facebook's 'Hannah's Hundreds' group page (join it), 

   

         Hannah's DREAM was more than a DREAM

                 it was a WORLD VISION     

 

We are Jim and Sylvia Kosloski, the parents of Hannah Elizabeth Kosloski, who died September 13th, 2007 in a tragic horseback riding accident.  Our efforts to raise enough money to fund the digging of a well for clean water through World Vision is a way of celebrating and honoring the life of our daughter.  Though Hannah was only 13 yrs old, she had a habit of setting big goals.  It didn't matter if it was learning to ride her bike, being selected as Praise & Worship Leader at church, running for office in her Milo Lamplighters 4H Club, being chosen to dance in the Stroia Ballet Company's productions, winning State Piano Competitions or being invited to perform in the Honors Concert at the University of Minnesota...or (after helping her mother for an hour at a World Vision display where 10yr old Hannah inspired the sponsorship of about 20 children), the setting of a new goal; of inspiring100 child sponsorships!          

       When Hannah died, we were asked, "What would you like people to do?   They will want to help  and will want to know what you need."  Our response was "Ask them to help Hannah's Dream come true...ask them to sponsor a child, pray for, write to, and love that child the way Hannah cared for her 'sponsored brother' Sandun, of Sri Lanka."  Many people sponsored a child (but we haven't reached 100----yet ), some families sponsored one for each of their children...or grandchildren, some churches and youth groups collectively sponsored a child or two, but many people sent monetary gifts inside their sympathy cards instead.  We decided to donate that money to World Vision to pay for the digging of a well for clean water in Africa.  As more people heard about Hannah's Dream and wanted to be a part of her legacy of love - more money kept coming in.  It became apparent to us that "God-given Dreams are too big to die!"   To read about & see what those donations have been able to provide for whole communities, go to our Mission tab at our site:  hannahshundreds.com 

Because of a lot of people coming alongside us....collectively, as a team, we can take the concern, love and compassion of a young 13 year old girl, to children half way around the world.

Before you leave this site to get on with your own busy life - think for just a moment - What would life be like for YOUR family if its ONLY source of water was a polluted, diseased-ridden surface runoff pond?  Has anyone in YOUR family ever had to carry just 2 gallons of water for even 2 miles?  What if EVERY day, for the better portion of each day, your family had to walk 1-5 miles to fetch water and then lug the heavy containers home?  In many countries, even 3-5yr olds do that, but the water that they work so hard for - makes them sick - so sick that 1/2 of all the deaths of children under 12 are due to the water.  If our grief in losing just 1 of our 7 children is this profound, we can't conceive how awful the grief (and fear) must be, when 1/2 of all children born, never make it to age 5! Imagine, water too scarce to raise farm animals or food, and too heavy and time consuming to concern yourself with laundry, hygiene, or sanitation.  The solution to the poverty in much of the world is not to "feed a man a fish for a day"....& a day...& a day, etc, etc, etc----but to get to the heart of the problem.  Without water, they can't grow their own food, or raise their own animals--the children can't go to school due to illness, parasites that make them go blind,  or having to haul water all day--the parents can't work when they are hauling water, or sick or caring for their sick children--there can be no industry or  productivity without water!  In so much of the world, WATER is the fishing pole...and the instruction/classes of new ways of farming, nutrition, hygeine, and sanitation, is the "teaching a man to fish".  Jesus said we should be "Fisher's of men"....but I think if we bring them water, then they will listen....because, a man without water, is 'too poor' to 'pay' attention & people don't care what you know, until they know that you care!

Hannah realized that she was fortunate to be born in a part of the world where water runs freely---but that unfortunately, not everyone is. She would read through each World Vision magazine and pray for rain and for food for those who were hungry, but she also prayed that the hearts of the families who take their 400 gallons of clean water per week for granted, would be moved to help.  We are praying that YOU are one of those who will want to join us in our efforts.  Maybe you can't attend our events, but you can pass this on to others thru 'myspace', 'facebook', & email lists, (and since the web is worldwide--please include people in foreign contries).  And you can donate & leave us a message of encouragement at the bottom of this page, as others have done.  Even modest donations help!   {Did you know that if you type into 'facebook's SEARCH: 'Hannah's Hundreds'  you can join & invite others...then you will know about our next family-fun H2O=HOPE Event?} 

God bless you for all your efforts, helping to make Hannah's Dream come true!!!  And please consider blessing a child half-way around the world, that you may never meet......by givng the gift of a 'sponsored-brother or sister' to the child in your own home, or the child that calls you "Grandma" or "Grandpa".....it will be the most meaningful, and longlasting, impactful gift that ever changes their lives.  It was for our Hannah, as we watched her heart change & grow in capacity to love God's "least of these".  We pray the child you love, is enriched, and their life is blessed beyond measure as they come to know & appreciate just how fortunate they are that they are living in a free country, with a roof over their heads, food to eat, and clean water to drink

.To 'sponsor' a child for only $35/month, and be part of HANNAH'S DREAM   VISIT:www.hannahshundreds.org (that's less than the cost of 7 Latte's/month) 

 Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support our  fundraising efforts.

May God BLESS you for making HANNAH'S DREAM come true!                        Jim & Sylvia Kosloski 

The "WINTER 2009" issue of the WORLD VISION magazine has an article about Hannah on pgs 20-23.

If you haven't sponsored a child yet---so didn't get the

WV winter issue, you can secure your copy by contacting

info@hannahshundreds.com