An Angel Cottage Update

Since posting 2 weeks ago about the desperate need for more Angel Cottage funding, donations have been coming in steadily. In such hard economic times, the outpouring of support for this project is wonderful to see. Approximately $1,100 has been received and numerous names have been added to the list for bricks. Beatrice tells me she will be able to start making bricks at the end of this month. I can't wait to see names on the walls!

Many of you have not only made a donation,but have also passed the word along to family and friends about this great need. One example is of a couple who decided to look through their checkbook and make a donation equal to their largest Christmas present, and challenged their friends to do the same. Because of this great idea, hundreds of dollars was raised for Angel Cottage.

Just this week, Beatrice send me another story highlighting this great need. I'm going to post the story of Peter below. Feel free to pass this story on to anyone you know. We need less than $26,000 to complete this project. I know this seems like a lot of money, but just a month ago more than $40,000 was needed. Every single dollar makes a huge difference in the lives of these children. I'm so grateful to each and every one of you who has supporting Angel Cottage and the children who live there. They have a bright future because of your support.

"Peter walked in at Humble Hearts (HH) just at about 4pm when everyone was preparing to go home. He was in the company of a lady aged about 58 who introduced herself as a social worker. She then narrated on how she had met the lone Didi on the streets of Nairobi three and half years ago and took him to a government rehabilitation center where she works. Many of this government run centers are in pathetic situation and corruption is the order of the day.

The Center works hand in hand with police who bring them children that are lost or runaways some of the children end up being united to their parents but also most of them don't. The high rates of street children has lead to the home being over crowded all the hearing children in the center of 250 are taken to a school near the center except for Didi who could not cope in the hearing school due to his disability.

For the three and half years Didi has always been left in the center helping with the delaying chaos, longing for a day when he too will be able to go to school like other children.

Peter Didi became his nickname since those who found him and live with him don't know any sign language and neither does his.

The social worker was told about HH by a friend and she promised herself that she was not going to take NO for an answer, she said all the children living in the center came out to escort Didi to his new school and would be very sad if he was turned away.

No words could convince the two that AC was already full, they were willing for Didi to sleep in the class but attend school as the center could not afford his daily fares to school and back to the center.

Didi who we suspect could be about 15 years is now leaving at AC we have found him a mattress, blanket and sheets and he is now sleeping on the floor.

Didi looks very happy to be among other deaf children and really wants to learn sign language."