Friday, November 25, 2016

Getting Closer...and Some Photos

Well, it's hard to say it better than this:

November 25
                                                     
That comes from 99 donors--some of whose identity we will never know.  But all who have donated, shared our posts, or just wished us well have done their part to make something really good happen.

We're not where we need to be yet and your *tax-deductible donations are still needed at


We are setting up a bank account next week and will have the available funds wired as quickly as possible.  It's possible that the first critical step--making thousands of bricks--could begin by mid-December.

Shiera, Dean, and I visited Madlen and Kimbondo Orphanage today.  We had a chance to meet the contractor see some of the other work he's done there.

Below are a few photographs of the grounds and some of the residents.  We'll be able to provide photos of the construction once it begins.

Today, the Foyer House looks like this:





Sometime around April or May, it should look like this:



So, 75-80 kids will be sharing four rooms and not two.  Still crowded, but it will make a huge difference.  Here are the concrete bed frames that were recently installed in another housing unit. These babies are nigh-indestructible and should be functional for decades:



Finally, a few photographs of the residents of Kimbondo who will benefit from your generosity.  They've all been dealt a harsh hand in many ways.  But through the super-human efforts of Madlen and the staff at Kimbondo, they have more than they would and each one of these children is loved.

        

                    


Monday, November 14, 2016

Huge Announcement: A Matching Funds Donor!

Wow.  The really good news of the past two weeks (1,400 blog hits and over $7,000 raised) has just got much better; by a factor of two, I might add.

A donor who wishes to remain anonymous has offered to match funds contributed up to $10,000 for all contributions pledged before Thanksgiving.  S/he has just emailed to say that s/he has just cut a check to Lantern Projects for $5,000 and will send another check to reflect the total pledged by the end of the day of Thursday, November 24th.  

Counting for this amount, we have now approached the half-way point, just $121 short of the midpoint of the $25,000 we need.

Plans are already being made to get the funds to Kinshasa--no mean feat, but we think we have found secure (and legal!) ways to get it done.  Our hope is that we will be able to buy the supplies and commission the break-making by early December and to begin construction in earnest in early January.  If all goes as planned, the kids at Kimbondo will have their new living space in another 10-12 weeks.

Thanks so much for those who have already shown such trust in us--your money was just magically doubled!  Please continue to spread the word.  Remember to let people know that $10 means $20, $40 means $80, $100 means $200, and $500 means a thousand from now until Thanksgiving.


November 22