Although faith is serious business, it’s good
to embrace and understand that there are
perks (no pun intended!) that go along with it.
This is not a well-kept secret among Christians,
but it is for those who don’t believe!
We have many donors who have been touched to support one of our causes for different reasons. We would like to share two stories with you. A donor, named Josh, was led to help after going on a trip to Africa in 2004. He has been an avid supporter of Partners In Action ever since and is also one of our Marketplace Partners. Another donor, Angie, was so moved by our Project Bulembu that she did her own fundraising, independent of Partners in Action, to help support the kids of Bulembu. Read about Josh and Angie's inspiration and think about what inspires you to give!
It is nice to smiles on the kid's faces!
Josh had always wanted to visit Africa, especially to see some of the children and homes that Partners In Action supports. He never dreamed that he would actually have the opportunity to go one day. In June of 2004, Josh departed on one of the most life-changing journies of his life. When Josh arrived in Africa, it didn't take him long to realize that he was far from home.
Josh's heart immediately started to melt when he stopped at the first home. There were so many children who needed help! This was such a far cry from his own childhood in the United States. That night, he couldn't sleep. Thinking about all of the poverty...all of the need...he couldn't sleep. He had to think of some way to help these children...all of these children. This thought remained with him throughout his time in Africa.
You can almost see the twinkle in her eye!
Although Josh saw some amazing things during his twelve-day vacation - like lions in the wild, the Nile, and amazing scenic landscapes - nothing compared to the children he spent time with in Uganda and Ethiopia. Over the course of six visits to various orphanages, he played and talked with so many children. His heart began to do more than just melt...he needed to do something.
Many sleepless nights followed his return home. He couldn't stop thinking about all the sweet smiles and hopeful eyes he had left behind in Africa. A little of his heart had been left behind with them. He had to do something more than wishful thinking, so he decided to support Partners In Action efforts financially.
Josh is the founder and owner of a process-serving company in New Jersey. He decided to give a percentage of its profits to Partners in Action in order to help the children. He caught the vision...he took immediate action...he is one of our Marketplace Partners, and he
is helping Partners in Action carry out their vision to feed, clothe, educate, and love children in need.
These are two of the children Angie helped!
Like Josh, Angie has always had a heart for the children in Africa, especially the children of Bulembu, Swaziland....big heart, but short on time. Angie is a mother of five, an aerobics instructor, and a bible study leader who leads a very busy life in Arizona. Recently, Angie's thoughts turned to Africa more and more. She finally came to the realization that she wanted to help. Now she only needed to decide how. A working mom, who is already active in her community, has little time to spare.
Angie decided to approach her employer, the owner of the Scottsdale Athletic Club, with a unique but interesting idea. She suggested a charity bike ride for the kids of Bulembu that could be done during her regular weekly class. The owner was all for it! Angie was able to promote a fundraising event with her regular indoor spinning bike class. The participants were able to "ride along" on their stationary bikes to help the kids by spinning for charity. The participants had a great time and Angie raised over $2,000!
Do these faces inspire you to give?
We love how people get creative to support our ministry and the children! We are able to keep offering futures of hope rather than despair because of people like Josh and Angie. If you are interested in raising funds with a special project or would like to hear more about our Marketplace Partner program, please contact us: mike@partnersinaction.org, 480-882-0800.
Mickey Mouse Lends a Helping Hand to Rancho San Juan Bosco in Tecate, Mexico!
The director of Rancho San Juan Bosco, Miseal, accepting a check.
We received a wonderful donation for $1,000 from the Disney Worldwide Outreach Program called EARS To You on behalf of a Walt Disney employee named Rebecca. Cast members and employees at The Walt Disney Company worldwide are given the opportunity to apply for a grant for their favorite charity. The amount of the grant is based on the number of volunteer hours served throughout the year.
Rebecca, a passionate supporter of Rancho San Juan Bosco (RSJB), our boy's home in Mexico, spent many hours in 2007 at the home. She applied for the grant and was rewarded with the $1,000 gift for RSJB. As always, the money is needed and will be well spent!
Some of the boys at RSJB.
Volunteerism and commitment to community service are an important part of the Disney culture. Through the Disney VoluntEARS program and on their own, the Cast Members and employees selflessly give of their time to make communities and the world a better place.
We are so lucky to have donors like Rebecca who are actively involved with projects we support. We also want to acknowledge the generosity of The Disney Company and its commitment to help its employees serve their communities. On behalf of Misael, the director of RSJB, many thanks to both Rebecca and Disney, as well as all of the other people who are advent supporters of the kids!
Conflict and the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo have left 5.4 million people dead since 1998, according to a major mortality survey by the International Rescue Committee. And as many as 45,000 continue to die every month, despite a peace agreement that ended the war in 2002.
The majority of deaths – estimated to be nearly 60% higher than the average in sub-Saharan Africa – are due to preventable and treatable diseases, such as malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia.
Although there are many countries where civil unrest is a norm rather than an exception, we know first hand of the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo. One of our homes, Mama Jeanne's, is there and violence and living conditions are horrific for both children and adults alike.
Candlelit dinner
Maloani Isungo (centre), a man in his 60s, lives with a dozen relatives in two small clay huts by the side of a dirt track in Maniema province.
Over a candlelit bowl of rice and sardines, his son Axel (right) says that his wife gave birth to a daughter by caesarean-section in a nearby town.
"She lost a lot of blood, and she's not feeling well," he says. "But the baby's fine.
"I am lucky; I am one of three in our village to own a motorbike. The others have to walk if there's an emergency."
Jungle paths
Years of war and neglect have left the country in ruins and reaching a doctor or a hospital can sometimes take days.
Even conducting the survey was a major logistical challenge - these researchers took more than an hour to move less than 200m.
It is situations like these that makes one understand that seriously ill patients often die en route before reaching proper health care.
Patients are typically carried on homemade stretchers on small jungle paths to see a doctor.
'Like dogs'
"We have lost four children in four months to fever," says Therese Tchausi (seated).
Local health official Merveille Njolombe says malnutrition is a big problem in villages like Misoke. "We also see a lot of malaria, bilharzia, and intestinal worms."
Some 727,000 people died in excess of normal mortality between January 2006 and April 2007 and nearly half of these were among children under the age of five.
"Life here is difficult, we live like dogs," says Bilenda Francois.
Minor ailments only
This local clinic in Misoke is a simple brick building with a corrugated iron roof.
Nurse Ngegele Masasa says that it is equipped to deal with minor ailments only.
If someone in the village is seriously injured or stricken by the many lethal tropical diseases, there is a real risk that they will die before they receive treatment.
Life-saving interventions such as immunizations, antibiotics, and transportation for surgery are lacking because of insecurity and poor infrastructure.
Overdose
The shelves of the Misoke clinic are virtually empty of medication, except for the most basic painkillers.
A handful of patients lie in the ward on simple and dirty bamboo stretchers.
A young man, hooked up to an intravenous drip bottle with saline solution, grimaces in pain.
"He fell ill with malaria and self-medicated with quinine," says nurse Ngegele Masasa. "But he overdosed and now he is very sick."
Stretcher
Idumbo Mokina (centre) says that his sister Ngalia Laini was rushed to the clinic last year after becoming ill with headaches and cramps.
"They kept her overnight," he says. "In the morning, they told us that it was meningitis and that we had to take her to the clinic in Moga, 12 hours' walk from here. So I made a stretcher and organised a group of 17 villagers to carry her.
"But after four hours on the road she died. She was 45 years old."
'Sick all the time'
Health problems do not only affect isolated villages in the countryside.
In one of the vast slums of DR Congo's capital Kinshasa, this man says that respiratory diseases and skin conditions are very common in his community, which is located near a large rubbish dump.
"People here are sick all the time," he complains.
This beautifully photographed and designed pictorial calendar is 19 pages long and spans June 2008 through December 2009. It is almost 11 X 17 when open and is a great conversational decoration for your wall. It includes personal testimonies and experiences of the residents of Bulembu. The cost for US residents is $12.00 which includes shipping within the United States. Buy a calendar now!
Please support Project Bulembu and help us to continue to move forward with our transformation of the City on the Hill! Learn more about Project Bulembu!
How the Current Economic Woes Affect Hogar de Amor in Colima, Mexico by Dennis Unrau
No one is a stranger to the economic problems we are facing in the United States. As this impacts the world economy, our homes are also feeling it more than ever. Although we all have to watch our spending, we hope that our donors can find a way to continue their support and find something else they can do without. Dennis Unrau, the director of Hogar de Amor Home in Mexico, describes how challenging this time is for his home.
Two of our little residents with the chicken pox - the cost of medication is going up.
Over the past several months, we have found ourselves in an increasingly difficult financial situation. Little by little, we were running further and further into the red. We have a bit of a cushion in the form of specially designated offerings that are to be put towards special projects, such as construction or school start-up costs. So as the money dried up in the "maintenance" account, we borrowed from the designated accounts. After a few weeks, we had depleted those funds, too. We were out of funds.
Pastor Nahum called all the workers and volunteers together to let them know the situation. He also let them know that if there wasn't a significant change in the next few days, we wouldn't be able to pay our workers at the end of the month. Pastor asked us to pray that the Lord would show us what He wanted us to learn from this situation.
Time to do daily chores! Supplies like detergent are also increasing.
Well, it would seem that one of the things that the Lord wanted us to learn was that He still provides for our needs in miraculous ways. That very night, we received word from Partners in Action that our monthly wire was on the way - a wire that included some large and unexpected donations! Not only were we able to pay back the "maintenance" account, we were able to set aside some money for a much needed used minivan. THANK YOU, JESUS!
We have taken time to reflect on the resounding effect the economy will have on Hogar de Amor. Although we know everyone is feeling the pinch from the rise in the cost of gasoline to a loaf of bread, it's easy to question the Lord where we should go from here. We need guidance.
We continually keep tightening our belts and are cutting corners left and right, but it seems that no matter what we do, prices keep increasing and we can't gain ground. We don't know if we should continue to expand the ministry, trusting that the Lord will provide for all our needs. Although He did this last month in such a miraculous way, are we being too presumptuous to rely on that all the time? Or do we try to build a layer of protection around us and just focus on the kids we already have, or do we keep the doors open to the many kids that are in need?
Can we afford to take in more kids?
We worry that the North American economy is entering a time of deep recession. How will this affect us? Will people still continue to support us or will we be a "corner" they have to cut? We even have to consider the impact that new airline restrictions will have on us. Our visitors in the past have been so gracious and generous bringing supplies down to us. But now, we see the three-suitcase rule change to two.
Then the 70-pound suitcase limit changed to 50 pounds, and now an airline is charging for the first checked bag and even considering weighing the passengers for an additional weight fee!
Two of our workers who cannot afford not to get paid.
We see that the blessing of "visitor" goods will come to an end, and we will be forced to purchase all of our basic staples, such as shampoo and toothpaste, in Mexico. Even some of the goods we receive from missions relief ministries is currently limited. Although this is a challenging time, we will continue to seek the Lord and His direction for the ministry, and try to be faithful to walk through any doors that He is opening. Pray with us that we will be in tune to His leading in every situation.
And again, we know that you, too, are experiencing your own economic strife. With that being said, it means the world to us for those who not only support us financially, but also for everyone who prays for our ministry. Thank you so much for your faithful support! Together, with His guidance and your support, we can prevail!
Although faith is serious business, it’s good
Conflict and the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo have left 5.4 million people dead since 1998, according to a major mortality survey by the International Rescue Committee. And as many as 45,000 continue to die every month, despite a peace agreement that ended the war in 2002. 
Maloani Isungo (centre), a man in his 60s, lives with a dozen relatives in two small clay huts by the side of a dirt track in Maniema province. 
Years of war and neglect have left the country in ruins and reaching a doctor or a hospital can sometimes take days. 
"We have lost four children in four months to fever," says Therese Tchausi (seated). 
This local clinic in Misoke is a simple brick building with a corrugated iron roof. 
Overdose 
Idumbo Mokina (centre) says that his sister Ngalia Laini was rushed to the clinic last year after becoming ill with headaches and cramps. 
'Sick all the time' 
This beautifully photographed and designed pictorial calendar is 19 pages long and spans June 2008 through December 2009. It is almost 11 X 17 when open and is a great conversational decoration for your wall. It includes personal testimonies and experiences of the residents of Bulembu. The cost for US residents is $12.00 which includes shipping within the United States.
