Our little secret... where your donations go.
It's 2 am and this article has been rolling around in my mind for a few days. Now that I'm up typing it, I don't know how to begin.
For many of you who read our blogs regularly, you know that we, the Brooks family, help orphans and occasionally we reach out to those in need in our community. Well, it's not true. Not entirely.
You see, Johnny and I along with our kids, we live with orphans, yes, but that is not our ministry. We focus on it quite a bit in our Internet presence, but the secret is, we don't just help 'the least of these' from time to time. Our real ministry, if I may use that term, IS helping 'the least of these.' We live with orphans, that's our lifestyle, and we want to open more homes in the future, but our day to day job is actually helping people outside the home.
I know many of you have heard a few of the stories of people we've aided, but what you may not realize is that we are afraid of overwhelming our readers. Every story you have read, is just one in over 637 people we've seen in our office, opened a case file for them, and aided just in the last 6 months.
I didn't want this article to come out as if we are bragging or posting numbers, but Johnny and I have been wondering HOW to raise money to help these people. Most people who donate are giving to A Future and a Hope, but I thought you might be interested to know that in the last 6 months, we've given away in the form of aid over $17,000 USD OUTSIDE our home. That is 40% of all of our donations received. The other 60% goes to our orphan project. I.e. paying school fees for the orphans, feeding them, etc.. Let me say this: If you give us money, we will spend it. We cannot turn away people who have needs when we have the funds to aid them. There. I said it.
Two days a week, Johnny and James meet people in the office. Usually 30 or more people flood in asking for assistance. Some need emergency surgeries. Others just need enough money to get to the hospital for testing, and some are being held prisoner in the hospital until their fee is paid. Others need glasses or help starting a business. Some need help with school fees. They fill out a form with their requests. Meanwhile, Ben is 'out in the field' doing leg work. Since we don't give out cash to cases, either Ben or Johnny must personally take care of whatever needs there are.
Then the other three days of the week (usually more), Johnny, James, Ben and sometimes Ali visit people and/or go to the office and look over all of the case files trying to prioritize the needs. Then they go out like Santa bearing gifts of food to the hungry or clothes to the naked. Or they take the ill to the hospital, or release the well from the hospital by paying their fee, etc... It is an AWESOME job!
Yep. That's what we do. We don't have an orphanage, really, we just live with orphans. What we really do is help 'the least of these.'
Have you ever seen a child get excited over a bag of flour? This picture is of some very grateful kids. They are holding two buckets of 'goodies' you bought them. Thanks for making it possible!
Kate Brooks
Missionary to Kenya, East Africa
Co-founder of A Future and a Hope
