still in the contest!!!!!!!!!!

My mother received a email from maxwell house saying the judges made their dicisions and are going to let us know but first all the contestents have to fax them a form and we did so know we just have to pray!!! not much other has happened since my last blog so i will write to you with the results soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

maxwell house contest!

Last weak we found out that we are one of the 5 finalists to win $10,000 for Hope for Malawi from a contest with maxwell house! Literally my mom came in the room and said we were one of the finalists for the contest , and that a few freinds put us in the contest!!!!!!!!!!!! thats all that has happened lately but when the contest is over we will write to you again!!!

write you later


jaako

It was an amazing trip

It was an amazing trip. We are helping to put up a clinic, and we helped open up a preschool, helped fix up two schools, and we handed out a lot of Bags of Hope. Also, while we were there, we met two other amazing contacts. We were able to meet with Katherine (an older Malawian lady who is running alot of preschools and a women's internation network and is still going at the age of 73), and Mick & Tracy who started off as being our Safari guides. With them we are doing the preschool and the clinic. And with katherine, we've been helping the kids of her preschools by giving them Bags of Hope, sweaters and underwear. And with katherine we helped a group with HIV by giving them food and supplies. We also have known that Katherine has started up a damn for a community with fish to eat and water to water their crops. And in that, she also stopped the community from low water flooding. Like I said it was an amazing trip and I'm glad to be back - but at the same time I'm not. I really hope I can go back in two years and see all the people of Malawi again. Bye for now!

Jaako

Getting ready to leave

Today we are leaving back home. It doesn't feel like it's been 3 weeks. I wish I could stay here for a little bit longer. Everything is packed and the flight leaves in 5 hours it leaves at 1:20 Malawian time. We will be back 10:37 a.m. (Canandian time) this Saturday. It's been an amazing experience to be here. We've helped plenty of kids and have given people money for their projects. And our scholarship student Hope, is still in nursing school. We spoke to her by cell phone and due to strict school rules we were unable to visit. I'll write more about my trip when I get back.

From, Jaako

Getting Prepared

So, some of you guys are going to wonder what it is about from the title, we really are going to sleep in a village hut tonight. Well, that is our time zone here. We bought 5 mats for the team that are made of straw and aren't even a centimeter thick that we will sleep on. Earlier today, we visited the last few pre-schools in the Mangochi area and some of the kids were so terrified, because out where we were they've never seen a white person because it so far away from the central big cities. They were so scared that they were squirming out of their mother's arms like nothing!! Man, I never knew a little child was capable of running that fast!! She just zoomed away from me!!

Yesterday, we visited a group that were HIV positive. There was eight adults and two babies. And it was very hard for the mother's with the babies because they weren't suppose to nurse their child but they had no choice because babies need milk. So we thought about it and we decided that we should give them some money to get milk for the babies and so that everybody can be strong and well nourished. And we are thinking and praying about how much more we should leave them with.

This will be my last blog until I am back in Lilongwe, but if I can I will write to you as soon as possible. Bye for now.

Jaako

A safari and one church

Ever since the man with the infected finger, I'm just gonna tell you a little bit about what we've done. So we went on a 2 day safari with 3 game rides. We saw lots of animals, including lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, baboons and many others. Funny story about the baboons, while we were just hanging out one of the baboons tried to steal Lily's chips. Funny how it knew what to go for. And then the went for the pop.

We also went to Dedza today where it is known to make amazing pottery, the best in Malawi. And it's a world wide tourist attraction and we met a woman who was HIV positive and she had a little one year old son and so we quickly talked about it and we gave her money to pay for the medication for at least 2 years. And we are hoping the little boy doesn't have HIV too.

Later on this week, we are going to be heading to a remote village called Mangochi. There we will sleep in a village hut, and get to see what a village life is like.

It's just so amazing to be back and to hear all the same songs but at the same time it is hard to see how poor they are. For example, Hiv, lack of food and nutrition and just the malnourished stomaches.

And that is your Malawi update. I will write to you as soon as I can. There may not be internet in Mangochi.

Jaako

Poor man with an infected finger

As you can tell by the title, I will be talking about a man we met with a very badly infected finger. Our first set of remote villages we went to, we met him and Clint being a nurse said that if he didn't get medical attention the infection could spread and maybe result in death. Sadly, I don't know how, but we just left the village and we just felt so guilty that we had a team meeting and decided that we would go out there, get that man and pay for his medical attention. So we drove out to the village today and met with his sons and wife and they said he had already left by foot in the morning and he wouldn't have just tooken the main road he would have tooken short cuts and all the paths. So we squeezed in his son and he showed us the way. It was a very big adventure. While we passed the small villages, we would throw candies out the windows for the kids. Finally we had found him and we prayed for him and asked him if we could pour some water that we had prayed over - over his hand. So we squeezed him in and we drove him to the hospital. Finally when we got to the hospital, it turns out we had to wait for an hour -which turned into many. We waited as long as we could but finally we just had to give him some money to cover his expenses, a ride back and to just bless him. And so we were off. We felt so good that we helped this man and hopefully we can figure out how everything went and hopefully it's good. I won't be able to write to you for a few days for where I'm going there will be no internet. I'll write as soon as possible. God Bless you.

Jaako

Great to be back!!

I'm finally back!! It's my second time and it's just beautiful. We have gone to two villages, and handed out just under 400 Bags of Hope. We've bought 90- 50 Kilogram bags of maize and I've done some catching up with old friends. It's nice to have a bigger team and we have been making Bags of Hope night after night.

The villages were full of poverty, malnourished stomaches, ripped clothes and one man had a very bad infection on his finger and can die from it if he doesn't see a doctor. And he lives far out from Lilongwe, so that can't be good.

It's so nice to come back and hear all the same songs. There's not much more to say, I'll write to you soon. That is your Malawi update.......

Jaako

Things are going good!

As you can tell from the title, things are going good. We are at about $14,000 for this trip and we have two more fundraisers. One is the pancake breakfast which is 2 days before we leave and a Maltese Meat Order which is running all of May. We have finished our schedule of what we are doing in Malawi and I'm so anxious to be going soon. And guess what!!?? We are actually going to be able to sleep in a village hut - it will be very fun! But I'm a little bit nervous about the bugs. At least we're already immunized. I really, really can't wait. Hey if you're a facebook user, please join the group Hope for Malawi and it will help keep you up to date with what's happening. And that's your Malawi update for now.

Write to you soon.

Jaako

Booked and Confirmed!!

From the title as you may tell our flights are booked and we are going FOR SURE!!!! We are planning on helping more with Hope (our nursing student). She is still in nursing school and she has just transferred schools. Our plan is to educate nurses and Doctors so that we can open up a clinic. We have 3 more fundraisers and they are a spaghetti dinner which is April 27th, Bon Voyage Pancake Breakfast on May 31st and a Maltese meat order. We are hoping to change Malawi some more and to really make a difference. We will be doing Bags of Hope again and we are looking for people to donate small toys, girls underwear and other small items. And that is your hope for Malawi update. Write to you soon.

Jaako Polkki

You can email us at hopeformalawi@yahoo.ca if you can help us in anyway or if you have any questions.

Valentine's Chocolate Fest

As you may have guessed from the title, yes, soon we will be having a Valentine's Chocolate Fest. There is going to be all the chocolates that you can imagine! It is gonna be February 15th from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. I don't know about you, but that's a party I wanna go to. All proceeds will go to Malawi.

Speaking about Malawi, Hope our scholarship student is switching schools because her school closed down and this school is alot more expensive than the other so there are going to be a few tough times. But I still believe we can get this amount of money too because I believe God is supporting my mission. And hopefully things will work out.

Hope is going to nursing school, her parents have died and she's watching her siblings. And she really wants to become a nurse to help others. So that's why we are supporting her.

I am going to the Toronto area during the March Break to be on the Miracle channel. If you want to see my presentation and hear a bit more I will be happy to come to my group or church. Email me at hopeformalawi@yahoo.ca.

Talk to ya soon.

2nd Annual Hope for Malawi Feast

We are having our 2nd Hope for Malawi feast on November 10th starting at 6:30 p.m. Same as last year, we are serving traditional Malawian food that the villagers there eat! This time we'll even be closer to the taste as we've been there and they taught us how to cook some of their foods!!

It will be held at Thunder Bay Christian Fellowship, 515 N. Syndicate Ave. (Behind the Dairy Queen on May St.) Come out enjoy the food, see how we helped in Malawi in January when we went and hear about our plans to return to help the kids in June 2008!! We are sooo excited.

The meal will be a semi-formal so dress up and come and have some fun. We will again be having a silent auction with many great items to bid on! Tickets are $20, please call 622-1030 for more info or for tickets!

Hope to see you there!!!

Sue (Jaako's Mom)

PS. We are also having a craft market on Nov. 17th from 10 till noon. Admission $1.00. There are still some tables left to rent. Cost $20.00. Lots of advertising will be done! Call 622-1030.

The Warm heart of Africa

In Malawi they gave us a very warm welcome. Like joy and happiness but underneath those smiles they carry a burden of pain, suffering and hunger. They're very nice and they need help. And they just can't survive without our help. So I just want to help them more and more. So I'm going back to Malawi hopefully in Spring 2008. And I would like your guys help. I'll write to you soon. Please pray for us.

From Jaako

Hope

As you may know, we have sent Hope some money for nursing school. For those of you who don't know, she is a lady who lives in Malawi who lost her parents and now is watching her younger siblings and one died shortly after we left. Well we raised up money for Hope. A little bit after she got it she was in a car accident and she's probably gonna need fake teeth and work on her face. Please pray for her. Also please pray for me as we are hoping to go to Malawi next Spring or Fall. Talk to you soon. Jaako.

Children's Market

We are having a Children's Market on Saturday, September 15th at Thunder Bay Christian Fellowship at 515 N. Syndicate Ave. 9:00 A.M until 1:00 P.M.
This is a market for Mother's with babies and children!! Come early to ensure you get the items that you need!

Vendors wanted!! Tables are $20.00. Please call Sue Polkki to book your table. 344-5529.

This will be a fun morning! If you can help that day please call Sue!

Thank-you!

The Thieves

A few days ago a group of men attempted to break into the property of the Jonats (the missionaries in Malawi) and one of the guards tried to keep them out and they threw a gasoline bomb at the guard. And he is in alot of pain. When the Jonats came back they were shocked to see police in their property and they just left right away to go to the police station and came back with more. Please keep the guard in your prayers. He is a very good man and to the Jonats he is family and he feels like family to me also. So just keep him in your prayers.

But also we have some good news, we are going back to Malawi in about one year, next June. We don't have a date yet or anything, but we still have alot of time to get a date. We are really excited to go back, we feel like a year is too long to wait. But at least we have more time to fundraise instead of 4 months. Please keep us in your prayers also. And I will write to you soon.

Jaako

We're at it again!!

Just wanted every-one to know that Jaako is going back to Malawi in June 2008!! We were very successful our last campaign raising around $32,000 in only a few months. Thanks to all of you who made it happen. The children were greatly blessed and we want to do it again.

On Saturday, June 23rd, we are having a yard sale at Thunder Bay Christian Fellowship, 515 N. Syndicate Avenue (Behind the Dairy Queen on May) from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Hotdogs and pop will be sold after 11:00. If you have any items that you would like to donate, please call Sue or Debbie at 622-1030 for drop off location.

Come out and support this valuable mission that Jaako has!

Sue (Jaako's Mom)

Jaako will resume his blogs very shortly.

Hot Dog and Bake Sale

We are having a hot dog and bake sale after our church service on Sunday May 20th. It will start around noon. Hot Dogs and Pop will be a dollar each and we will have cheap baking!! You can come out even if you don't come to our church. Just show up around noon. All the money raised will go to Pastor Paul who I've written about in an earlier blog. The sale is at Thunder Bay Christian Fellowship. Thanks guys.

Jaako and Sue (My Mom)

Pastor Paul

Hello,

One of the pastors in Malawi, Pastor Paul his wife died a little while ago and he is asking for a loan to start grinding maize so his family can survive. Before we went to Malawi his son died and his house burnt down so we really want to help this family out. So if you guys would like to donate to Pastor Paul, that would be a great help. He needs $1,000 US dollars to start this. And he is going to try to repay the money that we give him and we're going to try and use that money to help kids go to school. So is it a win-win situation? or is it a win-win situation. Cause the money that you give now will be going to two things, so am I right? or am I right? Thank-you for helping me with my trip and I'll write to you soon.

Jaako

Cheques can be sent to:

Thunder Bay Christian Fellowship
515 N. Syndicate Ave.
Thunder Bay, ON
P7C 3X2

Tax receipts will be issued at year end.

Just a quick hello

Just recently the missionary Kim Weiler and Pastor Roberto came to my church. As you know from my first blogs that it was Kim Weiler that told everyone in the church to go up to the front and see what God has for you. And that is how my whole trip began. so we had a little discussion together about Guatemala and Malawi about there differences and similarities. Most of the things were similar but there were certain things that were different. Like both places are very good at art and crafts and all that and we talked about the difference like there money exchanges. Our family is thinking about going back to Malawi in June 2008 but this time would be nice to go with the whole family, so I will write to you soon.

Jaako