What Are You Doing?
Jesus has come into our lives, and because of that, somehow there is the light and the certainty that things will be better. What you are doing for Emilda has inspired the children of the student center, as well as our church. The possibility of Emilda going to the Special Olympics sets the bar of hope so much higher for everyone.
Continue Reading ›Are We People Who Reflect God’s Heart?
How can the lessons of marriage develop into a mindset that is constantly more selfless?
Continue Reading ›Potential in the Most Unlikely of Places
Certainly Tales has already achieved more than most in his little corner of the world. He’s been a role model to his mother. Maybe this same strength his mother saw will be enough to propel him out of the vicious cycle of life he’s currently living in.
Expressing Need While Maintaining Dignity
How should we express the urgent needs of the children in our programs while maintaining their dignity?
Behind the Façade, This Is God’s Island
What does a child do when her greatest earthly protector turns out to be a predator? What does she think about her heavenly Father when her earthly father is her abuser?
Where’s the Poverty?
The presence of dignity doesn’t equal the absence of poverty.
Hope Breaks Into a Tortured Life
Sneha grew up in a poor farmer’s home. Her father could not afford to pay a dowry to marry off his two daughters, as is custom in much of India. There were already enough financial struggles at home. So Sneha assured her father she would marry whomever he chose for her after her sister married outside of their clan.
Sneha’s father got a proposal for her after a year. When the two families met over lunch at their home, it seemed to be the perfect match because no dowry was even asked for. They agreed, and Sneha got married.
But after one month, life started to change. Fights started at home. Sneha’s husband started accusing her of being unfaithful, even with her brother-in-law.
She thought it was his possessiveness of her that made him angry and verbally abusive. But when Sneha learnt about her husband’s abusive and suspicious nature from the neighbors, she was hurt. Sneha kept his behavior secret from her family, and she had no way out.
Sneha thought perhaps a child would end the tension in their marriage. After a year she conceived and gave birth to a beautiful little girl.
Things did not change as Sneha had expected. Her husband started abusing her even more because she had a girl instead of a boy. Gradually his verbal abuse turned into physical torture. He would burn the little baby’s tender skin with cigarettes. He would grab Sneha by the hair, and hit her in front of the neighbors. (more…)
But Jesus Cares
In Codó, a forgotten city in the northeast of Brazil, the gospel is being preached through attitudes and community service.
This Is Where You Come In
Child development specialists say that 18-year-old Emilda Soriano has the mental capacity of a 3-year-old. But this hasn’t prevented her from qualifying to represent the Philippines in track and field at the International Special Olympics in Athens, Greece this summer. Let’s raise the money to send Emilda to Greece.
The Making of a Special Olympics Champion
“My problem was she couldn’t run in a straight line,” Coach Gen explains. In several of the local competitions in Iloilo, Emilda lost some races because she would crisscross from lane to lane.
Life in Shinyanga, the Cattle Capital of Tanzania
The church in Shinyanga has not been very strong for the past several decades because of the mobile nature of people. People have being practicing traditional religions.
Why is Jesus Excellent to You?
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” – 1 Peter 2:9 (NASB)