Child Rescue Centre

In response to my Christmas appeal in which I outlined the urgent need for a children's home in our base at Curran Clinic.

I give thanks to God, "The father of mercies" and I extend my appreciation and sincere thanks to our subscribers who once again have demonstrated their interest and commitment to our Child Rescue - Evangelism programme.

Although building will not begin until April, yet there is much to be done in anticipation of the excavations. Two of our directors David Garrett and Francis Lecky are coming in April to mark out the new complex and set the levels.

The site has already been cleared to make way for the layout and a bill of quantities has enabled us to compute exactly where our main expenditure lies. The site will be fully loaded before work commences and this will give us a big help when the work actually commences.

The first stage will comprise of accommodation for the Manager and his family, two dormitories, two large water tanks to supply kitchen and domestic use, a store, kitchen, toilet and washrooms.

Mature trees at present afford welcome shade on site and will be invaluable when the time comes to admit the children. We hope to plant more fast growing shade trees for the March . April short rains, and when grown these will provide a natural shade area capable of accommodating 100 people. An area like this on site can be more valuable than an actual building and we hope to exploit the area we have to the full.

Trees also give a restful and pleasing aspect to the eye, a welcome barrier to the blinding glare of sunlight on sand.

We will keep you posted of our progress, but by our annual dinner in October, I hope to have made substantial progress in this project. At the time of going to print the Christmas appeal has reached £27000.

Mervyn Steenson and Dr. Japeth Mwanthi discuss the printing of child evangelism literature in Kikamba. Literature such as this is invaluable to our work. Mervyn and Valerie have responded to the very evident interest in teacher training and are due to return Easter 2005.