A Visit with Sister Jane

Last week my brother and I went to see Sister Jane from the Good Shepherd Home, Cameroon, West Africa, at the Community of St. John Baptist in Mendham, NJ (www.csjb.org/) where she is staying in the states, while trying to raise money and more awareness of the needs of the orphaned children she cares for. As some of you already know I teamed up with Elizabeth Geitz with "Clip a Dollar for Epilepsy" to help those in the Home for Special Needs Annex in Batibo, but this is not enough. There is little education or understanding of epilepsy in Africa.
Sometime ago I had met with representative from the Epilepsy Foundation of NJ and was able to obtain from her materials not only describing the types of seizures, First Aide, books for children, but also an informative video. Sister Jane was so happy to receive these materials. She even called a sister who cares for Christian, the young boy with seizures pictured in the "Clip a Dollar" campaign to tell her of them and then put me on the phone so I could briefly tell her of my experiences with my son with his seizures, medications, etc., things that neither she or Sister Jane knew about.
Sister Jane told me more stories of children with seizures which broke my heart as they are outcast by their families and villages. So much need for education and medication!
If you have not looked into the "Clip a Dollar" campaign please click on the link above and check it out. Every dollar's a little hug you can give to help these orphaned children to let them know someone is thinking of them.
 P.S. - I also brought her some more Little Dresses!
 Oh, there is one more picture I wish I had captured. After we loaded all the materials back in the box and went to leave we asked Sister Jane if she wanted us to carry it anywhere for her. She said no problem. She raised the box up onto her shoulder and headed up the stairs!

Clip A Dollar for Epilepsy

Dear Hodgepodge Readers,

I recently read Elizabeth Geitz's I Am That Child: Changing Hearts and Changing the World, which chronicles her journey with two other women of faith, to the Good Shepherd Home for Children in Cameroon, West Africa. This home, along with the Annex home for those with Special Needs, was started by Sister Jane, who came to American, became an Episcopal nun to be able to return to Africa to help orphaned children. Their stories will touch your heart. Most of all, for me, as the mother of a developmentally disabled adult son with epilepsy, that still has breakthrough seizures despite having the best that medicine can offer, my heart breaks for these children that have so little. There is a lack of education, medication, and available treatment for those with epilepsy. So many are injured when they drop with a seizure.
After meeting Sister Jane and speaking to Elizabeth I knew with just the littlest of help from others, together we could make a change. $30 a month sponsors a child. Yes, I know most can't afford that, but how about only $1 on any given Sunday at your place of worship? That would mean that if only 8 people give at a service, that by the end of the month $32 would be donated for a child!!! You can do that! Together WE CAN DO THAT!!

Go to the link and you can printout either a Bulletin Insert or a Pew Card. Add some paperclips to them. Colorful ones are nice!

A paperclip on a dollar placed into the collection plate will indicate that "It's for Epilepsy", those children with seizures and Special Needs.

I hope that you will find it in your hearts to embrace this cause.

Hugs* and much love,

Debbie

*and a hug from my David. Some of you know just how special that hug is!!! (See HP 4/29/05 -The Meeting)

http://www.elizabethgeitz.com/clip-a-dollar.html

(Note: Proceeds from Elizabeth's book go to the Good Shepherd Home for Children)