Happy Holidays

I hope this finds you enjoying some holiday cheer. For those of you that celebrate Christmas I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and hope you are able to spend time with family or friends this Christmas.

There are many that struggle during the holidays. Many have lost loved ones this year, met with financial difficulties or some other challenges that are impacting them. As a veteran, I know many of my veteran brothers and sisters are struggling just to make it through the day.

My prayers go out to them and to those who are still serving in all corners of the world.

If you’ve been reading any of the newsletters over the last few weeks you are aware of the severe food shortage that our ladies in Kenya and most Kenyan’s are experiencing. Here are some facts about the food crisis:

1. For the last four rainy seasons the annual rains have failed across Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia and forced 1.5 million people to flee their homes in search of food and water elsewhere.
2. The hunger problem is compounded by the war in Ukraine and the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, which has pushed up the price of cooking oil, bread and wheat flour to record highs at local markets. (We notice that funds don’t go as far and buy as much as it did just 6 month ago)
3. Livestock are dying due to drought and the President of Kenya has declared the crisis a national disaster.

On the other hand we here in the US destroy food for likes on social media, laughs or for advertising. It makes me sad to think that there are people starving because they can’t get enough food and there are people so fortunate to have an abundance of food that they waste food for entertainment. See this article about the “International Food Waste Meme” https://www.eater.com/2020/8/28/21399684/intentional-food-waste-meme-on-twitter-tiktok

If you are moved in anyway by this situation and would like to give some holiday cheer in the form of food packs to the ladies in Kenya, please consider a donation of any amount here https://www.basketsandbeadskenya.org

We need to raise about $1,000 to cover the cost of food packs for our 30 women and 80+ children. Any amount will help and it is a tax deductible donation.

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season.

Yesu Ni Sababu Ya Majira

Nakupenda

Eldonna