Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings

You have been part of the most amazing year for African Aids Angels.

Here are just some of the year's events.


*Many new groups began on the Island and Mainland.
*Several home groups began in the Victoria area.
*Established craft events in Victoria invited our group to sell Angels at several new locations.
*Sales at local malls and shops were very successful.
*A home sale raised substantial funds for Aids Angels and generated lots of publicity.
*We have received many generous outright donations this year.

As a result, we have raised over $55,000 in 2006. That equals more than our previous five years (2000 to 2005) combined.

We are now working with our partners in Africa to determine the wisest and most effective ways of using these funds to support those affected by Aids.

We will give you more details in the new year.

Enjoy your holiday.

Message from Christine Allan in Zambia

I just received this news from Makeni Ecumenical Centre. I have their 2007 orphanage budget now, which I can present at the next committee meeting for the board.

Pierre

Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 12:22 AM

Subject: The 2007 Budget

Dear Pierre,

I am sending the 2007 budget, I hope that it will go through this time. The Bookkeepers say that it is only in early January that they will know whether the 2006 budget was met.

I am including some points that may assist in your presentation or write-up or discussions or for your information only:

Christopher, one of our youngest children, is going to Grade one next year. He is very excited about it. The thought of wearing a new uniform!

We have two new aunties, aunty Violet and aunty Christine. They have replaced aunty Grace and aunty Mary who left during the year.

The surroundings and grounds of the orphanage have improved greatly due to the hard work of Morgan Kayuni, the maintenance worker.

Bertha, the eldest girl now in Grade 12 at Katondwe Girls Boarding School, is having problems in Mathematics and Physics. Ted Krickan is coaching her in the two subjects while he is with us.

The Orphanage Girls Church Choir sang at a Candle Lighting Service on Saturday 2nd December. This was in remembrance of Worlds AIDS day that falls on 1st December. This a yearly event where churches from different denominations within Makeni area meet to commemorate World AIDS Day.

Best wishes,

Christine.

Thanks from South Africa via Oklahoma

*Sanibonani nonke! (Zulu)

(I greet all of you!)

I'm a Zulu South African presently living with my wife and our two sons

in a town called Edmond in Oklahoma, USA from where I'm sending

this e-mail message.

While searching the Internet for information I needed for a project on which

I'm currently working on the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in my home country,

South Africa, I came across your informative web site.

On behalf of the AIDS orphans and their families you're helping in Africa,

I'm sending this e-mail .... of thanks.

Albeit an ordinary "Thank you" is entirely flat and inadequate in expressing our deepest gratitude.

With deep gratitude,

we say to all of you:-

SIYABONGA! (isiZulu, the language spoken by South Africa's largest tribe,

numbering +/- 12 million) The word, "Zulu", means: "heaven", therefore, Zulus are the children of heaven!

Zulus speak isiZulu and predominantly live in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.

SIYABULELA! (isiXhosa, Dr. Nelson Mandela's vernacular)

[The Xhosa are the second largest group. They speak isiXhosa and live mainly in the Cape Province.]

BAIE DANKIE! (isiBhunu - Afrikaans) Afrikaans is a language similar to Dutch.

[During the difficult years of the former apartheid government, Afrikaans was a compulsory subject.]

May ...God bless you for the work you're doing for His beloved people in South Africa!

Sincerely,

John Mkhize

Thanks from Malawi

This weekend we had a surprise phone call from Teddy and Delirah Phiri, our Malawi contacts. Part of our funds provide seeds and fertilizer for Aids widows to grow food crops.

They called to say thank you to all of you and followed up with this email.


Dear Larry and Mary,

It was so nice to hear your voice. It much more real than emails.

The rains have started falling and people are busy tilling their gardens
and it that busy time for Delirah and Mrs Munthali in the fields.

Pass greetings to all the good people.

Teddy

Congratulations volunteers!

You have done a wonderful job !

We have raised almost $20,000 since November 1!

Here's where it came from:

Oak Bay Secondary Students raised $4ooo.

Sales at Hillside, University Heights, Westshore, Holy Cross: $4000

Shirley Hunter's home event $7500 to date

Craft Fairs at Commonwealth, Fair Trade, Amnesty, Dicken's Fair, Fibre Arts: $2750

Our faithful downtown shops: $600

Personal sales from you to your friends: $850

To the sales organizers: Anne, Fran, Barb, Linda, Shirley, Allison, Pierre, Carolyn, Vic, Lorraine, Ria, Elizabeth, Gail

To all the dozens of volunteers who glued hair, cut fabric, created wings, assembled bodies, dressed angels, collected materials, worked sales shifts, hosted angel making sessions, printed pamphlets, and all the hundreds of other small tasks that add up to this impressive result

Thank You!