VANGUARD
Written by Sam Eyoboka and MOSES NOSIKE
Sunday, 27 July 2008
PASTOR Babatola Joseph Olukilede is not a loud minister of the gospel but he is one Nigerian very determined to take Christianity beyond the craze for miracles. He received an unusual vision in December 1998, to trade covenant secrets to raise prosperous families and people for kingdom exploits.
A man with strong passion for orphans, widows, the aged and the less privileged in the society, Pastor Olukilede in February 2004 incorporated the Heal The World Mission, a non-denominational Christian charity organisation to practically meet the needs of families and the needy in Nigeria and beyond. The mission provides scholarships, welfare and other humanitarian services. It started with two students in 2000 and by now he had assisted over 100 Nigerians through various terttiary institutions in the country.
Read More...........
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Silembe Update | 20 July 2008
We receive an update from Jo Anne today, and wanted to share with you progress at House of Faith Orphanage in Silembe, Zambia. Update from Jo Anne follows, be blessed (edited):
I am back in town for just a few days. My friend Kathy and I have been out at the children's house for the past week. This weekend we came in and went to Livingstone so I could get paper work done for my truck. While in Livingstone, we stayed the night and went to Victoria Falls to see the rainbow made at night. We call it the moonbow. What a creation God has made, to give us a moonbow in the full moon.
Now while we were out God has sent us three more children; 2 boys and a girl. The first boy is Justine, and he is 10 or 11 yrs old. He has been living with his grandparents since his mother died. He is a double orphan. His job was to tend the goats; he slept in the kitchen area. When I went there and saw him I knew that our Lord has sent him to us. He was covered with soars and has a fungus in his skin. The day God sent him to us it was a holiday so for 4 days I could not take him to the Dr. I went on and started him on Septrin for 5 days then when I returned I put him on Amoxicillin. This past week I brought him in to town and went to the clinic. He is having a HIV test run at this time and I will find the results this week. He has adjusted very well and is very happy to be at God's house. He has expressed this joy and peace at being here that only the Holy Spirit could give.
The second boy is Stenely, and he is 4 yrs old. He is also a double orphan. His grandmother had brought him a couple of times to come and stay but the second house had not opened. Now he is here. His mother died of TB and the grandparents are nor sure if she had HIV or not. I had never seen him smile or talk all the times his grandmother brought him. When I went to the village to get him he never talked with anyone. While his grandmother washed him up in the cold and put on his best cloths she brought him to me without a word and he stood by me. I gently held his hand and hugged him. His Grandmother spoke to him and he took my hand we turned and walked away. He never said a word, never looked back. I ask Elizabeth to ask him while we were walking if he was sad he was leaving his grandmother and he told her no. He has been with us about 12 days now, and is making friends -especially with Brian as they play and laugh together.
Now the third child is a 7 month old baby girl. Her parents are both alive at this writing. Her mother was diagnoses with cancer, and in October, had her right arm amputated above the elbow. She gave birth to Agness in January of 2008. The husband said that he has helped her with the baby along with her mother-in-law. They have 6 other children and the family thought it would be better if Agness came to the children's house so she could get proper nutrition. The village I went to was 1 hour from where the Children's home is -so that makes their village about 2 ½ hours from the town of Kalomo. Agness looks to be in good health, she does have green drainage in both eyes and a cough, but no fever. I am treating her eye infection. She can eat porridge with ground pounded groundnuts. She is able to sit if you sit her up.
Now a praise report on Constance she is smiling and playing with the other children. Thank you for all your prayers for her, I took her to the clinic last week to be checked out because she is always having a cough and not gaining weight like the others. She has tested positive for HIV.
Remember, Justine is also in the process of being tested for HIV, and I will get his report this week also. Please keep them both in prayers as our Father is faithful to hear the prayers of His saints. Thank you all and I will let you know about the test results when I am able. God's mercy and grace to all.
Your servant to the Most High God,
Jo Anne <><
-----------------------
Please keep these children in your prayers.
Aiding orphans
By Jordan Wilson
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
07/20/2008
ST. PETERS — Kim Smith wants to lend a voice to orphaned children in the St. Louis area and throughout the world.
She also wants to give them shoes.
Smith has formed the St. Louis Christian Alliance for Orphans, a group made up of her church, Calvary in St. Peters, plus 11 other churches in Missouri and one in Illinois, in an attempt to raise awareness for orphans and help find them families.
Much of her time is spent on a year-round shoe drive and on a photo gallery program called Portraits of Grace that tries to find permanent homes for orphans from the St. Louis area.
Read More.........
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
07/20/2008
ST. PETERS — Kim Smith wants to lend a voice to orphaned children in the St. Louis area and throughout the world.
She also wants to give them shoes.
Smith has formed the St. Louis Christian Alliance for Orphans, a group made up of her church, Calvary in St. Peters, plus 11 other churches in Missouri and one in Illinois, in an attempt to raise awareness for orphans and help find them families.
Much of her time is spent on a year-round shoe drive and on a photo gallery program called Portraits of Grace that tries to find permanent homes for orphans from the St. Louis area.
Read More.........
Monday, July 14, 2008
WIO calls for more parental Care for African orphans
Monday, July 14, 2008
The World Initiative for Orphans Foundation has released a message with urgency that children without parental care are spreading quickly all over the world.
More and more countries and their people are aware of the silent but devastating drama that is growing rapidly under our eyes every day. In the next two generations the world faces over 400 million direct or indirect orphaned and abandoned children. In quantitative terms children without parental care, constitute one of the major problems we are facing in this world (Alice Kakvoort 2008) according to a press release from the World Initiative for Orphans.
Read More.......
The World Initiative for Orphans Foundation has released a message with urgency that children without parental care are spreading quickly all over the world.
More and more countries and their people are aware of the silent but devastating drama that is growing rapidly under our eyes every day. In the next two generations the world faces over 400 million direct or indirect orphaned and abandoned children. In quantitative terms children without parental care, constitute one of the major problems we are facing in this world (Alice Kakvoort 2008) according to a press release from the World Initiative for Orphans.
Read More.......
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Myanmar warns against exploitation of cyclone orphans for labor
www.chinaview.cn 2008-07-13 11:59:38
YANGON, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Myanmar authorities have warned against exploitation of orphans for labor, left by a recent cyclone storm, a local weekly journal quoted the Department of Social Welfare as reporting Sunday.
If such cyclone orphans are found to be used as laborers, severe action will be taken against the offenders in accordance with law, the department warned, calling for people to expose such cases.
According to earlier reports, the authorities have banned adoption of cyclone orphans by any organization and any individual, promising that such survived orphans would be jointly taken care of by the government, domestic non-governmental organizations and resident United Nations organizations.
Read More..........
YANGON, July 13 (Xinhua) -- The Myanmar authorities have warned against exploitation of orphans for labor, left by a recent cyclone storm, a local weekly journal quoted the Department of Social Welfare as reporting Sunday.
If such cyclone orphans are found to be used as laborers, severe action will be taken against the offenders in accordance with law, the department warned, calling for people to expose such cases.
According to earlier reports, the authorities have banned adoption of cyclone orphans by any organization and any individual, promising that such survived orphans would be jointly taken care of by the government, domestic non-governmental organizations and resident United Nations organizations.
Read More..........
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Update from Silembe
I know it has been some time since posting an update....... Our family went on vacation, and Mike Jones, our Director for Africa, has also left Zambia to a stay of several months in the States.
Our Orphanage Director, Jo Anne Byrum, spends most of her time in the 'bush' at the Orphanage so she can't communicate with us regularly. She has recently sent us several items, and I want to share them with you.
From our Orphanage Director -Jo Anne Byrum (edited):
HI everyone! It has been a long time since I have written, and you may have been wondering what I have been up to.
Well, I have a friend staying here for about 4 months, and she has been a huge help and contributor at the Orphanage. Kathy came on May 21st, and she has a gift of communicating with the deaf. She has come to go out to Mapompi (the village area that includes Silembe and several others) to help teach some communication skills to the deaf children in the bush. Many of these children have only the signs they and their families have created. The communication between any one else doesn't exists, and definitely the deaf with the deaf can not communicate with each other.
She has just started teaching this week and we have seen our Father's mighty hand at work! One young girl, Betheal, was noticed mouthing all the words Kathy was telling her as well as signing them. We thought that she might have been able to hear at one time because she is able to make some sounds. So Kathy took Betheal's hand and put it to her throat and said Kathy, then Betheal put her hand to her throat and said Kathy. Well there was just shouting and Hallelujahs going out from all over the place! Betheal's mother was jumping up and down and crying and praising God too! Betheal was able to say MAMA for the first time to her own mother. So Kathy is very excited to get back out to the Children's home this coming week to see what other miracles may come her way.
As for the children -you know we now have eleven now. I hope you all are getting the news letter to keep you updated. Well, God had sent us Brain who is now 7 yrs old. and is HIV positive. When God sent him he weighed only 12 kgs. which is about 26lbs. I am happy to say that our Father is blessing him, and he is now up to 14.5 kgs that's about 31-32 lbs. He is taking a high protein supplement diet. I make it here from Soy flour, sugar, powder milk and corn meal. He has it 2x's a day between his reg. meals. I am also giving it to the younger children and have seen them stronger also.
Lovemore, he has the scaring in the right eye, went to the Zimba eye clinic when the American eye team came. The doctors examined his eye and said there was nothing that could be done in Zambia. Lovemore needs a corneal transplant and it has to be done by a special pediatric eye Doctor. It can only be done in South Africa or in the US. He would have to be in one of these countries for at least 6 months for the follow-up treatment as well. So I am leaving it in God's hands to heal him or to provide a means of medical treatment. Even if it means that he adjust his life to seeing out of only one eye, we'll have to find a solution for him. I have explained to his teachers that he needs to sit on the right side of the room so he can see the chalk board and the rest of the class more easily.
God has also sent us a little girl named Constance. She is 3 years old. I noticed early on that she didn't play or interact with the other children. She is suffering from what is known as detachment syndrome. She has lost her mother and now she has been separated from her grandparents. She has become very withdrawn. This week while at the children's house I have seen a break through though. She is now starting to be with the other children and I heard her laughing and saw her smiling at times this week. Praise God for this! I was really concerned that we might not reach her, but with the love of God being prayed over her day and night, God's grace is prevailing. When I leave the home I make it a point to go and tell her that I am leaving and inform her as to when I will return. I believe that by her seeing me leaving, and also coming back -is making her see that everyone who leaves doesn't always stay gone.
It is winter here now, and very cold. Here in Africa we don't have heat in the houses. Especially if the homes are made of grass! I wear lots of cloths in the morning and then peal them off as the day goes on -only to reverse the process as the evening returns. Soon it will be hot season again, and we will then be longing for a cool breeze.
I love being out in the bush, no electricity, only solar lights, right now no flushing toilets and a splash bath every night. Heat your water on the fire and take a bath. Really, this life is good, and the kids make it better. Thank you for all your prayers as you can see God does answer them.
Your servant to Jesus the Messiah, Jo Anne Byrum
----------------------
Please keep the team, the home, and the children at House of Faith Orphanage in Silembe, Zambia, in your prayers. -Peace
Our Orphanage Director, Jo Anne Byrum, spends most of her time in the 'bush' at the Orphanage so she can't communicate with us regularly. She has recently sent us several items, and I want to share them with you.
From our Orphanage Director -Jo Anne Byrum (edited):
HI everyone! It has been a long time since I have written, and you may have been wondering what I have been up to.
Well, I have a friend staying here for about 4 months, and she has been a huge help and contributor at the Orphanage. Kathy came on May 21st, and she has a gift of communicating with the deaf. She has come to go out to Mapompi (the village area that includes Silembe and several others) to help teach some communication skills to the deaf children in the bush. Many of these children have only the signs they and their families have created. The communication between any one else doesn't exists, and definitely the deaf with the deaf can not communicate with each other.
She has just started teaching this week and we have seen our Father's mighty hand at work! One young girl, Betheal, was noticed mouthing all the words Kathy was telling her as well as signing them. We thought that she might have been able to hear at one time because she is able to make some sounds. So Kathy took Betheal's hand and put it to her throat and said Kathy, then Betheal put her hand to her throat and said Kathy. Well there was just shouting and Hallelujahs going out from all over the place! Betheal's mother was jumping up and down and crying and praising God too! Betheal was able to say MAMA for the first time to her own mother. So Kathy is very excited to get back out to the Children's home this coming week to see what other miracles may come her way.
As for the children -you know we now have eleven now. I hope you all are getting the news letter to keep you updated. Well, God had sent us Brain who is now 7 yrs old. and is HIV positive. When God sent him he weighed only 12 kgs. which is about 26lbs. I am happy to say that our Father is blessing him, and he is now up to 14.5 kgs that's about 31-32 lbs. He is taking a high protein supplement diet. I make it here from Soy flour, sugar, powder milk and corn meal. He has it 2x's a day between his reg. meals. I am also giving it to the younger children and have seen them stronger also.
Lovemore, he has the scaring in the right eye, went to the Zimba eye clinic when the American eye team came. The doctors examined his eye and said there was nothing that could be done in Zambia. Lovemore needs a corneal transplant and it has to be done by a special pediatric eye Doctor. It can only be done in South Africa or in the US. He would have to be in one of these countries for at least 6 months for the follow-up treatment as well. So I am leaving it in God's hands to heal him or to provide a means of medical treatment. Even if it means that he adjust his life to seeing out of only one eye, we'll have to find a solution for him. I have explained to his teachers that he needs to sit on the right side of the room so he can see the chalk board and the rest of the class more easily.
God has also sent us a little girl named Constance. She is 3 years old. I noticed early on that she didn't play or interact with the other children. She is suffering from what is known as detachment syndrome. She has lost her mother and now she has been separated from her grandparents. She has become very withdrawn. This week while at the children's house I have seen a break through though. She is now starting to be with the other children and I heard her laughing and saw her smiling at times this week. Praise God for this! I was really concerned that we might not reach her, but with the love of God being prayed over her day and night, God's grace is prevailing. When I leave the home I make it a point to go and tell her that I am leaving and inform her as to when I will return. I believe that by her seeing me leaving, and also coming back -is making her see that everyone who leaves doesn't always stay gone.
It is winter here now, and very cold. Here in Africa we don't have heat in the houses. Especially if the homes are made of grass! I wear lots of cloths in the morning and then peal them off as the day goes on -only to reverse the process as the evening returns. Soon it will be hot season again, and we will then be longing for a cool breeze.
I love being out in the bush, no electricity, only solar lights, right now no flushing toilets and a splash bath every night. Heat your water on the fire and take a bath. Really, this life is good, and the kids make it better. Thank you for all your prayers as you can see God does answer them.
Your servant to Jesus the Messiah, Jo Anne Byrum
----------------------
Please keep the team, the home, and the children at House of Faith Orphanage in Silembe, Zambia, in your prayers. -Peace
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