|
To our LifeNets Supporters and Friends!
Just two days ago, here in Indianapolis, we had the incredible experience of witnessing a total eclipse of the sun. Positioned perfectly in the path of the moon's shadow, we were plunged into total darkness at 3:12 pm. It was truly awe-inspiring! We witnessed the moon and the sun aligning perfectly, with only the sun's corona visible, resembling a beautiful sparkling necklace. This event reminded us of the universe's incredible beauty and complexity, suggesting a deeper, planned order. It is a profound reminder that everything, including us, has a purpose in this vast universe.
However, as we return to our daily lives on Earth, we face the harsh realities of humanity's darker side. We see ugliness, ignorance, hatred, and destructiveness, which have led to poverty, disease, violence, and countless other evils. While we await God's intervention to rectify this irrational world (which we believe will happen soon!), we strive to play our part in aiding victims of this world's injustices.
In this issue of LifeLines, we highlight some of our humanitarian work in 2024. Our activities and updates are on our website, www.lifenets.org, and Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
Zambia and Malawi
Both these countries in South-Central Africa are facing severe droughts, leading to impending famine. In the regions we work which are northwest and eastern Zambia, crops have failed, with any remaining harvest destroyed by army worms. We sent emergency aid totaling $15,000 to alleviate the short-term crisis. While sourcing food is possible, the local population lacks the means to purchase maize because of the steep rise in price. So we step in to provide the staple maize. Malawi is facing a similar situation, and we are also extending our assistance there. I maintain regular contact with these areas through email and WhatsApp and am grateful for the dedicated support on the ground.
In mid-March, my husband Victor recorded a podcast with Derrick Pringle in Zambia, discussing the critical drought and food shortages. I invite you to listen to it at the following link: https://vkubik.podbean.com/e/derrick-and-cherry-pringle-zambia-the-drought-the-work-old-relationships/
LifeNets is also involved in building a school in the Nalubanda area of Zambia, where there are currently no educational facilities for children. The local headman, Maxwell Kasukabantu, a deacon in UCG, and schoolteacher Jonathan Litaba are working to provide education for children who otherwise would not have access to education.
Ukraine
The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, now well into its third year, continues to bring death, destruction, and misery to survivors. We remain in contact with people in Western Ukraine and Chernihiv, just 40 miles from the Russian border. The daily sirens exhaust people in these areas, sometimes sounding three times a day. Each time a rocket is launched from Russia, sirens blare in various cities, signaling residents to seek shelter. The Russians are targeting power stations, causing further distress and hardship. The people of Ukraine and we yearn for an end to the conflict. The Director of the Children's Rehabilitation Center and his staff still treat more than 100 children at the Center, bringing in traumatized children from the war zones.
We also talk to temporarily resettled individuals in Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary. However, their welcome is beginning to wear thin. Some of the individuals and teens we have come to know through our LifeNets Vinogradov camp program (www.lifenets.org/vinogradov) have now started families and are living in extremely precarious conditions. Their hosts are no longer as accommodating, and the prospect of returning to their war-torn homeland is daunting. LifeNets has been aiding some of these families while waiting for better circumstances. They are grateful to have weathered another winter.
| |
|
Again we thank you for your support. We appreciate those who have made recurring tax-exempt donations. This is most helpful in our planning of programs. Please visit our donation page.
We deeply appreciate your involvement in joining us to help others -- please let us know if you have any comments or questions.
Thank you for your trust and for making LifeNets your charity of choice.
Again, we love and appreciate all of you!
| |
|
How to Effortlessly Double Your LifeNets Donation
~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many companies will match their employees' and retirees' charitable contributions. Check with your personnel office to see if your company will do so. They will provide the necessary forms and instructions. Thank you very much! Donations to LifeNets are tax-deductible in the United States.
| |
|
Jesse and Linda Api are helping coordinate Hurricane Otis restoration work in Acapulco, Mexico. We really appreciate their sacrificial service to help families who have suffered severe damage to their homes. LifeNets has contributed $20,000 to this effort. See initial story from February 7. Here is a partial report by Jesse dated March 27, 2024. A more complete report with photos is at http://lifenets.org/otis2
I have arrived in Mexico City safely. My health is fine, and I am strong and ready to complete the projects. We have already gone to Acapulco to assess the project. I have also gone to the Condo where those who are coming from Mexico City and Igualas to help with their accommodations here while the projects are going on. Work is getting done.
We also have the materials, that we could get, at the project sites. It is still hard to get any workers to help us as the whole city is under construction and the workers go where the money is real good. The rate for labor is real high and the materials are three times the normal price. I have seen materials coming in from as far away as Mexico City and Iguala as materials in Acapulco are at a minimum due to all the construction going on here. We will secure more materials from the two other cities as needed.
|  | |
Those whose homes are damaged are doing their best to clean their homes and get rid of the debris within there property and even helping their neighbors. We are in the process of getting water cisterns on the roof and getting them replumbed.
Posts that fell are being rebuilt in order to get the roofs back up. Some parts of the roofs are being repaired and waterproofed. We are redesigning the destroyed kitchens. We are repairing or replacing battered or missing gates and fences to the properties. We will be cleaning up the interior landscaping of all the debris that was dumped by the hurricane.
Jesse and Linda Api
| |
LifeNets is grateful to the Women's Enrichment Weekend, which held a silent auction and donated $1560 for the LifeNets Zambia Building Project. The event was held the weekend of March 2nd and 3rd. The event was hosted by the Springfield, Missouri UCG congregation.
| |
|
Derrick Pringle who has overseen this areas writes:
There has been an outbreak of cholera in Zambia. The Ministry of Health has been conducting general inspections of various institutions, which has resulted in them wanting to close down the Manyinga church due to its unsatisfactory toilet arrangements. They have not been to the Mufumbwe church, but that is a sure possibility.
This donation will be used to provide updated toilets for the UCG congregations in these remote areas. We express our gratitude to the women participating in this WEW for their kindness and generosity towards this project.
| |
|
Our Developing Nations Scholarship Fund has accounted for hundreds of success stories in the past 23 years. We are able to provide scholarship support for a fraction of what it would cost here in the United States. Here is a letter of appreciation that we received from one of our scholarship graduates Francis Ngopola jr. in Malawi.
March 18, 2024
Today, I write to express my deepest appreciation for the incredible support you provided me on my journey towards obtaining my bachelor's degree in electronics and computer engineering. Your unwavering dedication as a church non-profit to uplift and assist individuals like myself has been truly transformative, and I am profoundly grateful for the opportunities you have bestowed upon me.
| |
 | |
Reflecting upon my college years, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the invaluable role LifeNets played in making my educational aspirations a reality. Your commitment to empowering individuals through education and providing financial assistance has been a great encouragement on my journey. Without your generous support, pursuing my dreams and achieving a degree in electronics and computer engineering would have been an insurmountable challenge.
Throughout my academic journey, I faced countless obstacles and financial constraints that threatened to derail my aspirations. However, the unwavering support and belief that my Family and friends extended to me gave me the strength to persevere. Your dedication to helping people like myself access quality education has not only transformed lives but has also instilled in us a deep sense of purpose and a desire to give back to others.
The impact of your support extends far beyond my graduation. By investing in my education, you have equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to make a meaningful contribution to society. The field of electronics and computer engineering is constantly evolving, and I am excited to apply the education and expertise I have gained to innovate and improve the lives of others.
As I embark on the next chapter of my life, I carry with me the profound impact that LifeNets has had on my journey. I am committed to using my education and skills to make a positive impact in the world, guided by the Spirit of the Lord. I hope to inspire others through acts of kindness and service, just as LifeNets has inspired me.
Once again, I extend my deepest gratitude to LifeNets. Your unwavering support has not only helped me achieve my educational goals but has also given me hope, strength, and the belief that together, we can create a better future. Thank you for your commitment, your compassion, and for making a difference in the lives of individuals like myself.
With heartfelt appreciation and warmest regards,
Francis Ngopola jr
| |
|
In 2013, LifeNets established a foundation in honor of Dennis Luker to support humanitarian projects, such as the education initiative mentioned earlier. Dennis and his wife, Leeann, have been strong advocates for education and other initiatives in severely impoverished countries. The foundation has funded projects addressing extreme poverty in Malawi, including providing academic scholarships. Additionally, it facilitated the purchase of a specialized tractor for agricultural work in rice fields in Myanmar for the Legacy Institute.
For more about the Dennis Luker Foundation and contributing to it, please go to http://lifenets.org/luker.
| |
|
We thank all those who have contributed through LifeNets for the food crisis in Nigeria. A more full report with photos is at https://lifenets.org/africa-food/ 100% of your donation is directed towards the people in Lagos or Owerri, Nigeria. Here are portions of a letter from Paul Moody describing the situation:
March 13, 2024
I'm very appreciative of the generosity of LifeNets contributors in serving so many important needs around the world. The recent donation from LifeNets to food assistance in Nigeria is greatly appreciated!
Over recent years, economic hardship has been a norm in Nigeria. With the local currency slipping dramatically against the dollar over the last few years, everyday cost of living has skyrocketed, with the most recent months being especially difficult.
When I visited Nigeria last fall, I was shocked to discover that one US dollar would exchange for 750 Naira. This was almost double what I had experienced in recent times. Sadly, the economic situation has spiraled even further downward since the start of 2024, with the Naira recently dropping to an all-time low of over 1600 against the dollar. This has sent the cost of food, fuel and other necessities soaring to unprecedented levels.
|
In response to the current hardship, an initiative has been started to help ease the daily burden. One distribution of bulk food items, consisting of rice, beans, semolina, and vegetable oil, took place on March 2nd. While this assistance doesn’t solve the economic crisis these individuals and families are facing, it is intended to help ease some of the strain in the short term by providing basic meal-related commodities for consumption.
I have personally been overwhelmed with messages of sincere appreciation from individuals and families whose gratitude is overflowing. Plans are underway for another distribution to take place in mid-April. The assistance received from LifeNets will provide a big boost towards that effort. Your contribution is greatly appreciated!
Paul Moody
| |
People often come to us offering to help individually or as a group or church with some need in international areas. Well, we've got one for you. This is from senior pastor Tim Pebworth.
There is a need for a borehole and water tank for the village of Momé Hagou, Togo. This will be the only borehole in the village and for many miles in the surrounding area. It will make a significant difference in the lives of the people in the village who currently have to walk long distances for water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. The borehole and tank would be located on the United Church of God compound, where it would be overseen and maintained and made available to anyone in the village needing water. The total cost of this project is $5700. A donor has stepped up to pledge for half the amount. Can you please help us out with the remainder $2850? Please send your donation and mark it TOGO.
For more information on this project, go to http://www.lifenets.org/togo . The photo below shows the location of the future borehole.
|  | |
|
The Kubik Report Podcast
Please check out our eclectic and popular podcast that regularly features episodes about what LifeNets is doing in people's lives and speaks to world events of common interest. Tune in at https://vkubik.podbean.com/
We are also found across many major podcasting platforms including Pandora, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and many many more by simply searching for "The Kubik Report."
| |
|
Contact and Donation Information
Please remember that the LifeNets address has changed:
LifeNets International
5834 Cresswell LN
Whitestown, IN 4561
513 201-8850, 513 201-8895
Click here to go to donation page
| | | | |
