March 11, 2010

Myanmar Letters and Photos Arrive
Letters and photos from the “Myitta” program in Myanmar arrived in our offices this past week. They have been read by volunteers, and are being prepared for mailing. The program director, Dorothy Colney, and the assistant director, Shelly Win, sent these photos of the Christmas picnic. The sponsored children spent the day at a local park, were treated to special food (right), played games (below, right), had a devotional time, and received their Christmas gifts from sponsors. In the photo above, left, Shelly Win explained the plan of salvation and gave each child his/her own salvation bracelet. Most children received a set of new clothes for Christmas.

In the photo to the right, children go through the food line, everyone’s favorite! 

 

The game in the photo to the left looks like a lot of fun!

Revs. Colney and Win share that the Christmas party was a highlight of the year for these children. For nearly every child, the gift was the only Christmas gift the child received. Thank you, Myanmar sponsors, for your generosity.

New Applications Arrive from Haiti
We have received 25 new applications for sponsorship from Haiti. The girl at the left is Ruthshama. She is five years old. She and her brother sleep on the floor. Cooking is done over the open fire outside. Her parents sell vegetables, making about $30 every 4 months or so. If you would like to sponsor Ruthshama or another child from Haiti, please call Vicky Creamer, Sponsorship Associate, at 765-648-2206 (at right). She will be happy to help you assist one of these new Haitian children. 

Plans are moving forward for the construction of children’s homes in Haiti. Phil Murphy, former missionary to Haiti, and co-founder of the House of Blessings and the COP program in Haiti, will be overseeing the construction in a joint effort with Church of God Ministries. Workcamps, working alongside Haitian families, will do the construction. We are happy to announce that the first homes to be constructed through this partnership with Church of God Ministries will be the Children of Promise homes. Workcamps will begin work in May. If you or your church would like to be a part of this effort, contact Reuben Schwieger, who is coordinating the scheduling of work teams for Church of God Ministries. He can be reached by phone at 765-648-2207 or Toll Free 800-848-2464 Ext. 2207, or email rschwieger@chog.org. Children of Promise has spent over $10,000 of the nearly $80,000 given for food, blankets, clothing, medicine, tents, cooking kits, sleeping mats, etc., as well as preparations and arrangements for the construction projects. The remainder will be used for the construction. Your generosity is welling up into wonderful results for these families. We will be sending out photos of the construction of homes once the work begins.

COP Office Expansion and Dedication
The offices of Children of Promise have expanded over the past several months. Four new office spaces, a conference room, and a file area have been built, doubling our previous office space. Each staff person now has their own office space, and we have room for volunteers to work easily. We are also now able to hold meetings in our own facilities. Above left, Rev. Arnetta Bailey, prays for Marcia Lund, office associate, and her new office space. At top right, Pastor Randy Montgomery (Kentucky) prays for Kristi Stiffler, accounting associate, and her new office space. At right below, Paul Maxfield, executive director, is shown with Rev. Paul Lund, who designed and built both a new reception counter and the world map display in the background. The Board of Directors and staff dedicated the new office spaces in a special time of prayer for each space on February 26, 2010, during the annual Board Retreat.

Please pray for the following:

• Children, families, and staff in Haiti. And for sponsors for new children. 
• Elena Barbour, director in Bogota, Colombia.
• Program leadership in Honduras – Carolina Stewart and volunteers. 
• Dr. Jennifer Wynter-Palmer, Girls Home, Jamaica.
• Workcamps, preparing to construct homes in Haiti. 
• Joshua Galvez, sponsored boy with leukemia.
• Bishop Edward Nkansah, director of the program in Ghana. 
• Generous giving to “Making It All Happen.
• Giving to the Unsponsored Children Fund.

Children of Promise P. O. Box 2316, Anderson, IN 46018 www.echildrenofpromise.org cop@echildrenofpromise.org