A new "Blessing" ..we are now at $1,250.

We continue to be blessed. We received a couple more donations this week and are currently sitting at $1,250. Only $350 to go.
I received the following note this morning from our Canadian Major Frank in Bamako...

From: MAJ F. PROVOST (EMP BAMAKO: rédacteur étude doctrine)
Sent: February 28, 2008 3:32 AMTo: Grant, Kathy Subject: Little Frank

OK, I will find a few minutes to prepare such a thank-you card……

Not sure if I forgot to tell you…. The orphanage has a new member.
A new born (1 week) who was found in a box downtown.
Here is your “Gift of God” mentioned below.
Fatoumata called me on my cell phone during an evening to seek my permission to keep the baby !!
It starts to be too much on my shoulders. But I could not say NO. There was no other option.
They day after I was visiting the orphanage and see the baby, Fatoumata simply informed me they nick-named him “Petit Frank”. I burst out laughing.

Young girls from villages often become pregnant when they reach Bamako because they are so naïve… with boys and associated fantasies in a big city.
They cannot abort, and when they give birth they cannot go back with the baby to the village, so they just drop the baby.

I should be able to send two pics of the baby in the next two hours.

Frank

Final Stretch we have raised $1,100 so far

Fabulous News!!!!
We have raised $1,100 as of Sunday, February 24th thanks to our "Care Bear" campaign and a recent party in Bamako. Guests were requested to make a contribution to the Orphanage in lieu of bringing flowers or wine.

We now only require $500 to meet our target goal of $1,600 by the end of the month.
It can be done!! All it would take is :
-50 people to contribute $10
-25 people to contribute $20
or 20 people to contribute $25

It has been suggested that since February is the shortest month in the year..that we extend the campaign until this Sunday March 2nd in an effort to go over the top.
We can do it....Yes we can!!!! We want change....We want change!!!

Great message in the Video below...enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI2tceUD3os

From the Heart Cheers Bears are now here!!

The "Cheers Bears" have arrived!!!! These adorable little cuddly toys were lovingly created as a keepsake "gift" to thank our donors for their contributions to assist with purchasing much needed food. Each limited edition bear is custom made and personalized with the donor's name, the name of one of the children as well their age. There are a total of 4 sets of 32 and the first batch is completely gone!!!

This week, my daughter and I visited the office of Dr Montague to deliver some of the "care bears” to his staff who donated as a group. The office manager told me afterwards to say that her two sons approached her after reading about the orphans and indicated that they wanted to each donate their weekly allowance of $5 to be put towards feeding one of the kids. I was deeply touched to see children helping other children, less fortunate than themselves. $5.00 will pay for all the meals of a child for an entire week. Now two kids will not go hungry this month.

We have currently raised $650...just $150 shy of our target. We anticipate a couple payments on the weekend and hope to be back on track by Monday.

WOW...Less than a week and we're at $400

Our goal is to raise $1,600 in February to provide necessary food to our kids at the Orphanage.
We started Friday, February 1st. Our weekly goal is $400... I am delighted to say after a few days we had achieved that goal. We will hit our target....Yes we can!!. I am inspired by the following song. Click on the link to be inspired. It is the embodiment of hope. Yes we will!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fZHou18Cdk

1st Donations towards From the Heart Funds for Food in February received

Four donations were received on Februry 1st as we launched our From the Heart Campaign at the Bell Canada building at 1800 McGill College located on the 14th Flr