Loving Our Neighbors At The Jamaa Letu Orphanages
Friends,
The pandemic has caused so many of us to become focused on our communities and neighborhoods as we watch case numbers, vaccination rates, and local protocols for gathering. In so many ways, to notice the people who live near us and to recognize our interconnectedness is what it means to be a follower of Jesus. He does, after all, tell us that the two greatest commandments are the love of God and the love of neighbor.
But we also recognize that the word neighbor extends far beyond those people who live next door or down the street. We have all heard the news about the global pandemic and how infection rates in one country impact countries halfway around the world. We also know that God’s love knows no borders and our love is meant to be the same.
It might be easy to allow our love for the children half a world away in the Democratic Republic of Congo to fade during these trying times. But our faith compels us to recognize that our care and support of these children is a tangible way we can love our neighbor, even if they are a neighbor we might never meet in person.
Along with the love of neighbor, Scripture calls us to support orphans, often some of the most vulnerable people on earth. We can do this through our prayers, lifting up the children of Jamaa Letu in our daily time of prayer. We can also do this through financial support, which helps provide safe housing, food, and education for these children. Please, consider continuing your support of the Jamaa Letu orphanages, making an extra gift, or sponsoring a child.
Grace and peace,
The Hope for the Children of Africa
Task Force
The Jamaa Letu Orphanage newsletter is compiled from the Third and Fourth Quarter Reports for 2021 from the Directors of the BART & CEJAL Jamaa Letu Orphanages.
Girls Orphanage —CEJAL
(Centre for Jamaa Letu)
The main activities are still the same concerning the program HFCA: Food, shelter, education, health care, religion, social reintegration, and family reunification etc.,
for the Children of Africa!
Events and Other Activities
We had different set of activities during the third and fourth quarter of 2021:
- We attended the 66th session of the Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church Southern Congo Area on July 21st, 2021.
- We were invited to the inauguration of the Memorial Temple Kakudi Malunga Jean-Claude at UMC Gilgal Parrish in our District of Samaria.
- We were visited by Mr. Aboubacar the auditor from GBGM. He thanked us and congratulated us on the working progresses, especially about the regulation on the taxes and social security related fees despite our financial difficulties.
- We have received the resignation of our Secretary Mr. Muteteke Cedrick on September 1st. He has left CEJAL and he is awaiting for his final settlement.
- We thank him for his dedication and the time he spent at CEJAL.
- Our Bishop Kasap has recommended Mrs. Mujinga Obarianne to replace him has Secretary for CEJAL orphanage.
We were visited by several friends and partners:
The children have been honored this quarter by many visitor of good faith especially during Christmas and the New Year’s celebrations. Among them we can mention:
AGAPAO Foundation president
(daughter of former & deceased Bishop Wakadilo.)
- Wesley Memorial Church UMN / USA (Mrs. Fresie Chikomb’s Church).
- National Deputy Rene Otshudi.
We are always looking for people of good faith to assist our orphan children in any way they can. Such people came to our aid this quarter.
We Gave Some Assistance to the BART Orphanage
We helped with 40 bags of corn flour, cooking oil, salt, charcoal and other food to reach out to the orphan boys in these difficult times.
Family Reintegration
Clarisse M was reunited with her biological relatives who were looking for her for a while.
Ruth K N was reunited with her relatives after they found her at the orphanage and decided to take her back home.
Water Project
The sanitary facilities have been fully repaired and can now be used properly by the children at CEJAL orphanage.
We have celebrated a few birthdays at CEJAL
Dorcas (7 years-old) 
Jemima (10 years-old) 
Lolotte (11 years-old) 
Stephanie (10 years-old)
Medical Care
Victoire M has her anemic problems as usual and has been hospitalized several times during this last quarter. Her situation is still not improving.
Emany K has a skin problem and saw a dermatologist. She is under treatment
Director Rosine Kayombo went through surgery at Louis Pasteur Hospital in Pretoria / South Africa. She has recovered since.
School Report
CEJAL Kindergarten School
Our kindergarten opened school year 2021 – 2022 on October 4th, 2021. We started with things are going smoothly and 112 pupils at CEJAL Kindergarten:
- There are many potential pupils this school year 2021 – 2022, due to the lack of proper education last year due to the pandemic but also because many parents like the setup by CEJAL.
- Our classrooms are very small and cannot contain all the potential pupils trying to enroll. This situation could be resolved by building two additional classrooms for our Kindergarten school.
- We will continue to enroll as many pupils as we can in order to minimize the losses usually occasioned by student withdrawals.
- At the present moment we have set the enrolment fee at $15 and the tuition fees per month are $14.
- In the fourth quarter we enrolled 60 more pupils . We turned away 40 more due to the size of our classroom. We had to hire an additional teacher for the 2nd grade.
- The Kindergarten school participates to the Orphanage purse (and urgent needs like medicines for kids and transportation fees).
- The school also pays the episcopal fees for Methodist schools.
Elementary School
| Name | Grade | Age |
| Clarisse M K | 5th | 11 |
| Dimercia M Y | 7th | 14 |
| Dorcas S | 3rd | 7 |
| Eliane L | 2nd | 11 |
| Emmanuelle (Emany) K | 6th | 10 |
| Francine T | 7th | 13 |
| Jaelle K | 2nd | 8 |
| Jemima S | 4th | 10 |
| Lolotte K | 6th | 11 |
| Olive L | 7th | 12 |
| Patricia M | 7th | 13 |
| Ruth N K | 7th | 14 |
| Stephanie S | 5th | 10 |
Secondary & High School
| Name | Grade | Age |
| Prisca K | 4th Science | 15 |
| Suzane K M | 5th Science | 17 |
| Jemima K L | 2nd | 15 |
| Deborah K | 3rd | 16 |
| Micheline K I | 6th Social Technique | 17 |
| Astrid (Assy) M E | 6th Social Technique | 18 |
| Chatty M T | 3rd | 14 |
| Abigael S | 3rd | 15 |
| Naomie S N | 4th Science | 15 |
| Kulofwa Z | 2nd | 14 |
Professional School
| Name | Grade | Age |
| Ruth K | 4th/Couture | 19 |
| Marie-Choudelle I | 6th/Couture | 23 |
Celebrating Our Top Students
Three of our girls are trying their best to perform at school. To encourage them, we have decided to take them to the Hellenic Center for some quality time. This was an initiative coming from one of the children’s partners, Mr. Samuel Okani .
These are our three top scholars:
Lolotte (60%) 
Clarisse (70%) 
Naomie (60%)
We still encourage all of our girls to double their efforts at school for their own good but, also to encourage our partners who are making many sacrifices on their behalf.
Our Thanks and Gratitude
- Our partners for PNWAC (Eric Sparkman and the Task Force members);
- Mrs. Cecilia McGurk and Mr. Tim Graham; GBGM team (Elisabeth Tasciotti, Soila Vincent & Frido N. Kinkolenge) for the $16,000 to the benefit of Jamaa Letu.
- Our US partners (US Churches, PNWAC: Barbara, Eric Sparkman, and the all the Task Force members);
- Missionary Jean-Paul Dietrich.
Despite the difficulties in these troubled times you are still remembering your children at Jamaa Letu; God bless you and May He open other door for you and for the good continuation of Jamaa Letu.
Thanks for your support, guidance and love!
God Bless You all!
Boys Orphanage—BART
Education
We had nineteen children with one new boy added this year.
Primary School
| Name | Grade |
| Bernard L I | 2nd |
| Marcelo I M B | 1st |
| Joseph K N | 5th |
| Joseph M S | 4th |
| Leon N M | 6th |
| Lievin I | 3rd |
| Raphael K | 4th |
| Simon T R | 5th |
Secondary School
| Name | Grade |
| Ely M S | 7th |
| Gracia M | 3rd |
| Jenovic M | 3rd |
| Kelly K | 7th |
| Leon M T | 6th |
| Nathan M N | 6th |
| Patrick N S | 6th |
| Sandji M M | 2nd |
| Willy K | 5th |
| Yannick K M | 6th |
Meet Our Graduates
Four children wrote their state exams and only three passed and one failed their exam. The graduates are listed below.
Medical Care
We still give thanks to God during this period despite the pandemic all the children are doing well and they have respected the barrier gestures.
Boys Activities
The main activity of children remains the same, there is not a big change. Whenever they are not busy they do the following:
- Play games, football and basketball.
- They take care of their rooms and the grounds.
The photos below are of the children in their classroom and the school compound.
They also took pleasure in cleaning the compound, their rooms and also participating to different activities.
A Visit to the Girl’s Orphanage
On December 18th, 2021, we have been invited to CEJAL Orphanage by Geulord Nutete.
Visiting on Christmas and New Year
On December 25th, 2021, we were invited by Mr. Ushidi for visiting with him on Christmas and New Year.
Some Visitors to Our Orphanage
On December 22nd 2021 we have received the family of the visionary of the Mardoche Church and have brought meals, cooking oil, drinks, etc.
On December 30th 2021, Jerusalem District Superintend has visited the orphanage and brought some food.
Meet Our New Boy
This is the new little boy we have received by the name of Marcello I M B, and he is six years old.
We also want to inform you that Gracia M is no longer part of the orphanage; he has left to live on his own.
We Need a Generator!
We need a generator to allow us to have reliable electricity. We are not able to keep fresh food in our refrigerator because of the power shortage. Also, our boys have difficulties reading and studying after sunset.
Offices Activities and Work Done
Nothing has really changed; here are some activities and works done:
- Take care of the boys at all level
- Share the word of God.
- Teach them civism; how to live and be useful to the society where they live.
We have participated to the executive committee held on Saturday 11th, December 2021. The theme was: Let’s walk according to the doctrine of Jesus Christ and not according the human thought.
John 7 :16-18, John 8 :32
Thanks
We thank you our partners and friends for the prayers and financial support. May our Lord bless you all and your families?
Blessings
Paul Kafweta Naweji, Director
Thank you for your support!
Support the Orphans Through These
Donation Options
Donate Online
You can help support our orphans and students by going to our websites www.JamaaLetu.org & www.JamaaLetuEducation.org and clicking on the Donate links.
Donate Through Your Local UMC
Local UMC Instructions: Mark donation to Jamaa Letu Orphanages & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support. Talk with your coordinator.
Donate Directly Through the
Pacific NW Conference Office
Send Donations to Jamaa Letu Orphanages Pacific Northwest Conference Office P.O. Box 13650 Des Moines, WA 98193-1009. Mail donation or direct your bank to send the funds & note if it’s for a Child & Youth Sponsorship, Education Scholarship, or general Jamaa Letu support.