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Operation Orphan Rescue Annual Christmas Outreach 2011
By Blake Fite – Director of Partnerships, Change a Life Foundation
On behalf of the staff and our partners across the world we would like to thank you for your financial giving and for volunteering to go over to our Operation Orphan Rescue Villages throughout Africa andHaiti.
As Americans this time of year we have historically enjoyed very festive parties, gift exchanges, and bountiful food. For my family we traditionally migrate north fifteen hours up toGrand Rapids,MIwhere we enjoy the best food and fellowship man has to offer. It truly is a magical time filled with grand parents, uncles, dads, moms, and cousins.
In America we think of Christmas as involving snow, church, and family.
The World in Crisis
Unfortunately for the children we serve in our Operation Orphan Rescue Villages across the world their Christmas will be much different.
The number of People, many of which are children, living with HIV has risen from around 8 million in 1990 to nearly 40 million today, and is still growing. Around 63% of people living with HIV world wide are in sub-Saharan Africa.
The New Pandemic
Because of economic collapse and disease in Sub Sahara Africa today there are more than 42 million orphans. The plight of the orphan has become the new pandemic. Instead of pumpkin pie they are sleeping on concrete, instead of
Their greatest spiritual tragedy is that as orphans they have a vanished identity
time with parents, grandparents, and cousins they are left with having no sense of family outside of their local village.
Your Gifts This Christmas Will Help a Child with Clean Water or a Roof Over Their Head
As always this Christmas season as you gather around the Christmas tree please say a prayer for the children we all collectively serve in our Operation Orphan Rescue Villages across the world. Right now today we have one village nearing completion and three others are being developed in Ghana, Zimbabwe and Haiti.
In order to complete each Operation Orphan Rescue Village we still need our partners to sponsor specific projects to make each Village a reality. Items such as Deep Water Well Management Systems, Multi Functional Gathering Places (that serve as both the church, medical outreach and training), animals and agricultural supplies just to name a few examples of what is needed at each village we serve.
Streams of Living Water
By John Domm, Community Ambassador, Washington D.C.
Click here to give towards an orphan receiving clean water this holiday season
During this Christmas season, the United States economy continues to be sluggish with an unemployment rate hovering around 10%. While Americans may strain to purchase holiday gifts this season, other nations around the world struggle with more severe conditions. Zimbabwe is no exception.
The country is not only afflicted with a 70% unemployment rate, but AIDS has taken many of their lives. The result is that many children have been orphaned. Their basic needs are not being met and most don’t have access to clean water. Their fight for survival is real.
That can change with your help. The vision of Operation Orphan Rescue Village is to reach out to local village chiefs to dedicate a small portion of their
land (about 10 acres) to enable the construction of housing/shelter and the
Clean water is paramount to a sustainable Operation Orphan Rescue Village
installation of a deep water well management system to meet their basic needs. The goal is mutually beneficial. Not only do the orphans have housing and access to clean water, the water source is sufficient to service the larger community.
This is the first step to reaching the community for Jesus Christ. In the same way that God instructed Moses to strike the rock in the wilderness so that water would come forth for
The mission of Operation Orphan Rescue Village is to change communities one at a time. Your financial assistance will not only ensure their survival, but enable them to experience the Living Water. And the one who drinks from that source will never thirst again.
Thanks for your support.
There we stood in a small sea of shining, smiling children’s faces! “What could they possibly have to be happy about?” Each of the 80 or so kids had lost both of their parents to the terrible tragedy of AIDS—16 were themselves HIV positive! Yet here they were joyful in the midst of tragic circumstance, excited about our 4 man team who had come to visit from America—and YES maybe the expectation of a toy, a piece of candy, new shoes or maybe even a warm coat for the cold nights. This small place in time and space is the children’s Village (orphanage) of Tanyaradzwa (pronounced Tan-ya-nod-zwa) near the Zimbabwean village of Kadenge about 50 miles east of the capital city of Harare, Zimbabwe, Africa.
“Tanyaradzwa” in the local Shona language means “the place where my tears were wiped away”.
Tanyaradzwa “Operation Orphan Rescue” Village is operated by a godly couple, Priscilla and Brian. Brian runs a small import/export business in Harare, and gives most of his profits to keep the children’s village operational. Priscilla is the “MOTHER” to all! She is the Director, nurturer, cook, counselor, nurse—-all the things any mother is, just her family is 80 kids LARGE! Don Wooden Founder of Change a Life Foundation has been gracious enough to invite me to see the ministry his organization has been doing in Zimbabwe Africa. We met by e-mail several years ago but it has taken till now, September 2011 for our God to arrange all of the circumstances that we could join together to be at Tanyaradzwa Children’s Village.
Future Leader of Zimbabwe
Your heart cannot help but be touched deeply when you stand among children (new babies to 18 years) who have lost everything, not just some things but EVERYTHING! It is late afternoon and I am wearing a jacket because of the chill, but many of the kids don’t have shoes, some have sweaters or jackets, all are in tatters. Don asks me to guess the age of the child pictured here in the photo. Having spent 9 years in Togo and Ghana I understand the ravages of malnutrition, so I guess 5 years old and am shocked to hear 12!
Yet since coming to Tanyaradzwa, “Mama” Priscilla feeds these kids the best diet she can afford—usually cornmeal mush with a few greens and beans. Meat or eggs here are an unaffordable luxuries at present.
Over the next few days “the team” Don Wooden, John Domm, Pastor Victor Walker, and myself see the three new sleeping houses, outside kitchen, VIP latrines/showers, the village borehole and pump, water tower, winter gardens, and small church. All are under going some phase of construction, but the children now have clean water to drink. During our time in the Village the church nears competition, so we were able to attend its dedication to the Lord. Pastor Victor brought a powerful message of hope to us all, and PRAISE THE LORD, as pictured here 15 people came forward to receive Jesus as their personal Savior!
HOPE plays a BIG part at Tanyaradzwa Children‘s Village. The Biblical HOPE spoken of in the Book of Hebrews of “things unseen”. Where will funds come from to obtain food for the next meal, will there be funds enough for the kids to attend the local public school, what about when the kids get sick and need medical attention from the local public clinic, shoes, jackets, medicines, school books—-though there are blankets for sleeping under at night, the kids sleep on a cold cement floor and are happy it is no longer a dirt floor.
The goal is to help Tanyaradzwa Children’s Village to become “self-sufficient” through the development of the 100 acre site, given by the local Headman. The goal is to see the sleeping houses completed, the winter gardens and dedicated farm land producing, a poultry project operational, some fish ponds created, a small forest of food producing trees planted, like Mango, orange, Moringa, and papaya. The HOPE is that through these plans the Village will be able to produce enough food to feed itself and to sell for school funds and all of the other Village needs.
So Don Wooden Founder of Change a Life Foundation is partnering closely with several Zimbabwean organizations to make all of the goals a reality (see www.changealife.net). It is understood that nothing good comes about fast in Africa, so realistic short term needs and long term goals are the focus and PRAYER!
Church Dedication Service
How can you get involved and help bring HOPE to these precious children of our God? As I write, Sally my dear sweet wife and I are praying about being a part of the Tanyaradzwa Children’s Village to help develop the projects that are needed to make it self-sufficient. To come along side of Priscilla and Brian to help facilitate and expedite the Villages development. “Could our new marriage’s Honeymoon be two or three years ministering the love of Jesus through the gifts He has given us to share?” (see Matthew 25:14-46 and 1 John 3:16,17).
The Pastors, Elders and People of Christ Church of Kirkland Washington State gave me $500. US Dollars to invest for them in the ministry at Tanyaradzwa Children’s Village. I am delighted to report that the funds were used to purchase materials to construct 3 STRONG barbwire garden enclosures to keep the local village’s cattle that wander everywhere from destroying the gardens and to start a small ’free range’ chicken project so the children can have an egg a day to increase their daily dietary protein intake to reduce the incident of Kwashiorkor (Protein Energy Malnutrition)
This trip was a life changing event for me because I was able to look at life from a different perspective. I think of all the things we, as Americans, take for granted like the ability to see after the sun goes down. We have electricity in our homes and we often fail to stop to think that some people have to go to bed when the sun goes down because of no light. We can switch the lights on and off at the flick of a finger.
We throw away so much food, it doesn’t make any sense. People are starving every day in other countries but we fail to understand how blessed we are. If we stop, think and even send some of the food that we waste to the hungry children inAfrica, we could end the starvation/malnutrition epidemic. I witnessed a little boy about the age of 6, who appeared to be no older 2 ½ – 3 years old. He was under nourished. My 6 year old son looks like a 9 year old compared to him. When I
At Tanyaradzwa they feed 68 children and 7 adults with only enough dishes for less than 4 people
found out his age, I was heartbroken. We can continue to pray for the starvation around the world but the truth is that we have to all do our part to feed the hungry. Also, it was hard to believe that they had to feed 68 children and 7 adults with only enough dishes for less than 4 people. Therefore, they had to eat in shifts in order for everyone to eat from a dish.
The village that we were visiting in Tanyaradzwa had no place to worship God (church) and no bibles. A place of worship is important to the people. When it rained, they had no cover for themselves. The people want to learn but they can’t because no one had bibles to study when they leave their gathering. We helped to build a church but it wasn’t the all-out weather shelter but it kept the rain out. Just imagine if they had a whole building. We can make a change by supplying them with bibles and assisting the youth in this village can help change Africa’s tomorrow!
Pastor J. Victor Walker
Hand of God Ministries
I recently visited one of the Orphanage sites in Zimbabwe and had the opportunity to share Bible stories with a group of about 20 children between the ages of 5 to 12 years. What surprised me was their complete and undivided attention. All the children sat motionless with every eye fixed on me and the small picture book I was holding. Mind you, I am not a great story teller nor do I have any experience working with young children.
I could not understand how or why they didn’t fidget, squirm, or do anything to disrupt myself or the interpreter from telling the story. I was so moved by their full devotion that I had to catch my breath every time the interpreter translated my sentences. Within the first few minutes of telling the story of Jonah and the great fish, I realized how powerful God’s Word is to those who haven’t heard it. The story was new to them and I could see how they were hungry to hear more.
By the time Jonah was thrown overboard into the stormy sea and swallowed by
One of our Change a Life team members sharing a story with the children
the great fish, the children’s eyes grew larger and more interested. I could see they were very interested in the outcome. Knowing that none of them watch TV, play video games, or have any exposure to any visual media, I tried to make sure my words were verbally descriptive and as colorful as possible.
When Jonah arrived at Nineveh to preach God’s Word, the children’s focused attention was greatly affecting me and it took all of my strength to control my emotions. While the interpreter was translating, I began to think about God’s grace and compassion towards the people of Nineveh; about His slowness to anger; about His abundance in lovingkindness. I began to think how God’s patience and mercy extends to all of us. The story was now affecting me even though I had heard it myself a hundred times.
I ended the story when Nineveh turned from their wicked ways. The story reminded me how important it is to tell others of God’s Word and how it can and will transform lives. All we have to do is be faithful to tell it. I was so thankful that God used me to share a short but powerful story with the children. It made me all the more convicted to share the gospel with others who have not heard it.
John Domme is our Community Ambassador giving oversight to the Washington D.C. region. If you would like more information about our upcoming vision trips or our Church Alliance Partnership you can contact John at johnadomm@gmail.com
Over the past 6 months Change a Life Foundation has been working on a new internship program. ”The program is designed to help students across the U.S. develop their leadership and management skills while also helping fulfill the mission and objectives of Change a Life Foundation”, say’s Blake Fite Director of Partnerships.
The program is divided up into four equal parts: leadership discovery, project Management, fundraising and culminates in a case study where we coach the student in developing their own mock Operation Orphan Rescue Village. The internship consists of close to 150 total hours to match up with most accredited colleges. Each intern will go through a book on an emerging issue, management principles, or international issues related to the countries we have Operation Orphan Rescue Villages either setup or in process of being developed.
The leadership component for the internship experience consists of concentrated leadership coaching by the interns direct supervisor. The curriculum used to deploy this aspect of the internship experience is provided with permission by the Leader Development Network. We will use up to two exercises from this curriculum and the student will also work through the Your One Degree section to help identify the core skill sets and key motivators to achieve maximum ministry effectiveness. Out of the Your One Degree experience the intern will be placed into a unique role within Change a Life Foundation as a way to discover a deeper understanding of the interns unique design.
The project management component for the internship experience consists of a real time project as deployed by the interns direct supervisor. The project will have real outcomes with the student intern being required to complete on paper a critical path up front to layout the scope of the project. The project will also directly impact one of Change a Life Foundation’s current projects to help facilitate an in-depth learning experience for the student intern.
Change a Life Believes in Developing the Next Generation of Leaders
The fundraising component for the internship experience consists of a real time fundraising project as deployed by the interns direct supervisor. The project will have real outcomes with the student intern being required to complete a one-page fundraising strategy. The fundraising strategy, if deployed, will directly impact Change a Life Foundation’s bottom line. The fundraising strategy will include: SWOT Analysis, Executive Summary, Costs, Research Sources, and critical path to execute strategy. It will also include inviting twenty friends and families to sign up for the Change a Life Foundation’s E-Newsletter and Facebook page (a separate fundraising appeal should be written for both).
The case study component for the Change a Life Foundation internship experience consists of a real time case study on developing an Operation Orphan Rescue Village. The project will have realistic financial limitations, cultural constraints, strategic elements, and project deadlines to consider as a part of the case study. The student intern will be trained on the basics of the model before developing the new Operation Orphan Rescue village.
The most important things the intern should walk away with is the importance of follow through, punctuality, and implementation. ”Above all we believe it is critical every student intern should walk away understanding the need to help orphans across the world in the name of Christ,” say’s Founder of Change a Life Foundation Don Wooden.
For more information on Change a Life Foundations internship program feel free to contact Blake Fite at 918.409.5997 or you can email him at blake@changealife.net
Change a Life Foundation recently launched a new partnership with Jenks First Baptist Church in conjunction with our Church Alliance Partnership program.
“The program is designed to connect the local church in the U.S. with our Operation Orphan Rescue villages across the world,” says the Founder of Change a Life Don Wooden.
The Senior Pastor of Jenks First Baptist is very excited about the new partnership with Change a Life. ”Throughout our meetings together he (Pastor Rick) has consistently shared about his heart for discipling the church towards being life long and relational focused when ministering to the orphan and the widow,” says Blake Fite Director of Partnerships for Change a Life.
Pastor Rick is Senior Pastor of Jenks First Baptist Church in Jenks, Ok
Pastor Rick and some of his staff will be going to Zimbabwe, Africa in early December of this year to participate in a Vision Trip to the first Operation Orphan Rescue Village they are working with where their are about 80 orphans currently living.
In the alliance, Change a Life Foundation supports Jenks First Baptist in these areas:
As I am thinking about our African Children I can’t help but consider the parallel with our own Nation. The importance of sustainability can be seen firsthand within our Nation. As we approach the abyss of un-sustainability we have to simply look back to what got us here. Simply put we consume and spend more than what we have or are producing thus placing us in a position of un-sustainability.
This sweet little boy may be a future leader within Africa
Our African friends and children cannot print money nor are there national government programs providing handouts so when this happens to them it is catastrophic in nature and usually leads to sickness and some even die from it. The most common occurrence I see all over the world, including Africa, is an unhealthy dependency upon other people. If we cannot or do not produce enough resources for consumption and have some left over for the inevitable “rainy Day” then one day we all would face the realization of “unsustainability” and “outside dependency;” which in this case I think all would agree is a demoralizing almost paralyzing feeling which can lead to hopelessness.
The back bone of Operation Orphan Rescue villages is to help raise up the children in a way they can look at themselves and say “I can do this!” By implementing the summer and winter gardens, animal husbandry then all the way through to training them to take these products to market gives them the understanding of free market enterprise so one day when they start raising a family of their own they will understand how to create a family environment that is sustainable. What is equally as important is the hope they will obtain for not only their immediate family but future generations to come.
It is far from easy to create this type of environment that it is fraught with cultural, environmental, health related and economic dependent issues but we know this is Gods vision and plan for all of our lives and we will not be hindered nor stopped until the day comes when we see each and every orphan child the Lord places in our care having this same opportunity of good health, a great life and one of hope now and for future generations!
Having traveled and lived in many countries in Africa over the last thirty-five years, I have encountered literally hundreds of people who are hungry for the Word of God. Many of these did not own a Bible of their own and didn’t even have access to God’s Word in their own language. That is one reason I was drawn to Bible League International (BLI) and its mission – providing Scriptures and training worldwide, so that people prepared by the Holy Spirit will be brought into fellowship with Christ and His Church.
Contrary to what some might think, we do not stand on a street corner, handing out Bibles to strangers who pass by. Working in cooperation with partners such as Change a Life Foundation, BLI, through its Bible Planting efforts, seeks to strategically engage people in the study of God’s Word, so that they come to understand the message of the Gospel, and come into a relationship with Jesus Christ. This ministry is based on Acts 8, where Philip came alongside the Ethiopian to help him understand Scripture. BLI calls this method “Project Philip”, a form of friendship evangelism that teaches Bible literacy in a meaningful way.
The reason we do what we do
A few months ago I had the opportunity to lead a Project Philip “Train the Trainer” session with a short-term mission’s team from Destiny Church of Leesburg, VA, a Church Alliance Partner with Change a Life Foundation going on a mission trip to Guatemala. The objective was to train some members of the team on how to execute Project Philip within the village. Because she was leading a Bible study with women who were illiterate, team member Gay Craven, created a plan based on the questions for each day’s lessons from the Project Philip Gospel of John study. She writes: “They were hungry for God’s truth. They need to know that God’s grace is all they need. They need to understand that Jesus is the ONLY way to God and that they can know Jesus personally.”
Thanks to BLI’s new partnership with Change a Life Foundation, I believe other U.S.volunteers can be trained to use this effective tool in leading others to come into “fellowship with Christ and His Church.”
