Today I began to consider the presentation that I have on Monday, to a local industry-based philanthropy organization, and how increadibly saddened I am that I/we will be the only voice for the Orphans in Silembe as I communicated the opportunities for service there. Consider the overwhelming plight for the children in Zambia:
GO! KEY METRICS
• 920,000 people HIV/AIDS positive
• 130,000 children infected with HIV/AIDS
• 710,000 AIDS Orphans
• 1.2 million Orphans – over 10% of the population
• 75,000+ ‘street kids’
• 2/3 of the population live on less than a $1 per day
• In the past five years, 1.5 million children have died of AIDS-related causes, and 15 million children have lost one or both parents to the disease
• An estimated two million children younger than age 15 are HIV-positive
• 6% to 10% of children in need of antiretroviral drugs receive them, compared with 30% of adults
• Fewer than one in 10 infants in low- and middle-income countries were tested for HIV within two months of their birth
• HIV in children has increased eightfold in sub-Saharan Africa, where 90% of the world's HIV-positive children live
We can make a huge difference in the community as a whole with a direct involvement in the local community school. With $25,000 in facility and learning material upgrades, we can dramatically increase the effectiveness in which these children excel through their first 7 grades. In addition, we will use our involvement in the school to increase awareness for HIV and to offer opportunties for testing and treatment.
Please keep this project in your prayers.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Orphans get a funding boost for college
By Meredith Blake
Staff Writer
Article Launched: 08/24/2008 01:00:00 AM EDT
At five years old, Daniel Ndamwizeye lost his parents during the genocide in Rwanda. He spent years as an orphan in Africa, living with different families.
"It wasn't a good experience. It was not a safe place to be," Ndamwizeye said, now 19. "It was really tough. I had to do most things by myself."
But in 2005 Ndamwizeye reconnected with his sister in Bridgeport. After arriving in the United States, he flourished in school, learned English, joined the National Honors Society, Key Club and eventually became vice president of his class.
And now he is the recipient of the first full-time scholarship available through the Greenwich-based Stewardship Foundation, which provides college funding to orphans and young adults from foster care families.
Read More........
Staff Writer
Article Launched: 08/24/2008 01:00:00 AM EDT
At five years old, Daniel Ndamwizeye lost his parents during the genocide in Rwanda. He spent years as an orphan in Africa, living with different families.
"It wasn't a good experience. It was not a safe place to be," Ndamwizeye said, now 19. "It was really tough. I had to do most things by myself."
But in 2005 Ndamwizeye reconnected with his sister in Bridgeport. After arriving in the United States, he flourished in school, learned English, joined the National Honors Society, Key Club and eventually became vice president of his class.
And now he is the recipient of the first full-time scholarship available through the Greenwich-based Stewardship Foundation, which provides college funding to orphans and young adults from foster care families.
Read More........
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Silembe, Zambia | Update 20 August 2008
We received news this past weekend that we received our 16th child at the House of Faith Orphanage in Silembe, Zambia. A message from Jo Anne, our Director of the Orphanage, follows(edite):
Hello, hope this finds your day in the Lord beautiful as ours is!
Well, God has blessed us with another child. Her name is Evelyn Parknson. No, that's that's not an error -that's how they spell it.
She has been living with her grandmother in Livingstone. She is 23 months old. Evelyn has an older brother who is 5 and grandmother is taking care of him also. The mother and father are 
both alive. The father is known but has nothing to do with the child. The mother is on drugs and alcoholic. The grandmother is 67 yrs old. She brought Evelyn to the Social Welfare dept. in Livingstone. They in turned called us and ask if we could take her.
both alive. The father is known but has nothing to do with the child. The mother is on drugs and alcoholic. The grandmother is 67 yrs old. She brought Evelyn to the Social Welfare dept. in Livingstone. They in turned called us and ask if we could take her. We picked up Evelyn on Friday. She is staying with us here in Kalomo until I go back out on Tuesday. She is a real city girl, doesn't like her hands dirty, and is used to being the center of attention. So she will go through a real adjustment time. Here is her picture. Evelyn was born Sept. 22, 2006, and is from Livingstone. Her Mother is alive, and is addicted to drugs and alcohol. Her father is also alive, but has abandoned Evelyn.
For more information on Silembe and the House of Faith Orphanage go to our home page at www.globalorphanrelief.org and click on SILEMBE STORY to better understand our vision for the community. For recent scenes from Zambia, see our Zambia 2008 slide show that is also available on our home page or can be seen below.
The New Evangelical Politics
By E. J. Dionne Jr.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008; Page A13
Anyone who still doubts that the evangelical Christian world is going through a political revolution was not watching Pastor Rick Warren's presidential forum this weekend. The era of reducing Christianity to a narrow set of ideological commitments is over.
Just a few years ago, who would have imagined that Barack Obama and John McCain would hold a discussion of this sort in a church? Who would have thought that the session would be moderated by an evangelical pastor who was emphatic in counting both the Democrat and the Republican as his "friends"? Who would have predicted that in such a setting, the issues of abortion and gay marriage would not dominate the pastor's queries?
Oh, yes, and who would have anticipated that the passions of the pastor in question would be engaged not in the divisions created by the culture wars but in the imperative of civility in politics and the plight of the world's 148 million orphans? Here's betting that the next president will help some of those orphans find homes.
Read More............
Tuesday, August 19, 2008; Page A13
Anyone who still doubts that the evangelical Christian world is going through a political revolution was not watching Pastor Rick Warren's presidential forum this weekend. The era of reducing Christianity to a narrow set of ideological commitments is over.
Just a few years ago, who would have imagined that Barack Obama and John McCain would hold a discussion of this sort in a church? Who would have thought that the session would be moderated by an evangelical pastor who was emphatic in counting both the Democrat and the Republican as his "friends"? Who would have predicted that in such a setting, the issues of abortion and gay marriage would not dominate the pastor's queries?
Oh, yes, and who would have anticipated that the passions of the pastor in question would be engaged not in the divisions created by the culture wars but in the imperative of civility in politics and the plight of the world's 148 million orphans? Here's betting that the next president will help some of those orphans find homes.
Read More............
Church aims to unite orphans with prospective adoptive parents
By RACHEL PARKER DICKERSON
LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER
New Life Church's orphan ministry, The Refuge, will soon begin promoting an effort to bring together orphans from Ethiopia and prospective adoptive families.
Amy Fechtelkotter was part of a group from the church that recently went to Ethiopia to visit orphanages. She said The Refuge will work together with the Gladney Center for Adoption, based in Dallas, Texas, to hold a Bright Futures Camp. They plan to bring about 40 orphans from Ethiopia to Conway next summer.
Read More.........
LOG CABIN STAFF WRITER
New Life Church's orphan ministry, The Refuge, will soon begin promoting an effort to bring together orphans from Ethiopia and prospective adoptive families.
Amy Fechtelkotter was part of a group from the church that recently went to Ethiopia to visit orphanages. She said The Refuge will work together with the Gladney Center for Adoption, based in Dallas, Texas, to hold a Bright Futures Camp. They plan to bring about 40 orphans from Ethiopia to Conway next summer.
Read More.........
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Cuts in foreign adoptions causing anxiety in USA
By Wendy Koch, USA TODAY
Jodi Markoff vividly recalls the day she met 5-year-old Phan in a rural Vietnamese orphanage last April. The girl looked terrified.
Markoff gave her a book she had made about her family in Manhattan. After daily visits for a week, Phan was laughing.
"I promised her I would be back," Markoff says.
Read More......
Jodi Markoff vividly recalls the day she met 5-year-old Phan in a rural Vietnamese orphanage last April. The girl looked terrified.
Markoff gave her a book she had made about her family in Manhattan. After daily visits for a week, Phan was laughing.
"I promised her I would be back," Markoff says.
Read More......
Monday, August 11, 2008
Belmont Famility Moving to Malawi to help children Orphaned by AIDS
August 10, 2008 - 6:05PM
Amanda Millard
BELMONT - Nine-year-old Chad High knows a lot about the African country where he'll soon be living.
"There are only two major airports in the country of Malawi. It is one of the smallest countries in Africa," High said. "It's very small. It's the size of Tennessee. But it has a population of 12 million."
High will soon be living in Malawi with his parents James and Holli and younger siblings Wes, 6 ½ , and Ashley, 4 ½ months. The family has committed to spending two years there as part of Homeless Children International, a Christian organization dedicated to helping children without homes. The Highs will be working with children who have been orphaned after losing one of their parents to AIDS.
Read More..........
Amanda Millard
BELMONT - Nine-year-old Chad High knows a lot about the African country where he'll soon be living.
"There are only two major airports in the country of Malawi. It is one of the smallest countries in Africa," High said. "It's very small. It's the size of Tennessee. But it has a population of 12 million."
High will soon be living in Malawi with his parents James and Holli and younger siblings Wes, 6 ½ , and Ashley, 4 ½ months. The family has committed to spending two years there as part of Homeless Children International, a Christian organization dedicated to helping children without homes. The Highs will be working with children who have been orphaned after losing one of their parents to AIDS.
Read More..........
Orphans Get Second Chance At Hopefest
Posted Monday, August 11, 2008 ; 08:43 AM
Foreign adoption key to gathering in Kentucky.
Story by Craig McKee
FLATWOODS, KY -- According to UNICEF figures, there are 210 million orphans worldwide.
So, one local group in our area is working to make that number smaller, by hosting a festival.
"Every child, every child no matter where they're at, they deserve a home, they deserve a family, I know we can't always do it, but we can try," said Hopefest Organzier Sheila Campbell.
This is Flatwoods Kentucky's attempt at making sure the world has at least one less orphan. Hopefest 08 was organized with Family Hope International, as a way for orphaned children to find foster parents. The road to Kentucky was a long one, as the 13 youngsters flew for the first time from Ukraine.
"My children and me, we never fly, we have never fly and it was very exciting," said Ukraine Orphanage Director Alla Kolosai.
Read More.........
Foreign adoption key to gathering in Kentucky.
Story by Craig McKee
FLATWOODS, KY -- According to UNICEF figures, there are 210 million orphans worldwide.
So, one local group in our area is working to make that number smaller, by hosting a festival.
"Every child, every child no matter where they're at, they deserve a home, they deserve a family, I know we can't always do it, but we can try," said Hopefest Organzier Sheila Campbell.
This is Flatwoods Kentucky's attempt at making sure the world has at least one less orphan. Hopefest 08 was organized with Family Hope International, as a way for orphaned children to find foster parents. The road to Kentucky was a long one, as the 13 youngsters flew for the first time from Ukraine.
"My children and me, we never fly, we have never fly and it was very exciting," said Ukraine Orphanage Director Alla Kolosai.
Read More.........
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Global Orphan Relief | A Servant's Heart Mission Trip Deadline
It is hard to believe that we leave for Zambia in 3 short months for our 4th visit there! So much is happening there as we are serving more and more children and the community is really beginning to connect with the House of Faith Orphanage.
We already have 7 committed for the trip in November, but we have a reservation for 10 seats. Wednesday I have to either confirm the 10 tickets, or have to cancel the reservation and book the 7 individually. In addition, the economics for the trip work out much better with 10 on the team versus 7. I would again ask you to consider joining us. For other who have been considering the trip, please make a decision to join us by Wednesday next week. I need to confirm our commitment for the 10 tickets on Wednesday, August 6, and if we do confirm -Global Orphan Relief is on the hook regardless whether we have committed team members.
Please pass the info below along to anyone who might be interested. This will be a trip that changes many lives! Call 303.840.1123 for more information.
We already have 7 committed for the trip in November, but we have a reservation for 10 seats. Wednesday I have to either confirm the 10 tickets, or have to cancel the reservation and book the 7 individually. In addition, the economics for the trip work out much better with 10 on the team versus 7. I would again ask you to consider joining us. For other who have been considering the trip, please make a decision to join us by Wednesday next week. I need to confirm our commitment for the 10 tickets on Wednesday, August 6, and if we do confirm -Global Orphan Relief is on the hook regardless whether we have committed team members.
Please pass the info below along to anyone who might be interested. This will be a trip that changes many lives! Call 303.840.1123 for more information.
The Rich should help the Poor
The Head Pastor of Gospel Missionaries Church, Reverend Jonathan Newman-Otsiwah has advised Ghanaians, especially the affluent not to shy away from assisting the poor, widows and the needy. They should use part of their resources to support orphans and the less privileged in society to enable them to fend for themselves and their families, as well as contribute positively to the development of society.
Read More.......
Read More.......
Ukraine Orphan Outreach hosts cultural exchange in Northern Colorado
Publish Date: 8/2/2008
By Marcy Ortega
Loveland Reporter-Herald
BERTHOUD — In an effort to raise awareness of the plight of Ukrainian orphans, the Ukraine Orphan Outreach is hosting a cultural exchange camp in Northern Colorado for eight children, ages 10-12, through Aug. 15.
The Ukraine Orphan Outreach is a nonprofit, faith-based group founded by Kris and Clarke Stoesz of Berthoud.
The Stoeszes have five children, three of whom are from Ukraine.
During their visit to Northern Colorado, the orphans are participating as a group in daily activities including horseback riding, boating, visiting the Denver Aquarium, bowling, attending a Rockies game, camping, and watching a rodeo at the Larimer County Fair.
Read More...........
By Marcy Ortega
Loveland Reporter-Herald
BERTHOUD — In an effort to raise awareness of the plight of Ukrainian orphans, the Ukraine Orphan Outreach is hosting a cultural exchange camp in Northern Colorado for eight children, ages 10-12, through Aug. 15.
The Ukraine Orphan Outreach is a nonprofit, faith-based group founded by Kris and Clarke Stoesz of Berthoud.
The Stoeszes have five children, three of whom are from Ukraine.
During their visit to Northern Colorado, the orphans are participating as a group in daily activities including horseback riding, boating, visiting the Denver Aquarium, bowling, attending a Rockies game, camping, and watching a rodeo at the Larimer County Fair.
Read More...........
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
