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Mission:

~To be a voice for the widowed and orphaned, the poor and oppressed.

~To come along side & unite with those who have heeded the call to "go ye into all the world".

~To inspire others to use their gifts to be the hands and feet of Jesus!

Saturday, October 30, 2010

What you can do to help the children of Jinja, Uganda


The orphans in my previous post and in the photo above live in the city of Jinja, which is in Uganda, Africa. These orphan children need a new home!
SO, I am doing a charity marathon run (26.2 miles!) on January 9th, 2011 to help raise money for this home! I realize the money I raise will not be enough to build the home but it certainly can make a difference. Not only does the structure need built but it needs all the things inside that will make it a home. By sponsoring me in this run, together, we can make a difference! We can reach out and extend our hands in love to the precious child reaching out in the photo above!


The photo above is of the Benevolent Child District Home, that needs replaced. Over 40 orphans live in this run down building. They are thankful to have a home. Yet, I am sure you will agree, they need a new one! Thankfully, the LORD has put it on someones heart to build them a new home... and not just any home! Warm Blankets Orphan Care International has partnered with ICM (International Cooperating Ministries) to build a new Church Orphan Home for these children! They are planning to break ground as early as December or January!
About WBOCI: Warm Blankets Orphan Care International is a registered Christian Non-profit that has built over 125 Church Orphan Homes around the world. They are making a big difference in the orphan crisis and they are helping bring many precious souls into the family of God! I am excited to come alongside Warm Blankets in their ministry to these orphans! I love the heart they have for these children and I am especially impressed with the way they do things. They have a very unique and effective approach to orphan care! What makes their orphan homes different? (Quoting from their website)
"Moving away from traditional, institutional, orphanages WBOCI offers a fresh, dynamic approach to confront the world orphan crisis, through establishing and supporting church-based Family Homes. Each home has a family atmosphere based on love and compassion that is touched by the word of God. Every home shares a building with the local Christian church. The orphan children live on the top level with the caregivers, while the ground level is where the church and community meet... (click here to read how these homes also Each home has the capacity to house about 40 children. The homes provide beneficial, nurturing, holistic care to parentless infants, children, and adolescents. A healthy, flourishing environment filled with love and songs of worship is found at each Family Home."
"Widows are the principal caregivers in each orphan care facility. In this manner, a child who just lost his or her parents is cared for by someone who knows their pain because they too have experienced loss. We maintain a staff ratio of one caregiver for every five children, so you can be assured that a frightened child will be held and comforted by someone who cares."
You can view photos of Church Orphan Homes here: WBOCI Church Homes To see photos of the children that live in the Benevolent Child District home click here: Photos of Children

To donate to this fundraising effort please click here:
You will be directed to the "Being Jesus to Jinja Project" fundraising page. You can securely make a donation from this page and your donation is tax-deductible.
Please help spread the word! You can click icons at the bottom of this post to share this on facebook, twitter, blogger etc. If you have your own website or blog please consider sharing about this on your site. You can feel free to use the photo at top and link it to the fundraising page url.

"Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." Matthew 25:40b
Thank you on behalf of myself, WBOCI, ICM, and mostly on behalf of the children.
Sincerely,
Joanna

(The photos in this post and on the fundraising page were provided by and used with the permission of WBOCI)

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

7 orphans that matter to Jesus... do they matter to you?

This photo grabs my heart. When I received this photo and was viewing it on my computer screen my 9 year old daughter walked into the room. She saw the photo and she quickly said "Mom, you are going to cry aren't you?" She knows me well. I couldn't answer her without the tears beginning to flow.

The little children in this photo are real people. They are alive. They have names. These children know what "hunger" actually means. They know what it means to have little. They have hurts. They have fears. They have hearts that long to be valued & loved. They have talents yet to be discovered, dreams yet to be imagined, and hopes that they are desperately holding onto.



These are 7 orphan children of Uganda, Africa. They live in the Jinja district.
They need to know that Jesus loves them. They need to know that HE is a Father to the fatherless. But, before anyone can teach them who Jesus is they need to see HIS love shown to them in physical ways. They need the hands and feet of Jesus to show them our loving Father's love by meeting their physical needs for safety & shelter, clothing, and food.

These 7 children matter to Jesus... do they matter to you?

"But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God." Mark 10:14

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven." Matthew 18:10


(next post: How you can help these children!)

Monday, October 4, 2010

The terror that plagues Uganda


For over 20 years there has been a horrific conflict in Uganda. It is a battle led by what is known as "The Lord's Resistance Army" with a man by the name of Joseph Koney at the helm. In 1987 the military group was formed rebelling against the Uganda Government.
Joseph Koney a witch doctor turned self proclaimed "spokesperson for God" made a very twisted claim that his aim was to make Uganda into a state based on the 10 commandments. The actions of this wicked man go entirely against the ways of our LORD, the creator of life. Joseph Koney is not a prophet of the LORD Jesus but a vile follower of the prince of darkness.
At the height of the conflict when little boys in America were catching frogs, playing baseball, and going fishing, boys in Uganda were living in paralyzing fear of being abducted by the LRA and being forced to be child soldiers. Child soldiers are trained and forced against their will to brutally kill, often beginning with their own siblings and parents. While little girls in America were playing dress up and catching butterflies, little girls in Uganda were living in terror of being kidnapped and taken as sex-slaves for the LRA soldiers.
Even now, after 20 years, these fears are still real and legitimate. While children in America cuddle up in their beds and drift off to sleep, thousands of children in Uganda, from toddlers to teenagers, flee to larger cities for the night. These children sometimes walk up to 12 miles a night to find a place of safety to help ensure that they will not be abducted in the night by the Lord's Resistance Army. In 2002 the UN estimated that 25,000 children had been abducted but more recent information suggests that the number is possibly two to three times that!

If there were ever a place in need of help it is Uganda. If ever a place in need of the hope of a loving Savior it is Uganda.
Follow this site to find out in the coming weeks and months ways that you can be the hands & feet of Jesus by coming along side the hurting people of Uganda.

Written by: Joanna

Related Online Links: http://www.cetu.org.uk/mycountry.html,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord's_Resistance_Army_insurgency, http://kabiza.com/Lira-Children-Kony-Rebels.htm (many related articles at this link),
Book: "First Kill Your Family" by Peter Eichstaedt

Friday, October 1, 2010

Current Focus: Uganda, Africa

For the next several months Hands & Feet United will be focusing on Uganda, Africa.
Please join me and learn about how we, the body of Christ, can come along side those who have heeded the call to be the hands & feet of Jesus to this region of the world!
In the coming weeks and months you will learn about the difficulties faced by the people of Uganda. You will be introduced to missionaries and Christian non-profit groups that are ministering to the people of Uganda and surrounding areas. You will read stories and see photos that you may not be able to forget! Most importantly, you will be informed of how you can make a difference for Christ in Uganda!