Recent progress

More beds have been purchased.  Most children have had to double up--not bad for the smaller children but the bigger ones really need to have their own beds.  More still are needed.

Martin was able to purchase another acre of land.  In the photo on the right children are enjoying fruit from a tree on the new land.  Another acre to grow crops means being closer to the goal of self-sufficiency.

Martin has finished the insides of the classrooms as funds have been available.  There is just one classroom yet to be finished. 

Many people who went on the March trip donated money for about 100 new uniforms as a memorial to Mary Young.  Hellen, the seamstress, really has her work cut out for her! 

Zonal exams

Kisima ranked #5 out of 65 schools in the zonal exams.  When you consider that this is a comparatively new and rapidly growing school/orphanage and that none of the children would have otherwise had an opportunity for an education this is an incredible accomplishment!  It speaks to the dedication of the teachers and of Martin and his wife, Margaret.  There's no government provision for orphans in the rural areas and the 102 orphans at Kisima would have been left to fend for themselves.  The other 118 children are either from extremely poor families or single mothers (30% of the children in rural areas don't go to school).