We are now in our New and Permanent Home - Thank you all, here's how it's going.....
A huge big Thank You to all who have made it possible, Digicel Foundation Jamaica http://digicelfoundation.org/ for the incredible grant that enabled us to find this property, all our churches in UK, Miracle Church of God in Bedford, COGOP churches in Birmingham and all our individual donors who given their gifts with love.
We are happy to announce The Children's Oasis, is now at Knightsville, St Thomas and currently has 5 children 8 -13yrs one teen mum and baby, and our Revered (84yr old) Elder is in the cottage at the side of the main house.
The main house has 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms plus dining, breakfast and living rooms, kitchen, laundry room and huge back storage area, this meets our current needs. Attached to the main house is the 2 bedroom cottage with it's own bathroom and kitchen/living room. This is occupied by our Revered Elder, who let us purchase the property at a huge 20% reduction in price enabling us to buy within budget, in return for giving her occupancy of the cottage for life.
The children are so happy at the move and have settled well into their new school and home environment. The school, joyfully, has a special needs unit enabling our girl with severe learning difficulties, to attend the same school as the others.
For the first time we are in close proximity to the schools, we even have a library at the top of the road, which is the main East Coast road and only 40 mins by frequent bus to Down Town Kingston.
Our new location enables the children to socialise outside of school and attend extra curricular activities, at a previously unknown level. This is all impacting positively on their personalities and the cause of much joy, as is the proximity of the beach.
The house is over 40 years old, the roof is fairly new, but the bathrooms and kitchen are original and in need of some serious refurbishment, all of the kitchen and bathroom fittings are in need of urgent replacement if we are to meet Health and Safety Regulations, we will also need to install smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and fire blankets, please see the list of new needs and share the news.
Our plans for further use of the property include a family therapy and contact centre (will be the first in Jamaica), which we look to sustain through ornamental fish breeding and farming, aquaponic greenhouse growing organic cash crops and a kitchen garden. The skills required for these activities and producing their added value products will be taught as part of our wealth creation programme for children leaving state care and families in need.
Thank you all for bringing our permanent home into being, the children here and locally, will benefit greatly from the love you have shown,