Hope And Kindness

So, in spite of a three month visit back to Hope and Kindness, I have let the team down badly in failing to keep the world up to date with all the LOVE and the CARE that they continue to pour out on the children and our neighbours. But the most recent ‘above and beyond’ work of their HANDS and FEET could not be ignored as some of our Church leaders and members went out again to show just how much we LOVE our NEIGHBOURS!

WE may have been lost to Facebook … BUT WE ARE STILL HERE! This week, six classes from Grd 3 to Grd 8, have been out and away participating in the ‘inter-school sports games’ … our younger children are STILL IN … continuing with their learning and their games!

SO … after a repeatedly extended absence in 2023 I (Judi) have been extremely happy to find myself back, at last, ... here in Kenya with our Hope and Kindness family. For once I just wanted to ‘BE with’ everyone and not busy collecting photos and video. So, these first few pictures are ones that I have borrowed from our dear friends Ian and Hilda, who visited earlier in the year … They are a great advertisement for the beauty and the peace that can be found here (though the reality of the ‘busy life’ and the ‘noise’ that resides here most of the time will follow shortly in another post!)

GRATEFUL for another new year …
2023 brought challenges and hardship to many and made us appreciate, more than ever, all the BLESSINGS we have received and shared. THANK YOU SO MUCH to ALL OF YOU whose KINDNESS and generosity has made it possible for us to walk into 2024 still filled with HOPE!
May you know God’s gift of PEACE & JOY & LOVE throughout the coming year 🥰

🥰HUGE THANKS again to EVERYONE of you who sponsored Liz’s swim! 🥰
Please receive grateful thanks from Alphonce, Linda and Winnie who were given everything they needed to organise and lead a whole week of CHRISTMAS FUN for over 120 children.

They sang and they danced, and they played, and they ate … AND they heard the GOOD NEWS about how much they are LOVED. 🥳❤️🌟

They and we are also very grateful to the other teachers who came in to support them and to the Leadership team who made sure that everything was purchased in time...

A BRILLIANT TEAM empowered by the KINDNESS of YOUR giving. “EROKAMANO AINYA” THANK YOU SO MUCH! 🥰

PLEASE RECEIVE HUGE THANKS also from the children's families who have been assisted with staple foods to help feed their children through the 'ten week long' Kenyan end of school year holiday!

🥰THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH🥰 to ALL of you who took the opportunity to support and encourage us again. Liz surpassed her goal of £2,500 because your generosity took us to £3,744 PLUS £607 Gift Aid PLUS matching of £750 from Barclays Bank = A TOTAL of £5,101! Much more than we dared hope for in times like the ones we currently all find ourselves in.
Again, Liz’s own words say it so much better than ever we could (sent to us after finding a swimming certificate from many years ago) “I came across this whilst sorting things out in readiness for my move. It really blessed me to think the Lord has had His hand on my life all that time because He knows the end before the beginning! He knew what you needed and where I fit in. To God be the glory great things He has done." AMEN!
And again, THANK YOU to ALL OF YOU who have chosen to be a part of making the great things HE has done, possible!🥰💜

SHE DID IT!!! 70 LENGTHS (A WHOLE MILE) up and down the pool AMAZING and ABOVE and BEYOND (says the person who never learnt to LET GO in the deep end -so has never swum even ONE proper length!)
THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH to EVERYONE who has already CLICKED the LINK https://justgiving.com/page/liz-craven-swim and GIVEN … To those of you who have LIKED or LOVED what we do in HOPE & KINDNESS, and would also like to help us to ‘keep on keeping on,’ there are still 5 more days before the JustGiving page is closed ... it's ALL the little additions, adding together, that make the miracle of Hope and Kindness happen!
For 21 years we have simply wanted to play our part in helping ‘THE LEAST OF THESE’ to overcome the odds and to know that they are LOVED - that there is a place where they are SEEN and HEARD and are SAFE. On paper Hope & Kindness should not be possible – the books don’t balance … the monthly sponsorship always falls short of the needs… but somehow, through the unexpected additions given from the kind and generous hearts of others, there is always enough and everyone eats, staff get paid on time and everyone knows that God is WITH them.
School has just closed for the LONG End of Year School holidays … except for the exam classes who are still preparing for the last stretch. It has been such a privilege and a blessing to journey the 8+ years with them, from their first day at school to this their ‘CANDIDATE CLASS!’ (some of their photos below.) NOW we just need the faith to believe that we can do the same for all those following behind them… AGAIN “THANK YOU and GOD BLESS YOU” for keeping us going on this far!🥰💕

TO ALL THE FRIENDS OF HOPE & KINDNESS … “Could You, Would You, PLEASE HELP ME TO HELP THEM, again?” We know these are tough times for everyone but in 21 years, the need for the Hope & Kindness School has never been greater. I am now 74yrs but still determined to show the children that we still care by attempting to swim my mile and asking you to pray and click the link https://justgiving.com/page/liz-craven-swim and sponsor! As a Barclay’s Bank Plc pensioner, the bank will hopefully MATCH the first £750 donated … (the 'MATCH ALL' during the time of Covid has sadly ended, but let’s do our best to bless them with our generosity as always.) On their behalf and mine “THANK YOU SO MUCH.”
As many of you know, a cancer diagnosis at the beginning of the year meant Judi had to return to the UK for treatment and Terry soon followed to look after her. The good news is that she is now well, and Terry has just returned to Kosele to find everything running as good if not better than before … we hope the pictures he has captured in his first few weeks will encourage you as much as his being there has encouraged him and Judi. 🥰🥰

Another very OVERDUE update! Sooooo, after a 2022 that saw great blessings, together with moments of real heartbreak and disappointment, 2023 has brought its own new challenges together with new ENCOURAGEMENTS and HOPE. Health issues made my trip back to Kenya my shortest ever but thankfully was long enough to see with my own eyes that ‘What IS There,’ in the heart of Hope and Kindness, IS GOOD! To all of you who continue to support us in any way, can I (Judi) just take today to say a heartfelt “THANK YOU” and “GOD BLESS YOU SO MUCH!” xXx
P.S. The green shirt uniforms in the last picture are the evidence of our success in registering and opening a new Junior Secondary School (part of the governments restructuring of the Kenyan education system!)

So, VERY GRATEFUL for our fantastic friend, “LIZ” and totally blown away and humbled by the unbelievably kind and generous support received from so, so many friends, old and new. Never for a moment did we imagine such an incredible response . . . £10,000... by the end of the month to be DOUBLED by the bank!
Attached are some of the faces of some of our younger children and some of the most recent additions to the school … Yesterday a teacher said “Have you noticed how slow the children are in leaving school and heading home … it’s like they know there will be nothing when they get there and that parents will most likely be away searching, but failing, to find ‘something’ to bring!”
We will work hard to be wise with this gift, to ensure that whatever the next 12 months brings, in price hikes ‘here’ or possible loss of sponsors ‘there’ (forced to take tough decisions because of price hikes everywhere)… that these children and others like them, WILL continue to eat and to know that someone cares!
On behalf of ALL the team and ALL the children “ERAKAMONO AINYA, AINYA” THANK YOU SO,SOOO MUCH! and “NYASAYE OGWEDHU” may GOD BLESS EVERYONE OF YOU … including the people at BARCLAYS! 🥰

At the risk of sounding greedy (but out of concern for how long this hit on our economies will last) ... there is still time (until the 26th) for anyone else who would like to see the Bank double their £5 and help us buy another 40 plates worth of school lunches! https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/liz-craven1

Current circumstances make it unlikely, BUT … if anyone out there feels their monthly budget could still stretch to a commitment to feed and educate just ‘one’ of these children in a school that appears to be needed more than ever … then please get in touch and email us at [email protected]

No one likes to ask but “PLEASE … we really need your help.” For just 15 more days Barclays have promised to MATCH FUND, ‘without limit,’ the fund raising efforts of their current and former employees. So, our dear friend Liz Craven has brought forward her annual swim and is literally going to swim that ‘extra mile’ again, tomorrow, Tuesday 14th June! This time every penny raised will help to ensure that our children continue to eat! https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/liz-craven1
For twenty years we’ve worked to build a place where children can grow and flourish, learning in good classrooms, with good teachers, wearing a good uniform and, most importantly, enjoying a good nutritious breakfast and lunch! But all over the world ‘lunch’ just got so much more expensive … So WHAT treats do WE cut? The coffee shop? The ice-creams? The trips to the cinema? Holidays abroad? Holidays anywhere? Of course we can’t cut back on things that have never been here … but cutting out meals or cutting the size of portions for children who still need to grow is not an option we want to take … In twenty years we’ve never taken a loan and we’ve never been in debt. We’ve never been late with salaries or with paying our bills … This news from Liz feels like an answer to prayer. PLEASE, whatever you can spare, give before the 27th June and watch Barclays ‘DOUBLE IT’ and know that you’ve really made a difference! THANK YOU x

A holiday week to share with friends . . .

We love the EASTER holiday ... the best time of the year to share the REALLY
GOOD NEWS about our friend JESUS!

ENCOURAGEMENT 2 ... inside the classrooms 🥰🙌

Sooo, after a long eighteen months absence, Mr Terry has now been back in Kosele for two whole weeks enjoying some of his favourite activities … FISHING, PLAYING HIS GUITAR in the band, TEACHING and HANGING OUT with our youngest family members!

SHE DID IT!🏃‍♀️🏅 😁… "FANTASTIC & WELL DONE JULES!" "WHOOP WHOOP!!!!!"🥳
Though not a great fan of running, she literally stepped out of her comfort zone and just completed her first half Marathon … FOR US!!!! Juliet has never been afraid to share her heart for the children and young people at Hope & Kindness - having received a letter from one of them, way back in 2006, she sent a reply and then, just a year later, persuaded her whole family to make their first trip out to Kosele. From that one letter and Juliet’s big heart, she and her family have blessed us with so many more, kind and generous friends … some who have visited and created some very special memories for the children and many more who have very generously supported and made all the work of ‘Hope & Kindness’ possible!
“HUGE THANKS to everyone who helped Juliet reach the FANTASTIC total of £858!”
Unfortunately our old website is now very out of date and the process of building a new one is still ‘a work in progress!’ But please look at our Hope & Kindness page to see lots of evidence of the incredible JOY that your gifts bring and the difference you are helping us to make in the lives of children who really need to know that ‘somebody’ cares! On their behalf, “EROKAMANO AINYA, AINYA ” THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH xXx
And … just in case you missed your chance to appreciate Juliet’s efforts and the opportunity to help us all spread a little more JOY … there is still time to click and give -
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/hopekindness
“NYASYE OGWEDHU” God Bless You x

TO ALL THE FRIENDS OF HOPE & KINDNESS
Could You, Would You … Please Help me to Help them again?
I am very fortunate to be a Barclays Bank Plc pensioner and therefore able to take advantage of their matched fundraising scheme. Last year the bank put aside some extra money to help with the impact of Covid-19 and have again agreed to match ALL of the money raised by us! So I agree to swim, hopefully a mile, and you sponsor me. It’s as simple as that!
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/em-craven1
Last year's swim raised a staggering £4837 which was then doubled by the Bank! CAN WE DO IT AGAIN?
I’m willing to swim and I pray you will all get behind me and make it another amazing encouragement to Terry and Judi and the whole team who continue to serve some of the most vulnerable children in this community. Hope and Kindness will receive your donation immediately and when the page closes on the 8th October I can apply for the matched funds.
THANK YOU and may God bless our giving.
Liz Craven

P.S. Evidence of where the money is spent can be seen on the many posts on the Hope and kindness page

😃FANTASTIC RESULTS! 🤩So proud of all these girls and boys who overcame soooo many challenges, and very thankful for them and for their dedicated teachers -🥰 THEIR TEAM EFFORT has placed our school in position 4 out of 28 schools in our zone (that's up 4 places from our last best of '8 out of 28' ... this time only three, fee paying private schools were ahead of them.) WELL DONE EVERYONE - just wish we could get there to celebrate with you!

So BLESS these young people … our 2020/2021 KCPE CANDIDATES better known as “THE SHINING STARS!” After Covid sent them out of school for more than 6 months, they and their teachers have been giving it everything they’ve got to be ready for these important exams that they have now “REACHED” and “COMPLETED!” (efforts to prevent cheating in National exams are now taken very seriously … hence photos only of 'before' and 'after' papers are given and collected!)

OUR SUPER GRADE 4 class the ‘trail blazing’ class for the new Kenyan Competency Based Curriculum, completing the first set of Official Formative Assessment tasks (their own version of SATS !!!) No more ‘select the correct answer from choices A,B,C & D’ … instead work out/identify and write your answer using your own words in English (bear in mind that English remains the third language of almost all Kenyans, is rarely used or heard in the homes of families living in the rurals, and yet, English is the language required for learning in the classroom and for passing exams… would be like you and me going to school every day to do ALL our lessons in German!) Four days later and final paper finished … it’s time to celebrate with soda and crisps for their COURAGE and for NOT GIVING UP!🥳🤩🥰

MESHACK, SHADRACK & ABEDNEGO ... 😃😄😁 Almost!! In real life ... our Mr Nick, Mr Meshack and Mr Samwel (the Upper School Maths Team)