Home |  My Page |  About Spoke   Contact / Donations Below are the most recent news articles. To see the archived articles, scroll to the bottom of the page. NEWS Tour for Life Published: January 03, 2009 Tour for Life Navigation: Information Blog (Journal from the Road) Sponsors Donate Stats Tour for Life Day: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Funds raised for Operational Costs: $30,000 Funds raised for Capital Projects: aaaaa$94,392 Funds raised for food: aaaaaaaaaa$176,251 aaaaaaaaGoal: $201,300 Total Raised: aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa$300,643 Food provided for: 1763 kids aaaaaaGoal: 2,013 kids $100 pays for the food MCF cannot grow for one child for one year. Blog is now active. It is at the bottom of this page. Jump there by clicking on it in the navigational links. The Final 24 Hours of the Tour for Life bring with them an incredible challenge and an incredible opportunity. Each kilometre is valuable as Arvid will push himself for the final 24 hours. Jump here for details. Recent Updates December 3rd: Added day 20-22 donors, and capital projects. October 5th: Added day 20 donors, and to the capital projects. September 18th: Added donation under capital projects. September 16th: Added donation under capital projects. Information Back to Top July 4th-26th, 2009 Arvid Loewen will attempt to cycle 457km/day for 23 consecutive days northeast of Winnipeg (16-18 hrs/day). Goal: Engage Canadians in helping Arvid pay for food for 2013 children for one year through financial contributions to Mully Children's Family Charitable Foundation. Each day, listed above, will have a profile of a child at MCF, along with a photo. It will also have a listing of donors for the day, totaling up to $10,000 per day. Feel free to spend time reading about the children one day at a time during the "Tour for Life" in July! At the bottom of the page is the blog for the ride, which will be updated more and more as the ride approaches! For more information, click here to view the PDF. Donate to Tour for Life Back to Top Donate by cheque: Make cheques payable to: MCFCF Memo Line: Tour for Life Send to: SpokeImpact/MCFCF Box 35027 RPO Henderson Winnipeg, MB, Canada R2K 4J9 Donate online: Go here, click "Donate Now" and select Tour for Life. Sponsors Back to Top Wiebe Chiropractic Centre Having been an athlete all my life, I thought discomfort (pain) was just something you lived with. When pinched nerves in my lower back started to impact my ability to participate in ultra-marathon cycling (which serves as my platform for my fundraising initiatives for orphaned and abandoned children), I needed help. I was referred to Kevin at Wiebe Chiropractic Centre. Within a year, his treatments greatly reduced my lower back pain. Bi-weekly “maintenance” allows me to continue to compete in world class ultra-marathon cycling events without further aggravating some old sports related injuries. Thanks Kevin, for showing me that “pain” is not something that you simply have to “suck up.” You can treat it effectively and continue to live a very active lifestyle. Arvid Wiebe Chiropractic Centre Dr. Kevin J. Wiebe 101-1277 Henderson Hwy. Winnipeg, MB R2G 1M3 (204) 339-3600 Bikes and Beyond Bikes and Beyond has been my bike store of choice for many years. The #1 reason is that I can count on them to come through for me. I regularly put over 20,000km per year on my bike(s), so service and timely replacements of worn parts are crucial for my confidence in my equipment. The knowledgeable staff at the store know that I don't like to “tinker” with bike repairs/adjustments, so they make sure everything is in perfect working order. When I do my annual unsupported training ride from Vancouver to Winnipeg, I know that the bike serviced by the mechanics is up for the challenge. Thanks guys for many years of supporting my fundraising cycling initiatives. I could not do what I do without you. Arvid Pineridge Hollow Pineridge Hollow has been a favorite place of ours for breakfast, dinner, or just coffee. I am thrilled that they have chosen to be part of my 23 day Tour for Life at Birds Hill Park. I am already looking forward to the breakfast my support crew will bring to me each morning in the park. I am counting on going a long way on one of their delicious meals. Perimeter Industries I very much appreciate the enthusiastic, creative, and professional approach, with which the staff at Perimeter Industries has helped me create awareness about the orphaned and abandoned children rescued by Mully Children's Family. I am glad to have you partner with me during the Tour for Life event. Thank you Arvid CHVN CHVN has partnered with me on previous cycling fund raising events. They have been instrumental in introducing Mully Children's Family to their listening audience. I am thrilled that they will be a major sponsor of Tour for Life. As a loyal listener, I have appreciated their involvement with organizations that minister to children. Thank you and I look forward to see how God will touch peoples hearts through the awareness generated by CHVN. Bruce Ulrich bruceulrich.freelife.com Race Across America is known as the "world's toughest bike race." In June of 2008, I had the privilege of finding out for myself. RAAM is a 5000km single stage bike race across the USA. That simply means any “off-bike time” is part of your race time. This leads to 20 hours a day of actual riding time, leaving little time for recovery. I was able to reach Annapolis, Maryland in 11 days, 3 hours and 19 min, first in my category (age 50 to 59) and 10th overall. Before entering RAAM, I had a couple concerns. 1. How will my body recover with only a few hours of rest a day? 2. What will happen with the severe heat in the desert? 3. Will I be able to process all the fluid and calories required for such an extreme event? A friend of mine introduced me to GoChi juice. After learning more about it, I decided to include it in my training for RAAM. Besides the extreme physical and psychological demands of RAAM, processing nutrition is key to any hoped for success. I began using GoChi juice about 4 months prior to RAAM, gradually increasing the amount. During the 11 days of RAAM, I consumed about 850 ml of it per day mixed in with my water consumption. Here is what I found. I do not have any scientific evidence, just personal experience and comparison to other events. 1. I found the taste to be pleasant, even after multiple days of consuming nutrition when I no longer wanted to. 2. I believe GoChi juice contributed to NOT experiencing upset stomach symptoms even though most of the eating was done while on the bike. 3. I was amazed to feel “refreshed” after only a few hours a night of recovery time. 4. I was amazed at my consistent energy level throughout the 11 days it took to successfully complete the world's toughest bike race. I strongly believe that the GoChi product enhanced my overall performance . Thank you, Arvid Loewen ....because it matters to this one... MTS Arvid would like to thank MTS, who provided him with a cell phone for keeping in contact with Ruth and the media during the ride. They have been extremely helpful! Stats Back to Top Day # Date Distance Av. Speed Riding Time Time off Bike Total Time Recovery Time Total Dist(km) 1 July 4 457 km 29.3 km/h 15h 36m 47m 16h 23m 7h 37m 457 km 2 July 5 457 km 28.4 km/h 16h 7m 37m 16h 44m 7h 16m 914 km 3 July 6 457 km 27.8 km/h 16h 26m 43m 17h 9m 6h 51m 1371 km 4 July 7 457 km 27.4 km/h 16h 55m 40m 17h 35m 6h 25m 1828 km 5 July 8 322 km 26.7 km/h 12h 04m 40m 12h 44m 11h 16m 2150 km 6 July 9 0 Rest Day* 2150 km 7 July 10 0 Rest Day* 2150 km 8 July 11 0 Rest Day* 2150 km 9 July 12 457 km 30.3 km/h 15h 04m 47m 15h 51m 8h 09m 2607 km 10 July 13 457 km 29.1 km/h 15h 41m 31m 16h 12m 7h 48m 3064 km 11 July 14 457 km 27.2 km/h 16h 48m 41m 17h 29m 6h 31m 3521 km 12 July 15 75 km 25.5 km/h 2h 57m 0m 2h 57m 21h 03m 3596 km 13 July 16 457 km 28.0 km/h 16h 15m 1h 15m 17h 30m 6h 30m 4053 km 14 July 17 457 km 28.0 km/h 16h 19m 48m 17h 06m 6h 54m 4510 km 15 July 18 457 km 28.0 km/h 16h 17m 47m 17h 04m 6h 56m 4967 km 16 July 19 457 km 27.4 km/h 16h 41m 39m 17h 20m 6h 40m 5424 km 17 July 20 200 km 28.0 km/h 7h 08m 13m 7h 21m 16h 39m 5624 km 18 July 21 457 km 28.9 km/h 15h 50m 37m 16h 27m 7h 33m 6081 km 19 July 22 457 km 28.1 km/h 16h 14m 48m 17h 02m 6h 58m 6538 km 20 July 23 237 km 26.9 km/h 8h 50m 19m 9h 09m 14h 51m 6775 km 21 July 24 457 km 28.7 km/h 15h 56m 48m 16h 44m 7h 16m 7232 km 22 July 25 147 km 26.5 km/h 5h 10m 0m 5h 10m 18h 50m 7379 km 23 July 26 711 km 29.6 km/h 23h 57m 3m 24h 0m summer! 8090 km * Diagnosed with bursitis, resting according to doctor's orders. Final 24-hour Challenge Day 23 will start at 7:30am, Sunday the 26th. It will conclude at 7:30am on Monday morning at the NKMB Church parking lot (corner of Gateway and Springfield). A number of individuals/businesses have together pledged $69.00 for every kilometre I ride in the final 24 hours. For example: if I ride 500km, that's $34,000. That's quite an incentive. Follow the final 24-hour challenge with the stats below. Hour Distance Average Time Off Bike Total Distance Money Raised 1 32km 32.6km/h 0m 32km $2,208 2 33km 32.8km/h 0m 65km $4,485 3 33km 32.8km/h 0m 98km $6,762 4 33km 32.8km/h 0m 131km $9,039 5 32km 32.8km/h 0m 163km $11,247 6 31km 32.3km/h 0m 194km $13,386 7 30km 32.0km/h 0m 224km $15,456 8 31km 31.8km/h 0m 255km $17,595 9 30km 31.7km/h 0m 285km $19,665 10 29km 31.5km/h 0m 314km $21,665 11 30km 31.3km/h 0m 344km $23,736 12 32km 31.4km/h 0m 376km $25,944 13 33km 31.4km/h 0m 409km $28,221 14 28km 31.2km/h 0m 437km $30,153 15 27km 31.0km/h 3m 464km $32,016 16 27km 30.8km/h 0m 491km $33,879 17 26km 30.5km/h 0m 517km $35,673 18 28km 30.3km/h 0m 545km $37,605 19 26km 30.1km/h 0m 571km $39,399 20 30km 30.1km/h 0m 601km $41,469 21 29km 30.0km/h 0m 630km $43,470 22 27km 29.9km/h 0m 657km $45,333 23 28km 29.8km/h 0m 685km $47,265 24 26km 29.6km/h 0m 711km $49,059 Total 29.6km/h 3m 711km $49,059 Day 1 Back to Top Ali was a destitute child from a poor family. Ali’s mom and Dad are alive; however, they had no steady income to meet the basic needs of their three children. Ali’s mother is a housewife and his father picks up work as a casual driver in the matatu industry (taxi). His job is not promising as it doesn’t provide a regular income. To compound the struggles of the family, Ali’s father is an alcoholic. This exposes his family to hardship and many days the family would do without food. They were surviving on almost no basic needs, a situation that became more desperate as days went by. There was no money for school fees so Ali had to drop out in grade three. When hope of returning to school was lost, he started hanging out in the slums. He was in danger of becoming a street boy and was exposed to social ills and dangers of the street. Ali was rescued and admitted to MCF Vipingo where his basic needs are being met. Ali is back in school and after being exposed to the compassion extended to him and his family, he has shown interest in Christianity. Ali’s family practices a different religion but his mother has no objections if her son chooses to follow another faith. He is at the top of his class and works hard – Ali will go far if given the support to achieve his dreams. Donors Randy & Heidi Schartner Greg & Jacquie Martin Anonymous Anonymous Ben Harapiak Irv & Lil Koop John Froese DAY ONE TOTAL: $10,045 Day 2 Back to Top Anne comes from a large family of ten. Anne’s mother passed away, and her father was unable to meet the basic needs of his children. The family lived in a polythene thatched house. Anne and her siblings had no choice but to beg for food on the streets of Kitale. As is often the case, there was no money for school fees and all of the children were forced to leave school. Anne’s oldest sister got married in an attempt to find a better life. Anne was rescued from the streets in 2003. Anne hadn't attended school before entering the rehabilitation process at MCF. Anne is currently in grade six in Ndalani and doing well. As you can see from her photo, this incredible girl has a zest for life and is filled with gratitude and hope for a happy future! Donors Ken & Corinne Oswald Carson Rist Anonymous Ervin & Irmgard Pauls David Unruh of Rischuk Park Realty DAY TWO TOTAL: $10,085.40 Day 3 Back to Top Charity’s family line was filled with misery long before she was born. Charity was born to a teenage mom. When Charity’s mom became pregnant her parents sent her away for bringing disgrace to the family. Charity’s mom went to live with an Aunt but the young mom and her child suffered such hardship the father took pity on his teenage daughter and she was permitted to move home for a short time before being sent away again. Charity’s mom had nowhere to turn for support or protection. Charity’s “father” had deserted her and was nowhere to be found. Charity’s mom abandoned her baby because she blamed the baby for her misery and two attempts were made to take the little girl's life. Charity was rescued and received medical treatment, as she was emaciated. MCF reached out to Charity’s mom to no avail. The courts awarded MCF custody of this precious girl and Charity is now the apple of many an eye at MCF. Donors Vic & Elaine Neufeld Arvid & Ruth Loewen Bruce & Christine Bartel Whidbey Harbour Lemonade Stand Jilmark Construction Carson Rist Henry Dyck John & Helen Regier David Unruh of Rischuk Park Realty Philip & Judith Klassen DAY THREE TOTAL: $10,027 Day 4 Back to Top "I am happy to be here because I am free, I can work, I have parents, and I rely on myself. Before, I didn't have any skills but now I am very good at what I do." As an orphan and the oldest of four children, Dorcas was responsible for taking care of herself and three siblings. She came to MCF in 2002, one year after completing primary school. She entered the vocational training program at Yatta and specialized in tailoring. After she graduated in 2005 she returned home to try to find work. Though she was able to work in some capacities, she was repeatedly cheated by her bosses, and endured other hardships. She returned to MCF Yatta and, with Elizabeth Mumbi, was one of the first MCF graduates to enter the entrepreneurship program. Now Dorcas earns a monthly salary as well as a commission on all the clothes MCF sells. With this money she is able to support herself and her three siblings. She is even paying for her brother to attend a driving school so that he, too, can contribute to the family's finances. Donors Conrad & Lois Dueck Lonnie & Dennise Reimer Gavin Taylor Malcolm & Karen Schapansky David & Diane Ruby David Unruh of Rischuk Park Realty Elizabeth Koslowsky Jake & Elsie Ginter Carson Rist DAY FOUR TOTAL: $10,133.99 Day 5 Back to Top Julius is an orphan from a polygamous family. The father died in 2004 leaving behind two wives and nine children. Julius is the second born to the second wife. When Julius' father died, the first wife chased them away from the matrimonial home. The boy cannot remember exactly what transpired, what he only knows is that the mother abandoned him at the Juvenile remand home and his Mother disappeared. The manager of the Juvenile home approached MCF for his rescue, protection and care. The court committal orders were processed and Julius was welcomed to a new family. Prior to MCF, he faced lack of food, parental love and care, clothing, shelter and the biggest obstacle of all - loss of hope. Julius is a smart little boy with above average performance. Donors Kurt & Trudy Radtke Reg & Laureen Siemens Irene Marsch Anonymous John Loewen Henry & Marianne Rempel MBCI Students making a difference: Grade 7 Bible, Sections A, B & C Grade 8 Social Studies, Sections A, B & C Grade 9 Social Studies, Section D TH Food Services Richard & Eileen Klassen Garth Pitzel John & Nancy Stefaniuk Vicky Schulz Christie Lysack Norm Shelton Barry Esselmont Abram Goertzen Doug Warkentin A.L.T. Closets Roland Ammeter Bruce & Christine Bartel Hans & Lorna Boge Hans & Tanya Boge Paul H. Boge Delle Bonneau Lester & Yayoi Brandt Philip & Hannah Cavey Central Canadian Structures Inc. Harry & Valerie Dahl Peter Dahl Andrew & Leona DeFehr Frank & Agnes DeFehr DAY FIVE TOTAL: $10,013.00 Day 6 Back to Top In 1987, Lawrence was born to a single Mom. The mother struggled to provide for her child and, as a result, Lawrence often stayed with his maternal Grandmother. His mother died after a lengthy illness presumed to be AIDS. Lawrence was orphaned at age 9 and returned to live with his Grandmother who sold vegetables for daily survival. They lived in a vulnerable environment which introduced Lawrence to street life. Lawrence attended school on and off from 1994 but was unable to attend regularly because of the lack of school fees. His Grandmother simply could not provide for Lawrence so he ran to the streets. One of his brothers is a beneficiary of MCF and pleaded Lawrence's case. Lawrence was rescued on January 4th, 2001 and is now in Grade 12. He is one of the brightest stars in the drama department. Donors Derksen Law Office Timothy Dirks Klaus & Corinne Dittberner David & Toni Dueck Daniel Dyck Frank & Anne-Marie Dyck Margaret Dyck Larry & Sylvia Dyck Jake Enns Nettie Enns Peter & Maria Ewert Bernie & Jodi Friesen Roger & Anne Friesen Gateway Kitchen Centre Ltd. Ted & Carolyn Geddert Debra Giesbrecht Sarah Giesbrecht Genevieve Grant Hans & Evril Hagenlocher Ward & Debbie Harris Lila Hillman John Hutton Kasdorf & Sons Interiors Ewald & Helen Kasdorf Woldemar & Irmgard Kasdorf Alvin & Joy Klassen Bob & Patricia Kroeker Gary Mittelstadt DAY SIX TOTAL: $10,026 Day 7 Back to Top Monica is the second born in a family with four children. The family experienced hardships when her parents separated. Her mother left with the youngest child, while the three oldest children remained with their father who struggled to provide their basic needs – food, clothing, shelter and education. Monica and her two brothers were rescued and are grateful that they have everything they need at MCF. Monica is a bright grade 4 student with a brilliant future ahead of her. Donors Alvin & Debbie Iverson Jilmark Construction Ltd. Josh & Leah Klassen Robert Klassen Irwin & Lil Koop Helmut & Elfriede Kroeker Abe & Irene Neufeld Therese Neufeld Art & Elsie Olfert David & Hermine Olfert Ted & Mary Paetkau George & Dorothy Penner Timothy Penner Richard & Sheila Peters Dennis Philippot DAY SEVEN TOTAL: $10,065 Day 8 Back to Top Ndunge has two brothers and two sisters. Her parents were very poor and lived in a semi-arid area making it next to impossible to provide food for their family or break out of the cycle of poverty. The parents took on any casual labour available to provide for their family but many times the family had no food to eat. The children suffered from severe malnutrition. Ndunge’s parents approached MCF for assistance and are now employed at MCF and the children were admitted for care and protection. At the time of rescue, Ndunge was in very poor health and required special medical attention. Once Ndunge recovered, she had her first opportunity to attend school. She is very happy at Ndalani and her light shines so brightly that there is little evidence of her previous hardships. Donors Kathy Plett Hartmut & Kaethe Rahn Daniel & Cathleen Rempel Carson & Doris Rist David & Diane Ruby Matthew & Nanette Schmidt Larry & Patricia Schroeder Edwin & Violet Siemens Peter & Carol Ann Siemens Reg & Laurie Siemens Peter & Shellie Sklepowich Ron & Rhonda Smith Stefan Home Builders Ltd. Darlene Sutton Erwin & Elsie Tessmann Henry & Anita Tessmann Mark & Melissa Toews DAY EIGHT TOTAL: $10,000 Day 9 Back to Top Brian Chumba, 9, is a destitute child born to a young teenage mom. Brian Chumba's mom was born to a single mother in a family of 6. Her mom passed away in 1999 after a long illness. But, prior to her death, she had sought assistance from MCF to extend care and protection to her poor children. Chumba’s mom and her older sister were rescued by MCF in 1996, giving them a chance to pursue education and lead a life without the suffering and uncertainty poverty brings. Chumba’s mom struggled with her education and in 1999, when she was in grade 8, she ran away from MCF. MCF was unsuccessful in their efforts to locate her. She returned home to MCF in 2003 and shared the challenges she had faced. Shortly after leaving MCF, she became pregnant and gave birth to a little boy she called Chumba. She often went without food and was forced to take on menial jobs to survive. She returned to offer her young son a better life. Joan and Chumba were welcomed back to the MCF family. Chumba was rescued from the harsh elements of life he had no control over. The empathetic spirit at MCF has given him the comfort of a home and care of the family. He is in grade four and is a very intelligent, social and happy young boy. Donors Mary Unruh Carson & Doris Rist Don & Jan Voth Stephen & Val Warkentine Peter & Valerie Wiebe Paul & Jeanette Loewen Gerald & Pat Gerbrandt Arvid & Ruth Loewen Gary & Tamara Roehr Marten & Joanne Duhoux Jake & Elsie Ginter David (Moe) Pontin David Unruh of Rischuk Park Realty DAY NINE TOTAL: $10,000 Day 10 Back to Top Charles, age 10, was rescued from the streets of Kitale in the Kipsongo slum area where he was staying with his mother who is a street girl. The boy was very young and was in a bad state, suffering from various health problems due to lack of care. MCF Executive Director rescued him on October 17, 2003 during an outreach ministry at Kitale. Charles was very young and required special care after his rescue but all his needs were met upon joining the MCF family in Eldoret. When Charles joined the MCF family he was enrolled in nursery school, where his education began. Currently he is in grade four in MCF Ndalani. Donors Capstone Construction David Unruh of Rischuk Park Realty Conrad & Lois Dueck Emo GIFT (Growing in Faith Together) Youth Group Lonnie & Dennise Reimer Anonymous Abraham Goertzen Willy and Irmgard Sawatzky DAY TEN TOTAL: $10,095 Day 11 Back to Top Dida Otieno, age 10, was born to a single mother in the Kibera. The Kibera slum is the largest such area in Kenya, with a population over one million people who live without access to running water or sanitation. Dida ran away from home when he was 4 years old and left a young sister behind. Dida struggled to provide for himself by rummaging through garbage cans and joined street gangs in order to survive. This young boy was recently welcomed to Mully Children’s Family and is currently under close monitoring and undergoing psychological counseling. Dida has a hernia and MCF is currently processing his committal documents in order to facilitate the operation as they cannot locate the mother to authorize the surgery. Dida is currently attending special classes so he can catch up academically to children in his age group. MCF hopes to enroll him in grade four as soon as possible. Donors Anonymous Abram Goertzen Springfield Heights Mennonite Church Girls & Boys Club Reimer Soils Reg & Lucille Kliewer David & Diane Ruby Anonymous Douglas Holroyd Mike Coutoure Rudy & Irene Schartner Richard & Bonnie Olfert Sharon & Paul Penner Annie Bergen Deb Giesbrecht King's School Anonymous Sarah Thiessen Henry & Judy Froese Gerald Price Kevin Kilbrei Ken & Connie Epp Ron Malech Abram Goertzen Darren Klassen Ed & Agnes Redekopp Joao Kasdorf Weldon & Arlene Neufeld Prendiville Industries Ernie Warkentin Anonymous Darryl Klassen Anonymous DAY ELEVEN TOTAL: $10,025 Day 12 Back to Top Queen, age 6, is the youngest of 4 children. Her mom died in 2004 when Queen was just a year old. Queen was left in the care of an alcoholic stepfather who did not have a steady source of income. Sadly, his meagre earnings were not always spent to feed the children as he struggled with alcoholism. The children would go days without food and they lacked basic necessities like clean clothes, medical care, and access to education. Queen suffered the most as she was the youngest. She suffered from malnutrition and had ringworms which caused wounds all over her head. Queen and her sisters were rescued and now receive parental love and care. Their health issues have been resolved. Queenie is currently in grade two. Donors Rick Ginter Elfriede Kehler Delbert & Marianne Enns Anonymous Gertrud Loewen Frank & Jane Tilley Roger Friesen Robert & Anne Doerksen Daniel & Rita Toews Karen Cormack Vroneli Wiebe Horace & Elisa Walks Heidi Friesen Scott Mundle Art & Anne Loewen Marlene Reiss Willy & Betty Plett BIll & Margaret Fast Steve Pazdor Thomas Enns David & Diane Ruby Lonnie Reimer Elizabeth Wray (Day 23 Challenge) Abram Goertzen Martha Sierks Anonymous (Day 23 Challenge) DAY TWELVE TOTAL: $10,008 Day 13 Back to Top Paul's father died on 21st March, 2000, after a long struggle with HIV/AIDS complications. Paul’s father was the sole provider for the family; so in addition to the emotional loss, it was a huge blow in terms of family stability. Paul's mother casually took whatever work was available to provide food for her children. Paul had to drop out of school when his mother became sick - there was no money for school fees or books. His mother’s health declined, and, with no money for doctors or medication to keep her illness at bay, she died in 2004 leaving the children alone. As is often the case, Paul's relatives avoided the children as the parents had died of HIV/AIDS. They feared taking the orphans into their families. They were rescued in January 2005 after a concerned neighbor referred their case to MCF. When they joined the Family at MCF, Paul and his siblings were enrolled in school and Paul is now in grade four at MCF Ndalani. Here Paul proudly displays his garden where his corn has just sprouted! NKMB Tour for Life Bike-A-Thon Day 13, July 16, 2009 Donors David & Lorie Rempel Anna Boge Clara Winter Stefan & Christina Doerksen Elfrieda Balzer David Dueck Mary Kasper Olga Wiens Heinz & Marlene Reimer Annie Kasdorf Edite Kasdorf Elizabeth Driedger Bob & Hilde Marsch Betty Klassen Agathe Kleber Mark Reimer Cindy Titus Janice Reimer Amanda Marsch Gertrud Loewen Peter & Judy VonKampen Elfriede Kehler Joan Drosdoski Elizabeth Sawatzky Andreas & Maria Wiebe Gerhard Kehler Christa Herdinger Roberta Kula Rob Rowes Sherry Wallis Susan Washnuk Maureen Taylor Hans & Erna Pettker Wendy Falkner James Mitchell Christine Comte Rosie Hudson Kevin Besant Mike Kirkham Paul Van Hee Andrea Murray Glenda Abram Cecille McIntyre Dico Huynh Vaughn Woodruff Trisha Dizor Donna Hewko Marc Lavergne Maurice McDonald Carey Bridges Lukas Zaloba Shawn Lister Sheldon Funk Al Dearlove L. Kalyniak C. Hansson Bronwyn Watson Michael Zheng Melissa Dixon Tom Dame Linda Grant Mary Hiebert Vic Hiebert Karl Loewen Rick Hiebert Gilian Kilgour Chris Leonard Luke Antoniuk George Butz John Cunningham Olia Skala Colin James Ben Bosshart E. Hallo Paul & Ellen Dueck Ben & Tina Klassen Dave & Erna Friesen John & Anne Klassen Victor & Wilma Pankratz Brian & Mika Wiebe Wilfried & Shirley Hiebert Tina Bergen Trudi & Richard Harder Trevor Harder Wally & Karen Rose & Ed Karen Turner Anna Sawatzky D. Laliberte Willy Loewen Louise Loewen Hans Rempel Tina Penner Lisa Pauls Craig German Dawn DaSilva Frank Sands Fred Harder James Friesen Ed Plikett Peter & Anni Klassen Helen Kampen Nellie Buhler Irene Peterson Dietrich & Helga Hiebert Tyler Hiebert Christopher Hiebert Tychris Installations Geraldo & Helena Schartner Faye Hall Hardy & Kaethe Rahn Roalt & Nettie Jansen Peter & Maria Ewert Ed & Eleanor Ratzlaff Tony & Debbie Plett Alvin & Sue Enns Carl & Sally Kauenhowen Charles & Marlene Penner Alvin & Mary Getz Irene Marsch Juergen & Dagmar Werner Maurice & Pat Van Nes Derek & Michelle Van Nes Danny & Danelle Kasdorf Helmut & Elizabeth Kasdorf Angela Kasdorf Mary Reimer Henry & Marianne Rempel Leonard & Phyllis Wiebe William & Carol Beitzel Siegfried & Evelyn Janzen Ken & Janet Zacharias Erwin Pauls Ron Davis Alan Penner Peter Pauls Glenn Peter Maruschak Rob Demare Jack J. Eyer Joe Smith Vic & Barb Neudorf Nicole Neudorf NKMB Bike-A-Thon continued on day 14. DAY THIRTEEN TOTAL: $10,033 Day 14 Back to Top This mother and daughter have experienced far more than their share of tragedy. Mirriam was the eldest child with 4 younger siblings all born to a single mom. Mirriam’s mother would not settle down to marriage despite conceiving with a number of different men. The little money her mom received from unflattering behavior was not enough to provide for the children. When Mirriam was 11, her mother died of HIV/AIDS complications and left the children under the care of their maternal grandmother. The elderly grandmother could not work to provide for the children which forced Mirriam into child labor. As the vulnerable first-born daughter, Mirriam was then married off as the second wife to an older man who was an alcoholic. Mirriam was abused and her life was filled with hard labor. She ended the marriage and left with her young child Akida. With a child to provide for and the parental examples she grew up with, Mirriam had little power but to become involved in whatever means possible to support herself and her young child. Since their rescue to the MCF family, they are for the first time experiencing a life with no suffering. They are experiencing a new world – one with hope. Mirriam’s little girl, Akida, is currently in nursery school. NKMB BIKE-A-THON CONTINUED DAY 14 DONORS: Joy Myers Piske Heinz Kampen Bruno Unrau Monica Friesen Brent Pudsey Brad German Mirron German Mike Goertzen Peter Isaak Fred Dyck Tony Wiebe Corinne Giesbrecht Harry Klassen Victor & Elaine Neufeld Georgett Pastey Epp Leah Lansard Don Loewen Marianne Klassen Henry Klassen Autovation Inc. Heinrich Klassen Hans & Maria Neufeld Meggie Kornelsen Arvid & Ruth Loewen Rob & Deb Kessler Loretta Kessler Helen Kessler Johanna Dyck Theresa Zipp Alvis Pettker Annette Fehr Shaune Slobodzian Judy Williams Ed Martens Katie Koop Rena Kingma Dave Richter Dave Metcalf Ernie Koop Mel Koop Jocelyn Koop Lee Miller Mary Storimans Sandi Plaza Devin Koop Jessie Janzen Drew Schapansky Dawn Allen Megan McIntosh Rebekah Morrison Heather Unrau Edgar Funk Carley Anderson Tracey Craigon Jen Werner Greg & Marni Hatch Ken & Connie Plett Anthony & Rhonda Cattani Cedarwood Staff Crew 2009 Dan Rempel Nanette Schmidt Hans & Tanya Boge Noreen Scott Barb O'Connor Glenn Hillier Fern Janzen Roger Friesen Daniel Froese Daniel Dyck Laura Paetkau Cornelius & Tanya Martens Walter & Jackie Arragon Rod Badgley Katie Goetz Vic & Pam Goetz Henry & Helen Goessen Paulhans & Roselly Funk Ruth Goetz Peter Wiebe Verena Betzing Norris Cook Teresa Friesen Claire Sutton Fred Clark Lois Corbin Sarah Enns Ruth Didzun Eric & Mindi Friesen Lela Marshall Trudy Dueck Vroneli Wiebe Artur & Ursula Boschmann Harry & Dawn Neufeld Shawn & Jessica Boese Rick Jansen Josh & Stephanie Ruby Walter & Hildegard Thiessen David & Kathryn Balzer David & Toni Dueck Diana Bloodworth Art & Erika Hildebrandt Curt & Betty Wiebe Henrique & Helga Kasdorf Henry & Brigitte Penner Walter & Helene Foth Hans & Lorna Boge Paul H. Boge Ron & Heidi Dueck Aron Froese Fred Dyck Karren Janzen DAY FOURTEEN TOTAL: $10,040 Day 15 Back to Top Celestine, age 14, is an orphan who was too young to remember her Mom as she died when the girl had not reached her 1st birthday. She and her older twin sisters were left under the care of her maternal grandmother. When her father remarried, the children briefly stayed with them until their death in 1999 as a result of HIV/AIDS. The traumatized children returned to their ailing grandparents. Life was unbearable as the poor grandmother was unable to meet the daily needs of the orphaned girls. The children were starving and one of the older sisters died of hunger. Their case was referred to the area sub-chief who forwarded it to MCF. The two children were in need of immediate intervention by MCF to save their lives. Celestine and her big sister were rescued by MCF in 2001. Celestine was rescued and enrolled in grade one. She soon became one of the hardest working girls in class. Currently she is in grade nine. Celestine’s work ethics has served her well and her marks are consistently above average. NKMB BIKE-A-THON CONTINUED DAY 15 DONORS Edward & Judith Pudsey Henry & Bettie Bergen Anonymous Jake & Helen Froese Valerian Enns Martha Bergen Christoph Martens Daniel & Rita Toews Phil & Lois Wiebe nonymous Peter & Lydia Reimer Magdalena Rahn Henry & Justa Pauls Anonymous Don & Marianne Dulder NKMB Bike-A-Thon Total: $22,113 Anonymous (Day 23 Challenge) DAY FIFTEEN TOTAL: $10,040 Day 16 Back to Top Justus is the fourth born in a family of eight children, although the two eldest siblings passed away. His parents died, leaving the children under the mercies of well wishers. The family was poverty stricken after the death of their parents. His remaining elder brother completed his grade eight and took a short welding course in order to help support himself. Unfortunately, he was unable to find a job. The family would go days without a meal because they could not afford to buy food. Justus’ schooling would be interrupted for months at a time when he worked at petty jobs and saved for school fees. He used to work as a house boy. After completing grade eight, Justus, like others in his family, had no hope to attend high school. He worked at a nearby market where he was employed as a house boy and on weekends he would assist one of the barber shop owners. Justus heard about the Mully Children’s Family and wrote a letter to the director explaining his hardship. He was overjoyed to hear he was granted acceptance and joined the home February of 2005. Since his rescue to MCF, Justus has been working very hard in his studies. He sat for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exam in 2008. At present, he is 20 and volunteers at the MCF while waiting for the opportunity to attend college. Donors Anonymous (Day 23 Challenge) Waldo & Edith Fast Annie Neufeld Chris & Theresa Janzen, Teagan & Jamen Springfield Heights Mennonite Church DAY SIXTEEN TOTAL: $10,001.22 Day 17 Back to Top Susan was born to an unemployed mother, who lived with a number of different men. All of Susan’s siblings have different fathers. Susan’s mom died in 2001 during childbirth leaving no one to care for the children. The children spent more time on the street; not a new experience as the children were used to begging for food in the slums when their mom was alive. Susan began sniffing glue and petrol to control her hunger pangs as she had lost hope. When she was five years old, MCF rescued Susan and her siblings. They were brought to MCF Ndalani, where they were welcomed into the family and given love, medical care, education and physical and spiritual nourishment. Susan never attended school until she joined MCF. In 2003 she began grade one at MCF Ndalani and is now in grade seven. She is above average, and has great potential for continuing her education in the future. Donors Irny & Heidy Dueck Erna Braun Herman & Hilda Borne Anonymous (Day 23 Challenge) Anonymous (Day 23 Challenge) DAY SEVENTEEN TOTAL: $10,000 Day 18 Back to Top Few stories have the power of love and compassion more pronounced than in that of Lillian, age 12. She has very little memory of her pre-MCF childhood. Neighbours, who were watching her wasting away due to lack of food and medical care, say that her deceased parents had left nothing for Lillian to live on. After failing to get some money to feed the child on various occasions, one neighbour started going with Lillian to solicit for public sympathy from passersby. Unfortunately, Lillian’s health could not stand the drastic changes between cold and hot weather that she was being exposed to, and she fell ill. When Lillian became a liability to the neighbour, who could not engage in her trade as a commercial sex worker with Lillian in tow, she decided to leave the child alone in the house with no proper care. They closed the door to the hut and just waited for her to die. During Charles' annual mission to the Kipsongo slum, he heard about a need to pray for a sick child. After a brief prayer, and learning that both of Lillian’s parents were dead, Mulli took the child with him to the hospital in Eldoret. The doctor felt that, if not for MCF’s intervention, the girl would not have made it through the night. She was bony, emaciated, and had lost much of her body fluid. She was suffering from malaria, pneumonia and extreme malnutrition. At the time of her rescue, those on the team estimated her age to be about three. In reality she was eight. Lillian was hospitalized for months of treatment and rehabilitation and eventually released to MCF. The suffering and neglect she suffered at an early age have hampered her development and she is challenged academically. Nonetheless, she is doing very well and currently in grade four. Donors Anonymous (Day 23 Challenge) DAY EIGHTEEN TOTAL: $10,000 Day 19 Back to Top Soliete, age 11, was born to a single mother who passed away in 2003. She never knew her father. On October 17, 2003, during a mission in the Kipsongo slums, Charles met Soliete. She was living with Zacharia Ebei, her aunt’s ex-husband. When her Aunt divorced her husband, Soliete was left under his care and she believed that he was her father. Soliete later learned he was not related whatsoever. In this confusion, Soliete was exposed to the risks of sexual abuse and exploitation, as she begged on the street during the day and spent the night worrying what might befall her. Zacharia lived in the slums, too, and had no job in which he could earn some income to support his family, let alone Soliete. She was rescued from this situation and is now benefitting from MCF care, protection and love. The life that she lived did not prepare her well for education. However, upon rescue, she was enrolled in school, where she learned quickly. She is currently doing well in grade five at MCF Ndalani. Donors Anonymous (Day 23 Challenge) DAY NINETEEN TOTAL: $10,000 Day 20 Back to Top Starlady’s life began with sorrow. Her parents were extremely poor, and she was in dire need of rescue after her parents separated, abandoning her to a hut. Starlady’s father left when Starlady was 4 and has never been located. Her mother began selling local beer to earn money to care for the children. However, selling alcohol exposed the children to violent clients. Starlady and her siblings were exposed to open abuse, lack of food, and poor health, yet the mother could do little to help because her own security and well-being depended upon these clients she served. Starlady was rescued in 2002 during Mr. Mulli’a outreach in the Kipsongo slums. She was weak, malnourished, and in very poor health and received medical intervention before she was able to join the children at MCF Ndalani. In 2003, Starlady was enrolled in preschool. She performed very well and is now 12 years old and in grade 5 where she is at the top of her class. Donors Anonymous (Day 23 Challenge) A Goertzen Cathy Mackay Jacob & Helga Klassen David & Diane Ruby Becky Suarez Elizabeth Koslowsky Frank & Agnes DeFehr Anonymous Anonymous DAY TWENTY TOTAL: $10,300 Day 21 Back to Top Shawn’s mother, Elizabeth, is an orphan, the first born and only surviving child in her family. Both Elizabeth’s parents passed away, together with her younger sibling, in 1993 from AIDS. Elizabeth was left with a paternal uncle who failed to give her security, protection, and meet her basic needs. During this time, Elizabeth was repeatedly sexually abused. In 1994, her uncle abandoned her at the Eldoret juvenile remand home as a lost child. He then disappeared with all her parents’ property. Elizabeth remained in prison for a year. The MCF homes director identified her for rescue during his routine visits to the Juvenile remand home in December 1995. After her rescue, she continued to deal with the trauma that she had experienced. She suffered withdrawal and refused to associate with the other beneficiaries. She was always deep in thought, and, if confronted, she would either respond with silence or tears. The staff at MCF were very concerned and desperately wanted to reach her. They decided to take her through intensive successive individual counseling sessions to ease her trauma. Gradually Elizabeth opened up and shared her horrendous background. A few years later she became involved in a relationship with a boy who impregnated her. She gave birth to a baby boy that she named Shawn. During her pregnancy, she received love and support from the entire MCF fraternity. She continued with her studies and went back to school after giving birth to Shawn. She She did her final KCSE examination in the year 2006 and scored a B- . She is volunteering her services as a teacher in MCF Yatta Secondary as she waits to join University in 2008. Since his birth, Shawn, age 4, has been a healthy child and has continued to grow well. He is a favorite of many of the children at MCF, who “fight” to get the privilege of playing with him and carrying him. He is under the tender care of MCF, and currently is in preschool, where he is progressing well. Donors Jeff Kendall Anonymous Frank & Agnes DeFehr DAY TWENTY-ONE TOTAL: $10,315 Day 22 Back to Top Emmanuel, or as he is known to his friends, Junio, is 12 years old. He is the oldest of two. He was born to a poor, disabled father who himself was a victim of neglect and child abuse. The father in his formative age could not get proper care as he suffered paralysis on the left side. Junior’s father recalls with bitterness how, although he was bright in class, he missed out on many good chances just because of his disability. He often attended school on an empty stomach. His family neglected him and treated his as an outcast, knowing that he had nothing to offer the family in terms of support. The resources that should have helped him were instead used for others, and he was only fed the leftovers. Junior was born in this environment of stigma and discrimination. His mother, who was also poor, was filled with love and compassion for her husband and children, but she had very little to offer to the children. In 2006 MCF came to the rescue of the entire family. The two children are now in school at Ndalani, and the parents work at MCF. The children no longer see the father’s disability. Junior had a shaky educational background at the time of rescue. On his rescue, he was enrolled in MCF school in grade four and is now in grade seven where he is showing incredible progress. Donors Ted & Mary Paetkau DAY TWENTY-TWO TOTAL: $10,000 Day 23 Back to Top Favour, 3 years old, is the only child born to HIV/AIDS affected parents. Her mother Rahab, a former MCF beneficiary, was born to a poor single mother in a family of five. Rahab’s family lived in the Huruma slum and never had steady access to the basic necessities of life. In Rahab’s early life, she and her siblings lived with her mother in a one-room rented house. Frequently the children were abused by the men who arrived to use Rahab’s mother for sex or alcohol. In this dire and desperate situation, Rahab had very little to lean on except for hope. She was in a constant state of malnutrition; she was forced into child labour; she was victimized by sexual abuse. Thus, it is hardly surprising that she fell into delinquent behaviour on the streets. In 1991, to escape their home life, Rahab and her brother ran to the streets. She joined a gang of girls and began a prostitution business. She also started taking drugs. During an outreach program in 1993, Charles Mulli met Rahab Njoki and five other girls. He rescued them, and placed them under rehabilitation at Eldoret MCF. In August 2000, Rahab pretended she was very sick so that she could be taken to Eldoret for special treatment. While at Eldoret, Rahab ran away to Mombasa, where she entered into prostitution again. She fell ill, lost weight and became emaciated. In January 2003, she returned to MCF, where she was welcomed once again. She was admitted to the hospital for two months, where she was diagnosed with tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. MCF did not give up on Rahab, but kept its promise to give her the best education and life possible. She was enrolled in the Eldoret Media and Music Institute. Rahab thrived after being accepted back at MCF, and the workers saw an immediate change in her life. In 2005, Rahab married James Mwangi who is also a victim of HIV/AIDS. They were both under the special care of MCF, which enhanced the provision of the Anti-viral drugs. On 7th December 2006, the couple was blessed with a beautiful baby girl named Favour Wageci. Tragically, Rahab fell sick after the birth of her baby. After enjoying several weeks of loving her little daughter, on 31st December 2006, Rahab died. Favour was then placed under very special care in MCF Eldoret. She is in good health and is a very joyous girl. She was later transferred to MCF Ndalani, where she is thriving. We thank God for preserving Favour’s life. Day 24 Back to Top Day 25 Back to Top Back to Top