On Friday, January 22, the Perth-Andover, New Brunswick Elementary School presented a cheque to Daniel and Dr. Barry for $1250 to help with the cost for sending a container to Congo.  This money had been raised by the sale of a Christmas CD which was made by the students at the school.

Led by Denise Budrow, the music teacher at Perth-Andover Elementary, the students did an excellent job and on behalf of the PROLASA staff and the children at the Patmos Children’s Village, we would like to thank Denise, the teachers and students of Perth-Andover Elementary for their generous contribution and for all of their efforts.

Part of the presentation programme was a song which was written and sung by two of the students Lily Nadeau and Alie Hanson, and another song sung by the school choir.

Lily and Alie’s song was entitled  “Be Strong”

Be Strong

Don’t be afraid, it’s just me.

I have come to set you free.

It won’t be long ’till you see

How happy you can be baby.

Chorus

Whoa, Baby be strong

Whoa, I want you to live your life

Whoa, You may not get everything

Whoa, But I want you to know

That you’ll always have the Lord above

Be strong.  Be strong.  Be strong. Be strong.

I’ll lift you up off the ground

And make you believe

That there’s more to life than what you’ve seen

So I’ve come here to set you free.

Chorus

Baby just be strong!

Thank-you so much for you help Perth-Andover Elementary!

Construction of a new church on the Patmos Children’s Village is almost completed.  The official opening will take place during the month of September on the occasion of a visit from a team from International Children’s Care.  This is an excellent addition to the campus.  Now the children and the staff with have a new place to worship, to have general assemblies and to present programmes.

In September 2009, 60 young people from the Patmos Children’s Village will be starting secondary school.  This has resulted in a dilemma.  Since we have no secondary school on campus, PROLASA was going to be obliged to send these 60 students to Goma on the mainland to pursue their studies.  International Children’s Care has managed to find the funding to begin the construction of the secondary school classrooms so that we can begin secondary school classes next week when the school years begins.

The house mothers at the Patmos Children’s Village had an idea that they would like to organize a bakery to supplement their incomes. Arrangements were made to build a building just off campus and a bakery was set up. The house mothers take turns working in the bakery in the early hours of the morning and they are turning out some wonderful bread. This is the only bakery on the island of Idjwi (population 210,000) and they have had no problem selling all of their bread. In fact, orders are coming in and the bread is sold and paid for before it is baked!

Some of the children from the Patmos Children’s Village are now employed in the bakery and they are learning how to bake bread and manage a business. The financing for the project was provided by a microfinancing women’s project whereby the housemothers received a small loan. This loan is being paid back as their business succeeds.

Congratulations ladies for a job well done.

Several years ago, a poor, deaf-mute, crippled man arrived at the Patmos Children’s Village and asked for help. He was given permission to build a shelter for himself at the edge of the campus and before long he had a simple shelter made from some sticks and piece of tarp. He made a bed for himself from some sticks and rags and then he moved in. With a withered, deformed right hand and arm, he had a significantly decreased ability to care for himself. His hygiene was poor, his skin was covered with parasites and he was obviously malnourished.

The children at Patmos decided to take care of him. They brought him food, they removed all the parasites from his skin, they helped him with bathing and they found some clothes for him. And what a difference their care has made!!! When we arrived this time, he was clean, better dressed and he had gained a bit of weight. He was thrilled to see us and he greeted us very warmly. He participates in all the group activities on campus and the children include him with enthusiasm.

What a thrill to see the children passing on the blessings that they have received to someone else in need. That is precisely what Christianity is all about!

Three of the PROLASA Canada team have just returned from a 10-day visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo. Dr. Barry taught a course in Human Ecology at the University of Idjwi (UNILAI) from April 7 through 11 while Melissa, PROLASA Canada’s new Development Director was able to get to know the team in Congo and Daniel was able to address the erosion problem at the Patmos Children’s Village, do some more work with the improved stove project and he was also able to do some photo documentation of the many projects on the Island of Idjwi.

Dr. Barry teaching Human Ecology at the University of Idjwi

Sometime class would meet outdoors under the mango tree!

Melissa & Daniel visiting a School on the Island of Idjwi

Melissa meeting with a women’s association on Idjwi

Melissa greeting the ladies of Idjwi

Daniel en route to a Pygmy village

Daniel & Barry overlooking Lake Kivu

The visit was a great success and now there are many ideas that are being processed, projects that are being developped and plans being made. Keep your eye on the website for news of each of these projects.

The PROLASA Canada office is pleased to announce the addition of Melissa Wecker to our staff. Melissa finished her Master of Science degree in Management at the University of Lancaster in the UK last September and she has joined the PROLASA Canada team as the Development Director.

In this position, Melissa will be in charge of writing project proposals and seeking funding for these projects. She will also be coordinating the overall development of PROLASA.

We are excited about having Melissa as part of our team and we look forward to her contribution. Welcome Melissa!

Melissa Wecker, PROLASA Canada’s new Development Director with Nsimire Murhima Chancelline, Patmos Children’s Village Director of Children’s Services

The New Year is celebrated in Congo with gusto! The children at the Patmos Children’s Village look forward to New Year’s celebrations all year long. Thanks to the generosity of the children’s sponsors and International Children’s Care, each child received a gift and the day was spent playing games. The highlight of the day was a special meal which the house parents had prepared for the children. This was a day that will be remembered for a long time!

New Year’s Feast for the children at Patmos Children’s Village