The Gift of Education

As the end of the year approaches and the Christmas spirit fills our thoughts, I would like to shamelessly implore that you consider supporting one of our students. Or contributing to the overall scholarship fund. The US dollar to Angolan Kwanza is really in our favor right now. So what was almost $4,000, two years ago, to pay one year of school for these guys, this year our highest tuition this (including materials) is only $3,000 and the lowest tuition is $2,000. For a year of college education, that is a pretty good deal.
Overall here is my budget:
I will list each students name according to their position in the picture, starting on the left.
Pinto Jose Domingos (second year in nursing)............................................... $3,000.00
Filipe Jose Goncalves (second year to be an hospital Lab. Tech) ....................$2,750.00
Marcia Elizalete M. Cadivonga (second year in Computer Engineering) .........$2,750.00
Joao Paulo Quiteke (third year in nursing).......................................................$3,000.00
Maria Antonia Jose (third year in Psychology) ...............................................$2,000.00
Pascoal de Jesus Cadivonga (third year studying in the Oil Industry) ............$5,200.00 *studying in Brazil

Internet for the year (on the Angolan side) ......................................................$1,000.00
Part-time salary for our secretary, Hercilio ......................................................$1,200.00

Total needed for 2017......................................................................................$20,900.00

To read a short bio on each of our student you can go to our website at:

www.sorichlyblessed.org

Please contact Lori at loribclements@gmail.com if you would like to donate or if you have any questions.

Thank you!

Blind Association Christmas Party

                                           

This video captured many of my memories of working with this association of wonderful people in Angola. I just dropped John off at the airport, he will  be in Angola for only 10 days. When I asked our hospital administrator what I can send him from America, he didn't ask for an i phone or laptop like most others do, and I thought he would. He said that with the economy down, everyone is suffering. Salaries are not going out on time for anyone! So those without suffer even more. He was discouraged that this years Blind Association Christmas party might have to be canceled. He asked for donations toward this event that brings joy and gives Christians the oportunity to give to the "least of these".

Each year, we like to fill a bag with flour, sugar, oil, margarine, noodles, canned hotdogs, etc. All the things that would help our blind association members be able to contribute to the family holiday festivities. It is always a beautiful event with many coming together to sing and receive the bag of goods.
If you are interested in contributing to this event, please go to our Website at
www.sorichlyblessed.org.
 You can send me a message from the site before donating specifying that your donation is for the blind association and not for the students.
It is my passion and pleasure to be the one advocating for the people of Angola. In times when our country is flourishing and another is hurting, let us do some thing about it!!!

Pictured below are the Christmas events from the past, when I lived there. First we have a couple of us filling the bags with goods.

This is Geisa and me getting the bags ready the give out

I'm not sure why, but it turned out to just be us distributing all the food into the bags.

This young man read the Christmas Story with Brail

Another House!!!!

This post make me so happy. I met Elvira Rode in our first month of living in Angola. She is the treasurer of the Blind Association, and completely and irreversibly blind.  She sings the loudest when we sing together at our meetings and she always works hard. Everyday in front of her house you can stop and buy bananas, bread, or toasted peanuts, that Rode toasts herself in a pan over a flame. Her husband died years ago leaving her with four children, now adults. Her daughters are both married, but come and help her sell when they can. Her two sons unfortunately are not helpful. 

The Boa Vista (eye hospital) administrator, David, has a big heart. When I told him I want to help the Blind Association, he told me that Rode needs a new roof. Pictured below is Rode's house made from adobe.  She had a small pile of cinder block in the back of her house, every time she had enough money she would buy another block. Dreaming of one day rebuilding her house with bricks!

When I went back to Angola to visit in 2015, I noticed that the last big rain left a whole in her house, and if you see behind me in the picture below, the small portion of the house has replaced the hole with blocks that Rode bought herself! I love helping people that help themselves. We got permission from Rode to tear down the house and rebuild a sturdy trustworthy house.

This week I received pictures of the finished house!!!! Rode now can be confident that she is safe when the rains come. She doesn't have to save blocks anymore. 

Front of house

                                                                      Back of house

The money that we raise at SoRichlyBlessed.org is mainly for the college scholarship but every once in a while we get to support our Blind Association and the widows of the world. Not to mention the young Angolan men employed to build this house.
Thank you all for reading and to all of you who have given to our ministry. We might not be changing the world, but we are loving people.
If you want to give or know more about our Scholarship Fund and our 6 students please visit my Website at
www.sorichlyblessed.org

With Love, From Lori