Feeding Orphans


During the work one cannot help but notice and be touched by the tremendous needs of the orphans in this part of the world.


Feeding the street children


Working in Mwanza, Tanzania in 2008, we started a weekly feeding program for the street children. We feed between 50 and 80 children at each meal. It’s a simple meal of rice and beans and it’s prepared by volunteers from the Mothers Union. We purchased pots, plates, and cups and we fund the weekly purchase of rice and beans to feed these children. We also purchased a dozen foam mattresses for some of the children to sleep on. The lucky ones were sleeping on broken down cardboard boxes in an abandoned house.


Compassion Pre-School Children


During our trip in August, 2009, we visited a pre-school for approximately 150 orphans in Shinyanga, Tanzania. During this visit, we found these children were only getting a small cup of porridge (watery oatmeal) to eat all day. We decided right then to start a weekly rice and beans meal for these children too. The first day of this program we were there to experience the children’s reaction. Tiny children (30 to 40 pounds) ate a huge plate and ran to get in line for another plate. They were thrilled to get this feast! In December 2009 we increased this program to feeding them twice a week.


Other Orphans


Almost every family has taken in 2 to 7 orphans in addition to their own children. Many of them can’t afford to eat themselves, much less feed, clothe and educate these orphans. Even before starting the feeding program in Mwanza, True Awakening was sending assistance to many villages to help with the burden of the orphans. This is a continuous program.

Water Wells


True Awakening has partnered with Living Waters International to help bring fresh water to some areas of Africa. The wells are hand-dug by the African community.


Medical Assistance


On one of our first visits to this part of the world, we were shown an abandoned World Vision medical clinic, near Solwa, Tanzania. We helped the locals in getting this building cleaned out (it was full of bats and had a horrible stench), painted, and furnished. They found a nurse willing to come help out. The clinic now has a nurse and two nurse mid-wives full time and a Doctor who comes approximately two times a month. In August 2009, we helped build a maternity wing onto the clinic and we are currently assisting in building a missionary house across from the clinic. This will give visiting medical personnel a place to stay when helping at the clinic. Every visit we take medical supplies to the clinic. Additionally we sometimes encounter children with untended severe medical needs and we assist, as we can, in sending funds to help with diagnosis and treatment.








Education


Bob with others has taken courses to Africans on various programs, including two faith deepening weekend retreats (one for adults and the other for youth), healing classes, and a children’s empowerment programs. Each time we go to check on the various programs, we take new classes to help them.






Other Needs


We also are helping support an informal college for advanced education.