Volume 10 Issue 1 101 N. Zeysing · P O Box 228 · Alma, MO 64001

660.674.2222

www.houseoffriends.org

Just a few days after receiving adonation from a high school in PembrokePines, Florida, Abba House administrator,

Jackie Akidibirungi, wrote “

In Februaryall the kids will be starting school so we

pray for provision for school supplies.”

God knew about that need and prayer thatwould be prayed, because on September 10, 2009 Maria Moreno, a high schoolstudent, contacted House of Friends witha project plan. Unknown to all involved,until the completion of the project, God

had an extended plan. Here is Maria’s

story.

“Perseverance and love are among the

things needed to accomplish a goal likethe one Charles W. Flanagan High

School’s Invisible Children’s Club achieved. It started out as the school

year began and I, Maria Moreno, wanted to make a difference and help.

I didn’t know what to do or who to help. The first thing that came to

mind was Africa. So I went on Google, searched a map of Africa, closedmy eyes, extended my finger and as I opened my eyes it was on Uganda.

Consequently, I started to look for organizations in Uganda and that’s howI came to know about House of Friends. I read the children’s stories and

what this wonderful organizationhas done; it moved me.Therefore, I joined our

school’s Invisible Children’s

Club as they had the same ideol-ogy that I had. We worked as agroup in car washes, braceletsales and change drives in order to send school supplies to thechildren in Entebbe, Uganda.We received donations fromvarious office suppliers and were seeing the finish line much clearer eachday. Until one day we realized that shipping the supplies donated wouldcost more than what we had raised. We were first very disappointed as we

saw that our original plan couldn’t possibly happen. But then I realized that

God had a better plan for us than the one we had. (

Continued on back.)

Ms. Clarkson, Invisible Children’s Club

Sponsor, and Maria Moreno holding a$627 check for school supplies.

eTapestry is a technologyservice for non profits. YearlyeTapestry Foundation awards$500 grants to several non profit organizations. On January11, 2010, House of Friendsreceived a letter congratulatingus on being one of their 2009grant recipients. The grant proposal was written for the building of a security fencearound the Abba House homesin Entebbe, Uganda. This grant brings us within $1,000 of completing the project.We cease to be amazed at how God connects people together soinformation or goods go to where He desires.It has been about a year since House of Friends was introduced to LizKirk, an estate sale professional in Kansas City, Missouri. After an estatesale is over, there are always items left that did not sell. Liz asks the heirs or owners if they want to sell all of the items for a small price to a dealer inKansas City or if they want to donate to a non profit organization.Since coming to know Liz, the first group she leads them to donate to isHouse of Friends. Our job is to pack up the sale leftovers in boxes and loadthe big items on a truck or trailer and bring them to Alma for sorting and preparing to take them to the Lakota Sioux at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.What the reservation cannot use is converted into cash for the ministry andoutreaches.

(Continued on back)

L-R

—

Jeanie Ritter and Liz Kirk

Blessed by God’s

faithfulness throughgiving and caring

“friends.”