Wednesday, February 21, 2007

So wonderful to be home.

It is so nice to be home. To be back and see all the snow instead of always seeing green grass. It is so nice to be back with everybody that I already know and talk to them about my trip. Not many kids in Malawi had clothes that didn't have holes in them. I liked going to all the villages there and hear them sing so wonderfully and be able to help them. It was so nice to meet new people there. While we were there, we went to alot of villages and got to bring them supplies like maize, oil, rice, cane sugar, salt and either some goats or some chickens. Looking about how happy the kids were when I gave them their bags, their faces just lit up. Even if I waved to them, their faces would light up. They were so happy that I had came to help them. I'm really looking forward to next year. The people would clap when we had said that we were buying them supplies and they would sing songs. Their singing is so beautiful. I will write to you soon.

Jaako

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Hope for Malawi Report Night

We will be having a Hope for Malawi Report and Information Night on Saturday, March 3rd at 7:00 p.m. It will be at Thunder Bay Christian Fellowship at 515 North Syndicate Avenue - behind the Dairy Queen on May.

Come out and see Malawi through the eyes of a 9 year old. We will have lots of pictures, video and items from Malawi!!!

Call 622-1030 (ask for Sue) for more information!!

Sue (Jaako's Mom)

Saturday, February 10, 2007

I'm back home!!

Hey there,

We have just been home for about 3 days now and it's been great to be home. In Africa it was just hard to be eating in front of the Malawians. (Like in restaraunts) There's so many so we just can't give our food over. The poverty there is just hard to believe. The difference between how much we get and they get is again hard to believe. They only eat a little bit of maize everyday and that's pretty much all they get to eat. Their clothes look like they've been worn for about two years without taking them off or washing them. And they have holes and they are dirty and the colours are like nothing we get. There shoes have like holes by their toes and they are all torn up. We left for one village a whole bunch of shoes and a whole bunch of clothes for another. I will write to you again soon.

Bye. Jaako.

Hey guys, this is Sue Jaako's mom. It's good to be back. Hard but good at the same time. It's incredible how different our life style is from most in Malawi. The things we take for granted are amazing. The people there actually truly have nothing. They have a hut, usually an outdoor kitchen (fire pit with a roof), and maybe a few plates, cups, and something to sit on. We were invited to eat in the villages quite a few times, and it saddened me that they prepared for us their very best. In most places we had chicken although they don't get chicken often. It was hard to eat knowing that they needed it more. But you ate first, and then the household ate what was left. We always took as little as we could with out being insulting. Little meat and lots of Nsima (their corn flour staple) Then they always provided us with a Coke or orange Fanta!! It's actually hard to write right now because there is so much to say, so many experiences to tell that we don't know where to start. Maybe a little each day. It gets overwhelming at times. Blessings to all of you that prayed for us and supported our trip and to those who helped the Malawians. We made a difference. Small but sure!!!!!

Blessings, Sue

Thursday, February 01, 2007

4 More Days

Muli Bwangi,

You guys probably all know what that means, because I have already said it in one of my blogs. How are you? Everything has been going great here in Malawi. When we went into Zambia, it was just flooded like crazy. We were there for two days. And it was hard to see all these homes flooded. We saw some kids playing in the water and then they would put their hands in their mouths. Cause they don't know what is happening to that water so that is how diseases are spreaded. I feel bad for everybody in Malawi and Zambia. We have been giving to most of the communities 5 bags of maize, 1 bag of rice and sugar, salt and oil. These are some of the foods that they need to live. It is really nice to be here and help many of the villages. We have just enjoyed it very very much. But it is also very heartbreakening with the poorness that is here. I will talk more another day. Tomorrow we set off to Blantyre for 2 nights for our last opportunity to help people. I'll talk more when I get back to Canada.
Bye Bye.
God Bless you, Jaako

Sunday, January 28, 2007

slideshow link (click here)


click this link to watch a slideshow.

Muli Bwangi (How are you)

Moni (Hello)

Today when we went to a chief's house to eat some good Malawian food, these kids from the village wanted to see me. So we let the kids into the yard, which really isn't that much room and I told them 3 bible stories and played tag with them. It was wonderful. And most of them asked Jesus into their hearts for the very first time, including one man who had snuck in. And the man thanked me very very much for telling him about Jesus. I feel so happy for him.


Zikomo (Thank-you)

Jaako

Thursday, January 25, 2007

check it out


BUYING MAIZE AT THE MARKET.


JAAKO TEACHES KIDS HOW TO PLAY HOCKEY.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Poverty

Hey Guys,
The poverty here is incredible, the need here is big. If you have a bike here, you are considered rich. I've bought 5 bikes so far and given 2 of them away already. All of the kids clothes have holes in them and some don't wear clothes and their shoes are not good at all. Not many kids even have shoe's. The have many cuts from falling down. And there are alot of disease here. It's hard to believe. Bye for now.
Jaako

Hi everybody, this is Sue, Jaako's mom now. Jaako says it great when he says it is hard to believe. The need here is bigger than I ever imagined. We went to a small market place and handed out some candies and Bags of Hope to the children there and they were just amazed. At 2 other markets we started handing out gum and sweets and we were literally mobbed by the children. We were pushed back against the vehicles by the kids trying to grab the bag and crying Madam or Boy Please!!! Give me some!! It was horrific. All for candy. Every where we go we are asked for money. By all ages, not just the children. The market places are the worst. You try to buy from every one just so they can have a next meal!! I'm coming home with lots of African carvings and bowls!!!! But they all beg you to buy, some have not eaten that day and need a sale. Some of course use that to make the sale. You kind of get to know who is being sincere or not. The Malawians can't lie. If they are smiling big - they are not telling you the truth!!! Please pray for us as we try to help people. The need is so great and our funds are sooooo small in comparison - we hate being the ones to decide who gets and who doesn't. Sometimes God tells ones of us very strongly to buy something so we do. We bought 57 shoes for a small village because they were mostly bare footed there!!! Thanks for your prayers and support and can't wait to come home and share with all of you our pictures and stories. God Bless you!!!! Love, Sue

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Everything is going good

Thursday, January 18, 2007
Hey there guys, everything has just been great. We have just gone to the store and bought all our maize, sugar, rice, oil and salt. This is the stuff we are going to be giving to the families We have just met two pastors. They are great people of God. I’m really looking forward to going into the village tomorrow. When we went to market where they just sell little things that they made, they’d all come up to you and they would never leave you and they would tell you to buy this. And they say they will give it to you for a good price.


Friday, January 19, 2007
(Hey guys, this is Sue, Jaako’s mom, we apologize but it is very difficult to get an internet connection here so this entry contains two days. This is an amazing country with beauty and hard-ache all rolled into one. The need is so great. Beyond our small hands. The Malawians are beautiful people with very warm hearts and ready smiles. We will try in the next few days upload a picture onto the blog. Please partner with us in prayer as we visit village to village. We experience the greatest joy and the greatest sadness within minutes of each other.)

(Jaako) We have gone to two churches now. They worship beautifully! They pray to God, they sing and they dance. And I told a couple bible stories, and it worked out pretty well. And when they got the Ziploc bags, they were very happy. Not only were we only able to help the children, we were able to help the whole church. We bought 5 bags of maize (50kg each), one bag of rice (25 kg) , oil, sugar and salt for them to share. We bought one of the pastors a bike and there is four still stored at the Jonats. Here are many many differences. Everything is opposite how they function things. Like lights, fans, how you drive and other things. It was just so cool going to the churches. Bye for now.

From Jaako

Thursday, January 11, 2007

How I'm doing so far....

Hello there,
Lately we have got around $28,000 raised and we got around 530 Bags of Hope. I just can't really wait until we go, I'm just getting so excited now that it is so soon. I just can't wait. I'm really looking forward to meeting the children and getting to know them. I really want to try and help the adults that haven't died from AIDS yet and even get to know them too. I really want to change this Nation and just help them. I'm a little bit nervous about going on the plane because I haven't been on one since I was two. We're just about ready to start getting all our things packed and we're not close at all to being ready to go. But we'll be ready soon enough. Bye for now. God Bless you.
From Jaako.

Monday, January 08, 2007

Pancake Breakfast

Hey There, I'm leaving in 5 days. I'm so excited, I really can't wait. Time has gone by really really fast. A little bit to fast in fact. On the 13th the day before I go, we're having a pancake breakfast. Tickets are $8.oo and it is at Thunder Bay Christian Fellowship. You can just come out and chat, have some Finnish pancakes and just get to see me for the last time. You guys have been such a great support with me and my trip. Bye for now.
Jaako

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

2 weeks more before I go

Only 12 more days until we leave to Malawi! I can't really wait it just seems wierd that it is so soon. I'm looking forward to meeting the children. We've got around $20,000 raised. We've sold many, many chickens, a couple goats, a few bikes and maize and one treadle pump. We've sold many, many shirts and hats and a few buttons. Please buy more buttons. It's been great having you guys reading my blog. A special thanks to my cousin Tiia and her friends in Sault Ste. Marie. Please leave me some comments. Bye for now everybody. God is working things out.
God Bless you.
Jaako

Friday, December 29, 2006

Wish you all the best

Hey there,

Happy New Year everybody! It's a pleasure to have all you guys reading my blog. I'm going very very very soon. In about 2 and 1/2 weeks. I really can't wait to see the children. We went to St. Ignatius before Christmas and they presented us with $700!! And my school gave me $400 and a digital camera for the trip with a memory card that holds 1,742 pictures on it. I thank-you St. Ignatius and St. Bernard. You guys have been a big help. $700 could keep 5-7 families for when I leave so that they can survive on their own. $400 can do 2-4 families. I thank all of you out there for your support. Bye for now.

Jaako

Thursday, December 21, 2006

It's almost time!

Hey guys, there's only 3 weeks until I'm going. We will be starting to pack up and get ready. I really want to change what's happening there and I can't explain my emotions its just that the poverty there it's just so incredible. I just want to make Malawi a different country and just get to know the people. And be able to help them and buy them what they need. And just help all the orphaned children. I really can't wait.

And just today we got a $243.33 donation from the daycare at the college named Family and Children Centre!! And just think about a day care giving $243.00. LIke God is working something here. Thank-you so much daycare for your support. I had alot of fun meeting them today. Right now God has His eye on Malawi. Like Madonna, Unicef, me and others are helping Malawi. I thank you all for supporting me . Just remember that the money is going to a good cause. Bye for now.

Jaako

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

T-Shirts and Caps for Sale!!!

We just re-ordered more T-shirts and Caps!! We have run low and people have been asking!! What a great way to support Jaako's trip and the kids in Malawi. "Hope for Malawi" receive over half of the price of the item and you get a great T-Shirt or Cap!!! Show your support and order one today!!
T-Shirts are $20 and Caps are $15. Order by e-mailing adepelteau@hotmail.com and we will get your order out to you right away!!

I just want to take this moment to tell you how incredibly proud I am of my son. He amazes and teaches me so much every day. I have embarked on this voyage with him and my heart has taken in the people of Malawi. Please help us help these families. We live like kings in their eyes. They can't even imagine the riches that we have. We are truly a blessed nation and it's time that we stand up and help those that need help.

Thank-you so much to all of you that have helped in any way, whether it was helping at an event, donating items, donating financially and especially to those who have lifted us up in prayer - A huge thank-you from the bottom of my heart. You have been a part of fulfilling a mission that God gave a 9 year old boy and you will surely be blessed!!

Sue (Jaako's Mom)

Saturday, December 16, 2006

Buttons and Blog

Hey Guys,

Just so you know it has been me writing these blogs sometimes my mom will type it and I'll say it because it goes alot faster. The only time my mom writes is if she writes from Sue. I hope that you know that it is true because it is.

And lately we have been making buttons, they will be sold at Maltese, Primary Photo, Shear Heaven, Home Hardware and at our church. The buttons are $2.00 each and they say my website on them. The net one.

I hope to make a big change in Africa. It's in exactly in 4 weeks . I just ask that you support me and my mission. Also, lately there was a girl that came to my mom's office, she said that I inspired her and when she gets through university she's going to go to Africa and teach and she's 18 year old and she said that she left a little donation for us and she gave us $1,000!!! So God is really working this out. Bye for now.
Jaako

Monday, December 11, 2006

Purchase Program

Below you'll find our purchase program. We are having some problems with our web page so I hope the information is okay here.

Chicken - $ 4.00
Goat - $ 45.00
Cow - $ 350.00
Donkey - $ 350.00
Maize - $ 25.00 (50 Kg bag of their corn staple)

Treadle Pump - $ 100.00
Bike - $ 100.00
Ox Cart - $ 175.00

Here are some thoughts.......
Two donkeys and an Ox Cart will provide a business for an individual. A bike is used as a taxi service in rural villages providing a family with an income. A treadle pump will help irrigate a small vegetable plot to assist in growing food to feed a widow and her family.

Purchases can be made in the following ways:
1. Visit any Td bank and make a deposit into the Thunder Bay Christian Fellowship account number ending in 157. Branch 6053. (E-mail deposit info. to hopeformalawi@yahoo.ca include your name and address)
2. Send cheque or money order payable to: Thunder Bay Christian Fellowship 515 N. Syndicate Ave. Thunder Bay, ON P7C 3X2

During the Christmas Season, if you wish to purchase an item on behalf of some-one else as a gift, we'll send you a beautiful Christmas card to give.

For more info contact Sue at: 807-622-1030

All donations over $10.00 will be issued a tax receipt at year end, if full name and address are provided.

Thank-you, Sue (Jaako's Mom)

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Time is almost here!!

Hey,

In 4 weeks it is time to go!! I really can't wait to see these children. Help those people who have Aids and HIV. I'm so excited!! I'm also sad how much we have compared to them. I want to be able to help every single person I see and meet by buying them the stuff that they need and just getting to know them. Bye for now.

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Malawi

Hey Guys,
Did you know that Malawi is the 2nd poorest country in Africa and 7th in the world? Did you know that in Sub-saharan Africa a child dies every 3 seconds? And Malawi is right in Sub-saharan Africa. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have HIV/Aids it's not very pleasant. Did you know that almost every child has lost one or both of there parents? They usually live with there grandparents if they have any. Not very many adults make it past the age of 37 or 38. And 43% of the children don't make it to the age of 5. That's why I really want to help these children. And I really want to help them with what they need. And just buy them what they want and just bless that country. They have such severe pain. I'm just so excited to go and help them. We are so lucky to live in Canada where there is medicine to help with all these diseases.
Bye for now.
Jaako

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Time is short

Thank-you for your continual support everybody. We've been having a couple school doing things. I'd like to thank St. Bernards and Holy Cross for hundreds of "Bags of Hope" they were great and a big thanks to the girls after school program at St. James who raised $172.00 by having a bake sale!! I got to meet the girls yesterday and we talked.

I'm really excited. I can't wait until I get to Africa to help these children. I might be a little bit nervous about the animals there. I really hope that there will be a change there when I get back. I really want to help these children. To them that will be their Christmas time because they don't get much there. I can't wait to see the smiles on the children. I want to bless these people. I just can't wait. Please I encourage you to do whatever you can do to help these kids.