Nur's First Report Card!!!

Yes, my daughter takes after me with her good grades in school and I AM SO PROUD of her!!  Actually, I believe she is smarter than me because she had 11 classes to keep up in.  Eleven!  She is so smart.  :)

Thank you to everyone who is helping me to support Nur's education. 

Thank you for your prayers and your financial support and

please continue to keep this special child of God in your prayers.

From Alice:

Dear Kathy,

To you and to all that have put their interest, love and money in EOTOO, God is rewarding us through excellent performance of the children.

Attached is a report Form for Term 1 that I managed to get from Nur's teachers while I passed through Mombasa.

I have one request to God and I am sure you will join me in praying and asking for the request; "to keep Nur focused in school and to continue to bless her so she can continue to earn good marks".

She will continue to be loved whichever way.

Sorry my printer has a problem which has not been sorted out at maintenance .  Bear with me.

Alice

Nur's First Report Card

2nd & 3rd Term Fees/Accounting

On May 7th, Dr. John Stanko ( who graciously lets me use PurposeQuest International to donate Nur's education expenses) inquired about the next payment that was due for Nur's third term.  Alice replied:

"Nur' s second term financial requirements have all been taken care of from the money that you brought in February and there is a little left over.  She is back in school with no fee balances.  What we shall require is for third term which falls due in September."

 

On May 10th, Alice writes:

The balance on Nur's Account at the moment is Kshs 15,000.00.  Nur requires 4,000.00 for the school trip.  We do not require extra cash from you for Nur to make the trip.  I will pay for the trip next week.

By August 10, the school would have told us how much we shall be required to pay for third term.  From the look of things, we may not require a lot of money to end term three.  It may be around US $ 65.  I will confirm as we come closer to that date.

Attached please find her school account so far.

Ever grateful on behalf of Nur and the EOTOO Team for your support.  Keep these children in prayer, particularly Nur to achieve her/their life goals.  If she does, she will be such an inspiration to the rest of the children.

 

 

 

 

Field Trip for Nur!

Dear Kathy,

I am sure your heart will feel warm with the attached letter from Nur.

Thanks for making her that happy.

She insists on a school trip that will cost around Kshs 5,000.00 i.e US $ 62.  I hope we can give it to her. 

May God bless you and all those blessing Nur in one way or another.

Alice for EOTOO



Letter From Nur

She is so adorable!

Nur Has Completed Her First Term

Dear Kathy,

Its been a while since we communicated and its my pleasure to have the opportunity to write to you and say hi.

Nur has completed her 1st Term in her new school and is now having her April holiday.  School will open on 06.05.13.  She did not come with her school report as they closed a day after finishing their end term exams.  I have talked to the school authorities and they promise to release the results i.e report form as soon as the schools opens.  I have also asked Nur to do a letter which I hope to send to you just to stay in touch and 'feel' her.

I have noted with interest that her name is spelt as "NUR".

I have attached the accounts for first term expenditure against the cash received.  I have also attached an estimate of second term expenditure (based on letters received from the school) and if no other expenditure arises, we still have some little money to carry us into term 3.  Attached also are two letters from her school; one stating the school fee to be paid and the other a general newsletter that gives us the school calendar for the following  term and what the school expects of us while the children take their holidays at home.

God bless you and all those who support this worthy cause.  We keep praying for both Nur and you so that God can bind you two into a fruitful relationship.

Alice for EOTOO
April 22, 2013



School Newsletter/Requirements

School Receipt

Expenditures

Nur & Her Guardians Write

Dear Kathy,

Its my hope that you are well.  We are all well with the political air hot and rising high.

But what is exciting for us in the acceptance of our first candidate in high school.  Not just ordinarily but with lots of blessings from God who has put you in her, our lives.  Thanks once more.

She got her letter of admission to the school and sent it expressly to me so that EOTOO could facilitate her admission in school. We have read the letter and the school requirements therein.  We plan to pay her school fees, buy uniform, books, school requirements and pay for levies like registration fee, pocket money and caution money.  We shall strive to obtain receipts for all the purchases except those that will be purchased at the open air market and share with you the account. l hope this is okay with you.

God bless You

Alice for EOTOO

February 18, 2013

 

Nur's first letter to me!



From Susan, Nur's guardian in Mombasa, Kenya.

 

 

A Blessing to Nuru - EOTOO

Dear Kathy,

Alice, Nuru and EOTOO cannot start to express their sincere thanks to your timely assistance to see Nuru off to School.  Nuru is starting a second phase of her education which is commonly known as Secondary Education.  Since EOTOO admitted Nuru to the Home in January 2010, we put ourselves before God for direction and eventual crowning of our efforts.  Looking back, I can say that all we had was the conviction to come into the lives of needy children.  For the money was not there.  The human capacity was not there.  And even when we thought we had the capacity to give them shelter, it only lasted a short while.  Three years later, we are glad that God is showing us direction and we pray to Him to give us an eventual crown.

Our dear Lord has not left us nor forsaken us.  We recognize that, and wish to thank Him for bringing you, Dr. Stanko and the ACAC - CUBM Team into our lives for He is working wonders through the Team in the lives of EOTOO children.  We feel blessed every moment.  MAY GOD LOOK AFTER YOU AND GIVE YOU GOOD HEALTH AS YOU TOUCH NURU AND ANY OTHERS THAT YOU CONTINUE TO LIFT DURING THEIR HOUR OF NEED.

Together with Nuru's guardian, we shall support Nuru and encourage her to focus on her education and I am sure she will develop into a responsible adult that will take care of herself and others.  

We changed the US $ 1.000 into Kenya Shillings 87,150.00 (Eighty Seven Thousand,, One Hundred and Fifty Only).  We have banked the money and the attached banking slip says as much.  When the time to spend comes, we shall pay school fees directly into the school account through a banker's cheque.  We shall also pay for other school requirements directly and give you a running account of the use of the money and schools requirements from time to time. 

It gives us joy to serve the Lord through looking after needy children and we are proud to have you in our team.

Be blessed.

Alice for Nuru and the entire EOTOO Team
February 6, 2013

Nuru's Progress

This is a letter from January of this year from Alice, Founder/Caregiver of EOTOO:

Dear Kathy,

Nuru came to Each One Touch One Orphan three years ago when she was a below average student.  In less than a term, Nuru was ranking among the top ten students in her class.  Meaning that the potential in her was being hampered by her environment, diet and facilities to study.  As a team, we provided what we could. She did her K.C.P.E examination last year and has scored 333 marks out of a total of 500.

The top scorers in the country (three of them) had 430 marks.  The highest mean score in the country was 273 marks and the lowest 41 marks. 

I must congratulate Nuru very much together with you, God being with us, we hope that she can score higher in her life.

Thanks to all of you for the part you have played to bring Nuru to 333 marks.

God bless.

Alice


My understanding of the scoring and secondary school/education in Kenya:

"The K.C.P.E. examination must be taken in order to enter secondary school at the age of 14.  The students must have 280+ marks out of 500 to be admitted.  Only 50% of students that take the exams get placed in secondary school.  Those placed in secondary school are often forced out of school because their parent(s)/guardians are unable to pay for the exhorbitant costs of the children's education (textbooks, uniforms, fees, fees, and more fees).  The government doesn't do much to assist the 50 million orphaned (HIV/AIDS contributes greatly to this number) or abandoned children in Kenya (abandoned when relatives can no longer afford to care for them)." - taken from various websites.

With your help, I am able to support Nuru's education.  Tax-free donations can be made through Dr. John Stanko's PurposeQuest International website using PayPal.  Just click the "Make A Donation" link and make sure you type "Nuru" in for the memo.

Thank you for your prayers and financial support and may God bless you richly! 

God's Grace

It is with profound thanks that I write this.  Because of the generosity of a few, Nuru's first semester (the most expensive of three semesters) is paid for. 

In this photo, Dr. John Stanko is presenting $1000 to Alice, the Founder of Each One Touch One Orphanage, during his most recent trip to Kenya.  You can read more about the Kenya team and the latest mission trip here.

For whatever reason, I can't get into my email account today so stay tuned for emails, handwritten letters, and scanned documentation from Alice.

The Beginning

This blog is not about me.  This blog is not for me.  It's for and about a child named Nuru, a child dearly loved by God, a child He destined me to meet.  In the second college edition of The American Heritage Dictionary, one the definitions for 'destine' is "to assign for a specific end, use, or purpose."  The example sentence given: money destined to pay for her education.  I believe it is my purpose - that I have been assigned - to help this child who dreams of being a judge one day.  This blog will help me to find the money destined to pay for Nuru's education. 

I met Nuru in August of 2011 on my first mission trip.  A small team from my church (Allegheny Center Alliance Church) was going to Kenya, Africa.  I had never really thought of going on a mission trip, but God had other plans.  With only two months to get not only a passport, shots, and to make all the what-seems-like-endless trips to the store to buy all you need, I also needed $4300 to cover my expenses (flights, hotels, etc.).  Did I know how this would all work?  No.  Did Satan try everything in his power to keep me from going?  Yes.  But God is greater and it was His plan for me to go to Kenya in August 2011 and I did*. 

Our first day of work in Africa, we visited the Each One Touch One Orphanage (EOTOO).  Eager beaver that I am, I was the first of us to be greeted.  I stood before the large wooden gate (used to protect the children) and waited as it opened.  As it did open, I was greeted by a beautiful and very tall young lady (you can guess who!) and lots of little children.  The team and I received many, many hugs and the children took our hands to show us around their small home.  The young lady (who I later learned was named Nuru) took my left hand and a small girl took my right.  The tour of the tiny house didn't take too long.  How 20+ children all lived in that tiny home I believe is a mystery to all Americans who visit!

We spent time outside getting acqainted with the children, ate a delicious meal, then headed inside to teach the children some crafts.  Nuru stayed by my side through all of this.  It wasn't a suprise to those who knew me because I worked with teen girls in the foster system back in the States.  I was also going through the process to foster (or even adopt) a teen girl back home.  While the children and missionaries went back outside to play with the new pinwheels they made, Nuru and I stayed inside and talked.  She even recited a beautiful poem she had written.  When my dear friend, Rita, and Nuru's niece, Gaudencia, came inside to look for us, the girls huddled together on the floor drawing cards for Rita and I.  I still have the cards.  I keep them in my Bible.

Before we went back outside to join everyone, Nuru asked me to promise not to forget her when I left.  I never have.  I've prayed often for the little girl who touched my life so greatly.  I've missed her even though I barely met her.  I've missed her even though I didn't know if she remembered me.  I didn't understand it and didn't know what to do about it, so I did the only thing I could do: PRAY.  I prayed and found one thing I can do for Nuru and that is to ensure the bright child receives the education to help her become what God has intended her to become.

I have stayed in touch with Alice (EOTOO Founder) via email.  She has become an important person in my life and she emails me often of Nuru's progress at school.  Through the generosity of many, Nuru's first semester of secondary school is funded.  Alice is an amazing record-keeper and for those of you who have contributed financially, this blog will enable me to share with you the scanned pictures and receipts Alice sends.  Very soon, I'll be sharing with you some of Alice's emails, as well as a handwritten letter from Nuru.  These have blessed me so much and I hope they bless you, too.

I pray to God for Nuru, and for Alice and the team at EOTOO, and for all the children.  I ask that you pray also.  And of course, feel free to give as the Holy Spirit leads you.  You can donate online through Dr. John Stanko's website or by sending a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882.  Make sure you put the name 'Nuru' in the memo even if you give online. 

Thank you for reading, praying and giving and may the Lord bless your generosity!

You can view Dr. John's blog article about the school fees in Kenya here.

* NOTE: If you are thinking of taking a mission trip, but are afraid you don't have the money, don't worry. If God wants you to go, you'll receive money in unexpected ways. In the words of my Nigerian friend, Joy Ike, get up and go!  It will change your life.