From: “Brenda Lange” Subject: Blog, Oct. 19, 2013 YOUTH NIGHT DRAWING TEENS TO CHRIST Melissa Olmesdahl and Carlitos Jorge, our 2 Youth Leaders, provide a great Friday night program to an ever growing crowd of over 80 youth. Eric wired 12 volt lights into our Balama church so the town’s teens can have a fun, Christ centered educational/games program instead of walking the streets. Carlito Jorge
From: “Brenda Lange” Subject: Blog, Oct. 12, 2013 CHRISTMAS IN OCTOBER! Means “DE BEAR” IS BACK! Eric Dry, better known as the “Bush Bear” by his children, arrived late Wednesday with a truck and trailer loaded with “impossible to get” supplies. His journey from Johannesburg, S. Africa to Balama took 6 days. It’s only 1,500 miles (2,500km) by road, but “the only road that comes here”
From: “Brenda Lange” Date: October 3, 2013 NEWEST ORPHANS BLESSED BY AMERICAN GIRL’S GIFT Late yesterday afternoon, Felicina, a grandmother with 5 orphaned grandchildren, walked in with 5 children dressed in rags. She was desperate as she had no more food in her house. I was alone at our mission base, but with our guard’s help, we managed to organized emergency food, clothes, plates, cups, deworming
From: “Brenda Lange” Subject: BLOG, Sept. 28, 2013 AUSTRALIAN GRAPHITE MINERS IN BALAMA ENCOURGE OPHAN BASKETBALL TEAM Wed. this week was a holiday, and our basketball team was challenged to play the Hospital team at the city court in the middle of Balama. Near halftime, Bertino, our team captain, wore through the bottoms of his tennis shoes, and had no choice but to play in his
From: “Brenda Lange” Subject: Blog, Sept. 21, 2013 FLEXIBILITY: WITHOUT IT, NO MISSIONARY CAN SURVIVE FOR LONG The week flew by as we jumped from one job to another, as priorities changed rapidly. 1. Manuel and his 2 man team filled the 7 ton truck and left on Monday for 2 full days of food distributions in Meluco county where we have 515 orphans in our program.
From: “Brenda Lange” Subject: BLOG, Sept. 14, 2013 BABY RESCUE SAVES 4 LIVES On Thursday, I received an urgent call from Nilza, our Children’s Director, who handles our weekly Baby Weigh In and Formula Program. Baby Sara, who I wrote about last week, was brought in with a fever and badly swollen legs (3rd spacing fluids due to a lack of protein for 3 weeks). (Don’t shoot
From: “Melissa Olmesdahl” Subject: BLOG, SEPTEMBER 13, 2013 A NOTE TO ALL FROM MELISSA OLMESDAHL Hi family and friends One of the most amazing sounds for me is the sounds of the village at night. Sometimes I just lay there and listen to our kids worshipping God before I go to bed. I’ve only discovered this recently, but it’s so beautiful and peaceful. It’s like my
From: Brenda Lange, Date: September 7, 2013 MANY SMILING FACES THANKS TO YOUR LOVE GIFTS! Rollin, Rollin, Rollin! Get those trucks a rollin! The old “Rawhide” theme song was our team’s jingle these last 3 days as we carried 18.3 TONS of corn and beans to 433 hungry orphans and the 252 widows in 3 major areas of Balama District. We have never missed an August give
From: “Brenda Lange” Subject: BLOG, August 31, 2013 SIX MONTH PERMIT IN OUR HANDS! This is a GREAT accomplishment after a 2 year wait and many hours of writing a BOOK containing the needed documents. The State Office of Social Services has blessed us with a 6 month permit for our orphan program, thanks to all the improvements we made in the building projects, as well as
From: “Brenda Lange” Date: August 24, 2013 THE FIRST AND THE LATEST EVA, 13, seen in the background of this photo, is the first child ever accepted into our Balama feeding program (2001). ORTENCIA, 18 months, and just learning to walk, is our youngest addition who came to us in 2012. Below, ORTENCIA, in her early days with us. She is held by her house mother.