Ugandan Orphans Choir 101

Have you ever wondered why we host the Ugandan Orphans Choir?

The 2012 Ugandan Orphans Choir

The 2012 Ugandan Orphans Choir just began their tour circuit in Washington State and over the next 10 months they will travel down through Utah, Idaho, Colorado and Oklahoma before ending their tour in Texas. You may have already seen an inspiring performance by the choir, or perhaps this is the first time you’ve heard of them. Either way, here are some FAQ’s to help you learn more about the choir.

Q: What does the Ugandan Orphans Choir have to do with Childcare Worldwide?
A: The Ugandan Orphans Choir is a ministry of Childcare Worldwide—a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering children in the developing world through education that leads to employment. We have been serving children around the world since 1981 under the leadership of Dr. Max Lange and his wife, Marlies. The choir is just one of the ways that we raise awareness about the needs of children living in poverty.

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Bethany, February 3rd 2012 | Tags: , , ,
Posted in Sponsor A Child, Ugandan Orphans Choir

Focusing on the Philippines

“My help comes from the Lord.” -Psalm 121

Map of the Philippines

In early December our Philippines Director, Ken Tagud, was visiting the U.S. and dropped in at our office in Bellingham, WA. I had the opportunity to ask him some questions about our ministry in the Philippines. Ken was very patient with my lack of knowledge about the geography of the Philippines as he explained the context in which his people live their day-to-day lives.

The Philippine Islands are located in Southeast Asia in the Southwest Pacific Ocean. Though united under one flag, there are over 7,000 islands that hold everything from metropolitan cities to rural villages.

According to Ken, many of the islands are very small, with no natural fresh water source. During El Niño (a season without rain) the residents of these small islands depend on outside assistance. The land on some of these smaller islands is mostly made of sand, making it nearly impossible to grow crops. “The main occupation of these islands is fishing,” Ken shared. “When the typhoons come, they cannot fish.”

Those living on the rural islands are poor and often lack education which makes it very difficult for them to live in the city, where there is so much competition for work. About a third of the people in the Philippines are poor. Eighty percent of the poor live in rural areas.

These rural islands strongly contrast with the bustling cities of Quezon City, Manila and Cebu City. Though there are more opportunities in the cities, those who live there are not without hardships.

“Even the poor families try their best to educate their children,” Ken shared this interesting insight into the culture. Despite high levels of unemployment and poverty, great importance is put on making sure one’s children can get an education. According to Ken, it is common to see parents making huge sacrifices for the sake of their children’s futures. Read more…

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Laura, January 27th 2012 | Tags: , , ,
Posted in Childcare Worldwide

Haiti: Two Years Later

Today, Haiti will be observing the two-year anniversary of the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake that changed the country forever. Nearly 250,000 people were killed and over 600,000 were left homeless. Two years after the event, Haiti is still desperately struggling to rebuild itself, but there are signs of hope amid the rubble.

Building collapsed in Port-au-Prince

Haiti has had a long-standing position as the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The earthquake in 2010 only worked to increase the level of poverty and despair. In the past two years, Haiti has faced several other challenges. In October 2010, clean water became a major issue when a cholera epidemic rapidly spread across Haiti. Since then, this epidemic has infected over 500,000 people and has killed almost 7,000 of them. Hurricane Tomas hit Haiti in November, 2010 and left behind destruction and ruin as intense flooding made an already difficult situation next to impossible.  The contested presidential elections in early 2011, and the following violence and protests, added to the instability of the country. Inflation has risen drastically—leading to economic struggles that have left many families unable to purchase food and basic necessities.
Read more…

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Bethany, January 12th 2012 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Sponsor A Child

A New Start in the New Year

2012 is here! I love the arrival of a new year. It brings new life and fresh ideas as we seek to make this next year better than the last one. Everyone loves a new start, a second chance, and the hope for a better future. As I look back over my life, I know that I have come on a journey involving many new starts and transformations of spirit. Life has brought many challenges and opportunities. Many of us are looking forward to the possibility of a new start with the beginning of this New Year.

New starts are especially important for those who have had a life of tragedy and sorrow. For many of our sponsored kids, life was a daily struggle in a desperate situation before someone like you decided to give them a new start in life. Just look at Topher, Rogers, Joseph, Selinah, Peninah, and Tadeo. These are stories of new starts, and there are thousands more like them among the children we have served over the last 30 years. I pray that as 2012 unfolds, many thousand more new starts will be made for children around the world.

Learn how you can give a new start to a child in need this year

How are you getting a new start this year? Let us know by leaving a comment!

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Bethany, January 6th 2012 | Tags: , ,
Posted in Childcare Worldwide, child sponsorship

From Old to New

December 31st approaches, coming with celebrations to mark the passing of the old year and the beginning of a new one. 2011 has been a challenging year for many of us. Earthquakes, famine, drought, tsunamis, flooding and tornadoes have ravaged the world on an international level, civil war and protests have raged across many countries, and economic struggles have increased for thousands of individuals. There have been many good things that have occurred as well though, so let us not forget to give thanks that God has walked with us this past year.

As we stop to reflect on the past year, it’s an annual habit to hope and pray that the next year will be a better one. This is the core motivation for New Year’s Resolutions. I make resolutions every year—and sometimes I actually end up keeping them. Other times I fail miserably. Popular resolutions for many Americans are to get in (better) shape, eat healthier, quit an addiction, spend more time with family, get out of debt or learn something new. Many of my resolutions fall into these categories as well.

As I was reading in Ephesians this week though, I came across these verses:

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)

Wouldn’t this make a great resolution for 2012, and the rest of your life? To lay aside our sinful natures and embrace the new self that Jesus offers to us—to be more like Jesus every day than we were the day before. Obviously, this is a resolution that is impossible to keep if we try to do it by ourselves. The presence and power of the Holy Spirit are the only things that will enable us to live in this new self.

As I look forward to 2012, I have many hopes and dreams. I’m sure you do as well. However, as we start out this new year, let us not forget that all of our hopes and dreams need to rest on the fact that God, the incarnate God, loves us deeply and desires us to be more like Him.

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Bethany, December 30th 2011 | Posted in Childcare Worldwide

A Christmas Dream

What child hasn’t dreamed of getting a bicycle for Christmas?

To an American child, owning a bicycle means a little more freedom and endless hours of fun in the neighborhood with friends. In Uganda, however, receiving a bicycle for Christmas has an even greater significance.

Solomon, 16 years old (Uganda)

Solomon Ssenyonga is 16 years old. He lost both of his parents when he was very young and since then, he has been staying with his aunt. She cannot afford to send Solomon to boarding school, so he had to walk for an hour and a half each way to school.

Every day, when Solomon arrived home from school, he walked another 3 kilometers to fetch water for his family. He was often too tired to study after such long days. But regardless of the daily challenges he faced, Solomon said, Read more…

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Laura, December 28th 2011 | Tags: , , ,
Posted in Childcare Worldwide, child sponsorship

No Longer Living Alone

You may remember the story of Topher (12), Rogers (10) and Joseph (8) that we shared earlier this year.  These three brave boys were living all alone in a deplorable situation in Uganda. Their mother had died and their father had abandoned them. The problems and challenges in my life seem so insignificant compared to what these boys have had to live through. Not only were they physically alone, it must have seemed like hope had abandoned them as well.

God had not forsaken Topher, Rogers and Joseph though. Thanks to the generosity and compassion of people like you, all three boys are now happily living in one of our children’s homes! They have a place to live, food to eat, school to attend, someone to care for them and the knowledge that they are loved. In fact, they just got to participate in their very first Love Pak party.

It always amazes me how God breaks through into the darkest situations and works to restore the broken and hopeless. God tells us in Deuteronomy 31:8 that “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” These words are as true for us today as they were for Moses and the children of Israel. God’s promises never fail and His faithfulness is sure.  Which of God’s promises are you holding onto today?

Topher, Rogers and Joseph at a Love Pak Party

Thank you for your care and concern for children like Topher, Rogers, and Joseph.  God uses your generosity to change lives and enable children to survive and succeed.

To learn more about Love Paks, click here.

To learn more about Sponsorship, click here.

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Bethany, December 13th 2011 | Tags: , , ,
Posted in Childcare Worldwide

Human Rights and Social Media

Transforming Lives by Sharing Content

Facebook is the most visited website in the world with over 600 million users (over 10% of the world’s population). Twitter has over 190 million users. You and I really are able to connect with far more people, far more easily than any generation before us.

How much time do you spend on Facebook or Twitter in a week?

December 10, 2011 marks the 63rd anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This document was created by the United Nations to uphold basic human rights. These rights include the right to life, freedom from torture, freedom from slavery, the right to a fair trial, freedom of speech, and freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

What does Facebook have to do with Human Rights?

Each year on this day, the United Nations focuses on one aspect of human rights. In light of the effect of social media on the recent political activity in the Arab World, the United Nations has chosen to focus on the usefulness of technology, specifically social media, in upholding the rights of people all around the world.

Oppressive governments have been known to plant propaganda and control media content, but social media is alive, constant and often accessible to the average person. Sites like Facebook and Twitter allow users to instantly share their eye-witness accounts with the whole world. Users can also easily find virtual communities that care about the same causes, giving them support and courage to speak up against injustices.

Read more…

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Laura, December 10th 2011 | Tags: , ,
Posted in Childcare Worldwide

World AIDS Day

Children from Sandi's Children's Village of the Ssese Islands of Uganda

AIDS is nothing to celebrate. Its impact on the world has been devastating and heartbreaking. So it is a solemn observation that marks December 1st as World AIDS Day.

In a recent interview with Childcare Uganda Director, Michael Masembe, he spoke about the impact that HIV/AIDS has had on the Ssese Islands in Uganda. “The biggest problem on the islands,” states Michael, “are the orphans and the needy children.” HIV/AIDS has affected almost every house on the island and there are hundreds orphans in this small area.

In response to this problem caused by AIDS, Childcare has built children’s homes where orphans, who are young and living by themselves, are fed, housed and given the opportunity to receive an education.

“Really they are children’s villages, whereby in one village we have 5 houses and in each house we have a caretaker whom we work with to care for the children and in each house there are 20 children,” Michael explains. In addition, two medical clinics have opened up near the children’s villages so that the children can receive treatment and medical care since the hospitals are too far away. The clinics also serve the local communities.

Childcare Uganda Director, Michael MasembeChildren’s villages are providing a place for children whose lives have been devastated by AIDS to receive healing and hope. “We help the children to face the future, to face tomorrow,” says Michael, “We feel that these children will have a future.”

So while AIDS is nothing to celebrate, the existence of life amidst tragedy and hope in the face devastation is something to celebrate. The children’s villages in the Ssese Islands in Uganda are creating homes for children whose families have died. Michael ended his interview with this: “For a child to come to one of our villages, the child must have a sponsor. I want to thank all the sponsors who make it possible for the children to come and stay with us at the children’s homes.”

Click here to learn more about children’s villages

Click here to find out how you can sponsor a child like those on the Ssese Islands

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Bethany, December 1st 2011 | Tags: , ,
Posted in Childcare Worldwide, Sponsor A Child

Christmas Party Time

Thai children at the Christmas Love Pak Party

Every year, the children in Childcare Worldwide programs gather to celebrate Christmas.

Indian children act out the Christmas Story

During these celebrations, children in Uganda, Haiti, Kenya, India, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Peru, Thailand and the Philippines, are reminded what Christmas is about through the presentation of the Christmas Story. (Above: Children in India act out the Christmas Story)

Sri Lankan children play games at the Christmas Love Pak Party

During the party, the children play games. In Sri Lanka last year, every child wore a tinsel wreath around their head and played games such as decorating each other like Christmas trees.

Ugandan girl sings songs of celebration

Children in Uganda sing and dance as they celebrate the birth of their Lord.

Haitian children receiving Christmas Love Paks

Each and every one of these children receive a Christmas present from someone far away who has chosen to bless them. (Photo: Childcare Worldwide Haiti Director, Mendelson Cesar, celebrates Christmas with the children at their Love Pak Party) Read more…

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Laura, November 28th 2011 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Childcare Worldwide
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