Children of the Nations: News & Updates

Global Rice Shortage May Affect COTN’s Meal Marathon!

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:03:45 -0700

Our annual Meal Marathon in Washington state—the “285K” (a food-packaging event where volunteers package 285,000 rice/lentil meal packs, enough to fill a 40-ft. shipping container) may be in jeopardy due to the current global rice shortage. COTN’s Washington State Feeding Director, Dave Spoon and our COTN–Malawi Deputy Director Tom Mambo recently discussed the dilemma with a local newspaper reporter. "Click here to read the full story":http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/apr/25/charity-left-in-the-dust-in-race-for-rice/ Please call our offices at 360-698-7227 or email us at "info@cotni.org":mailto:info@cotni.org if you have rice to donate or have any information on relieving our rice shortage.

COTN’s Country Leaders Visit the US

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:34:55 -0700

For the first time ever, our ministry leaders from each of our four countries were able to come to the US—all at the same time! The international visit kicked off with our 2008 Homecoming Celebration (an annual event where all COTN–USA staff, including our Florida and California satellite staff, are able to come together for a time of strategizing, training, and planning). In addition to Homecoming, the international guests were the key note speakers in a COTN-hosted multicultural conference, “Empowering the Nations” which was open to the public—attendees flew in from as far away as Colorado and Hawaii! Our guests shared updates on each of their countries and addressed such topics as “The State of Education in Africa and the Dominican Republic,” “Understanding Poverty and Social Justice,” and “Realizing Generational Transformation in Developing Nations. The three-week visit culminated in our first-ever Education Summit—a conference focusing on our in-country Education and Challenged Children’s programs. It provided valuable training for our international staff and was led by COTN Education Director Wendy Brown. During their stay our international guests were able to speak at numerous Pacific Northwest churches and organizations. They departed for their respective countries this week.

Raising COTN’s Voice through Radio

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:17:24 -0800

Last year, we broke ground on an exciting project in Malawi—KaJAMbula Studio, a recording studio, complete with radio broadcasting capabilities, at our Njewa Ministry Center. (Kajambula means “recording” in Chichewa, a tribal language of Malawi.) Today, the studio is nearing completion and will soon to be up-and-running. A recording studio in Africa? What does that have to do with raising children who transform nations? A lot! The recording studio has the potential to raise COTN’s voice in Malawi—reaching farther into the surrounding communities and eventually the whole nation of Malawi. Our long-term goal is that the studio will generate local radio programming that focuses on Christian programming and social issues involving children. Culturally, Africans are storytellers. By creating radio programs that broadcast culturally relevant stories that children can relate to, we hope to empower children and give them hope for a better future. Our initial programming will focus on social issues affecting young girls. Marginalized by her government, the young Malawian girl is often forced to marry at an early age and leave school at age 10, 11, or 12. She is likely never to go back now that she is married with children. Our initial strategy will be to create 52 weeks of 30-minute programs addressing these issues and broadcast them over the radio. By creating culturally relevant stories children can relate to, we hope to end this cycle of hopelessness by empowering these young girls with options, pointing them to local relief agencies, and thus breaking this cycle. Eventually, it is our desire that income from the recording studio will raise funds to purchase air-time on national radio channels—carrying COTN’s voice throughout the entire nation of Malawi! In the meantime, as we seek to make KaJAMbula Studio fully functional, our short-term goal is that the recording studio will create self-sustaining income for COTN–MA by selling studio time to individuals and church groups, recording local and American musicians, and creating job opportunities. But we need your help! Partner with us by using your talents and passions to provide: Musicians – Individuals with a background in music, recording, or studio management to go to Malawi and provide on-the-job training to our Malawian staff (training in use of equipment, software, etc.) We would love to get some short-term teams to travel to Malawi and devote 3–4 hours/day to invest their time and talents in the studio. Sound Engineers – Individuals who have a background in recording studios and a heart for ministry to work alongside our Malawian staff, imparting knowledge to them. Recording Engineers – Individuals with experience in setting up equipment, miking bands, etc. Donation of Musical Instruments – In order to be fully-functional, the studio needs to be outfitted with musical instruments. Needed are: an electrical guitar with amplifier, bass guitar with amplifier, electronic keyboard, electronic or acoustic drum set, and an acoustic guitar with amplifier. Partner with us to “turn up the volume” on COTN’s voice in Malawi! For more information on KuJAMbula Studio please e-mail "info@COTNI.org":mailto:info@cotni.org.

Phoebe Clark (2001 – 2008)

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 17:07:09 -0800

On Wednesday, February 27, 2008, Phoebe Clark, one of our precious children in Sierra Leone, went to be with her Savior at the age of six. Phoebe’s six years on this earth were not easy. She was born with cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that causes physical disability, permanently affecting body movement and muscle coordination. Phoebe’s full mental capacity was never known. Phoebe’s parents or caretakers, noticing her obvious condition at birth, abandoned her in a dumpster in Freetown shortly after she was born. Responding to the baby’s cries, several good citizens found her and took her to the police station, not knowing what else to do. From there, Phoebe was placed in an institution where she received food, but little else. Shortly thereafter, the Ministry of Social Welfare became aware of Phoebe and alerted COTN to her situation. Phoebe then came to live in our home in Marjay Town where she finally received the medical attention and care she needed. Phoebe was tossed in a dumpster to die, discarded by her earthly parents, counted as nothing but God saw her as His precious child. He had other plans for her and He had a purpose for her on this earth. Because of her condition, Phoebe could not walk or talk—by earthly standards many would say she served no purpose. But her very presence in this world taught those who came in contact with her some of life’s most important lessons. Phoebe taught her brothers and sisters that where there is a breath, there is life—and where there is life, there is value. Phoebe could never verbally express her belief or love of the Lord—she couldn’t recite Bible verses, she couldn’t sing in church, she couldn’t pray aloud. Yet despite this, God loved her, she was one of His treasures. So often we try to please God by our acts—by serving, by going to church, by praying, by reading the Bible. But even if we couldn’t talk, even if we couldn’t walk, even if all we could do was lay on a bed all day long like Phoebe, His love for us would still remain, having no bounds. The Lord’s love is not contingent on whether or not we pray, or go to church, or live a right life. His love is not earned, it simply is. “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19 We praise God because Phoebe is no longer trapped in her earthly body. She is now able to sing and dance and praise the Lord in whatever way she chooses. We pray that her ministry doesn’t end with her death but that it would continue on through the hearts of those who loved her.

Our First Coin Banks in Florida

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 16:30:40 -0800

COTN’s Florida satellite office brought on our first volunteer Coin Bank Manager, Cathie Mannion. Since then Cathie helped organize our first push to place Coin Banks in the greater Orlando area. Three weeks ago we had a team of ten people from Summit Church (one of our biggest partners in Florida) that ventured into the local community to place Coin Banks in different establishments. In three hours, this team was able to place THIRTEEN Coin Banks!! Three weeks later the Florida office was already getting calls that the banks are full! This being our first attempt at penetrating our local area, is a huge accomplishment for the Florida office! (Coin Banks raise tens of thousands of dollars annually. Funds raised go directly toward our in-country agricultural programs that help feed our children. For more information on placing Coin Banks in your local community, e-mail "info@COTNI.org":mailto:info@cotni.org.)

Uganda Moves toward Peace Deal

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:42:16 -0800

Uganda's government and LRA rebels sign the last in a series of documents ahead of a final peace agreement. More information available on the "BBC website":http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7272369.stm.

Village Assistance Program Has a New Name!

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 18:31:56 -0800

COTN’s Village Partnership Program (formerly known as our Village Assistance Program) has a new name more aptly suited to the goals of the program—which is to build sustainability, not dependence, in our targeted villages. The name change came about from the revelation that the term assistance denotes that the recipient is passive, whereas the term partnership carries an active connotation—assuming both parties contribute to the success of the program. And true partnership, indeed, is what we seek through this program. Our goal would be that no currently sponsored child will ever need to have their child sponsored because they will have learned a skill or profession that will empower them to grow out of poverty. The Village Partnership Program, funded through our child sponsorship program, and designated partners, provides a coming-alongside kind of support to most desperate communities The program features have not changed—just the name. Child sponsorship through the Village Partnership Program remains $28/month. "Click here":http://www.cotni.org/45-sponsor-a-child for more information.

A New Parcel of Property in Malawi

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:14:17 -0800

Recently, COTN was gifted with a 10-acre parcel of property in the village of Chirombo in Malawi. Chirombo, a village of 1,000+ is the newest community added to our Village Partnership Program in Malawi. At our first open enrollment, 375 children were enrolled in our program, though many more children live in this village and the surrounding communities. According to Yobbe Lungu, COTN–MA Country Director, “We have plans to build a partnership center and possibly a skills center for the orphan and destitute children in the community.” Join us in praying for God’s transformation in this village.

New Farm Manager in Malawi

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:02:40 -0800

Welcome to Foderick Kapalanga, our new farm manager at Chichere Farm in Malawi. Foderick officially took on this new role February 1, 2008, replacing former farm manager Lorrie Muggleton who recently fulfilled his one-year commitment and returned to South Africa with his wife and sons. Foderick comes to us with twenty-three years of farming experience. He graduated from Bunda College of Agriculture in Lilongwe, Malawi in 1985 and has a multitude of experience managing a variety of crops and farms 2,000+ acres. Foderick is married to his wife Stella and has three children, Grace, Margaret, and Foderick Junior. Join us in welcoming Foderick to our COTN–MA staff. Pray for the family as they relocate to the residence on the property and as Foderick transitions into his new role.

Tropical Storm Noel Restoration Effort Update

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 09:10:02 -0800

Last November, the Dominican Republic took a direct hit by Tropical Storm Noel—flooding villages, washing away homes and buildings, and leaving devastation in its wake. Through the help of COTN staff and supporters we continue our Restoration Effort. Funds raised to date continue to be used to meet the most urgent needs: replacing mattresses and other household items, purchasing building materials to repair/replace roofs, and rebuilding homes that were completely destroyed. Last week our DR staff delivered several dozen mattresses to many families in the hardest hit villages. Home repairs and rebuilding continues. However, in the aftermath of the storm, due to supply-and-demand, the cost of construction materials has risen drastically. Our original estimate of $2,500 to build a small cinder-block house (consisting of two bedrooms, a small living room, and a kitchen) has nearly doubled, totaling nearly $4,300. "Click here":http://www.cotni.org/news/46 to donate to our ongoing Tropical Storm Noel Restoration Effort.