Kidcare International News in Brief MAY 2012 ISSUE 1 Page 1

Children of St. Michael’s Primary school in Zimbabwe

Happy 13THBirthday On 17th April 2012, Kidcare turned 13 years old

in its work of making a difference to the lives of

many people. Early in 2012, as I searched the

scriptures, I stumbled on a passage in the bible,

which greatly encouraged me. It was 1 Chronicles

28:9. (Inset right). I believe it will encourage all

Christians who give financially and serve in

different ways to help those who are very poor

and vulnerable. Our spiritual motivation should

lie in our knowledge of who God is and that it is

to Him we serve.

This short report will focus on Kidcare’s work in

the last two years in seven nations; namely

Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Philippines,

Pakistan, India and Ghana.

Quick News

Children, Family & Community Christian Mission

On behalf of the children and families whose lives we have made a difference, Kidcare partners abroad and Kidcare Trustees, I say a big THANK YOU to all who have supported this work. May God richly reward you. Newsletter Editor: Esther Mensah

Rebekah, Laurie, Christine and Paul Sky dive to raise money

Kidcare UK Fundraising Activities:

A Sky dive fundraise in the summer of 2010 enabled

Kidcare to initiate our Further and Higher

Education sponsorship for very poor young boys

and girls. The Sky dive had four very brave people,

Christine Polling, Paul McGee, Laurie Gomez and

Rebekah Cannon (Kidcare Trustee) sky dive from a

plane. In all they raised over £2500.

In the last two years, a musical play called Joseph the

Musical was staged by True Vine Church and

Christians in Action in London during Christmas

2010 and April 2011. It was a huge success, raising

Know God and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing

mind: for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands all the

imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek him, he will be found by

you… take heed now; for the lord has chosen you to build … be

strong, and do it.’ 1 Chronicles 28:9, 10

Susie Djan, Kidcare,

Director

Joseph the Musical

May 2012

Kidcare International News in Brief MAY 2012 ISSUE 1 Page 2

just over £3000. The partnership and support of

these two churches to the cause of the poor has

been great. Following on from this at Easter in

2011, the youths of both churches held a Good

Friday service and gave the proceeds of this to

Kidcare. The musicians, singing, dance, play and

words of encouragement was very inspiring and

brought out the real meaning of the celebration of

Easter. In December, a ‘Praise Night’ Gospel

concert was performed and hosted by both churches

raising £2000. In August 2011, True Vine Church

held a summer barbecue and fair which raised

around £800. The same church has its youth,

Jonathan and Daniel, assisted by Kidcare events co-

ordinators, Cheryl and Charlene, run a small tuck

shop where all proceeds of the sale of cakes, drinks,

hot dogs etc go a long way to sponsor children to

school in Uganda. On average, the tuck shop makes

around £80 in a month.

Finally, this year has seen

Kidcare’s 13th birthday being

celebrated in style with a Black

tie Jazz Concert. This is to take

place on the 5th of May. A report

of this and all that happened will

come later!

UK Schools and Clubs

Support. We continue to visit

+Zone children’s bible club

Black tie– Jazz

Night

school assemblies to educate children in the UK

about how other children live in other parts of the

world. This is usually Rev. Ray Djan’s remit, which

he does ever so well. Schools visited in the last two

years are the Parish Church Infant and Primary

Schools and Smitham Primary.

+Zone and TeenSearch. +Zone Assistants

continue to encourage children from the ages of 3

to 15/16 years to know scripture verses through

interactive resources for children. Children are

given certificates and prizes and have regular Jesus

Parties. TeenSearch club is an expansion of

this ministry to teenagers. Teens have met in

homes, restaurants, parks etc. with a youth

mentor (Laurie Gomez) to share, study the bible,

pray and receive valuable support relevant to

them.

Kidcare Prayer. In 2011, we circulated a

periodic prayer bulletin highlighting areas of

prayer requests and points of thanksgiving.

Trustees also went on a retreat to the

Ashburnham Christian Centre to reflect and pray

for the work of Kidcare, for God’s provision, for

the children and families, its partners and

sponsors and the way forward.

Parenting Seminar. Kidcare hosted its first

parenting seminar in March 2012. This was well attended and Pastors Freddie Roberson and Ray Djan led the discussions. The workshop was on discipline and the Christian principles underlining raising children. Rosemary Crow. On the 27th of November 2011, our dear director and Trustee of Kidcare International passed away. She was faithful, dedicated to the cause and hardworking. She visited Kidcare’s work in Uganda on two occasions and was a blessing to many through the gifts she brought and generously gave, and her gentle words of encouragement. She is dearly missed by all who knew her, but we know she is now in a perfect place of peace and rest.

Kidcare International News in Brief MAY 2012 ISSUE 1 Page 3

Kidcare South Africa Ray and I visited South Africa to see the

progress of our work in the townships.

Kidcare’s partner church, Grace Life church,

oversees the work in a partnership with

Kidcare.

The Atamelang Shelter. Kidcare’s support

for this project was curtailed this year. This

was because the trustees felt that the project

was now able to run on its own feet and find

funding from the community. However,

Kidcare continues to give periodic financial

support.

House of Bread Ministries. The Kidcare

feeding project known as House of Bread

continues to be a blessing to the 70 to 80

children who come to the home of Timothy

and Rebecca Faustino in Extension 20 of

Jouberton Township.

The Kanana Feeding project gives food

rations to the poor in the township of Kanana

every week. I was very pleased to meet, sing

and dance with the men, women and children

who came for their food parcels.

Lesang bana-Kidcare. This is a school in a

poor township area catering for children of

poor families. Kidcare’s support for this

project started in 1999. Our visit confirmed

that it was time to end our support. This was

due to the preoccupation of the proprietor in

a full time education.

Emmanuel Care Centre. Kidcare supports

this project which looks after disabled

children in a poor township in

Hartebeestfontein, South Africa. The leader

there, Sophie Tay runs this project form a

garage. This year they obtained a plot of land

in the township where they built a small

structure. Kidcare continues to fund the

salaries of its voluntary staff.

Happy to welcome visitors

Sponsor a Child in Uganda

Pearl and Deborah Lashley Bobb, Christine Polling and I went to Uganda in 2010 on a mission. We had a very rewarding time spent with the children. Kidcare continues to support poor children in the above country to school. Appropriate assistance is also given for medical fees, uniforms, shoes, school books and school dinners. Kidcare has seen many challenges in the last few years due to the increased cost of living in developing countries. This has led to an increase in the price of food and school fees. The challenge is to raise funds to offset sponsors donations which have remained the same since 1999. Between 2010 and 2011, 4 Kidcare children in Uganda completed their education. Elizabeth Nambi finished with a BA in Education, Robert Mudhumba finished a diploma in teaching, Michael Nadiope completed his civil engineering and Paul Twambaze qualified as a motor mechanic. Kidcare continues to partner with Lubya

Talking to children of Kanana

Kidcare International News in Brief MAY 2012 ISSUE 1 Page 4

Community School to support the teachers and children of the school. We are currently praying for around £5000 to develop the school. Kidcare continues to give the village churches in the remote areas of Kibetto and Namwendua support. Our children’s home took in 5 more orphans in 2011. Three of them were found as babies abandoned on the street.

Zimbabwe Kidcare’s new partnership in Zimbabwe started in 2010. We support the work of Dr Farai Katiro the founder and director of the Africa Street Youth Ministries (ASYM). ASYM’s primary aim is to meet the immediate needs of very poor and street children. Its purpose is to invest in young people through rescuing, restoring and re-integrating street children into the society, physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually. ASYM currently has a home where a few children now live. Kidcare is looking for support to help this new home become more stable.

In Zimbabwe, Kidcare also partners with Father Arnold Maringe of the Catholic Diocese of Mutare, and his work with very poor children in the Tanda communal areas and other remote areas in Mutare. In 2011, Kidcare received funding from a French charity called Nourriture du Monde to assist in renovating two schools in Mutare. We went to oversee the schools, the ten children Kidcare sponsors and the work generally. The classrooms have now been renovated and desks and chairs bought.

Ghana In Ghana, challenges existed with some children who came and destabilized the home. However, this was sorted out early in 2011. Land bought to build a home is still not utilized and plans to start work on this land will be made in the near future. A new Ghana sponsorship program to send poor children to school was initiated at the end of 2011.

Pakistan Kidcare sponsors 5 children in Pakistan in partnership with Pastor Labin Taj. Children who would otherwise be working in the mud, building cement blocks can now go to School. Please sponsor a child Today.

And Finally Philippines

We announce the passing away of Bonifacio Sembran who

was the leader of a great work for the poor in Philippines.

He opened two children’s homes which we partner with,

feeding projects and built over 100 churches. Please

remember his wife Odette and the family, and their eldest

son Joshua, who has taken up the work of his father in

ministry in the Philippines. Ray Djan travelled to the

Philippines in the autumn of 2011 to support the grieving

family and encourage the church.

HOW YOU CAN HELP KIDCARE.

*Sponsor a child to school *Fundraise for our Sponsor a young person to Further and Higher Education *Adopt a feeding project **Adopt a school or community project *Adopt a children’s home in Zimbabwe, Uganda or India *Support our income generation projects for poor families *Join with us in praying for our work, children and families. You will receive our regular prayer letter. *Individuals, Schools, churches, clubs or businesses can partner or/and fundraise. *Partner with us in promoting Family/ Parenting workshops *Support our Biblical training of children in the UK

and all over the world

Kidcare International, SBC House, Restmor Way, Wallington, SM6 7AH

Tel. 020 3457 5727 info@kcare.org www.kidcare-international.org

Charity no. 118180. Not for profit ltd Co. 5968235