Spirit in Action Updates

It is so exciting to see the work that Camily Wedende is doing in Eldoret, Kenya! Last spring Camily received a Spirit in Action grant to train people in refugee camps to use and build solar cookers and now he reports that about 50 people have been trained how make cookers and pasteurize water using WAPIs (water pasteurization indicators). Also, 10 families from the refugee camp have received training.

Post-eleciton violence in Kenya last year left many people without homes, forcing them into crowded refugee camps. However, the large concentration of people in refugee camps can put a great strain on women gathering wood for cooking. Solar cookers can significantly decrease the need for firewood collecting! Now many people are enjoying the ease of harnessing the power of the sun to cook their food and pasteurize their water.

Here are some great photos showing the Solar Cooker trainings in Kenya.
(Click on the photo to see a larger version.)
Enjoy!

Children enjoy good food from solar cooker

WAPI training

Solar Cookers training center

Solar Cookers training session

Photos from the latest round of Spirit in Action Small Business Fund groups are beginning to roll in! This month I have been receiving the Business Plans for small businesses started in May.

Here are just a few of the business groups in training and at work:
(Click on the photo to see a larger version.)

Woman in Rwanda selling Minnows

Women in Democratic Republic of Congo making mats

Small Business Fund training in Uganda

Community Garden in Kenya

Thank you to all those of you who participated in the Celebration of Del’s life, whether or not you were able to attend the event in Oakland. It was a beautiful tribute to Del shared by many who were blessed by Del throughout his long, amazing life. During the service Roslind Renshaw read a list of scriptures that Del frequently quoted. They capture the excitment and inspiration that Del lived:

-Christ in you, the hope of glory.

-I of myself can do nothing. It is the Father within me that doeth the works.

-He that is within me is greater than he that is in the world.

-The Kingdom of God is within you.

-Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth.

-I and the Father are One.

-God made man in Her image and likeness.

-Jesus said, “The things that I do, you can also do.”

-Judge not, lest you be judged.

-Be still and KNOW that I am God.

-Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the Sons and Daughters of God.

Blessings!
Tanya Cothran
Spirit in Action Administrator

Dear Spirit in Action friends,

Here is the link for the obituary for our beloved friend and founder, Del Anderson. The obit was printed in the Oakland Tribune and Alameda Times-Star on September 4th, 2008.

http://www.legacy.com/insidebayarea/DeathNotices.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=116917820

I would love to hear any more memories and stories that each of you have of Del! There is still much I don’t know about Del’s history, although I didn’t have to know much to feel the strength of his spirit and the deep love that flowed through him to everyone he knew.

Blessings,
Tanya Cothran

In February Brasswell and Felista Nkhonjera received a SIA grant to build a Training Center to teach people in their community about bio-intensive gardening. Their goal for this project is:

“To improve the living condition for the orphans and needy widows through enhancing capacity for bio-intensive gardening to improve food security and mitigation disaster effects for their families.”

They are working together with members of their community to build the Training Center and begin growing vegetables using the sustainable, ecological techniques of bio-intensive gardening, such as double-digging the garden beds and composting. They report “We have started this project by faith.”

Here are pictures of the bricks for the Training Center building and Felista watering the garden.
Click on the picture thumbnails to seethe picture full size.

Here is a letter from Marsha Johnson, a long time friend and co-worker of Del regarding his passing. If you have other memories or appreciations of Del you can send them to spiritinaction@sbcglobal.net

Many of Del’s inspirational writings are available free on the Spirit in Action website: www.godsspiritinaction.org

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My dear SIA friends,

I’ve been able to reach most of you today by phone to let you know that Del “graduated” (as he would have said) into his new life this afternoon. He had been at the same skilled nursing facility where Lucile is for the past two weeks, which gave them precious time together. He has truly been ready for a long time, so I am celebrating his transition, and at the same time feeling the sadness of knowing he’s no longer here as I’ve known him to be. Now, in Spirit, powerfully, I’m sure…. I am together with you in Spirit as we all honor in special ways the profound presence Del has been in our lives.

The SIA board is planning a celebration of Del’s life for all those who would like to gather:

Celebration of Del Anderson’s life
Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008
3:00 PM
Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church
3534 Lakeshore Ave. (at Mandana)
Oakland

Always with love and appreciation for you,
Marsha

“This year alone, the United States Army will add about 7,000 soldiers to its total; that’s more people than in the entire American foreign service,” writes Nicholas Kristof, a New York Times columnist.

This is a very encouraging article loudly calling attention to the need for more diplomats and funds to support important and necessary diplomacy on behalf of the US. The columnist points out that the United States has more musicians in its military bands than it has diplomats!

You can read the New York Times article by clicking here.

In addition, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, a Quaker lobby group, has a very helpful webpage about how anyone can “urge Congress to make diplomacy a priority and to implement lasting structures for peace.”

The first step toward peace on earth is loving, praying for, and talking with your neighbors and enemies.

Last November the Spirit in Action Board of Directors approved a grant for Samuel Teimuge (Kenya) to purchase an Animal Feed Machine, which grinds up grasses for animal feed. This is part of the “zero-grazing” technique of animal husbandry which confines the animal in a shaded pen, reducing the risk of disease for the animal and the amount of erosion caused by the animal eating hillside grasses. “Zero-grazing” also increases the amount of milk produced by the cow or goat.

The Teimuges were able to purchase the machine right before the harvesting season and share the machine with neighbors also interested in using remaining hay to feed their animals. Here is an update from Samuel:

“We made 700 bags of animal feed and we managed to get $1,000 despite the violence in our country. We assisted over ten families to sustain their cows. I assisted Dennis Kiprop to purchase a water pump machine for irrigation at their farm. The rest of the money will go for machine adjustment to go faster and to start as early as September this
year. Thank you so much”

Spirit in Action is excited to support this technology, which provides the community with more milk and training in healthy, ecological animal husbandry techniques.

Click on picture to see larger version:
Obediah Teimuge manages the Animal Feed Machine

Thank you Boyd Jr and Boyd III for your wonderful help with the newsletters!

Hello friends,

Here is an update from the Women’s Garden and Pigsty Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo from SIA Coordinator Jacob Lipandasi. This project received a grant from SIA last May:

At the end of the Pigsty Project in summary:
1. We know that 13 piglets were shared to continue the women pigsty project and owners are sharing with others 2. Two pigs were sold for $100 which paid scholar fees to 5 orphans for 4 months.
3. Others 35 orphaned children are supported at school they are receiving mushi twice a week from the women’s garden;
4. Compost: 240 kgs of compost and manure were produced and distributed to the owner small garden (kitchen garden). The compost and manure still be produced and will be used by the owners.

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Jeanne (pictured below) harvests from her garden.

(Click on picture to see larger version.)

Jacob Lipandasi with the other 2 SIA Small Business Fund Coordinators from DRC and Rwanda. Left to Right: Jacob, Benoit Malenge, Hamuli Francios (Click on picture to see larger version.)