Thursday, October 23, 2008

School Starts in AFRICA


Last November we began promoting the Birthday Gift for Jesus here at Grace Church and raised over $75,000.00 toward making a difference in the lives of orphans in the Central African Republic. Grace Church is currently partnering with four Central African Republic Grace Brethren Churches to care for over 200 orphans. With excess funds, we paid for the Orphan Welcome Center’s dedication ceremony in January and are currently in the process of purchasing a van to transport orphan children in Bangui to school.

Below is a letter sent to Grace Church from Pastor Alphonse Laida. Pastor Alphonse is very proud of their school and goes there frequently to greet the children. He says he often shares a thought for the day with them and prays to open school. They have high ownership of their school. Some of the children are pretty young, but are doing well. Elizabeth has many years of experience and is a good teacher, she encourages the children and they respond to her.

Dear Friends,

We, the members of the Grace Brethren Church of Cattin in Bangui are very happy to send this letter to thank you for the great love you have shown by helping us care for orphans in our church and community. We do not have the means by which to care for them, but with your help, school is started. The first day of school was October 1, 2008. We ask God in our prayers to keep you. All the members of the Cattin church greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus-Christ. Your friends and coworkers at the Cattin GBC.

Pasteur Alphonse Laida

Pay for the four schools Lititz is partnering with, La Dumie, Cattin, and two that are in Bossangoa. Pray also for the Grace Church team that will travel to Bangui in February including Doug Kegarise, John Kegarise, Mike & Joan McCracken, Matt McElravy, Brenda Miller, and Marlin Weaver. They are currently in the support raising phase. Ask God to work in each team members’ heart during this cross cultural ministry and return to Grace Church with a deeper global understanding of God’s desire to reach the nations through the local church. Pray that the rebel activity will be suppressed enough so our team can travel safely to Bossangoa. If our team cannot go up, the pastors and teachers will try to come down to meet us. I hope and pray we can get up to Bossangoa and visit our kids and the rest of the church family.

It is our desire to again use this year’s Birthday Gift for Jesus project to continue and expand our ministry to these precious orphans. Would you please pray about the sacrificial part you can play by marking your financial gift “Birthday Gift for Jesus”? These gifts can be dropped off at the church office or placed in the offering anytime between November 23 and December 14.

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