As our sponsors in the United States celebrate their day of Thanksgiving, we too express ourdeepest thanks for the at fortune of having been chosen by Brian Williams as the subject of a special segment on NBC Nightly News. It is a gift that continues giving, as hundreds of new sponsors have joined our family. So moved was Mr. Williams by the response, he did a follow-up segment on the show. In it he applauded all those who gave, and showed clips of the children making thank-you cards. He exclaimed how the “making a difference” piece on Andeisha and AFCECO orphanages was one of the most popular segments he had ever done. A few short months ago, who could have predicted our worries about decreased sponsorship and the cost of housing would be alleviated virtually overnight? As a result we can turn our attention toward some of our long-range plans. Even as we do, we know how important it is to sustain the momentum we now enjoy, raising awareness of our activities, gaining support and expanding the number of children we can bring into the program.

In case you did not get a chance to view the story, please visit our website: www.afceco.organd here is the link on YouTube:  

http://www.youtube.com/user/haven4kids

Winter has arrived, with temperatures at night dropping to zero degrees Celsius. We have begun to use the heaters in the orphanages, thanks again to our beloved sponsors who donated for the firewood.

As promised in the last newsletter, we have administered the second round of Hepatitis B vaccinations to all the children and staff of Mehan and Sitara orphanages. Unfortunately, the H1N1 virus finally hit Afghanistan. As a result the schools were closed for three weeks in an attempt to prevent the sickness from spreading. This was such a sudden decision we had no opportunity to prepare a special course to augment the children’s loss of studies. Just as suddenly, a few days before the final exams had been scheduled, it was announced they would proceed as planned, regardless of not having any classes held all month. Now the children are in the midst of “cramming” for exams. Between the disruptions of this year’s election and the emergence of the flu in the countryside it has been a challenge getting the children further ahead in their studies. One bright spot has been the presence of an art instructor giving regular classes to the children. It turns out we have some very talented emerging artists in our midst. Soon we hope you will see examples of their work either in card form or on the Internet.

Like other months, November was also a month of birthday celebrations at Kabul orphanages. Terry Cardwell, a founding sponsor from Florida funded for a giant birthday party for all children of Sitara Orphanage. She had made a Platinum Founding Sponsorship donation that let us to establish a new orphanage in Kabul in 2009. Rose Vines, another sponsor from New Orleans, who had made a Silver Founding Sponsorship donation funded the birthday party of her children at Mehan Orphanage.

Please visit this link to know more about Founding Sponsorship:https://www.charityhelp.org/afceco/donation/founding_sponsor

As always, to all of you a hearty thanks for your part in the vision we share for the future of Afghanistan.

The health and wellbeing of the children being of primary concern, our family of friends put heads andresources together to stay on top of things. In so doing it has been a month never to be forgotten. In conjunction with a Veterans for Afghanistan fundraiser, NBC Nightly News picked up the story of Kristen Rouse, one of our sponsors. She in turn led Brian Williams and his crew to visit Mehan orphanage, bringing a huge venue of publicity to our cause. The story was featured on October 30th in a prime time segment “People Making a Difference”. Frishta exchanging eyeglasses with Mr. Williams, and Farzana Nori explaining what home is to her with such poise, and of course all the smiling children were captured on film for the world to see. Andeisha’s message was heard loud and clear.

“Love is never where you found her last; she resides in what comes between you, and though one day a peasant hoes a ditch, and a river weaves through terraced gardens, to begin with there will always be the waterfall. You are my waterfall…”

 Ian Pounds addressing the children of Mehan orphanage his final night in Kabul

September began with a farewell party to a volunteer who simply placed himself as the most beloved friend in the hearts of 170 children. For five months Ian lived with them, laughed and cried with them, all the while leading classes in a wide variety of disciplines, accommodating an even wider variety of learning levels among his students. The tears that flowed that final evening are flowing still. Our hearts will not be completely full until one day he returns to our open, waiting arms.