Gifts that Keep on Giving

Char with children in Jinja, Uganda

Dear Friends of Assist International:

As 2008 begins to wind down, my heart is full of gratitude for all that has been accomplished through the support of so many. Thank you for all you've done to empower the lives of the most vulnerable among us, and for the privilege of partnering with you as responsible and compassionate citizens of the world. I am always amazed at how far resources can go when placed in capable and caring hands.

What stands out to me this year is that the GIFTS that many have given, keep on giving. With your support in 2008, 4 schools have been built in Uganda, new homes were built in Lira and Jinja and a playground and soccer field were constructed in Jinja, Uganda. Due to your continued support, we have been able to complete medical projects in Africa, Romania and China. Families, hospitals, villages and schools in Central America and in 5 countries in Africa have been blessed with clean drinking water. These are YOUR gifts to an impoverished world.

During the holiday season, we all receive gifts and we value them. If we are honest, many of these gifts are temporary and after a few months, have lost its "shelf life"! In the spirit of Christmas, Char and I are going to be giving gifts to our family and friends because we want them to know that we love them and they are meaningful to us.

However, we are also investing in Assist International because we believe that clean water, education, a safe and stable family, life-saving medical equipment, vocational training or the medicine that keeps a parent alive and productive are all the gifts that really do keep on giving. Together we have the opportunity, responsibility and joy of giving these gifts which lift the lives of thousands beyond mere existence.

In 2009, Assist International is committed to doing more than in any previous year. I invite you to join me and my family in adding such a gift to your shopping list for the season. Your contribution to Assist International (large or small marked "gifts that keep on giving") will uniquely and powerfully touch the vulnerable of our world, bringing relief and the continuing gift of a hopeful and productive future.

Above all, Merry Christmas to you and may 2009 be filled with God's blessings, His Grace and Mercies on your life for this coming New Year.

With Warmest Regards,

Bob Pagett

Beyond Mere Existence

Dear Partners of Assist International:

There is a question that I ponder when a friend or a loved one faces the dreaded disease of cancer. All of a sudden, you think of things you may have never thought of before, like: life and death issues and living beyond mere existence. I think the goal of all of us is to live BEYOND MERE EXISTENCE.

In Jinja, Uganda, we see mothers and children who because of circumstances beyond their control, (the death of a husband and father through war or AIDS) are pondering questions like: "how are we going to survive?"

Widows in Africa are in a panic because the man of the household is gone and they do not have the means to support their own children. Some of the women who lost their husbands felt they had to turn to prostitution so their children would not starve.

Now they have a chance because someone cared. Cheri Reynolds along with her husband Tim (Executive Director of Assist International) and their four sons spent last summer living in Africa. While there, Cheri decided to partner with women who had become her friends to help them be able to put bread on their tables, send their children to school and take steps out of extreme poverty. It's a classic example of moving from mere existence...tackling a problem, and finding a solution.

A.I. currently is partnering with Cheri and her company, Enzi Imports, to set up a women's group in Webuye, Kenya and in Uganda, with cottage industries that will lift women out of poverty and secure their future and their ability to provide for their children. Currently, there are 30 women in Webuye sharing one sewing machine. Assist International is donating many more sewing machines, as well as clothing and beads to help these women start businesses to be able to care for their children and support them in their bid to rise above poverty. If you would like to donate money towards the purchase of a sewing machine, please send your money to Assist International and mark the envelope: Women's Empowerment Fund.

If you want to buy jewelry that lifts a mother and her children from poverty, please visit www.enziimports.com. If you want to know how you can get involved, email Cheri at cheri@enziimports.com. There is a potential of empowering hundreds of women, mothers with tears of joy in their eyes, knowing they now have an opportunity to provide a future for their children.

Assist International does not belong to Bob & Charlene Pagett or a Board of Directors. It belongs to people like you who want an avenue by which you can make a difference. IT'S AN AVENUE THAT CAN EMPOWER ALL OF US FROM MERE EXISTENCE.

-Bob Pagett

The Least of These

Dear Friends,

It's Summer, it's hot, God is alive and well and Assist International is doing its best to meet the obligations and responsibilities that come our way. THE LEAST OF THESE (poorest and neediest) is our commitment and calling.

One of our greatest responsibilities is to the children of our world who have been abandoned and orphaned due to EXTREME POVERTY, ARMED CONFLICT, and/or HIV/AIDS. At the moment, Assist International is involved in FIVE SCHOOL PROJECTS: a kindergarten and a high school in Jinja, Uganda, an elementary School near the border of DR Congo and Uganda and an elementary School for the children of the Deraige IDP camp Darfur, Sudan.

In Romania, laser technology at Theranova is helping the lame to walk. Hundreds of children have received arms and legs and twisted bodies have been fitted with braces. At Caminul Felix Village, Assist International continues its commitment to the 160,000 orphaned and abandoned children of Romania. Not only does each of these children have a story, but now they share a common theme: Out of tragedy there is hope and future.

Can you understand what drives us? It's the opportunity to address the needs of the LEAST OF THESE. We feel privileged to be called to this work and honored that you partnered with us in it.

Project and Earthquake in China

I just returned from Taojiang, China where we installed critical care 4000 Dash GE monitors with central station and provided for the hospital a new echocardiography ultrasound and 6 “etep down” cardiac care monitors that can be sent throughout the hall ways of the hospital.

The Taojiang County Hospital is in a city of 800,000 people, a small city compared to the many big cities in China. The people in Taojiang were so friendly, warm and nice. They invited some of our medical team to visit their home, they wanted to have their pictures taken with “Americans” and the young boys and girls wanted to speak to us to try out their English.

The Hospital greeted us with open arms with a big banner thanking Rotary International and the Maria Yee Inc. and Assist International for providing for the hospital this wonderful equipment.

It was this equipment that was a motivating force to build a new wing of the hospital. It also lifted their medical care to the place that they have been invited to be a “sister” hospital to a much larger hospital in Changsha, the capital city of Hunan Province.

Our medical team was made up of people from Assist International, a GE Engineer from GE Healthcare, a lady cardiologist doctor from Chengdu and Hong Kong, representatives of the Rotary Clubs in Rotary District 5170 of California and a Rotary Club of Hong Kong.

It is interesting that the leadership of the hospital smokes constantly, but tried to avoid smoking when we were there. There are no smoking signs in the hospital but largely ignored because the doctors smoke. I don’t want to put down China, but in that hospital they smoke and spit on the floor and the restrooms are atrocious.

After the project was completed, we challenged the hospital to respect the equipment by not smoking around it, to respect their no smoking sign, to do a better job of keeping the hospital and the restrooms clean. They were a little sober with this challenge, but they are determined to follow our instructions because they know that with this new life saving equipment, the hospital is looked at in a new way.


Earthquake

On Monday May 12, the great earthquake hit China. We were 400 miles from the epicenter and felt long rumbling tremors for at least two minutes, strong enough for us to flee the building for fear the building would collapse. It was kind of fearful.

Our Chinese Cardiologist was from Chengdu, close to the epicenter of the earthquake. She found out that two of the doctor friends that she works with lost their only child in the earthquake. She had to leave our group to control her sorrow. We all felt the pain for her and the children and people of China.

The devastation and death in that earthquake was horrendous. It could be that the final toll of death may reach upwards to 100,000 as 70,000 people are still missing or unaccounted for.

We were amazed at the quick response by the people of China. They were donating millions of dollars, the army, medics, doctors, nurses and volunteers throughout China rushed to the scene. The Prime Minister of the Country immediately went to the scene and with tears in his eyes said he was a grandfather and please work hard to rescue the children.

Unfortunately, the earthquake began at around 2:45 p.m. while many children were still in school and thousands of children were killed. What was doubly hard is the “one child” policy of China. Thousands of parents were is despair as the future of their family was lost in the death of their child. Many are either too old or sterile by which they no longer have the ability to have children. It was devastating.

All of us were sobered by what these people were experiencing and our hearts were heavy for those who lost their family members and loved ones. The whole country responded to the need. The response to the disaster was the greatest response I have ever seen.

The closure ceremony for the medical project and a Rotary Wheel Chair Foundation giveaway took place in a public park in front of the County Government Building and before hundreds of people. There was a band, leaders of the Government and the entire Hospital staff present. Other Medical leaders from the capital city were to come, but at the last moment were called to the earthquake zone.

The Chinese certainly know how to express their thanks when they have been helped.

The trip is one that will be remembered forever. Assist International has done over 80 medical projects in 40 countries around the world, but no one demonstrates their thanks like the Chinese people.

After the project was over, a huge dinner was hosted by the hospital and Government leaders for the Rotarians and medical people who attended the event.

The request for this project came from the Maria Yee Furniture Factory. Maria Yee, from China, who now lives in Santa Cruz, CA asked for this project and contributed to this project as a gift to the County where many people work for her company. Maria Yee and her associate Elsie Ponn did a wonderful job of coordinating the trip and project.

We left Taojiang, thankful that we in some small way a blessing to the hospital and we left with new friends.

For more information on the project in China, visit Tim and Ray's blog here.

Violence in Kenya

Here is another letter from our missionary friends David and Beckie Smith in Kenya. Please pray for the protection of their family during this time.

Dear friends,

What do you when the lines reach 300 people in front you and you don’t know if you are going to get into the grocery store? My friend Clive & I had been to several stores and we could not find milk, bread, and many other basic things in any store. The petrol stations where closed for 3 days because there was no fuel. Thieves came to the house next door a few days ago but the guard happen to see them before they broke in and sounded the alarm. Riot police are surrounding the police station a block from our house to protect some of the people inside.

The Bible speaks that there is going to come a day when a man will work all day for a loaf of bread. What do you do when you have money and there is no bread to buy? We have heard of these kind of things happening in other countries of Africa but never before like this in Kenya.

On Wednesday I was able to buy a few hundred dollars worth of maize & flour after begging & pleading that this is for people who do not have anything.

Yesterday, we moved early before the demonstration rally to some areas that people are really hurting. We only had problems on the Malindi Road near Kisanuni when the people started motioning for us to turn around so we did. We found out latter that the people were rioting and police shot and killed one person. We were able to go around the problem through Nyali and on out to Bamburi where we found the pastor on his knees praying in the church. The presbyters were able to get the food to other pastors & friends. They were so thankful for the little we could bring. I have received several SMS's of thanks from Maritini, Bakoli, Likoni. Some do not have anything in the house. Shops have been closed and no bread, milk, cooking oil, kerosene, available. We were able to beg at one petrol station to get enough diesel to keep going.

Today the planned demonstrations failed in Nairobi and Mombasa after the police moved in with tear gas. Again I went to buy what we could this morning and took supplies to the church in Kisauni. Next I went by the house of a Muslim friend and give him some maize. We also took charcoal that had cost three times the normal price.

One Muslim friend who lives across & near the Likoni ferry told me he was up all night protecting his property. There is a bar (owned by a Kikuyu man) next door to his house and the people came to burn it three separate times. They had to be alert because the the fire would spread even to their house.

Two different pastors called me & said it is so good to be alive this morning. We thought we were going to die during the night. Shops were being burnt all around us.

Another pastor has left his family here in Mombasa & traveled up country to Molo. His family has had to leave the area because of the burning of houses.

As we were leaving the house yesterday morning a Baptist pastor came to the gate and said we lost everything last night and we don’t have any food or anything. He said they even stole our mattress. We were glad we had just been able to get some food and clothes to help him a little.

Another man who works for me at times called and said they did not have anything in the house so we were able to help him also. He said that they had organized the men in his area to protect the property with bows and arrows and panga’s. They told the police to please stay out we will not kill the thieves but will bring them to the police station. The night before the looters had broken into many of the shops and took everything. Another Kikuyu friend who had a hardware shop lost everything and all his wielding equipment.

Please pray for peace to return to Kenya.

David & Beckie Smith
Mombasa, Kenya

Unrest in Kenya

Here is an email I received from David & Beckie Smith, missionaries in Africa that are currently in the middle of the recent political violence in Kenya.


Dear Family and Friends,


You may have seen or read recent reports in the news of the tragic events that have followed elections on December 27th in Kenya. The top two contenders for President have come to a political standoff with the support of their political parties. President Kibaki had himself sworn back into power while the Honorable Odinga claimed a rigged election and is threatening to instate himself as the Peoples President. There is much clouding the whole affair and efforts are being made by the international community to find an equitable solution with which both parties can agree.

This has caused violent clashes and left more than 300 people dead, the most horrific being the death of over 40 villagers, near the town of Eldoret (a town 185 miles from Nairobi), who fled to a Kenya Assemblies of God church in an attempt to escape vigilante gangs roaming the streets. The church was torched as they were seeking shelter. Those who died were mainly women and children. Over 70,000 have been driven from their homes since this past weekend.

During our 32 years of serving in Kenya, we have experienced unrest and turmoil from time to time in various cities or areas of this nation, but never have we seen this beloved land gripped nationwide in such ongoing ethnic violence. We believe God has strategically placed Kenya to be a powerful light to the nations in central, east, and southern Africa and the enemy has greatly risen up to diminish that light.


Due to the unrest and insecurity in the city of Nairobi, our congregation was unable to gather last Sunday (Dec. 30th). However, we have been reaching out and ministering to our congregation through the leadership base in our cell group structure, which is once again proving a vital way to care for the needs of those affected by this difficult situation.

As a family, we are safe and we want to thank so many of you who have been in touch with us either by phone or email. It means so much to hear from you and we are deeply grateful. Several have enquired as to what they can do and our greatest need is prayer. We are asking God to have mercy on our land, to turn the tide of evil that has flooded this nation through hatred and tribalism. This coming Monday we begin our annual season of prayer and fasting, as a congregation, and will focus our hearts together in crying out for God to heal our land and bring revival to us as a result. Here are a few Prayer Points in which you can join with us in agreement;


· A ‘Million Man March’ has been reorganized by ODM, the main opposition party, for Tuesday, January 8th in Nairobi. It was to be held today (3rd) and even though declared illegal by the government, thousands tried to turn up and were dispersed by riot police, thus its been postponed now for Tuesday. Pray for divine intervention.

· Pray against the spirit of tribalism that is holding this nation hostage and is being fought out among the nations’ poor and young unemployed.


· Pray for the thousands of displaced peoples who are fleeing to churches, schools, and police stations.

· Pray for the spirit of humility to come to our political leaders; that they will heed both the local and international pleas to reach out one to another in dialogue.


· Pray for justice and truth to prevail in Kenya during this critical season of establishing a new government for the next 5 years.

· Pray for the restoration of daily life, which has put the transport of even the basics such as vegetables, bread, and milk out of reach for many of the common folk, especially in the cities.


· Pray for our economy that has been losing about 2 billion shillings a day (apprx $31 million), for banks to return to normal work.

Again, thank you for standing with us in these most trying of times and we assure you that we feel so privileged to serve alongside our precious Kenyan brothers and sisters. We say Jesus is Lord of this nation and our greatest days are yet ahead!