• Krisha was happy that she learnt the alphabet. She is in pre-school!
• Yankho requests more books so they can read more stories.
• Several older children appreciated the guidance they receive (even when they do something wrong).
• Joana likes the porridge served, but Peter is not a fan!
• Ruth is happy she learned shapes and the calendar.
• Bridget feels they should have eggs (apparently her whole class cheered at this idea).
• Andrew appreciates the treatment he receives when he is sick.

There was overwhelming agreement that the educational support is working, and the children asked to be challenged even more in their work. In other words, they want to keep learning! We also continue to see improved scores in their school work, relative to their peers. But it is clear that the children need learning tools and books.

With the help of some supporters we will work towards creating a library in cooperation with African Library Project. Another supporter has graciously donated a Kindle which I will take to Malawi later this month. We will test it out for two months and if this digital experiment works well then we will expand the program.

Phoebe emphasized that behavior continues to improve mainly because the children are not idle and they feel more accountable. There is a true sense of community and love. It truly makes a difference when the children see they are cared for.

Will you join us in blessing these children? We welcome your tax-deductible support. The children of MCM continue to benefit greatly from daily nutritious meals, afterschool education, medical services and emotional support provided through our dedicated staff. It is because of you that the lives of young children have been changed immeasurably.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Thank you for your faithful support and encouragement. The children of MCM continue to benefit greatly from daily nutritious meals, afterschool education, medical services and emotional support provided through our dedicated staff. It is because of you that the lives of young children have been changed immeasurably.

In 2012 we hope to welcome more orphaned children into MCM. Plans are also underway to create a school to help ease the tremendous over-crowding in local schools. In this way our hope is to touch the lives of more children and their communities.

Will you join us in blessing these children? Before the New Year begins we welcome your tax-deductible support.

Gratefully,

Sean & Kiran Robinson
MCM

We have great news coming from the MCM centre. Six students have been selected to secondary school and five of them are girls! Here is the list of students moving on and the school they will be attending:

• Stella Fombe & Mercy Gwedeza to Lunzu Secondary School
• Mercy Gwedeza & Zione Frank to Namikase Secondary School
• Anny Ganizani & Chifuniro Kera to Chivumbe Secondary School.

We are also pleased to confirm that six additional MCM children passed their secondary school exams, but have not yet been selected to secondary school. They are Chimwemwe Time, Ali Balakasi, Stan Chinsewu, Sofina Tepeka, Fyson Jiya and Robert Kambalame. Ken Mpemba expects some of these to repeat standard eight exams and some to find places in “day secondary schools”.
Two other students, Gift Khani & Felister Kaliza will repeat standard eight exams.

This is such a great accomplishment for the children of MCM! The children have worked hard to reach this level of education. This accomploshment exemplifies why the educational support MCM provides is so critical to the future prospects of the children we serve.

The leadership team, teachers and staff at MCM are unwavering in their work with the children. Their efforts are making a difference thanks to your generous support.

Please remember to give as you are able. The cost of maintaining a full staff of qualified teachers and support staff continues to rise. And our hope is to bring more children into MCM. Without your donations this is not possible.

Thank you for making a real, tangible difference in the lives of Malawi’s orphans.

I am proud of these little ones but also of the dutiful staff at MCM. Our new Pre-school teacher, Susan, as well as Thamison spend meaningful time with the young children. It is this dedication that is making a real difference in lives of those who don’t have all of the priviledges that we might. Most importantly they are getting a head-start in their education, which will prepare them for a better way of life.

If you would like to see a brief video of the pre-school children, click here. Thank you for your support!

There are many milestones that I have witnessed during my visits to Malawi. Here are a few:

> The showers enable our kids to bathe properly. Hygene is a key component of MCM’s core values. The kids love being clean and it shows.

> The children appear healthier and are becoming sick less frequently. In addition, they are able to focus and appear more attentive in the classroom. We attribute this in part to our healthy daily lunch as well as the attention our staff provides them.

> During my visit, I went out into the village to see firsthand the conditions these kids were living in. I met with the guardians and care givers as well as with Chief Mbwana in his home.  This was a sober reminder of some of numerous challenges these families live with. The guardians spoke highly of MCM and what it has meant to the kids as well as the impact the center has had on individual behavior in the home and classroom.

Malawi Children’s Mission is fortunate to have people on the ground that truly care are about our kids. The tireless effort of Ken and Avisha Mpemba (our executive directors) ensuring that the operation runs smoothly as well as Phoebe Kufeyani (social director) and her team working directly with the children and attend to every need is truly a blessing.

There are many unique stories of children that have touched our hearts over the years. As supporters of MCM, you have made these stories possible as these kids continue to learn, love and laugh. I am thankful to these children for reminding me what is important in life. Thank you for your continued support of MCM. Your involvement makes a difference!

We hope you can join us for this special event.

Date: January 21st, 2011, 7:30PM – 8:30PM

Location: TKA Theatre, 562 North Britton Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA

I am grateful for what MCM has done for me.

It’s beyond my expectations.

MCM provides things we need in our life.

I never owned a shoe, but when MCM came they gave me a pair of shoes.

MCM has helped with my education.

We never dreamt we would have a place like this one.

We have clean water, which we never had before.

We never experienced this before.

We have friends from outside the country. We didn’t know in life we could meet friends like them.

I am very grateful to MCM for what it is has done for me.

I am grateful to these children for reminding me that it is gthe simple things in life which often matter most. And a special thanks to all those who support MCM in our efforts to bless the children of Malawi!

The Unimpressable

I recently had the opportunity to interview Karen De Smidt, who has been instrumental in leading groups of high schoolers from The King’s Academy in Sunnyvale, California to MCM over the past two years. She made a comment on how being with the children of MCM is a very unique experience. “There is something very special about being accepted just as you are, not for what you look like or for your skills or for what you have or don’t have.”

In a way the children of MCM are unimpressable. Degrees, titles, wealth, looks and the like don’t matter to them. There is no reference point for these things. Don’t get me wrong – we all hope that these children earn their degrees. That’s why we emphasize academic improvement. We want them to be strong and healthy. And we hope for their financial freedom from the weight of poverty. But Karen made a good point: the children only see what is real in us. Everything else is baggage that can be left aside.

Lose the Baggage

What struck me most about Karen’s coments is that the students who spent time with the children went empty-handed, yet they returned with so much. “Our students have come willing to give and the response to them  has been so loving and infectious, that all they can do is love back.  It’s not hard or a burden – it’s a joy, and truly our students have returned talking about and praying for these precious kids.  Our students know that they are very privileged and it was a joy for them to be able to give back – they wished they had more to give.”

That is the beauty of the unimpressable. They need our help. They need our love and affection. They need to be valued. In return for our support the children of Malawi deliver a certain kind of liberty. They accept us just as we are.