Letter from Joshua!

Dear CGP friends & supporters,

First of all we would like to thank the people who are praying for us and have sent donations and parcels here, you are giving many people hope with every donation you are giving whether big or small, it's propelling many people back on their feet. You are such a blessing, may God richly bless you in all you do for Him

It has been long since the last update. We have been able to communicate to some of you individually.

The past few weeks have been full of such good things! CGP was able to help 25 internally displaced persons (IDP) camping at Kitale ASK Show Ground to start small businesses. Many felt were very idle and wanted to do something to keep themselves busy and the only way was start hawking of goods like sweets, peanuts, cane, vegetables, soap, cookies, popcorn among other small items. We believe that it is better to teach a person to fish rather than just providing a meal. Small businesses have turned up to have the biggest impacts as it builds self –reliance.

I had the opportunity to participate in a planning meeting of the visit by President Kibaki and Raila to the IDP camps in our area and also got the opportunity to be on the convoy. During the visit, I realized that many people were really suffering as relief aid was not reaching them on time and families of more than 20 people were sharing one small tent. Only the children slept in the tent while the older people slept outside. The International Red Cross is getting to many of the larger camps, bringing tents and food enough for one meal a day. But they are not reaching all the areas by any means, and there is serious lack of food, blankets and sanitary needs in most the camps. Cooking was a problem affecting all the IDPS due to the heavy downpour. I hope the VIP tour will result to a proper peace deal that allows people return to the home and farms.

Many people are suffering from Malaria and typhoid due the heavy downpour. Some of you have been asking what they can do to help. A donation of mosquito net worth Kshs. 250 ($ 4) will save a life or save a family from spending between Kshs. 350 ($7)- Kshs. 1,000 ($ 20) on treatment. Checks can be written to Village Volunteers with CGP/IDP in memo line and send to: Village Volunteers, 5100 S Dawson St. Suite 202 Seattle, WA 98118 Office: 206-577-0515.

Sometime we feel like we are in a movie here...things seem so unreal. We watch things happen and we do not even have enough information to download them into our heads. I think the hardest thing was watching the mother as her tears crept down her face after narrating her situation. I had to shut my eyes so tight so that I would not cry.

Presently CGP is focusing on assisting IDPS that are returning to their villages with some seeds, a few tools and knowledge on how to grow their own food. Helping families to set up small vegetable gardens using bags filled with soil and compost, these bags have holes around the outside and can produce a lot of vegetables using very little water, 2 or 3 bags could keep a whole family alive and well nourished.

In this kind of work, one cannot get discouraged by the unmet needs, but must focus on what you have accomplished. If people only eat well for a few days, it is still better than having to scrounge around for a little food and going to sleep hungry. Moreover, as I have learned in the past, visiting people who have been the victims of violence is perhaps one of the most important peacemaking activities one can initially do. As the Burundians say, "A real friend comes in the time of need."

We are working on "Feed the Villages" project where villagers participate in learning agriculture and growing food for their families. We are targeting to feed the people who cannot afford to have a meal like the orphans, street children, widows and sick people. The goal is to feed a person on less than a dollar. For more information contact Elana Greene at elanagreene@gmail.com

Thanks to those support Isaac Simotwo, the student who joined Alliance High School. He did very well. See the attached report card. As you may understand from the report and other document he still needs support. We are planning to apply a 2009 scholarship for him from Maasai Foundation.

CGP is left with 2 months before inspectors arrive from the Ministry of Education headquarters to inspect the school facilities for final stage of registration of the school as private day and boarding institution. We'll need your support to see us through this stage. CGP is delighted to have broken ground for dinning hall, which will be used as dormitory for girls for the next seven months. Presently, some of the girls are being accommodated in one of the classrooms. Thanks to Tobias and Sereina of Zurich, Switzerland, who raised the funds during their wedding ceremony. The hall has the capacity to accommodate 72 girls. We are still raising funds for iron sheets. You can join hands with them to see the building completed by giving a girl an opportunity to stay at Pathfinder Academy for only $ 9 for seven months.

Thanks to Karen Kotoske of Amistad International for supporting the construction of seven classrooms at Pathfinder Academy. The project is going to assist us in the final stage of school registration. For more information on registration please contact me.

We had a jovial and thanks giving celebration of 2007 national exams on 11of April 2008. see the attached picture of the school choir.

I want each of you to know that none of the work we do here could be done without your prayers, your gifts, and your help in so many other ways. We know that God alone provides… please keep us in your prayers, give financially if you can, and share our stories and our needs with others as the Lord leads.

We love you and appreciate you and continue to pray for all of our partners that God will bless you abundantly in every area of your life so that you will be a blessing to others.

Sincerely,

Joshua Machinga.