December 2004 .....

Christmas and the New Year are just around the corner, a busy time for all of us as meeting with friends are arranged, last purchases and travel plans made and cooking schedules devised.

Despite personal commitments and the upcoming holiday, Tigers Club is as busy as ever, and this last month of the year has brought more excitement and joy which we would like to share with you.

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A Christmas surprise - meeting Alex* again!

Do you remember Alex …the little boy aged 3 who was found abandoned in a rubbish skip?

International Director Andy had a very special reunion with the now 6 year old just yesterday …at an Inter NGO Forum Christmas event.

Alex was dressed in a black waistcoat and red bow tie and looked fantastic. He has completed the first term of Primary 1 and is amazingly healthy.

Thank God for a saved life and a very happy little chap!

* name changed to protect his identity

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Ending the year with a vision to the future: a third visit to Addis Ababa

Staff, trustees and boys at the Tigers Club alike are looking forward to the start-up of our feasibility research in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is therefore with great excitement that Maggie Crewes, who will spearhead this work, and International Director Andy Williams set off on a joint visit to Addis Ababa in December 2004. During their one week stay in the country, many interesting meetings were held, new partnerships build with national organisations, government and churches, and plans made for the first few months of the coming year, which, for Maggie, will begin with the study of one of the hardest languages to learn---Amharic!

We will ensure to bring you further news on developments in Ethiopia as we go along, but for now---can we invite you to catch a glimpse, with us, of the smiles and hopes of the children there?

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to you all!