April Newsletter

Global Update from Joe Knittig

God continues to move here and there to rouse us to action; to move His local church around the world to care for the neediest children. Let us give you a quick rundown of some of the activity you’ve launched through GO Project around the world.

Haiti:

In May, we will send out our next update on our Relief and Redevelopment effort. The hard work continues on that front. Today, we have 2,317 children in care in 85 homes in 26 villages throughout the country. And, we are growing. Our Relief and Redevelopment plan to launch 10 new villages in 2010 is looking like we may have undershot the Lord. 10 villages is beginning to look like 12-14 new villages. The situation and work in Haiti is dynamic; the God stories there coming daily. Please stay tuned to our blog.

Uganda:

This is an exciting time for our work in Uganda. In May, we expect to add 48 new children in Kyotera – the homes are done, outfitted, and ready to go to life. These children will have 48 new mates very soon! Here are some of the kids, the biggest kid being our own Mike Fox.

In Lira and Kabale, the unenviable job of canvassing communities to “select” those children of greatest need has been complete. Our first homes are now done, and the children will be moving in as early as tomorrow!!!

Here are some Lira and Kabale pics from March, as these villages stir to life.

We hammer home that GO Project catalyzes “local-church based care” for orphaned and abandoned children. Truly, that is a term of art. We’d love you to see how our local church partner in Uganda applies this vision, and disciples its leaders and church members into what this means and the unique nature of this model. Click here for the opening section of one of our local church partner’s training manual.

Please pray for the children coming into their new homes. The Lord is transforming their little lives.

Malawi:

One of our key partners on the Pothawira project is Colonial Presbyterian Church. Colonial is sponsoring this village, and recently sent church leadership to visit the site – and, more importantly, to encourage and thank Peter and Emma Maseko for their commitment and sacrifice in leading this project.

We’d like to share some photos from Colonial’s March visit…

This is a photo from inside the nearly complete church/school. The church sanctuary is 10,000 square feet. The school wrapped around the sanctuary is large enough to scale to 1,000 students!

The next photo shows the children’s homes raising from the ground at Pothawira. This is a duplex – 2 homes. Each of these wonderful homes costs just $5,000, and will house 10 children and a momma.

Of course, these works don’t just fall into place and happen. People make them happen; people there on the ground who

fight against the evil of poverty’s perverted tide; people with dreams bigger than themselves, hearts courageous enough to follow them, bodies rough enough to withstand the pain, and vision clear enough to see God’s Hand and smile in His peace. It’s the people who matter most. Them. And you.

All is on schedule for the dedication of the church and children’s village the first week in June. Join us in praying for a glorious new beginning for many in Malawi – from the bottom up.

Our Leaders - Peter Emma and Alpha Maseko

Working Hard in Malawi

Philippines:

We love to see new wine poured into new wineskins. And here we see it in Asia.

Mark and Mimi Comfort own Cruise Holidays in KC (www.cruiseholidayskc.com). They take great personal joy in bringing joy to others through travel and adventure. If you know them, you know they work from love and not the almighty dollar. The Comforts tied this joy and their business to another passion: kids. They’ve used their business to fund our first 3 children’s homes in Malaybalay, Mindinao, Philippines. A family – the Drayer family – joined in to fund #4. God blessed this work in a mighty way.

Thanks for taking a risk for children and establishing a GO Project beachhead in the Philippines. Let’s see where God takes this!

GO Family, God is using you to bring transformation around the world – in the lives of children and in your own lives. Thank you.

GO Updates

GO Update from Joe Knittig

GO Family,

God knows what He’s doing.

There’s a reason beyond theology as to why we partner with local churches in the field.  God is simply brilliant.  The Local Church is a dynamic network, unlike any other on the planet.  The combination of orphan care and the local church brings forth what C.S. Lewis called “the Deeper Magic,” that is and was before time began.  We see that every day here.

We shared it with you at The Big Event.  So many of you streamed forward at The Midland with prayer cards in hand:  your prayer requests for your lives.  We distributed those requests through a network of local churches, caring for orphans, in Africa, Asia, and, yes, Haiti.  Orphaned children and their church families pray for you and your needs – even today – without you or them having to go anywhere.  Dynamic.

The earthquake hit Haiti.  Our network of local church partners and their children all over the world are praying for their brothers and sisters in Haiti.  They feel a special kinship through GO to little ones in Haiti.  Dynamic.

But even as they ache, hope, and pray for Haiti – even as Haiti dominates our GO Project headlines – the work elsewhere hasn’t missed a beat.  That’s the power of the Local Church.  Organizational experts would say there’s a “terrific blend of centralization and decentralization” that allows this.  We know the reason is not a concept, but a Person:  Jesus knows what He’s doing.  Dynamic.

As buildings fell in Haiti, orphan homes and hope for children rose in Malawi and Uganda, as did prayers for children hurting a world away.  Hope will rise again in Haiti – to new heights, we believe.  Holding it all together is a divine, dynamic, incomprehensible flow that never stops at yesterday’s bad news, nor yields to geography or human limitations.

We have much continued work and dialogue with you concerning Haiti.  In the coming days, you’ll hear the next chapter of our Action Plan there.  On March 12, we’ll hold a Summit concerning Haiti in Kansas City.  For now, let’s take a minute to celebrate our dynamic God.  Let’s look at the work that continues on elsewhere in the world, and some exciting new faces here to work with you.

Thanks for venturing with us into this exciting journey for children.

Gratefully yours,

Joe Knittig

From the Field…

Malawi Update

Notwithstanding Rainy Season, Peter, Emma, and the Salima church keep plowing forward!

From groundbreaking to walls,  we expect it will be entirely finished at the end of this month.  The church will be large enough for 1,000 plus, and the school large enough to give 750 plus kids an education.

The first children’s homes are nearly done.  Like the church and school, the first homes should be done at the end of this month.  Each will house 10 children and a momma.

Pothawira is springing to life!  A raw piece of land – nothing on it but scrub – is teeming with activity and excitement.  And now we’re about to go to children.

As you know, we launched this orphan care work with a very special child:  Alpha Alanane Maseko.  Click here for a bit more on that story and its significance.

We thought you’d like to see that Alpha’s VERY surprised at her mom and dad’s amazing work at Pothawira.  Stunned even!

We have a team going in March to visit and encourage our partners in Malawi.  We’ll have a lot more pictures and video to give to you in a month.

Uganda Update

As with Malawi, so many of you have invested with your hearts and pocketbooks in our budding work in Uganda.  We’re pleased to report that work is cruising right along.

By way of background, we have two current villages in Uganda.  We’ve also forged a great partnership with the Church of Uganda (COU).  We have the first two villages with COU under way.  One is in SW Uganda, in Kabale.  The other is in Northern Uganda, in Lira.  Each will be home to 100 children.

Our partnership with COU commenced with a business.  A construction business.  Building orphan homes.  What else?

We purchased brick presses from Kenya – manual presses.  These machines churn interlocking bricks without having to cut down trees to burn and fire the bricks.  This is a strong and ecologically sound way to build.  In addition, by using manual presses, the construction of orphan homes is creating many jobs.  The transport of the machines and training of staff took a little longer than expected.  We anticipated having the first homes in each location complete and children off to school in January.  Now, it appears that it will be late March to early April when we hit this milestone.  This brief delay allowing us to do the construction right and create new jobs is well worth it.

When the bricks are complete, the building of the homes goes rather quickly.  The bricks lock together like a Lego set and require little mortar.

We were looking at sending a team to Uganda in April.  With all that’s happening in Haiti, and the slight delay in construction, that trip will likely get pushed back a bit.

We’re really looking forward to sharing the stories of the first children the Lord brings to us in Kabale and Lira.  I know so many of you are waiting with excitement to meet them.

We’re as confident as ever in our future with the children of Uganda.  The Lord has brought us just the right partnerships to do great things in His Name for orphans we’ve not yet met.

New Faces, New Adventures…

God continues to move on The GO Project.  As the needs to care for God’s kids increase, He faithfully brings partners and people to answer His call.

Our GO Project staff added three new faces this quarter.  Adrien Lewis, as our Community Director, will develop and deepen our partner relationships.

Trace Thurlby, as our President, will help anchor operations.

Additionally as Mike Farag, moves on to take the next steps with Fervor Marketing Concepts, his own Marketing Company, Sonya Wedel has come on board to serve as our new Marketing Manager.  We look forward to continuing to work with Mike and Fervor on key GO Projects in the future.  We greatly appreciate all of what Mike’s efforts has done for us and for God’s kids.  Thank you, Mike!  You are, and always will be, an important part of our GO Project family.

Haiti Summit-March 12-Save The Date!

Last week, you received a “Save the Date” notice.  On March 12, 6:30 p.m., at Westside Family Church, we will hold a GO Project Haiti Summit.  We’d love to see you there; to encourage you; to celebrate what we’ve been able to do together; to envision what’s next.

Please help us spread the word!  See you there!

Holiday e-newsletter

A Christmas Message from Joe Knittig:

Lead a Christmas season of TRANSFORMATION.

Romans 12:2 says:  “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Conformity is a drag.  It’s isolationist; fearful; suffocating. It stifles sound risk-taking.  Today it tells us governments should take more money and “solve” more problems – not you through the decisions of your hearts.  Conformity today is hand-wringing and regressive.  Conformity is bondage.

What I love about The Global Orphan Project – about you who engage and give – is that you all are a growing Transformational group.  You’re counter-cultural.  Refreshing.  Unselfish.  Generous.  You are willing to take a risk for others – with your money and your hearts – even when the chips seem down.

I’ll prove it…

Let’s look at 3 pieces of information:  2 big picture and 1 tiny picture.

• First:  Philanthropy in America is down.  In 2008, giving in America was down 5.7% (adjusted for inflation) – the biggest drop since giving has been statistically tracked.  The numbers are expected to be worse in 2009.

• Second:  Poverty in the world is up.  An estimated 1.02 Billion people in the world are chronically hungry (i.e., starving to death).  Roughly 100 Million were added to this roll call in the last year.

• Third:  Amidst these global trends, there’s a plastic bag on the side of a road in Malawi.  The bag’s contents?  A baby girl infected with HIV, a rope around her neck used by a hopeless mother to try and choke the coming misery to death.

The pattern of this world says to grab our wallets and hold tight.  Ride out the storm.  Protect investments, just in case.  These problems are not our personal concern – let someone else deal with them until the economy improves.  And that little girl:  shed some tears, talk about what others should do, blame; but do nothing.

Your way, our way, is different.  Here’s what we’ve done:

• First:  While “philanthropy” trends down, you’ve grown The Global Orphan Project.  You doubled the growth in 2008, and are on track to grow the work another 25% – 35% in 2009, depending on December’s year-end giving.

• Second:  By God’s grace, your growth has our organization prepared to take care of many more children going forward – not get swallowed by poverty trends.

• Third:  That little girl survived.  She’s the first child in our GO Project in Malawi.  Her name is Alpha (First) Alanane (God With Us) Maseko.  She’s not trash.  She’s a beautiful child of God.  And we’ll help our partner take care of her and love her for as long as the good Lord allows.  She’s a gift.  These children, like Alpha, unearth a love in our hearts many of us didn’t know we had.

That’s TRANSFORMATIONAL.  You all drive and inspire this ministry.  This Christmas, I want to thank you.

I encourage all of us to kick it to another level.  Right now we have the perfect opportunity to grow this work to new heights, counter to “trends.”  Whether that happens is up to all of us.

Merry Christmas.

Faithfully yours,

Joe Knittig

Field Update

By God’s grace, we’re at the front edge of another growth burst.  Let’s look at 3 countries:  Haiti, Uganda, Malawi.

Haiti

Haiti’s been our training ground, our heart and soul.  We have more than 2,000 children in care in Haiti, alone.  In 2009, in the brutal aftermath of the hurricanes, we’ve focused a great deal on shoring-up and improving orphan care and schools in 16 existing children’s villages.

Our partners have been able to reunite children in care with family members who once could not care for the children, but are now able and willing to do so (with the church’s help).  That effort continues.  We pray that we’ll see MUCH more of this going forward.

We’ve sought out Village Sponsors – primarily churches, businesses, and families – willing to take on an existing village and take it to the next level of care.  That means funding needed infrastructure improvements, and taking on orphan care and school improvement costs for three (3) years.

For example, a family in South Florida is becoming a Village Sponsor of Cambry.  Churches in Kansas City, Lincoln, Chicago, Ft. Lauderdale, Shreveport, and Las Vegas are stepping-up to become Village Sponsors at existing sites that need this relationship and attention.

If you, your church, or your business are interested in becoming a Village Sponsor in Haiti, Africa, or South Asia, contact us.  We’d love to make that happen.

We’re also growing new villages and homes in Haiti.

Long Hollow Church in Nashville is sponsoring an entire Village in Jeremie from the ground up.  Land, church, school, clinic, and a lot of children’s homes.  We’re targeting 300 children over the next year!

Pleasant Valley Baptist Church (right here in Kansas City!!!) is stepping-up in an exciting new project.  We’re at the front end with PV and a field partner in Haiti to develop a new village at Mole St. Nicholas in Northwest Haiti.  Stay tuned for updates about “The Mole.”

The Nebraska Global Orphan Project is official, focused on taking care of the children Fayeton village in the Gonaive region.

A family in Denver is stepping-up to help with a special needs orphan home in Haiti.

Folks from Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Georgia, Nevada, Michigan, and all over the country are sponsoring homes:  $5k to build the home for 10 children and momma; $400/month/home for 3 years to sustain it.  This is happening in various locations in Haiti.  In Port au Prince; Croix de Bouquet; Northwest Haiti.

We’re at the front edge of another growth explosion. And that means operational expansion.

In January 2010, GO Project Haiti will be in operation in Haiti.  We will have excellent Field Staff to help our partners oversee the work, train local leaders and caretakers, manage projects, and communicate better with you.

So many of you have walked with us through the brutally hard challenges of orphan care in Haiti.  We can’t thank you enough.

Uganda

Uganda is our fastest growing work in Africa.  We are thrilled with where we see the Lord taking the work there.

We have 2 existing villages.  Our first is in Masaka.  This is a small, solid, anchor work in Uganda.  The children in care there are thriving two years after they came in totally alone.  The other village is in Rakai District, Kyotera – the epicenter of the AIDS pandemic in Africa.  That village is quickly expanding from 48 children to 120 children.  Our local church partner at Kyotera is doing a wonderful job.

Here’s a fun clip of the kids with Mike Fox at Kyotera.

For the past year, we’ve been laying the groundwork for an expansive partnership with the Church of Uganda.  That hard work and planning is now bearing fruit.

Our first 2 villages with COU are under way.  One is in Kabale, in southwest Uganda (on the Uganda, Rwanda, Congo border).  This work is being funded by an all women’s group here in KC, led by our own Marsha Campbell.  (Way to go ladies!)  It’s an amazing story.  You’ll hear all about it soon.  The other village is in Lira, in war torn Northern Uganda.

At each location, by God’s grace, we’ll bring 100 orphaned children into 10 new local church based homes.  Our target is to have the first groups of children at each site in care by the time the next school term in Uganda begins – February 1.  We are on track for that reality.

We are now starting to plan the next Uganda village in Gulu, also in the north.  Truly, as we complete our initial villages with COU, the possibility to develop scores of children’s villages throughout Uganda is there – in a huge way.  Please pray that this will happen.

Like in Haiti, all of the Uganda growth means a growing need for a field presence.  In 2010, we will launch GO Project Uganda to help our partners in the field, and communicate better with you.  This will likely serve as a hub for all of our works in East Africa.

Malawi

Pothawira means “safe haven” in Chichewa, Malawi’s native language.  We’re pleased to report that Pothawira Village, at the direction of Peter Maseko, has launched!

The church, school, and first orphan homes are under construction.

This work epitomizes The Global Orphan Project.  Spanish River Church in Boca Raton has funded the church.  Mizzou for Malawi – a grassroots and viral student group at MU – has funded the school.  Multiple families have stepped-up to fund children’s homes.  Colonial Church in Mission, Kansas, has funded 1 well, and Watering Malawi another.  One5 (formerly ILF) and a group of St. Luke’s docs are planning and funding a birthing center and pediatrics clinic.  And Colonial Presbyterian Church in Kansas City (different than Colonial Church) is stepping in to sponsor the Village and care for the children.

This eclectic outpouring of generosity comes together in one simple village, owned by the local church, with all of us in a background supporting role.  Only God can orchestrate this.

And amidst this whirlwind we see one simple, representative little girl – Alpha.  That’s us.  That’s that stuff of transformation.  That’s The Global Orphan Project.

Pray for the Lord to continue His favor on and multiply this work to show many Alphas the love of the Lord Jesus.

Million Dollar Challenge Update & Unique Opportunity!!!

Donors agreed to match $500,000 dollar for dollar in 2009, as you all contributed funds for these needs and the basic, ongoing care of the kids – up to $500,000.  We ran the Challenge up through The BIG Event ’09, on November 8.  This was a huge challenge amidst the fears of a down economy.  But you all responded and nearly hit the full $500k!

Way to go!  The final tally you gave towards the Million Dollar Challenge was $973,303.10.  We fell just $26,696.90 shy of the target.

And as they say in the infomercials:  “But wait, there’s more!!!”  At year-end, if an individual or group will donate $26,696.9 to hit the full $500k, the matching donors will MATCH this gift.  They will put in a full $500k by year-end.

DONATE NOW

The BIG Event ’09 – The Power of Prayer

Thanks for making The BIG Event ’09, on November 8, such a memorable night.

So many of you who attended have contacted us to ask about our biggest needs, ready to contribute at year end.  Ready to spread the word to others.

We’ve set out our targets for Christmas and year-end, the most important giving time of the year.  We need all of us, all of you, pulling on the oars to meet these needs.  Let’s make our year-end push a huge success!

What We Want for Christmas…

It’s Christmas time.  Year-end time.  This is the most generous time of the year; a season that launches ministries, like ours, into the next year.

We need your help.

Check out our Christmas Catalog.  We have set out our biggest needs; our year-end targets.

Highlighting our push is the most basic need of the kids:  FOOD.  Outside of funding from home and village sponsors, we expect we’ll need to raise another $500,000 to meet the most basic food needs of our children in care, and the children coming in.  We plan to use this funding to produce food, too, via agricultural ventures.

We guaranty that every dime donated at year-end will be used in our orphan care programs.  100%.  None of it will be used to cover our overhead here.

Here are our “asks” of you

1. Please make a generous year-end donation to launch 2010;
2. Push this out to your circles – your family, friends, colleagues, churches.

You can give on-line.  You can give by check to C3 Missions International, Inc.  Just mail us at:

The Global Orphan Project/C3 Missions International

3000 NW 50th Street

Kansas City, MO 64150

You are, indeed, a Transformational group who show your love with your actions first.  You are doing something terrific in the world, and just getting started.  It’s a privilege to be your conduit.

God bless you.