Dealing with the Corona Virus:

We had different set of activities during this last quarter.

We are continuing to sanitize the girls, and employees about the world’s pandemic, and all preventive measures to be taken.

Bishop Dr. Kasap

We have received a laser thermometer to check every entrance to the orphanage from our Missionary Jean-Paul Dietrich who’s dedicated to us and always visiting comforting and assisting us especially during crisis and difficult times.

We were visited by different groups and foundation to sanitize and assist us.

We were invited to participate to training about “the reinforcement of informal and formal systems for child protection.

Gifts and Visitors

We have also received some gifts from many friends and partners under strict measures of confinement.

Ubuntu Mission (brought us masks (mufflers) and other assistance)

Rev. & Mrs. Nkonge and Mrs. Tina (brought food and bought a meal for our orphan girls)


We were visited by our Bishop Dr. Kasap and his delegation. He comforted the children, prayed for them and gave us all many good advices about Life in Jesus-Christ.

This endeavor was organized by our Bishop in association with Bishop Alsted from Denmark to assist orphans, widows, retired pastors etc. during this time of world’s pandemic and partial confinement.

Bishop Dr. Kasap giving food to children of CEJAL

School Report

Schools have closed since March 17th and will resume when the measures of confinement are lifted by the authorities. So there is no activity from our Kindergarten School.

Our Girls
Secondary
Students
School GradePrimary
Students
School Grade
Prisca K2ndLolotte K4th
Suzane K M3rdEmmanuelle K4th
Ruth K5thJaelle K2nd
Jemima K L1stOlive L4th
Deborah K1stEliane L2nd
Micheline K I
(lives with her sister)
4th Social TechniqueClarisse M K3rd
Astrid M E4th Social TechniquePatricia M5th
Chatty M1stDimercia M Y5th
Abigael S1stRuth N K4th
Naomie S1stDorcas S1st
Kulofwa Z1stJemima S3rd
Marie-
Choudelle I
Professional SchoolStephanie S3rd
  Francine T6th

We thank you for your unwavering support even during these difficult times.

We are aware of the sacrifices you are making to allow our orphanage to operate decently during this world’s pandemic.

To our donors and partners we say:

God bless you!

Thank you for your support!

Thank you for your support!

Support the Orphans Through These
Donation Options

Donate Through Your Local UMC

Mark donation to Jamaa Letu Orphanages & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.  Talk with your local coordinator for more information.

Donate Directly Through the
Pacific NW Conference Office

Send Donations to Jamaa Letu Orphanages
Pacific NW Conference Office

P.O. Box 13650 Des Moines, WA 98193-1009

Mail donation or direct your bank to send the funds & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.

Jamaa Letu News-February 2020

The Jamaa Letu Orphanage newsletter is compiled from the December Quarterly Report from the Director’s of the BART & CEJAL Jamaa Letu Orphanages.


Boys Orphanage—BART

We praise God for the strength and blessing that has given us day by day.

We praise God, we had a nice Christmas celebration and
no one was sick during that period.

Office Activities and Work Done

Following are the routine works we do in our orphanage.

  • We also contacted and received good people who brought different gifts for our boys.
  • We are teaching them the Christian life.
  • We are working in collaboration with the pastor cabinet
  • We supervising their school performance.
  • Carrying for them
  • Taking them to the hospital once they sick

Once a week we do have a meeting with the orphans, and discus the progress or concern from each other’s.


Difficulties

During this period of rain, the electricity is the big problem because it is not stable and it poses us a problem to conserve our fresh food.


Education

The performance at school was good, beside 3 kids that failed in the first semester.
Our Boys
Secondary Students School
Grade
Chadrack K 6th
Fernand K 6th
Kazadi M 6th
Gauthier M N 6th
Patrick N S 5th
Nathan N 4th
Simon K 5th
Mukut Z 5th
Chadrack K N 5th
Yannick K M 4th
Willy K 3rd
Jenovic M 1st
Gracia M 2nd
Primary
Students
School
Grade
Kelly K 5th
Leon N M 4th
Simon T R 4th
Raphael K 2nd
Joseph K N 3rd
Bernard L I 1st
Lievin I 1st
Moïse M S 6th
Ely M S 5th

Thanks

We thank you for your hard work and sacrifices made material and financial for the children during the year 2019-2020

May god grant you his graces and blessing.

Kafweta Naweji Paul
Director


Events and Other Activities

In December 30th we received our superintendent and the team from Jerusalem that come to visit us, and they brought foods
for us.

This is the women group called DORCAS.
They came to visit us during Christmas and brought foods
O.N.G (G.S.P) then came to cook at the orphanage and eat with the orphans.

Girls Orphanage
—CEJAL (Centre for Jamaa Letu)

Program

The main activities are still the same concerning the program HFCA: Food, shelter, education, health care, religion, social reintegration, and family reunification etc., FOR THE CHILDREN OF AFRICA

Our Girls
Secondary
Students
School Grade
Prisca K 2nd
Suzane K M 3rd
Ruth K 5th
Jemima K L 1st
Deborah K 1st
Micheline K I
(lives with her sister)
4th Social Technique
Astrid M E 4th Social Technique
Chatty M 1st
Abigael S 1st
Naomie S 1st
Kulofwa Z 1st
Marie-
Choudelle I
Professional School
Other Resident
Florence M M 22 (age)
Primary
Students
School Grade
Lolotte K 4th
Emmanuelle K 4th
Jaelle K 2nd
Olive L 4th
Eliane L 2nd
Clarisse M K 3rd
Patricia M 5th
Dimercia M Y 5th
Ruth N K 4th
Dorcas S 1st
Jemima S 3rd
Stephanie S 3rd
Francine T 6th
Shukrani Marie T 1st Year if Preschool

The Girls Celebrated Christmas Too!


Events and Other Activities

We had different set of activities during this last quarter:

  • We were invited to symposium organized by NGO PROBEA-COBALT which was about protecting children’s rights.
  • We have participated to our Executive Committee held once a year and we have presented our Annual Report to the Bishop and other delegates of our Southern Congo Episcopal Area.
  • The Province Minister of Social Affairs came to celebrate her birthday with the girls of CEJAL on November 30th. She shared a meal with the girls and employees of CEJAL and she received a birthday gift from our orphan girls.

Local Assistance

We had support group who visited our girls to teach them about various important topics about life, conflicts, safety…We have also received some gifts from our usual friends.


Medical Care

We have faced a few hospitalizations this last quarter: Shukrani Marie T, and Emmany.


Newly Admitted

The Episcopal office has appointed a new mother care giver for CEJAL. Mrs. Irene Sandji started her duties last August. She now lives at the orphanage with her 4 daughters.

Thank you for your support!

Support the Orphans Through These
Donation Options

Donate Through Your Local UMC

Mark donation to Jamaa Letu Orphanages & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.  Talk with your local coordinator for more information.

Donate Directly Through the
Pacific NW Conference Office

Send Donations to Jamaa Letu Orphanages
Pacific NW Conference Office

P.O. Box 13650 Des Moines, WA 98193-1009

Mail donation or direct your bank to send the funds & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.


Jamaa Letu News-September

The Jamaa Letu Orphanage newsletter is compiled from the August Quarterly Report from the Director’s of the Jamaa Letu Orphanages.


Boys Orphanage—BART

Stevens has a message for us:

“Said Alphonse Karr – ‘the goodness isn’t a big diamond but a mosaic, the small stones arranged harmoniously.’ Yes, it is with joy that I confirm that in the sense with a heart full of love and joy, the foundation supported me since my childhood and today with all my being I would like to express my gratitude and to present my thanksgiving in the name of our Lord God to whom you’re serving. Thank you! Please accept the expression of my recognition, Stevens Kapend, your child.”


Prayers of Thanks!

We thank the almighty God for his love and protection through this quarter. May his name be glorified.  Thanks to our bishop, Dr. Kasap’ Owan Tshibang, our local partners together with the Pacific Northwest as well as our missionaries for their prayers, financial support including spiritual contributions to our orphanage. May God bless you all.


Summer Time Activities

During the (summer) holiday, children give themselves to the following activities: playing soccer and basketball, church activities (choir, youth movement), cleaning their rooms, cleaning the compound and gardening.


Final Exam Time!

The boys who passed their state exam at the end of secondary school. – Simon, Fabien, Papy, Mwana and Djodjo


New Ways of Growing Vegetables Fast!

We received the team of two students came from the United States, we learned how to make an artificial garden that will allow us to produce vegetables in a short time.


Girls Orphanage —CEJAL
(Centre for Jamaa Letu)

We have received a delegation from University Liberty (local Protestant Korean University).

Visitors from University Liberty

They have promised to contribute next time they visit with a manual sewing machine and a few mattresses for our orphan girls.


A Gift From Zimbabwe

Bishop KASAP and UMC guests from Zimbabwe. They contributed with a symbolic gesture of $10 to each girl as pocket money.


African Child International Day

Our girls were invited to celebrate with other kids the African Child International Day on June 17th.

Group Visited Girls, Sharing Life Skills Information

We had support group who visited our girls to teach them about various important topics about life, conflicts, safety. We have also received some gifts from our usual friends.

Social Reintegration

Francine

Francine’s mother was found but only after Francine herself expressed the desire to look for her and be reunited with her. We have pleaded that Francine should finish this school year before leaving CEJAL. It didn’t work since both mother and daughter were resolute to part from the orphanage as soon as possible for an unknown reason. We have reunited Francine and her mother Mado on May 14th, 2019 at Centre Jamaa Letu.


Five of our girls have been placed outside the orphanage temporarily in hope that they will change their behavior enough to be fit in again at CEJAL.


New Orphan May Be Joining Us Soon

Our local parish has an orphan kid to entrust to us but we need to discuss these important issues with our Board of Trustees to see what can be done in cases like these.


School News

Jael

This school year 2018-2019 came to a close. A ceremony was held at Jamaa Letu on June 17th, 2019. Our Jael graduated and will be attending elementary school next year.


New Orphanage Mama

The Episcopal office has appointed a new mother care giver for CEJAL to start her duties this July 2019. She will live at the orphanage with her girls (4 officially). We know she is a widow from one of our UMC’s pastors. We will provide more details as soon as we can.


Local Support

Local in-kind donations included flour, clothing, toiletries, mosquito nets, rice, beans, fish, oil, clothes and toys.


Thank You For Your Support!

In general, all children are doing very fine by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank all of our PNW Conference partners for allowing our children to study in good condition throughout the 2018-2019 school year that God bless you and your families.


Support the Orphans through These
Donation Options

Donate Through Your Local UMC

Mark donation to Jamaa Letu Orphanages & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.  Talk with your local coordinator for more information.

Donate Directly Through the
Pacific NW Conference Office

Send Donations to Jamaa Letu Orphanages
Pacific NW Conference Office

P.O. Box 13650 Des Moines, WA 98193-1009

Mail donation or direct your bank to send the funds & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.

Sign-Up for the Jamaa Letu Newsletter

News from Jamaa Letu

Girls Orphanage
—CEJAL (Centre for Jamaa Letu)

The Staff at the Orphanage Needs Prayers Too!

You might be familiar with the names of the children, but we also keep the staff in our prayers!  At the girls’ orphanage, please pray for:

Director, Mrs. Maruv Kayombo Rosine; secretary, Mr. Muteteke Cedrick; educator for the kindergarten, Mrs. Kanyembo Gisele, the Mamas, Mrs. Kalenga Mbuya Suzane, and Mrs. Mwadi Lyly; cook, Mrs. Mujinga Jeanine; House and Storage Keeper, Mrs. Ilunga Jose; and Gardener, Mr. Kapend Kazaj Eddy.  There are also 2 security guards from the YMUF Company.


Mama Suzane, our mother caregiver, has suffered a stroke that paralyzed her temporarily. It is clear that she can no longer work at the orphanage due to her actual physical and mental state. The local Episcopal Office will work for solutions on this sensitive issue to organize Mama Susane’s retirement as smoothly as possible in concert with her family.

Josephine I Got Married

Josephine got married on March 23rd, 2019 to Mr. Pierre M. The ceremony took place at our Samarie church in Ruashi and a reception was held at CEJAL in honor of the newlywed couple.

Esperance Is Expecting

In accordance to the orphanage’s rules, she couldn’t be allowed to stay at CEJAL with her sisters. We have met with her boyfriend and his family to find a solution to this problem with the help of Rev. Francine Tshisola. The family has accepted to take full responsibility over Esperance. She now lives at her boyfriend’s sister here in Lubumbashi downtown. She will continue to study at her high school and her tuition has already been paid in full prior to the unfortunate event. We can only hope that she will obtain her diploma this year and go on with her life.

Facilities

Work is continuing on water and plumbing issues.

Local Support

Local support in the first quarter included corn flour, oil, fish, chicken, beans, toiletries and clothing.


Boys Orphanage—BART

Please Pray for the Staff of the Boys Orphanage

Please pray for the staff at the boys’ orphanage: director, Kafweta–Naweji Paul; permanent lady: Kamwengu–Nene; cook, Mand–Kalend; guards, Yimemisombo–John and Mutamba–Charle; and missionaries, Fresie Chikomb and Mr. Jean–Paul Dietrich.


A Boy’s Family Has Been Found!

You will notice the absence of Danny N, a child who lived the past two years in our orphanage. Danny was brought to us by social affairs office of Lubumbashi; they just located his parents and the child returned to his family.

A New Boy Has Joined the Orphanage

Recently we received a new boy from social affairs of Commune Kamalondo. He is an 8 year-old by name of Lievien.

Medical Update

During this quarter, we found out that Rumej has a medical condition that will require surgical repair.

Willy was hospitalized for few days.

Makobe was baptized.

Mukey, Rumej, and Willy are Boy Scouts.

Local Support

From local assistance, we received food, toiletries, and clothing.


Thank You From the Directors

Thank you so much for all your prayers and financial support for the children during all these years. May our Lord bless you.

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