Children's Bible Ministry - May 2022 Update

For 121 years, the Presbyterian Church in this working-class suburb of Havana has given faithful witness to the Good News. Like many churches in Cuba, it developed ministries unique to its context, such as one that served those diagnosed with AIDS who were often shunned by their families and communities.

When its current pastor, Rev. Yoelkis Sierra, began to explore the surrounding neighborhood, he quickly discerned that there were many young children whose families had no connection to the church. He and his leaders began to pray about how this might present the congregation with new opportunities to make Christ known.

Press Release: Nancy Warlick's "Adventures in Faith: A Reflection of My Life in Africa"

Tampa, FL / November 17, 2021 – Signalman Publishing is pleased to announce the release of Adventures in Faith: A Reflection of My Life in Africa by Nancy Warlick of Orlando, Florida.

Early in life, Nancy felt the call to serve God by serving the people of Africa – especially those in what was then known as the Belgian Congo. Upon meeting a seminary student, Bill Warlick, and discovering a shared interest in missions, they wed and set their sights on heading to the Congo as Presbyterian missionaries. Thus began a journey of service lasting over four decades – and not just in the Congo but across the African continent.

Girls' Education and Rescue Centers - November 2021 Update

In March 2020, schools across Kenya were closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This closure included Mother Esther School and Rescue Center where we usually have a population of 156 girls. During the 8 months of lockdown, we were left with only 42 students.

2021 was intended to be a new year, a fresh start after the uncertainty and restrictions of 2020. In November 2020, most of our students were able to return to Mother Esther School after eight months of lockdown in their home areas. In January 2021, we fully reopened with great joy and celebration. However, we have slowly learned that we are not quite finished with the impacts of 2020. The months in risky, remote areas of Kenya left our girls vulnerable to both child marriage and pregnancy. The stories of trauma that have emerged are many, so I will share one with you today.

Haiti Outreach Ministries' Student Sponsorship Program

We recently received the following information from Haiti Outreach Ministries (HOM) concerning their Student Sponsorship program. Please follow the link provided for additional instructions on how to sponsor a student through Haiti Outreach Ministries:

Education is essential for any child’s development, but in Haiti, education is much more than that – it is the necessary foundation to escape pervasive national poverty and a pathway to a better future. In Haiti, there is no free, public education. HOM and its Haitian partner MICECC (Mission Communautaire de l'Eglise Chrétienne des Cités) operate three primary schools and a secondary school, providing a robust, quality education steeped in Christian principles.

Latin America, Partnership, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenThe Outreach FoundationNovember 15, 2021Haiti Outreach Ministries, Haiti

Haiti Outreach Ministries - September 2021 Update

First day of school in Haiti

September 21, 2021

Dear friends,

Today marks the first day of school in Haiti for the 2021-2022 academic year. After a tumultuous summer, our teachers and students are thrilled to be back in the classroom! You can feel the energy and excitement in the air in these photos taken just this morning.

Adding to the excitement today, we are welcoming the very first class of 13th graders at the Baryé Fè secondary school! Since the school opened in 2015, additional grades have been added each year, and it is a milestone for Baryé Fè to now host the full complement of grades required by the Haitian school system. From pre-kindergarten to grade 13, the four HOM-supported schools are serving over 1,900 students this school year.

Latin America, Partnership, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenElizabeth CarterSeptember 27, 2021Haiti Outreach Ministries, Haiti

Musalaha Ministry of Reconciliation - August 2021 Update

Children's Summer Camp

Musalaha was happy to report that they successfully executed a fantastic children’s Summer Camp in Givat Haviva this year. With less than two months' notice after the pandemic lockdowns were lifted, they organized the licenses and correct permissions the Ministry of Education required, trained a camp leader to conduct antigen COVID-19 tests, and tested all non-vaccinated participants.

In late July, they gathered over 80 individuals from every corner of the land. Children and teenagers from Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza attended, including Palestinian Christians, Palestinian Muslims, Messianic Jews, secular Jews, and several international volunteers. The camp theme was the story of the prophet Jonah, reflecting upon how God deals with our attitude towards people who are different from us.

Middle East, Partnership, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenThe Outreach FoundationAugust 9, 2021Musahala, Israel, Palestine

Tumaini Children's Ministry - July 2021 Update

The Tumaini Children’s Ministry, a mission effort of the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA), is comprised of Tumaini and Huruma Children’s Homes. More than 100 children are currently being served by the homes located in Nyeri County, Kenya. Outreach’s Africa Partnership Liaison, Frank Dimmock, visited Tumaini in June, and here are excerpts from his report:

During my visit, I met with Rev. Richard Gichuki, parish minister, and Anne Wandimi, the children’s home manager. Tumaini is in the process of renewing its registration with the Department of Children’s services. We visited the Nyeri County Director of Children’s Services, Mr. Mwaniki J. Kung’u, who complimented Tumaini for quality of care. The Kenya Government is developing new strategies for alternative care for children and Mr. Kung’u suggested that Tumaini could help network the 30 children’s homes in the county to share experiences.

COVID has impacted the ministry by school closures and a decrease in in-kind support locally. The two homes are trying to be self-supportive with laying hens, dairy cows, and a large garden with greenhouses. The Huruma home (in nearby Nyeri town) is challenged with a regular supply of clean water.

Philemon Project Preschool - July 2021 Update

A team from The Outreach Foundation (Jack Baca, Julie Burgess, Mark Mueller, Nuhad Tomeh, Marilyn Borst) traveled to Lebanon in late May, our first post-pandemic trip. We traveled to encourage our partners there who have been through so much over the past 19 months: a collapse of their government and the economy; the pandemic and its necessary lockdowns; the cataclysmic explosion in the port of Beirut on August 4th which left over 200 dead, 6,500 injured and 300,000 homeless. One of the partners we visited is an early childhood development center that serves children of domestic workers. Julie Burgess shares her experience here….

During our visit, we spent time with the children of the Grow Early Childhood Development Center, a ministry of The Philemon Project. After being entranced by the welcoming committee of 3-year olds riding their bikes, we spent time with three women who are the beating hearts of this place: Nairy who manages, Mireille who directs, and Debby who oversees. This is a unique preschool serving the children of domestic workers, most of who come from other countries like Ethiopia, who work long hours and cannot afford quality childcare.

Together for the Family - June 2021 Update

Fresh. It is a word we hear on a daily basis on our travels around Lebanon and in our visits with Outreach partners here. It modifies the word “money.” Fresh money. It is the money that comes to you after the economic crisis began in Lebanon many months ago. If you want old money, the money you deposited and saved in your bank account, you will be found at a loss. Dollars in the bank are restricted for withdrawals, and if you do withdraw them, you will get back the Lebanese equivalent at the old rate, thereby losing up to 90% of their value. Fresh money, especially for an NGO like many of the partners here, becomes a new lifeline.

Not wanting to dwell in such a hard place, let us make a list of the more joyful ways we think of for the word fresh, and I think in the listing you will discover what we found: God is still making all things new – fresh.

Philemon Project Preschool - May 2021 Update

By God’s grace, the GROW Center (part of the Philemon Project, a legal Christian Lebanese NGO) has weathered the storms of revolution, economic crisis, disaster, and the COVID-19 pandemic. We are still able to provide children with a God-centered experience by giving them a safe, warm, and welcoming climate in which to explore, grow, thrive, and develop.

We wanted to introduce two of our key staff members and share some of their thoughts with you. They have led the project through Lebanon’s many challenges over these past months.

Mireille, GROW manager: “This year was so challenging for us as Lebanese citizens. But despite all the bad circumstances, we are grateful for God’s blessings. When the blast at the Beirut port happened, all the GROW students who live close to the port were safe. God protected them and protected the staff as well.

Tumaini Children's Ministry - April 2021 Update

Christian greetings from Tumaini/Huruma Children’s Ministry in Nyeri, Kenya.

We continue to pray and trust that you are staying safe and healthy during this COVID pandemic. Kenya has now recorded over 154,400 cases and 2,500 deaths. Between mid-March and mid-April, the country experienced its fourth surge in cases. Supplies of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in Kenya in early March and over 650,000 have been administered. Kenya’s population is nearly 54 million, so it will be many months before there is adequate vaccine coverage. Nyeri county, home of the Tumaini Children’s Ministry, is a rural county, yet has experienced more than 720 confirmed cases.

The pandemic has brought a lot of uncertainty, yet the staff at Tumaini and Huruma are working hard to sustain daily operations and care for the children. We were saddened to learn from Anne Wandimi the manager at Tumaini Children's Home, that Ms. Monica Kagume, chair of the Tumaini Board, died from COVID infection in early March. Her leadership and love for the children will be greatly missed.

Home of Hope in Zimbabwe - April 2021 Update

Dear family in Christ Jesus,

How wonderful that God loves us so much that he gave us his most precious gift, his only begotten son Jesus. Through Jesus, we are forgiven and given everlasting life. In Jeremiah 31:34 we hear God’s word speaking, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

What an amazing message to share with those who think they have no hope, especially now when many are unemployed, have lost loved ones, and see no future for themselves except for life on the street. What a joy to share the Good News with those who must fight for survival, sharing with them that despite living in a fallen world, our hope is not of this world but in God who has compassion and has given us a heavenly home.

We thank all who support us so that we may help those living on the street with food, clothes, medicine, soap, and the Good News of Jesus. We pray that the Lord will be with you always.

Namumu Orphanage Center - April 2021 Update

The Outreach Foundation has been in partnership with Namumu Orphanage Center (NOC) for nearly 20 years. Located in the Kariba lakeshore area in the district of Siavonga, Zambia, Namumu has provided vulnerable children with food, clothing, shelter, and education to help them reach their potential. Children who have “graduated” from NOC have trained as pastors, teachers, and clinical officers, and many have returned to serve in the community where they grew up. In response to the health needs of the area, a clinic was built in 2005, with the help of The Outreach Foundation, to provide essential primary health care services to the children and the surrounding community.

Over time, it became clear that there was a need for more and better health and clinical services. So two years ago, in collaboration with the Government of Zambia, the clinic expanded services and increased staffing. Currently, there are two volunteer clinical officers, four nurses, an environmental officer, a psychosocial counselor, and several community health workers and clinic assistants. They provide a full range of primary services to the community and local businesses. And the community has, in turn, helped to provide for and maintain these services.

Africa, Partnership, Projects, Vulnerable ChildrenThe Outreach FoundationApril 21, 2021Namumu Orphanage Center, Zambia

Bill and Bette Bryant Crisis Nursery - April 2021 Update

We recently received this update from our partners serving vulnerable children and families in Lusaka. Their critical ministry is changing the lives of children, mothers, and families in Jesus’ name.

During the COVID pandemic, the Bill and Bette Bryant crisis nursery has continued to provide shelter for children five years or younger who are victims of the current weakening extended family system, neglect, abandonment, early marriages, unplanned pregnancies, gender-based violence, and poor parenting skills. While the children await reunification with their parents, original guardians, or other permanent family-based care, the children have access to food, clothing, shelter, and early childhood education.

Children's Bible Ministry in Guanabacoa, Cuba - March 2021 Update

The Children’s Bible Ministry of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in Guanabacoa, Cuba, began as a pastor’s dream shared with a group of visiting American missionaries from Thomasville, Georgia. Guanabacoa, a suburb of Havana, is a poor but proud and bustling community teeming with young families with children. Pastor Yoelkis Sierra Gonzalez knows this neighborhood well, and he saw firsthand the great need for a safe place for young children while their parents are at work. Pastor Yoelkis imagined the day when his church would welcome those children, feed and care for them, and teach them about Jesus.

Now, nearly three years later, Pastor Yoelkis’ dream is becoming a reality. Soon after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, construction began on the building that will house this ministry, and fall 2020 was set as the projected launch date. Unfortunately, the plan and timetable did not factor in the effect of a worldwide pandemic.

The Presbyterian Church in Rwanda - February 2021 Update

The Presbyterian Church in Rwanda (EPR) has more than 300,000 members and is composed of seven autonomous presbyteries located all around the country. There is an office of the General Synod, which acts as the headquarters of the church, in Kigali. The Head Office oversees most of the administration and organization of the church. Like other institutions in Rwanda, the 1994 genocide affected the church which lost sixteen of its pastors and many members. Since the genocide, much emphasis has been placed on training the younger generation in peacebuilding and reconciliation, but the church also faces the challenge of caring for many orphans and widows, most of whom still suffer from trauma. We recently received this update on Outreach/EPR partnerships from EPR President Rev. Dr. Pascal Bataringaya:

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all the best and blessings in this new year 2021. We are still facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a very complicated situation, but we keep our hope and our faith in God and we know that he is in control. We keep you in our prayers

Refugee Appeal - February 2021 Update

…as you have done it for the least of these, you have done it for me…

Since December of 2015, The Outreach Foundation has been a partner with a “hands-on” outreach in Lebanon that helps Syrian refugee mothers care for their newborns. Together, For the Family (TFF), led by its Executive Director, Izdihar Kassis, started this ministry upon realizing the dire need of parents to care for their newborn babies while living in tent camps.

Izdihar shares this reflection:

The poor living conditions and the inability of the parents to provide basic necessities for their newborn babies motivated us to address this matter.

Jeff and Christi Boyd - February 2021 Update

Dear siblings in Christ,

As the world went into a pandemic-induced hibernation earlier this year, one might assume that ministries, too, have slowed down or come to a halt. For the Presbyterian Ministry for Vulnerable Children in East Kasaï, Congo, nothing could be farther from the truth! Four years ago, I shared through the story of Serge, how in the current Congolese context losing a parent can put a child at risk of abandonment, and highlighted different models of ministry for vulnerable children applied in the Presbyterian Church in Congo (CPC).

At the time, the most prominent of these ministries retrieved unaccompanied minors from the markets and streets by taking care of them in halfway homes while tracing back their biological parents or extended families to mediate reunification. The transitional character of these ministries provided an appropriate alternative to the more permanent nature of traditional orphanages, but the center-based model still proved costly for an economically deprived context like Congo.

Partner Updates

First day of school in Haiti