Kumbo Kids: 2017

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

BENEFICIARIES OF YOUR SUPPORT: THANK YOU!

BENEFICIARIES OF YOUR SUPPORT

These students and more are very grateful for the help they are getting in support of their education. Their pictures were sent to me with their individual stories, but I want to apologize that I mistakenly deleted the stories when I was downloading the pictures. The one thing they all said in their individual stories was, "Thank You!" On their behalf, I wish to sincerely thank all of you who are contributing to the Kumbo Kids Project.

Paul Bloom, a Canadian American Psychologist said: "We are constituted so that simple acts of kindness, such as giving to charity or expressing gratitude, have a positive effect on our long-term moods. The key to the happy life, it seems, is the good life: a life with sustained relationships, challenging work, and connections to community." When I see you giving generously and happily, I remember the words of Scripture: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be" (Matthew 6:19-21). I used to wonder on how one can store treasures in heaven. My answer came when I saw people giving in charity to those they may never meet or see. These good acts are being stored for you in heaven. May God continue to bless all those who support the Kumbo Kids Project.

Sunday, February 5, 2017

Back From Cameroon

I was in Cameroon from December 21st, 2016 to January 30th, 2017. The people are happy and sad at the same time. They are happy when they have something to eat for the day irrespective of which time they can afford it. They are happy to receive little gifts here and there. But these people do not know why there should be a government, or what the government does for them. Are they protected; are there jobs for them? Some go to the extent of asking whether education is of any use. They depend only on their farms for their livelihood.

It is on account of this that I envisage three major projects for Nkanchi village: the building of a bridge that leads to their farms, continuing with the completion of the health center, and to build a bigger Church. I shall explain these with pictures later on. What has this got to do with paying fees for kids?

In a way, all these projects are connected. The building of the bridge will help their parents to continue to sustain the family with food because I cannot afford all that the family needs. The building of the health center will help the students and parents to be treated when they fall sick. Of course, they need to be healthy to go to school. The building of the Church will take care of their spiritual needs. Students in a Catholic school need to learn how to worship God and do so properly.

The people receive some clothes happily

The students, together with their parents, were able to receive clothes donated from the US and shipped to Cameroon. They express their sincere appreciation. The people off their prayers for the intentions of the donors. We try to encourage them to pray always to keep them aware that they too can become generous in the future.

Mission Statement

The “Help Cameroonian School Kids” initiative is an outreach program for the underprivileged and vulnerable children living in the most interior and remotest areas of the diocese of Kumbo. The goal: to help children get an education.

We intend to provide the tuition, books and fees necessary to allow these children to attend school. By completing and furthering their education, the children will be able to bear witness that education brings light to a community. Impoverished families may see that education improves the standard of living, allowing people to acquire decent jobs and work towards achieving economic self-sufficiency.

In order to create a sustainable program, the community itself must also acquire certain basic skills such as: 1) Development skills where those who achieve higher education give back to the community and help to promote progress; 2) Initiative skills that teach resourceful and creative problem-solving; and 3) Technological skills to manage ever-changing innovations. To this end, we intend to create a Community-based Collaborative Group in each village involved in our outreach program. Each Group would be comprised of trained men and women who will disseminate information and dispense the available help to the children in need.

We realize that initially classes may need to take place in temporary locations. However, with the support of our donors and in collaboration with the local community, we hope to aid in the construction of durable school buildings where learning may take place. With the help of God, we pray and bestow our blessings upon all those who will support this venture.