February 1, 2010
Josiah and Friends is entering a film contest!
Don Miller is one of daddy’s favorite writers. He’s having a short film contest on his blog and anyone who has read his latest book can enter. Daddy and I decided that we’re going to make a film about Josiah and Friends and enter it in the contest.
The voting starts in April, and the winner gets $1,000! Daddy and I decided that if our movie wins, we’re going to donate the money to Manute Bol’s school building project.
We’re going to need everyone’s help when the time comes so we can get lots of votes. We’ll let you know more about it later. But for now, we’ve got a movie to make!
January 31, 2010
Meet Abby!
Meet Abby Farhnam, a seventh-grade student from Rochester, NY. Daddy and I read an article about her in today’s newspaper.
Abby has been raising money to build a school in Mali, a county in West Africa. She got the idea when her school band played the song We Are the World. She wanted to do something special to make a difference in Africa. So she came up with the idea of collecting change to raise money. And then she asked her friends and classmates to help.
Since she began collecting change back in October she has raised over $1,600!
I think her story is really cool because it’s just like what we’re doing to build this school in Sudan. And it shows what kids can do to make a difference in the world!
January 30, 2010
A little help from my friends!
Here I am with my friends Ethel and Tom (who also happen to be my great aunt and uncle). They travel all over the place selling homemade crafts at fairs and festivals.
This year they’re going to use their business to help us raise money for our school building project in Sudan. For every sale of $5 or more, they’re going to donate $1 to Sudan Sunrise on our behalf. We also made up a bunch of fliers so they can share our story with people wherever they go!
I think that’s awesome! Hopefully it will inspire other people to come up with creative ways to help us get this school built!
January 19, 2010
January Progress Report
We thought we’d give you an update on our progress since we began raising money in November.
Donations have slowed down a bit since the holidays, but hopefully they’ll pick back up soon. But in two months we’ve raised $1,330. That’s pretty awesome!
You guys are doing a great job helping us get the word out too! We’ve nearly doubled the amount of Facebook friends we had last month and the website should receive its 3,000th hit sometime next week.
You guys are doing a great job, I’m really proud of you. But we have a long way to go before this school is built, so let’s keep going!
January 11, 2010
Brothers in Hope
Tonight daddy and I read a book titled Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan. Mommy found it at the library the other day.
The book tells the story of two boys named Garang and Chuti Bol (like Manute!). They were separated from their families during the war and had to flee to a refugee camp in Ethiopia for safety. Along the way they met hundreds of other boys who were also seperated from their families. These boys became known at the “Lost Boys” of Sudan.
I really liked the book. It made me feel really happy about what we’re doing because they didn’t have an opportunity to get a good education in the refugee camps. But we’re working together to help change that!
January 8, 2010
It will take sacrifice to get this school built!
Brady Dillsworth is a local photographer and a personal friend of Manute Bol. Recently he sent me a book full of photos that he took the night Manute came to speak at the University of Rochester. It was a very nice gift.
He said that the picture above was his favorite photo of all the ones he took this year. Here’s why:
My favorite photograph of 2009 is 7′7″ retired NBA star and international philanthropist, Manute Bol, at the end of a grueling 14-hour day spent public speaking and fundraising in Rochester, NY. He was in tremendous pain due to the combination of a near fatal car accident, which left him with permanent neurological damage, chronic arthritis from a decade spent playing in the NBA and an inability to sleep for more than an hour or two at night.
By the end of the last speaking engagement, Manute literally could not put any weight on his limbs without experiencing the worst pain imaginable, and, as a result, was wheelchair bound, requiring friends to lift him onto and off of the stage, into and out of the car and into and out of his wheelchair. Despite the pain and exhaustion, Manute managed to answer the audience’s questions and pose for pictures without objection.
I’m glad Manute was willing to answer questions that night or else we might not have ever started Josiah and Friends. The photo Manute took with me was one of the last ones he took that night. It means even more to me now that I know how much pain he was in.
When I think about everything Manute is sacrificing to get this school built it really makes me feel like I can do even more to help him. I think we all can!
January 7, 2010
We’re in the news in Indiana!
This past Sunday a writer for the Northwest Indiana Times talked about Josiah and Friends in her weekly column. She shared a story about the time she met a woman who had fled a war-torn country, but had to leave her child behind. It was very hard for her to be separated from her daughter and feared for her safety. Then she shared about our work.
The paper is read throughout Northwest Indiana and even reaches the South Side of Chicago! If you’re interested in reading the article you can check it out here.
December 31, 2009
“A step at at time!”
Hey guys, I got another email from my friend Tom Prichard today. He shared some news about the progress of the school. Check it out!
I spoke with Manute two days ago, and he is very pleased with the progress of the school. I spoke to the builders yesterday, and they say the next classroom building will be done by the end of January, which will mean six classrooms will be complete. That will leave the next classroom building (with two classrooms and offices) and the large multipurpose building, which will have an area for food preparation and storage. Also, we eventually hope to have two guest houses for teachers. A step at a time!
May God bless you & your wonderful effort!
Great work guys! We still have a long way to go, but we’re going to get this school built one step at a time!
December 30, 2009
Meet the Aboubakar family
This is the Aboubakar family. They are a Sudanese family living in a refugee camp in Chad.
Mommy found this great book called What the World Eats at our local library. It talks about all the different kinds of food people from around the world eat every day.
This book also talks about what it is like for the Aboubakar’s to live in a refugee camp. It even has a recipe for something called Aiysh. It’s a congealed porridge that is a big part of their diet. Mommy and daddy found the ingredients for Aiysh at the grocery store and we’re going to make it this weekend. I’m very excited to try it!
I’ll be telling you more about the Aboubakar family and life in a refugee camp. We’ll even share the recipe so you can try it at home. So stay tuned!
December 29, 2009
Sudan Geography – Lesson 4
There are three major regions in the country of Sudan. They are Northern Sudan, Southern Sudan and Darfur. We are helping to build a school in Southern Sudan. The capital city of that region is Juba.
1. Can you color Northern Sudan orange, Darfur green and Southern Sudan blue?
2. Can you write the name of the capital city to the right of the star in Southern Sudan?
(Click the above image to download PDF version of worksheet.)
December 28, 2009
Sudan named among “Top Ten Humanitarian Crises” of 2009
Last week, Doctors Without Borders published their annual list of the “Top Ten Humanitarian Crises.” And for the sixth time since they began publishing the list in 1998, the conditions in Sudan ranked among the world’s worst.
According to the report:
“Medical humanitarian emergencies persisted throughout 2009 in several parts of Sudan. In addition to the ongoing crisis in Darfur, people in southern Sudan faced a deteriorating situation marked by escalating violence, disease outbreaks, and little or no access to health care.”
The situation in Southern Sudan is very bad. But we’re helping them by raising money to build this school. We’re giving the children there hope for a better future, and the skills they will need to help rebuild their country after many years of war.
If you haven’t already made a donation, please consider making one today. We have to get this school built!
December 22, 2009
“… we’re going to see this school built!”
Yesterday I got an email from my friend Tom – the executive director of Sudan Sunrise. He gave me an update on the school’s progress that I wanted to share with all of you!
We really need and appreciate the help! Today a truck load of bags of cement was delivered to Manute’s school, and we didn’t really have all the funding for it…but are pushing ahead because somehow we’ve got to get this built! I can’t look at the faces of the kids I have seen in Turalei, and not go full steam ahead. Somehow…with your help, we’re going to see this school built!
Best wishes,
Tom
You guys have done a great job so far, but we still have a long way to go. Please consider making a donation today!
December 17, 2009
“If Josiah can do this, think what we can do.”
Today, Tom Prichard wrote about us in a letter to his friends. Tom is the Executive Director of Sudan Sunrise, the people we’re helping build the schools. (Daddy says that an “Executive Director” is kind of like the coach of a team.) Here’s what he had to say:
When I was in Sudan last month I spoke with Sudanese of various tribes, regions, religions and backgrounds, asking for their frank opinion of these efforts. Over and over I heard the same enthusiastic response that these projects are very important, and need to happen now.
But I’ve had my moments despairing whether we will succeed at our part of the equation. There are many positive indicators and exciting plans are in place for fundraisers next year. But it was a 6 year-old from Rochester, NY, who helped convince me that we will succeed.
“Any more questions for Manute?” I asked at the November presentation at the University of Rochester. One little hand shot up from the back of the chapel. “I’m six,” said Josiah, “what can I do to help?” There was a long pause from Manute. Then a big smile as the audience chuckled. Manute replied, “I don’t know…” Then Manute gestured to pass the question my way. My answer wasn’t much better: “I’m going to Sudan in ten days. If you write a letter to the children of Manute’s school, I’ll deliver it. Your letter will encourage them.”
I totally underestimated what Josiah could do. He could do a lot more than write a letter. Josiah inspired his family and friends, and together they leaped into action. So far Josiah and his friends have raised $470 and are going strong. Yesterday Channel 13 in Rochester, NY ran a story about Josiah’s work to help Manute build a school, inviting others to join his efforts.
If Josiah can do this, think what we can do. But to succeed we need your help, and we need it now. Please prayerfully consider making an online donation now, or mailing a contribution to Sudan Sunrise, 8643 Hauser Court, Suite 240, Lenexa, KS 66215 [Be sure to put "Josiah and Friends" in the memo].
So that’s what he had to say. Good work, let’s keep going!
