We are pleased to welcome a new partner to the PIA home team. Mike Buckles officially joined our staff as Executive Director on September 17. Mike says, "Partnership is at the very core of our call to follow Christ. He invites us to join him and partner with other believers to offer life at its fullest to this weary old world. I am honored and delighted to be joining PIA in bringing hope and a future to widows and orphans around the world."
Mike comes to us after completing the sale of Buckles' Greenbelt – a small interior plantscaping company that he founded in 1974. During the years since, he has managed and expanded the company to include holiday decorating as one of its specialties. Mike is an avid collector of both antique and contemporary fountain pens. For a time, he owned the Write Place, a fine wiring instruments store in central Phoenix. He is married to Donna, his wife of 38 years, and has two grown children and four grandchildren, with one more due in late October. Mike and Donna are members of First Baptist Church in Scottsdale where he teaches an adult Sunday school class and she serves as an Elder.
In addition to his business background, Mike also served on the staff of International Ministries of the American Baptist Churches as the Coordinator of Volunteers from 1998-2005. During Mike's leadership at IM, the volunteer program grew from less than a dozen volunteers serving per year to over 1000 persons volunteering either as individuals or on teams in more than 40 countries when he left the position. Mike reflects, "What a blessing it was to work with these committed volunteers. Those who truly follow Christ in service to others are the most exciting people. There is nothing like seeing the face and hearing the testimony of one who has been on the front lines of service. God has transformed my life and expanded my vision through the lives of the countless partners in mission that I have had the privilege of working alongside."
When asked about his feelings as he joins Partners in Action, Mike said, "I feel energized and empowered for this new challenge. When I was first approached by Curt Cluff and Stan Crews about joining Partners, I was at a crossroads in my life. The sale of a business I had led for such a long time was in the works. I was seeking direction from God about what lay ahead. As we talked, it became very clear that all of my life has been a preparation for this next step. From that moment on, God opened doors and cleared the way. The passion and convictions of Curt and the devotion to the vision of Partners shown by Stan inspire me. The call to bring light and life to the neediest of God's children is irresistible. PIA is uniquely positioned as an agent of change. There is no greater calling than to join our Lord in his work of offering abundant life where there is no hope."
One of Mike's primary responsibilities is to oversee the Bulembu project. In addition, he will be teaming up with staff and volunteer colleagues to accomplish Partners'
mission... that they may have life.
Marketplace Partners is an opportunity for businesses and business owners to be involved in giving back. It is a program we created to help fund our administrative costs at PIA. For those of you who don't know, 100% of all donations to Partners in Action goes directly to our projects. For the most part, this is unheard of in the non-profit world.
How do we do that you may ask...Well, up until this point, the administrative costs of PIA have been completely taken care of by an anonymous benefactor. However, that money is slowly dwindling away because there has not been a plan in place to replenish these funds...until now. That benefactor has agreed to participate in a match grant program so we can continue to underwrite the overhead of PIA. This means that 100% of all donations can still be sent directly to the designated projects.
Some of you may have read about one of our Marketplace Partners, Foods 2000 Inc., in a previous newsletter. We showcased them so that you could see what businesses are doing to help with this. We will continue to spotlight our Marketplace Partners in future newsletters as well. We want you to know who these businesses are so that if you are able to choose who you do business with, you might consider doing business with one of them. You can find a list of our current Marketplace Partners by visiting our website or by clicking here.
If you have any questions about this program or if you are interested in becoming a Marketplace Partner, please call Christa Drent at 480-882-0802.
Donor Thinks of Creative Way to Donate More by Christa Drent
Recently, we had a seasoned donor go above and beyond his monthly commitment and donate a camera to Partners in Action. His desire was to have this camera auctioned off on eBay and all the money earned from the auction would go to PIA. What a creative idea!
So, he brought in his camera (along with several accessories...lenses, filters, manuals, a case, etc.) and, after taking several pictures, we listed it on eBay. We were all very curious as to how this would turn out. The camera had been bid on immediately and just kept going up over the days. We anxiously awaited the final bid after the 7 day period.
We were pleasantly surprised at the result. We would love for any of you to get involved this way as well. If you have any items around your house that you think may sell on eBay, and you would like to donate them to us, please contact us at 480-882-0800.
Meet Sheila Whitcomb - A 16-year-old Missionary
by Sheila Whitcomb
Hi! My name is Sheila Whitcomb. I'm 16 years old and a junior in high school. I've been raised on the mission field in Africa with my siblings - Sarah, age 15, Annabelle, 12, and John Paul, 9. We count it a privilege to serve the Lord alongside our parents, Rick and Donna Whitcomb.
I wanted to share with you some of the highlights of ministry from my perspective. As you'll see, even though there's lots of intense spiritual ministry here, we have a lot of fun, too!
This summer has been a great time of growth and ministry in my life. God has outdone Himself by giving me awesome opportunities to do things I love - sing, teach, and dance. I began the summer teaching a reading class part time at our academy. It was so exciting to hear the little children read their first words, and it was a joy to help the older ones improve in their reading. I have been blessed to be a part of the Agape dance team and church choir. Now the Lord has given the chance to be a part of the worship team for the new church we are planting!
My favorite opportunity God gave me this summer was the chance to get to know the teenagers in our home better. As I joined the youth group and began to spend more time with the older boys and girls, I found great friendships among them. Not only have I had many chances to minister this summer, but God has blessed me with many memorable experiences and friendships which have ministered to me. I am so thankful to God for all He has allowed me to do.
Prevalence of Rape in East Congo Described as Worst in World
by Stephanie McCrummen, Washington Post Foreign Service
For those of you who donate to Mama Jeanne's Home in the Congo, this story may have special interest to you. For those of you who donate elsewhere, this story is still relevant because the act of violence and rape against young girls and women in third world countries is shocking and deplorable. All of our orphanages throughout the world help to protect children from this devastating and potentially deadly act given the possibility of contracting a disease like AIDS. While you may think of your gift of support mainly as a means to feed, clothe, and educate a child, your donations have other far-reaching effects that we often times forget.
NAIROBI, Sept. 8 - The prevalence and intensity of sexual violence against women in eastern Congo are "almost unimaginable," the top U.N. humanitarian official said Saturday after visiting the country's most fragile region, where militia groups have preyed on the civilian population for years.
John Holmes, who coordinates U.N. emergency relief operations, said 4,500 cases of sexual violence have been reported in just one eastern province since January, though the actual number is surely much higher. Rape has become "almost a cultural phenomenon," he said. "Violence and rape at the hands of these armed groups has become all too common," said Holmes, who spent four days in eastern Congo. "The intensity and frequency is worse than anywhere else in the world."
The chronic sexual violence is just one facet of a broader environment of insecurity that still defines eastern Congo after a decade-long war that killed an estimated 4 million people, mostly from hunger and other effects of being driven from their homes. Tensions have risen in the east following recent clashes between government soldiers and forces loyal to a renegade general, Laurent Nkunda. Nearly 300,000 people have been displaced since December, including tens of thousands in the past several weeks, according to the United Nations.
Nkunda says he is protecting eastern Congo's Tutsi minority from Hutu militias that fled Rwanda after committing the genocide there in 1994. The Hutu militias - along with others, including Nkunda's - have never been disarmed and have menaced the civilian population for years.
With camps for displaced people sprawling across the east, Holmes said, basic humanitarian needs such as food and clean water are "enormous." Donor nations are providing only about half the needed funding, he said.
Holmes emphasized the need for a political solution to the underlying problems left over from the Rwandan genocide: namely, the Hutu militias. Their continued presence in the forests of eastern Congo is a point of tension between the Congolese government and Rwanda, which says Congo has not done enough to disarm them. The Hutu militias also provide Nkunda with a reason to fight, contributing to overall insecurity, Holmes said.
"There needs to be a political solution to the problems there, which are connected to the past, to the genocide in Rwanda," he said. "There needs to be a major political effort locally, regionally and internationally."
Holmes spoke at length about the stories he heard from women who had been raped by members of various armed groups, including the Congolese army. The degree of the brutality and humiliation involved - women being gang-raped in front of crowds including their husbands, for instance - were particularly disturbing, Holmes said. "It's the scale and brutality of it," he said, grasping for words. "It's the use of it as a weapon of terror. It's the way it's done publicly, for maximum humiliation. It's hard to understand."
South Africa on Track in AIDS Fight Cites by BBC News
The high rate of AIDS affects many of our children and families throughout the world, but particularly in Africa. Some of our children have either died, are HIV positive, or have lost parents and family members to this disease. Although massive progress has been made that allow people to live longer if infected, medical treatment is not always accessible, particularly for those below the poverty level; however, it is encouraging to know that some countries in Africa, like South Africa, are improving the odds.
South Africa is on course to meet its target of halving new AIDS infections by 2011, the deputy president has said. Some 1,000 people are currently being infected each day. The other target is to treat 80% of those in need. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngquka gave her upbeat assessment despite recent controversies at the health ministry.
South Africa has more HIV infections than any other country - 5.5 million - but has recently started to improve access to anti-AIDS drugs. "We are on track," said Mrs Mlambo-Ngquka at the first meeting of South Africa's National AIDS Council since it launched its five-year plan in May.
Mark Heywood from AIDS lobby group Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) agreed that progress was being made. "There is momentum... there is a very serious consideration of some of the different questions around strategy, around treatment protocols, about how to expand access, how to create a culture of knowing your HIV status," he said.
The plan was launched while controversial Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang was recovering from health problems. The minister is known as "Dr. Beetroot" because of her emphasis on the importance of nutrition in the fight against AIDS, while she underplays the role of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs).
Last month, the deputy minister was sacked following a series of disagreements with Ms Tshabalala-Msimang, who is now back at work. The official reason was because she went on an unauthorised trip to an AIDS conference in Spain.
After being accused of being too slow to roll out ARVs, the government changed its approach and about 280,000 people were on ARV treatment at the end of March this year. However, that is still well short of the estimated 800,000 who are thought to need ARVs in South Africa.
New Dorms in Nyahururu, Kenya, for Heroes of the Nation
So much has happened over the last eighteen months! It has been continuous building since December 2005. The Children's Village is hardly recognizable. Heroes of the Nation Children's Village started on four acres with a boy's dorm, a girl's dorm, a few classrooms, and a small hut which served as the kitchen. With the purchase of a much larger plot of land nearby, a goal was set to move all the children to the new site, build an elementary school, and change the existing site into a high school for both HOTN residents and boarding students from the community. Below is a summary of our success:
A new boy's dorm, which was started in the Fall of 2005, was completed. Now approximately 120 boys between the ages of 6 to 12 live in this dorm. Another dorm has also been started, which will eventually ease the overcrowded conditions.
A girl's dorm then followed, providing a home for about 115 girls (although designed for 80). The new dorms have sinks and toilets, which is a blessing. The water still needs to be turned on, though. The city pledged to run it, but has run into construction difficulties so the water has not yet arrived. In the meantime, the children pump water from a well – hence the buckets.
A brand new eight classroom elementary school was next. The classrooms are much larger and brighter than the old ones. The Nursery school children are still being bussed to the old site until more classrooms are built. Heroes of the Nation is one of the top ten schools in their region. Most of the children are sick, malnourished and traumatized when they arrive at the Home, and many have been out of school for years, so this is a testament to the love and skill of the teachers.
In addition to the dorms and school, great progress was also made on a boarding school, medical clinic, and a new kitchen facility. We are so proud of everyone who helped with labor, donations, and prayers! When we all come together, anything is possible. Thank you for your continued commitment and love for the children.
Watch Hope for the Nations (HFTN) Romania New 5-Minute Video
HFTN Romania has a new 5-minute video that offers an excellent glimpse into how they are affecting the lives of children and families in Romania. Whether you support HFTN Romania or not, the video is worth watching if only to reinforce that no matter what country you support, the plight of children truly affects each and every country in the world.
Pepe's Wedding in Tecate, BC, Mexico
by Ed Moriarity
Misael and Yolanda Morelos reached a very special milestone in July with the wedding of their oldest son, Pepe. Many people who have visited Rancho San Juan Bosco over the years remember Pepe from the office. He helped his dad in the administration of the orphanage and has been a great help to the ministry for many years.
He met and fell in love with Etna at the orphanage where she helped her mother in the laundry. Their love grew and they were married July 28, 2007.
The service was beautiful, with family and friends from both sides of the border making the trip to Tecate to wish them well in their new life together.
One of Rancho San Juan Bosco's supporters and a donor, Don Crowley from Snohomish, Washington, went down to Tecate to share in this special moment. Don was assigned as "guest" caretaker of some of the boys for the day before the wedding and the wedding day itself. The family could then focus completely on the wedding and not worry about the boys. He helped take a group of boys swimming the day before the wedding and actually taught a few of them how to swim for the first time!
Don then treated the boys who were doing very well in school to dinner at Don's favorite taco stand and they had ice cream for dessert. The next day after church, Don took the entire group out for lunch and later they went to see some circus animals. And of course the outing wouldn't have been complete without cooling off with some cold ice cream!
The wedding reception at the orphanage was beautiful when weeks and weeks of hard work finally came together to make the night special. The lower court of the orphanage was decorated with gossamer and lights, and the tables had beautiful centerpieces with flowers and candles. The guests dined under the stars while family members and friends sang special songs to wish the new couple well. The music and dancing went on until well after midnight!
Shortly after that, Pepe and Etna were sent off to their honeymoon in San Felipe, ready to start a new life together as husband and wife.
Sneak Peak into the Children's Lives at Manzanillo Christian Children's Home
We want to give you glimpse into a child's life at Manzanillo Christian Children's Home. It's very important for you to understand the impact you have with your support. All the children that come to the home usually have a history of mistreatment. Some children suffer from physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Others have been neglected, abandoned, and rejected by their parents or guardians. Some of these boys and girls have endured these situations due to the consequences of living with only one of their parents. This parent is usually obligated to work and thus cannot care properly for the child. Many mothers even work as prostitutes and expose their children to a negative lifestyle by living in the same house or hotel where they "work." It is very important for us to understand the children's previous living situation and life experience. This helps us to isolate their problems so that psychological treatment and counseling can be focused on these areas.
At Manzanillo Christian Children's Home, we know the importance of giving the children a lot of affection. We also try to provide a balanced environment where they can experience the joy of living rather than the sorrow. The children enjoy the safety and feel of a real home from the moment they step through the door. Through individual attention, we also discover each child's talents and encourage them to develop these gifts. A child who feels good about himself because of a talent or gift, increases his self-esteem and will be better at resolving problems.
The boys and girls who live in our home attend school beginning at the age of 3. We take them to school daily and pick them up afterward to ensure their safety. In the afternoon, the children do their homework, and afterward, receive a teaching from the word of God. In this way, we have been good stewards to invest in the spiritual lives of the children so that they will learn to have hope, trust, and love in God. The most important thing we can do for a child is help him develop an everlasting relationship with God.
After the teachings, the children eat and have time to play. They have safe areas to play on the grounds of the home including a lovely wooden playhouse with slides and swings. We also provide them with toys and educational materials that help to enhance their education and give them hours of fun in the process! Although we do have specific times during the day which the children are permitted to watch television, we carefully monitor what they watch. The last thing the children do before getting tucked in for a peaceful night's sleep is say their prayers.
While this only gives you a glimpse into a day of the life of our precious children, we hope that you at least know and trust that these children are well cared for and loved. The lives that you have helped to save has not gone unnoticed. Even though you may not hear it everyday, you are in our thoughts and prayers and we thank you for your support!
Last Summer Tecate Encounter Draws 60 Kids
by Jeremy Francis
This Summer Encounter Tour was great fun and a great blessing for everyone who was involved...from the kids in the program to the teams who were putting the programs on for us, and as the coordinators, being able to enjoy watching everyone have so much fun! The Summer Encounter Tour reached over 400 children and close to 100 adults in an effort to have fun while spreading the Word of the Lord.
The last Summer Encounter for 2007 was held at Iglesia Alfa y Omega (Alpha and Omega Church) in Tecate this August. The teens from Rey de Reyes Church in Lomatova came out to help make the final Encounter a blast for the kids. The church was filled to capacity with kids as young as 1 all the way up to 18 years old.
Thanks to a donation from First Assembly of God in Show Low, this was the first Encounter that we had the opportunity to have a puppet show. This was new to the children and they had so much fun interacting with Pancho, Pancho Jr., Pancho III, and Panchita (the teens were really original in thinking up names!).
All of the kids also had a great time worshiping the Lord. One popular moment was when Jeremy and the "Panchos" shared a story that taught the children that God looks at their character, and not at their outward appearance. This is an important value that many children don't often easily understand so it was wonderful to see them enjoy the puppet show so much.
And as the day came to a close, we had our final activities - the "big" kids created door hangers from foam paper and beads while the "little" kids worked on their coloring skills. Their final masterpieces rivaled Picasso! Again, we were glad to see the last Summer Encounter go so well and hope to have the same success next year.
A special thanks to all of the groups who helped us out with the Summer Encounters: Grand Canyon University, His Passion Ministries, Grace Church of San Bernardino, Iglesia Rosa de Saron, Iglesia Rey de Reyes, Iglesia Alfa y Omega, and Show Low First Assembly of God.
Jesus Loves the Little Children Foundation Organizes
"The Worldwide Day of Prayer"
by Rachel Sanchez
Jesus Loves the Little Children Foundation, in coordination with the Philippine Christian Ministries Network (PCMN) and other non-government and Christian groups, organized "The Worldwide Day of Prayer," a consciousness-raising event held at the Marikina Sports Complex for abandoned, abused, and/or orphaned street children in Metro Manila and for Children at Risk in the world.
Children from different institutions participated in activities and games designed to enhance their awareness of the growing number of street children in the world and to motivate them, young as they are, to help in their own small way.
The Sikkim Hope House in India received some unexpected, but welcomed gifts, from an anonymous Good Samaritan! We praise and thank God for His Grace and gifts for these children. There were a lot of toys and much needed school materials. The gifts were very dear to the children because it's very rare that they get anything at all.
It also helps to reinforce that they are loved and valued. They feel that they have a global family to love them and care for them. Because you recognize their dignity and value, it helps them understand unconditional love and ultimately, the love of God. You are impacting the life of a child and also influencing future generations. Your gift multiplies as these children grow and begin to give to others in need. Thank you and God bless you.
We take it for granted that females are not second class citizens in countries like the United States and Canada. That is not the case in third world countries like India. Girls are viewed as less valuable than boys and discriminated against starting at birth. Girls are less educated and often times, they are forced into prostitution by their husbands or relatives. Times are slowly changing, but not fast enough. Below is a brief pictorial of girls and women of Nepal, India, that span generations.
Girls in Nepal are not encouraged to have opinions or develop their individuality, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds are at the bottom of the heap," says Sue Carpenter, organizer of a photography exhibition in the country to help such girls find their voice.
"Girls in Nepal suffer from gender discrimination from birth onwards," said Britain's ambassador to Nepal, Andrew Hall, who wrote the foreword to the book of photographs "My World, My View" which accompanies the exhibition. "Fewer girls than boys survive to reach adulthood, and fewer girls are in full-time education. Literacy rates for women are significantly lower than for men."
But the hardships did not stop young photographers like 14-year-old Devi T, who took this picture (right) in Pokhara.
"My grandmother doesn't drink or smoke, she likes children's chocolates," says 14-year-old Belmaya, who took this photograph (left). "She's so kind. If a girl is beaten by her stepmother, my grandmother will beat the stepmother.
"But not many women are as strong as her. There's a difference between men's and women's rights - men have lots, women's are limited. Men can do any sort of work, they can lie to you, cheat on others, they can do what they like, but women can't."
Sixteen-year-old Sabita captured this mother of three cooking in the early morning light (right). "It's a classic, calm shot that is reminiscent of the Dutch artist Vermeer," says Sue Carpenter.
Since she was widowed, this mother looks after her children, her niece, and three more orphaned girls as a house mother for SOS Bahini. Such help is desperately needed. Employment opportunities for girls are significantly worse in Nepal than for boys.
This picture, entitled, "Anju in a boat" (left) , was taken by seven-year-old Parvati in Pokhara. "We had been on a field trip to the World Peace Pagoda across the lake in the town, and Anju was sitting in the boat, hungry and bored, wondering when he would get home," she said.
While most of her companions sat around listlessly, Parvati kept on snapping. "It makes me feel more confident having the camera in my hands. I want to take pictures of everything. I like getting close up."
This picture (right), called "My didi" (older sister), was taken by 10-year-old Devi N. "She is older than me but I don't know how much older," she says. "When my mother passed away, my father went away to India and now my sister isn't very happy because she has too much to do.
"She has to cut grass by hand, look after the cows, and collect wood from the forest for cooking. She wants to live with an organization like me, but my brother won't let her go."
"This perspective of a donation box (left) at the Tal Barahi Temple in Pokhara by Parvati is really surprising," says exhibition organizer Sue Carpenter.
"Being much taller, adults never look at donation boxes close-up through the side, only at the begging slot in the lid, but Parvati got right up close and captured the yen and rupee notes, with the temple action going on in the background through the glass."
"My aunt was cooking sel roti - sweet rice flour doughnuts - for the festival of Dasain," says 13-year-old Sapana who like all the other young photographers, had never handled a camera before. "After my father died, we had no money so my mother and sisters moved to Pokhara.
"My mother is now a house mother at SOS Bahini. But my aunt stayed with her son at our one-room house in the village. We go back there to visit for Dasain."
"All the girls who took these photos are affected by poverty, social exclusion and poor governance," says Ms Carpenter. "All impact on females to a greater extent than on males. Organizations...are helping to protect girls and women from exploitation, to give them a fresh start in life and to empower them."
We are pleased to welcome a new partner to the PIA home team. Mike Buckles officially joined our staff as Executive Director on September 17. Mike says, "Partnership is at the very core of our call to follow Christ. He invites us to join him and partner with other believers to offer life at its fullest to this weary old world. I am honored and delighted to be joining PIA in bringing hope and a future to widows and orphans around the world."
Marketplace Partners is an opportunity for businesses and business owners to be involved in giving back. It is a program we created to help fund our administrative costs at PIA. For those of you who don't know, 100% of all donations to Partners in Action goes directly to our projects. For the most part, this is unheard of in the non-profit world. 
Recently, we had a seasoned donor go above and beyond his monthly commitment and donate a camera to Partners in Action. His desire was to have this camera auctioned off on eBay and all the money earned from the auction would go to PIA. What a creative idea! 
Hi! My name is Sheila Whitcomb. I'm 16 years old and a junior in high school. I've been raised on the mission field in Africa with my siblings - Sarah, age 15, Annabelle, 12, and John Paul, 9. We count it a privilege to serve the Lord alongside our parents, Rick and Donna Whitcomb. 
This summer has been a great time of growth and ministry in my life. God has outdone Himself by giving me awesome opportunities to do things I love - sing, teach, and dance. I began the summer teaching a reading class part time at our academy. It was so exciting to hear the little children read their first words, and it was a joy to help the older ones improve in their reading. I have been blessed to be a part of the Agape dance team and church choir. Now the Lord has given the chance to be a part of the worship team for the new church we are planting!
My favorite opportunity God gave me this summer was the chance to get to know the teenagers in our home better. As I joined the youth group and began to spend more time with the older boys and girls, I found great friendships among them. Not only have I had many chances to minister this summer, but God has blessed me with many memorable experiences and friendships which have ministered to me. I am so thankful to God for all He has allowed me to do.
For those of you who donate to Mama Jeanne's Home in the Congo, this story may have special interest to you. For those of you who donate elsewhere, this story is still relevant because the act of violence and rape against young girls and women in third world countries is shocking and deplorable. All of our orphanages throughout the world help to protect children from this devastating and potentially deadly act given the possibility of contracting a disease like AIDS. While you may think of your gift of support mainly as a means to feed, clothe, and educate a child, your donations have other far-reaching effects that we often times forget.
John Holmes, who coordinates U.N. emergency relief operations, said 4,500 cases of sexual violence have been reported in just one eastern province since January, though the actual number is surely much higher. Rape has become "almost a cultural phenomenon," he said. "Violence and rape at the hands of these armed groups has become all too common," said Holmes, who spent four days in eastern Congo. "The intensity and frequency is worse than anywhere else in the world."
With camps for displaced people sprawling across the east, Holmes said, basic humanitarian needs such as food and clean water are "enormous." Donor nations are providing only about half the needed funding, he said.
"There needs to be a political solution to the problems there, which are connected to the past, to the genocide in Rwanda," he said. "There needs to be a major political effort locally, regionally and internationally." 
The high rate of AIDS affects many of our children and families throughout the world, but particularly in Africa. Some of our children have either died, are HIV positive, or have lost parents and family members to this disease. Although massive progress has been made that allow people to live longer if infected, medical treatment is not always accessible, particularly for those below the poverty level; however, it is encouraging to know that some countries in Africa, like South Africa, are improving the odds.
South Africa has more HIV infections than any other country - 5.5 million - but has recently started to improve access to anti-AIDS drugs. "We are on track," said Mrs Mlambo-Ngquka at the first meeting of South Africa's National AIDS Council since it launched its five-year plan in May. 
The plan was launched while controversial Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang was recovering from health problems. The minister is known as "Dr. Beetroot" because of her emphasis on the importance of nutrition in the fight against AIDS, while she underplays the role of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs). 
HFTN Romania has a new 5-minute video that offers an excellent glimpse into how they are affecting the lives of children and families in Romania. Whether you support HFTN Romania or not, the video is worth watching if only to reinforce that no matter what country you support, the plight of children truly affects each and every country in the world. 
Misael and Yolanda Morelos reached a very special milestone in July with the wedding of their oldest son, Pepe. Many people who have visited Rancho San Juan Bosco over the years remember Pepe from the office. He helped his dad in the administration of the orphanage and has been a great help to the ministry for many years.
Don then treated the boys who were doing very well in school to dinner at Don's favorite taco stand and they had ice cream for dessert. The next day after church, Don took the entire group out for lunch and later they went to see some circus animals. And of course the outing wouldn't have been complete without cooling off with some cold ice cream!
This Summer Encounter Tour was great fun and a great blessing for everyone who was involved...from the kids in the program to the teams who were putting the programs on for us, and as the coordinators, being able to enjoy watching everyone have so much fun! The Summer Encounter Tour reached over 400 children and close to 100 adults in an effort to have fun while spreading the Word of the Lord.
Thanks to a donation from First Assembly of God in Show Low, this was the first Encounter that we had the opportunity to have a puppet show. This was new to the children and they had so much fun interacting with Pancho, Pancho Jr., Pancho III, and Panchita (the teens were really original in thinking up names!).
Jesus Loves the Little Children Foundation, in coordination with the Philippine Christian Ministries Network (PCMN) and other non-government and Christian groups, organized "The Worldwide Day of Prayer," a consciousness-raising event held at the Marikina Sports Complex for abandoned, abused, and/or orphaned street children in Metro Manila and for Children at Risk in the world. 
