Following the nationwide television special on the tragedies being faced by albino children in Tanzania, our organization, Every Child Ministries, has received many inquiries about our work with albino children in Africa. Praise God, we have also gained child sponsorships to enable several albino children to go to school!
As I think about the experience of Every Child Ministries in serving albino children, I realize that the first things albino children need are love and acceptance. They need to know that although they may look different than other children around them, they are valuable human beings like everyone else. It is easier for them to understand that God loves them when they know that others love them, too. Our gifts of sunglasses and sunscreen to protec their sensitive eyes and skin are just tokens to show them our love and acceptance by offering them something truly helpful to them.
The first two steps of our program for albino children are well underway. We have developed teaching for the children, their parents, their friends, and their schools, and begun distributing it by email. We've begun making contacts with albino children and their families and distributing the sunglasses and sunscreen. Our next step will be to place some media pieces to help move the public perception of albino children in a more positive direction. We realize that people's perceptions change slowly, so please pray for this effort!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The most outstanding thing about her trip was...
Last night we enjoyed a wonderful time with friends and partners at our annual IN Banquet in Crown Point, IN. I was especially struck with the reports of Katie Suitor, last summer's mission team leader to Uganda. She said that the thing that struck her most about her time in Uganda was ECM's sponsorship program. She said she noticed the HUGE difference between children who were sponsored in our program and those who were not. She could even tell from looking at pictures, even if she didn't know who the kids were. The sponsored kids looked healthier, were happier, cleaner, better dressed, and somehow more hopeful. The sponsorship program is labor-intensive for Every Child Ministries, so I was really encouraged to hear what a difference it is making in kids' lives. Thanks for that encouragement, Katie.
We gained five new sponsors during the evening, and we are very thankful for that. Many more are waiting to be sponsored.
By the way, I want to send a heartfelt thank you once again to everyone who worked so hard to make last evening a success. We only came halfway to our offering goal for Uganda, but that is a good start and we are thankful for the progress made. Many, many volunteers worked hard to provide this big event. We really appreciate all of you.
We gained five new sponsors during the evening, and we are very thankful for that. Many more are waiting to be sponsored.
By the way, I want to send a heartfelt thank you once again to everyone who worked so hard to make last evening a success. We only came halfway to our offering goal for Uganda, but that is a good start and we are thankful for the progress made. Many, many volunteers worked hard to provide this big event. We really appreciate all of you.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Child Sacrifice in Uganda
The other day I was in a police office in Uganda seeing an official. While I was there, someone called, apparently asking about the current state of various problems in Uganda. The officer replied that violent crime was on the decrease, several other problems were on the decrease, but then he said something that really caught my ear. "There now remains only the problem of ritual sacrifice." Then today I picked up several Ugandan newspapers. On the second page of the first newspaper, the same topic again. An article on child sacrifice. Several hundred Ugandan children had written a letter and signed their names begging the president to do something about the problem of child sacrifice. The children said the current state of affairs made them afraid to go to school.
Lord, we have such a very long way to go. Please show us the way. Show us how Every Child Ministries should be involved. Teach us to value our children--not just our own children, but all of our children, the next generation. In Jesus' name I offer this prayer for the children of Africa.
Lord, we have such a very long way to go. Please show us the way. Show us how Every Child Ministries should be involved. Teach us to value our children--not just our own children, but all of our children, the next generation. In Jesus' name I offer this prayer for the children of Africa.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
One Step Forward--How Many Back?
Here I am in Uganda on this, The Day of the African Child. I am so happy again to reconnect with the branch of my BIG African family that lives and works here. But I am so tired, trying to recover funds embezzled by our former National Director here, David Lubaale. It's taking so much of my time and energy, running back and forth to the police, trying to dig up confirmation for every transaction. It's so disheartening. A man we all loved and trusted, a man for whom we had such high hopes, a man of so much potential. Instead of doing this I want to be working with the staff here to see how we can improve our programs, develop new ones, help more children. Lord, give me strength to persevere so that we can get beyond this. As I work with the staff to try to develop systems that will ensure this never happens again, guide us all. Help us to rebuild trust. Help us to settle this issue so that we can get back to helping African children. Help us to regain the funds so that we can use them to offer hope to children who need it so desperately. In Jesus' name I ask these favors. Amen!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Tell our president--and the media--what you think
Are you happy that our president has chosen to spend your tax dollars to promote worldwide abortion? Does it please you that he made this "choice" for you via executive order, thus bypassing the will of the people and their elected representatives? How much of that 400 Million Dollars are you willing to take out of your own pocket to promote killing the unborn in other countries?
I invite you to let the president know what you think of his high-handed tactics. You can email him at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ . I know, he can't read all those emails himself, but I am also sure that he has aides keeping track of the sense and the mood of emails that come in. Let's not let him make a tragic mistake like this one and not even hear about it. Please write!
You can also get in touch with many local and national media by email. Go to http://capwiz.com/fof/home/ . It's easy and effective. This is a critical issue that affects lives of women and children all over the world. Of course, it also affects your pocketbook. Please, it only takes a few moments. Let your voice be heard on behalf of the children.
I invite you to let the president know what you think of his high-handed tactics. You can email him at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/ . I know, he can't read all those emails himself, but I am also sure that he has aides keeping track of the sense and the mood of emails that come in. Let's not let him make a tragic mistake like this one and not even hear about it. Please write!
You can also get in touch with many local and national media by email. Go to http://capwiz.com/fof/home/ . It's easy and effective. This is a critical issue that affects lives of women and children all over the world. Of course, it also affects your pocketbook. Please, it only takes a few moments. Let your voice be heard on behalf of the children.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Shooting Street Kids or Killing the Unborn--What's the Difference?
I can't even begin to express my shock, disappointment and utter disgust at our new president's restoration of funding for worldwide abortion. So much of that taxpaper money will end up in Africa, yet the very last thing Africa needs is free funding for abortion!
How many our president possibly think this is positive change? This is not the kind of change we wanted! In many countries the government simply sends out the police or the military to "clean up" the city by shooting street kids on sight. In other places they load them into huge trucks and then haul them out a distance from the city and dump them someplace where it is impossible for them to survive. How does our president's new order differ from that? Very little! Both deal with children who are unwanted--by someone. Get them out of sight, out of mind. Less strain on social services. A more attractive city for tourists. Mr. President, the human cost of your policy is astronomical.
I am not unfamiliar with the needs and problems of the poor. I have lived with the poor, laughed with them, cried with them, shared their concerns. How does it help them to pay for the killing of their children?
More black children will be eliminated than any other kind. Precious, beautiful black children whose only crime was their mother did not want them, or thought she didn't, in a moment of discouragement. No! No! A thousand times, No! Let the children of Africa live. Amongst them may be another Martin Luther King, Jr.
Please, Mr. President, you have begun your administration on an extremely destructive course, but course corrections are always permitted. No, you need a U turn. They are permitted, too.
How many our president possibly think this is positive change? This is not the kind of change we wanted! In many countries the government simply sends out the police or the military to "clean up" the city by shooting street kids on sight. In other places they load them into huge trucks and then haul them out a distance from the city and dump them someplace where it is impossible for them to survive. How does our president's new order differ from that? Very little! Both deal with children who are unwanted--by someone. Get them out of sight, out of mind. Less strain on social services. A more attractive city for tourists. Mr. President, the human cost of your policy is astronomical.
I am not unfamiliar with the needs and problems of the poor. I have lived with the poor, laughed with them, cried with them, shared their concerns. How does it help them to pay for the killing of their children?
More black children will be eliminated than any other kind. Precious, beautiful black children whose only crime was their mother did not want them, or thought she didn't, in a moment of discouragement. No! No! A thousand times, No! Let the children of Africa live. Amongst them may be another Martin Luther King, Jr.
Please, Mr. President, you have begun your administration on an extremely destructive course, but course corrections are always permitted. No, you need a U turn. They are permitted, too.
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