While PCC funds much of the work for Wings of Hope which is now a registered charity in the United States, CUMC single-handedly sponsors the outreach to high school students focused on the prevention of the spread of HIV/AIDS in Malawi. Bayana, his wife Shingi, and a dedicated group of Malawians go to schools throughout Malawi talking frankly about HIV/AIDS, its spread, and its devastating effects of the disease, not only on the person infected, but his or her entire family. The aim of this project is to educate young people about making the right choices and waiting until marriage before having sex.

Bayana’s outreach meetings with high school youth are recorded (and now videotaped) and highlighted on his national radio program, his TV program, and written about in his national newspaper column. As the Wings of Hope ministry expands in Malawi, Bayana is training two young men (one is his brother) to take over from him as he goes into new areas of mission.

Fundraisers are held at CUMC to continue to support this important mission that literally saves lives every day! Donations are always welcome. Make checks out to CUMC and put “Malawi” in the memo area. Please use the link provided to see all of the wonderful things that Bayana and Wings of Hope are doing in Malawi.

If you would like to become involved in this project, please contact Sharron Thompson at annie94037@yahoo.com or CUMC at (650) 726-4621.

Link to Wings of Hope, Malawi: wingsofhopemalawi.org to see up to date program progress.

Food comes from various sources: Second Harvest for fresh vegetables and fruit, the Farmers Market from Mountain View for other fresh food, the local Safeway for bread, and CUMC and others providing protein such as chicken, tuna, eggs, and ham.

Volunteers are always welcome for this important outreach into our community. Whether you come once or on a regular basis, your help is welcome to help sort and distribute available food to seniors who find it more difficult each month to make ends meet.

If you would like to help, donate funds or food to this project, or like more information, please contact Linda Wright at (650) 325-6411 or CUMC office at (650) 726-4621.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, clans took turns providing up to 200 people, men and women, to work at tasks; carrying rocks, mixing cement, laying bricks and digging the necessary ten miles of trenches in the rocky, hilly terrain. All the work was done by hand. The community organized into subcommittees for the storage
tank, sump, and trenches. The Ramoya Water Project Committee, had the overall responsibility for planning and implementation.

BEFORE the Water Project, women and children had to walk a 2 to 3 miles downhill, stand in line to fill a 5-gallon can with water from the same river the cows used, then walk back uphill with the 40 pound can on their heads. The women spent hours fetching water and children missed school to help the mothers. Water-borne disease was commonplace in the village.

In 2005, five CUMC members camped at the site of the water storage tank, on the top of a hill in Ramoya to join in celebration and dedication of the Water Project. NOW – 60,000 and 70,000 people have clean, accessible spring water to drink and water their gardens and animals. Some women are able to sell products at market and children can go to school. The Ramoya Water Project is one of only three water projects in Kenya to have survived a major drought. It is now a model for other projects. And, to our great surprise and delight, a Methodist church was formed in Ramoya as a result of the project The people of Ramoya gave CUMC a cow.

In 2009, Daniel updated the congregation on the water project. This time he thanked us for more than the water. CUMC’s gift to the people of Ramoya was more than water. We gave Hope and Confidence and empowered the community to work to better their own lives, without our help.

THE RAMOYA SCHOLARSHIPS
School Fees are required to attend high school in Kenya since the government provides little or no help for education. There are over 100 Aids orphans in Ramoya. Some live with relatives, some live together in a group home provided by the community. CUMC provides school fees for two students every year. This is one way we keep our community to community connection alive. We also provide a stipend for a Methodist evangelist to make the trip from his village church to the new church in Ramoya.

Diapers are collected and given to the volunteer workers at Kelly House for distribution. The most recent diaper drive was on October 30, 2010 when Jack collected several dozen diapers from members of the congregation.

The next diaper drive will be in the spring of 2011.

The Adopt a Family program is sponsored by the Mission & Outreach ministry here at CUMC.  In preparation for the Christmas season each year, the Adopt-a-Family team works with agencies on the Half Moon Bay coast-side and identifies families and their clothing and other personal item needs, creating a Christmas shopping list for CUMC families and individuals wishing to Adopt-a-Family for the coming Christmas season.

This year, Don and Mary Patterson, two active members of our congregation, volunteered to take this project for Christmas 2010. Don and Mary prepared a wonderful “ornament” for each needy person and members of the congregation signed up to buy the specific items required. The ornaments were put out on November 7, 2010 and all gifts were in by November 28.Thank you, CUMC, for your generosity during the holiday season!

If you reside on or near the Half Moon Bay coast-side and would like to participate or lead this ministry, please contact the CUMC office (650) 726-4621.