Greetings!
Greetings from sunny Jerusalem!
I hope you are enjoying your summer and finding some time to relax and spend time with those that you love.
We have had a fun and activity-filled start to our last month of summer...
|
| BLOCK PARTY |
|
A few days ago, we held a block party in the housing projects where Dov's office is located. We had a group here from the DC area that spent several days doing neighborhood projects with us, another group from North Carolina stopped by for the party, and two of our German friends were on hand. All of these people worked together to grill tons of hotdogs and make balloon animals, swords and hats for the kids.
We hired a clown - who was actually dressed like a cow (don't ask, I have no idea) who entertained the children with some games (the favorite being a girls-against-the-boys match of tug of war) and then made cotton candy for everyone (yum)!
To see more pictures of the event, just click:
|
| HARD WORK AND A VACATION |
|
A small team of hard-working volunteers from the Washington, DC area spent two full days painting two apartments in the housing projects that we work in. These apartments belong to two Ethiopian single moms. While our volunteers were busy painting (in 95 degree Jerusalem in apartments without air-conditioning), the moms and their kids spent the entire day at the Jerusalem swimming pool (our treat).
Dov dropped the families off at the pool in the relatively early morning hours and picked them up very late in the afternoon. He said that they were nearly giddy with excitement (the kids and the moms!!) as they approached the pool. These kids have spent their summer so far stuck in their apartments, never once venturing out of the projects. The luxury of spending a day at the pool was like a trip to Disneyland!
Meanwhile, the painters transformed the apartments into sparkling white newness, which was not always an easy task...a couple of the rooms were originally painted in terribly dark colors which took many, many coats of paint to cover.
When the work was over and the moms' and kids' mini-vacation ended, the painters were treated to some authentic Ethiopian cuisine hand-made by the moms just for their new heroes!
|
| STILL TIME |
|
| We would like to extend a very hearty thank you to those of you who sent donations for our Strong Beginnings Program that provides school-age children with school books and supplies.
There is still time to send in a donation if you are interested, just visit our website: www.mbki.org |
