September 26,2010
Hello Everyone,
I just want to send out a general explanation to all of you as to why you have not heard from me. I have been in N'Djamena for the last 6 days. I did not have Internet and so I have not been able to download everyones emails. I am so sorry that I have left so many of you wondering if I am even getting your emails. I want to respond to each one of you so give me a day or two to catch up. I have gone through and read them all and I want to thank you all for all your generous donations for the children in Bere'. And I also want to thank you for the encouraging words to help us through difficult times. Thank you for all the prayers. Thank you for supporting our mission here in the bush in Bere'.
Blessings,
Tammy
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Sponsoring a child questions
September 16, 2010
Thank you to all of you who have responded already to our plea. I guess I was not clear about the prices I wrote down. For the 7th -10th grade kids it is $42 for the whole year. That price also includes their uniform. And the same for the elementary children it is $20 for the whole year and that too includes their uniform. I did that because it is required for them to wear the uniform to school and it is hard for them to come up with $10.
The way to sponsor would be to send the money to our church in Tennessee. Send checks payable to: "Harrison SDA Church" Address to send to:
Harrison SDA Church
P.O. Box 969
Harrison, TN 37341
*** When you send it please send it with a little note just specifying that it is to go to Chad for the Parkers for the School sponsoring.
Since this is a donation it is tax deductible.
If you have any more questions please continue to write us.
Tammy Parker
Thank you to all of you who have responded already to our plea. I guess I was not clear about the prices I wrote down. For the 7th -10th grade kids it is $42 for the whole year. That price also includes their uniform. And the same for the elementary children it is $20 for the whole year and that too includes their uniform. I did that because it is required for them to wear the uniform to school and it is hard for them to come up with $10.
The way to sponsor would be to send the money to our church in Tennessee. Send checks payable to: "Harrison SDA Church" Address to send to:
Harrison SDA Church
P.O. Box 969
Harrison, TN 37341
*** When you send it please send it with a little note just specifying that it is to go to Chad for the Parkers for the School sponsoring.
Since this is a donation it is tax deductible.
If you have any more questions please continue to write us.
Tammy Parker
Sponsoring a Child for School
September 15, 2010
Dear Friends and Family,
Well school is starting for the children here at the Adventist school October 1st. I have people lining up at my door to talk to me to see if I will be able to help their child go to school. I have been telling them, that at the moment, I can only listen to their stories and write their names down. So I am needing to know if any of you are interested in sponsoring a child for school this year? It is $20 for one child for grades 1-6th and that includes their uniform for the whole year. Then for the 7th-10th grades it is $42 per year which also includes their uniform. I know most people will want to help the little ones but keep in mind how difficult it is for them to get $42 together for the older students.
As I walked around my house, waiting for Naomi to come to work so she can help me talk to everyone, I began to think about the kids I do know that I am somehow going to have to help. I thought about one boy that is living in our mango trees right outside our compound. Yes, he sleeps there and keeps all of his clothes there. He only has one arm and struggles everyday for food. I think about Appolinaire the little boy that has no parents or grandparents. I think of my wash lady that got beat up by her husband a while back and her two little children that will be going into the primary school. I think about a little boy "Papa" that has about 9 children in his family and his father sells baskets and his mother is crippled. Or the other women that have come here with their stories that their husband is dead from AIDS and they are sick and have many children but they pick one to bring to me to help put in school. I think about who will take all their children if the mother dies from Aids too. I had one boy come to me last night that will be going into 10th grade. He wants to go to the Adventist school here but his big brother said no because the uniform is too much money. The uniform is $10. I asked him why he wants to go to our school. He said because the teachers at the school he goes to now are always drunk and do not really teach very good. The teachers even invite the children to come drink with them when they are passing along the road. This boy goes to our church now and he would really like to go to our Christian school. I know that I could probably take care of a few of these children myself with some of the monthly donations but it just will not be enough. So I am asking any of you if you would like to help. I can even write to you all everyday and write the stories of the people that I will be listening to. I decide by their stories whether or not we will put their child into school. So if you question whether or not you are needed, you are. Or if you question whether or not this really is going to change a child's life, I guarantee it will make all the difference in the world for each one. Some of these kids will not be able to go to school at all if we do not help them, it is that simple. And to be giving them a Christian education, well that could be everlasting. This school could be the only place that they get any kind of Bible teaching. Last year we were able to help 80 students be enrolled into the school. I would love to see us meet that number again. By the grace of God!
Thank you all for all that you are doing for the children here in Bere'. If you could email me back and let me know if you are able to help so I can begin writing down the names of the children at the school immediately.
Thank you all for being a part of our mission here in Bere'. I think it is very exciting to see what God is going to do next for these children. It is very humbling for me to be here and see everything that the people here have to go through. But, I am very happy to be here doing whatever God is leading me to do. There is no better place to be then the place that you know God has put you.
Tammy Parker
Dear Friends and Family,
Well school is starting for the children here at the Adventist school October 1st. I have people lining up at my door to talk to me to see if I will be able to help their child go to school. I have been telling them, that at the moment, I can only listen to their stories and write their names down. So I am needing to know if any of you are interested in sponsoring a child for school this year? It is $20 for one child for grades 1-6th and that includes their uniform for the whole year. Then for the 7th-10th grades it is $42 per year which also includes their uniform. I know most people will want to help the little ones but keep in mind how difficult it is for them to get $42 together for the older students.
As I walked around my house, waiting for Naomi to come to work so she can help me talk to everyone, I began to think about the kids I do know that I am somehow going to have to help. I thought about one boy that is living in our mango trees right outside our compound. Yes, he sleeps there and keeps all of his clothes there. He only has one arm and struggles everyday for food. I think about Appolinaire the little boy that has no parents or grandparents. I think of my wash lady that got beat up by her husband a while back and her two little children that will be going into the primary school. I think about a little boy "Papa" that has about 9 children in his family and his father sells baskets and his mother is crippled. Or the other women that have come here with their stories that their husband is dead from AIDS and they are sick and have many children but they pick one to bring to me to help put in school. I think about who will take all their children if the mother dies from Aids too. I had one boy come to me last night that will be going into 10th grade. He wants to go to the Adventist school here but his big brother said no because the uniform is too much money. The uniform is $10. I asked him why he wants to go to our school. He said because the teachers at the school he goes to now are always drunk and do not really teach very good. The teachers even invite the children to come drink with them when they are passing along the road. This boy goes to our church now and he would really like to go to our Christian school. I know that I could probably take care of a few of these children myself with some of the monthly donations but it just will not be enough. So I am asking any of you if you would like to help. I can even write to you all everyday and write the stories of the people that I will be listening to. I decide by their stories whether or not we will put their child into school. So if you question whether or not you are needed, you are. Or if you question whether or not this really is going to change a child's life, I guarantee it will make all the difference in the world for each one. Some of these kids will not be able to go to school at all if we do not help them, it is that simple. And to be giving them a Christian education, well that could be everlasting. This school could be the only place that they get any kind of Bible teaching. Last year we were able to help 80 students be enrolled into the school. I would love to see us meet that number again. By the grace of God!
Thank you all for all that you are doing for the children here in Bere'. If you could email me back and let me know if you are able to help so I can begin writing down the names of the children at the school immediately.
Thank you all for being a part of our mission here in Bere'. I think it is very exciting to see what God is going to do next for these children. It is very humbling for me to be here and see everything that the people here have to go through. But, I am very happy to be here doing whatever God is leading me to do. There is no better place to be then the place that you know God has put you.
Tammy Parker
Trip to N'Djamena
September 1, 2010
To let everyone know the Parker family has tickets to come back to the states and visit for November 9 - January 14th. We are very excited and can't wait to see all our friends and family. We are having a hard time completely separating ourselves from Africa and so have decided to try to do what we can to bring Tony home with us for a visit. It would be a chance of a lifetime for him. We are not sure if it will even be possible for we have heard that it can be difficult. We just thought that we would leave it in God's hands. But we are doing all the paperwork. Which leads me to my story.
On Sunday Brichelle, Tony and I made a trip to N'Djamena to see about getting him a Visa to come to America. On our way we have to take an hour and a half motorcycle taxi ride to Kelo. It is the rainy season so there are puddles on the road that in some places cover it completely. We each are having our own adventure. We are speeding up and slowing down. Going from one side of the road all the way over to the other to avoid puddles. We stop and get off our motorcycles so that our drivers can help a passing truck get pushed out of trouble. Tony's driver seems to be in a race and always end up way ahead and then has to wait for Brichelle and me. Brichelle's motorcycle has a broken peddle and she is struggling with her foot. I have about a 35 lb backpack on with all the important papers and two computers and camera and other things that are making my trip stressful. I am just hoping that we don't end up in one of the puddles. I have to laugh to myself as we are going through herds of oxen with some of the biggest horns. All I could think about is some of the patients at the hospital that has come in from horn injuries. Some of the horns are bigger than the width of my arms stretched out as far as they will go. Then all of a sudden we are at a complete stop. It takes my brain a minute to figure out what is about to happen. We are all asked to get off of our motorcycles and get into a dugout canoe. I cannot believe it. I am freaking out a little inside thinking what is actually going to happen here? The taxi motorcycle drivers end up arguing for about five minutes on how much they are going to be charged. Things are finally settled and off we go. Two adult men, the three of us and one motorcycle. I begin to sing row row row your boat to Brichelle which she does not find this funny at all. I have a moment when I am thinking only in Africa would I be in this situation. We are passing men and women that have their clothes rolled up as high as they will go and all their things on their head. Now remember this is the road but it is completely covered with the river that we would go to to see hippo's. I just think it is so funny. One man holds on to the handle bars of the motorcycle and is in water up to his hips. He walks all of us across to the other side. We made it without tipping over. And here we are on our way again. We finish our motorcycle trip and get safely on a bus headed toward N'Djamena for 6 hours.
We will be staying here in N'Djamena for about four or five days, however long it takes to get all the business taken care of. It is like a different world here. They actually have regular stores to get groceries. We will do all we can to enjoy the time away and have a few candy bars or cereal. It will be a nice break from the bush. I must say that I am really stepping out of my comfort zone here, doing things that I never thought I would do without Jamie. I guess I have decided just to take the adventure and practice faith and leave fear behind. And what a trip it has been this last year.
Amazing!
Tammy
To let everyone know the Parker family has tickets to come back to the states and visit for November 9 - January 14th. We are very excited and can't wait to see all our friends and family. We are having a hard time completely separating ourselves from Africa and so have decided to try to do what we can to bring Tony home with us for a visit. It would be a chance of a lifetime for him. We are not sure if it will even be possible for we have heard that it can be difficult. We just thought that we would leave it in God's hands. But we are doing all the paperwork. Which leads me to my story.
On Sunday Brichelle, Tony and I made a trip to N'Djamena to see about getting him a Visa to come to America. On our way we have to take an hour and a half motorcycle taxi ride to Kelo. It is the rainy season so there are puddles on the road that in some places cover it completely. We each are having our own adventure. We are speeding up and slowing down. Going from one side of the road all the way over to the other to avoid puddles. We stop and get off our motorcycles so that our drivers can help a passing truck get pushed out of trouble. Tony's driver seems to be in a race and always end up way ahead and then has to wait for Brichelle and me. Brichelle's motorcycle has a broken peddle and she is struggling with her foot. I have about a 35 lb backpack on with all the important papers and two computers and camera and other things that are making my trip stressful. I am just hoping that we don't end up in one of the puddles. I have to laugh to myself as we are going through herds of oxen with some of the biggest horns. All I could think about is some of the patients at the hospital that has come in from horn injuries. Some of the horns are bigger than the width of my arms stretched out as far as they will go. Then all of a sudden we are at a complete stop. It takes my brain a minute to figure out what is about to happen. We are all asked to get off of our motorcycles and get into a dugout canoe. I cannot believe it. I am freaking out a little inside thinking what is actually going to happen here? The taxi motorcycle drivers end up arguing for about five minutes on how much they are going to be charged. Things are finally settled and off we go. Two adult men, the three of us and one motorcycle. I begin to sing row row row your boat to Brichelle which she does not find this funny at all. I have a moment when I am thinking only in Africa would I be in this situation. We are passing men and women that have their clothes rolled up as high as they will go and all their things on their head. Now remember this is the road but it is completely covered with the river that we would go to to see hippo's. I just think it is so funny. One man holds on to the handle bars of the motorcycle and is in water up to his hips. He walks all of us across to the other side. We made it without tipping over. And here we are on our way again. We finish our motorcycle trip and get safely on a bus headed toward N'Djamena for 6 hours.
We will be staying here in N'Djamena for about four or five days, however long it takes to get all the business taken care of. It is like a different world here. They actually have regular stores to get groceries. We will do all we can to enjoy the time away and have a few candy bars or cereal. It will be a nice break from the bush. I must say that I am really stepping out of my comfort zone here, doing things that I never thought I would do without Jamie. I guess I have decided just to take the adventure and practice faith and leave fear behind. And what a trip it has been this last year.
Amazing!
Tammy
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