Advent 2006
I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
John 10:10
December here is bright and sunny. We hope for rain, but never
snow. Christmas colors, American style, can be found in upscale
shops, but if you stroll down Cairo Road or visit a crowded outdoor
market you won’t find very much holiday hype. Life goes
on as usual.
In just such a world, at just such a time, the King of kings
and Lord of lords appeared. He arrived with little fanfare, had
to sleep in an animal’s trough, but he came so that people
could live to the fullest. Let us honor his birthday in that same
generous spirit.
Here are several ways to share your abundance and bring the hope
of Christ to Africa. Some of these ideas might work well for families
or church groups. Why not join forces?
[A] New Church Construction in Zambia
- $25 buys 50 blocks and mortar. (Young people donate the labor.)
- $75 buys an iron roofing sheet. (Many churches are now open
to the sky.)
[B] Church Completion in southern Malawi
Local people mold bricks, raise funds, and erect the walls. Then
they wait—sometimes for years—before there’s
money to do the roof. We have 90-odd churches awaiting completion
in this Muslim-impacted region.
- $3,000 provides material for a small-to-medium, village-type
church.
- $5,000 substantially covers a medium-to-large church (500
people).
- Caring for vulnerable children
Southern Africa has the world’s highest rate of HIV infection.
When parents die, extended families normally absorb the children.
This system, however, is straining under the load. We commend
several projects that can respond in various ways:
- $100 [C] Sustains 80 children for day at Namumu Orphanage
Center (Zambia)
- $100 [D] Sustains 20 high-risk infants at House of Moses
crisis nursery (Zambia).
- $150 [E] Feeds 60 street kids for a week at Home of Hope
(Harare, Zimbabwe).
- $200 [F] Teaches sewing to former prostitutes in Antananarivo,
Madagascar.
- $300 [G] Provides food, clothing, and school tuition for
a boy at Lovemore Home (Harare, Zimbabwe).
- $350 [H] Annual scholarship to a Presbyterian boarding school
in Zimbabwe.
Bicycles for pastors and evangelists
Rural church workers travel long paths and are willing to brave
the elements. For $150, you can purchase a bicycle to be used
in [I] Malawi or [J] Madagascar.
[K] Holistic Evangelism in Tete Province,
Mozambique
Your gift of any size to this comprehensive project enables
us to do several things:
- Drill wells for clean water.
- Build churches and schools.
- Sensitize and educate for public health.
- Show the Jesus Film in two local languages.
- Hold conferences for elders, women, youth leaders, teachers,
etc.
[L] Scholarships
Without highly qualified leaders, African churches cannot reach
their potential. Your gift of any size will be used at our discretion
for those most worthy of the challenge. If you have no other preference,
please give to this.
And whatever you can give, we know that Jesus will be happy.
If you like, write us an email, but please send money directly
to
The Outreach Foundation
318 Seaboard Lane, Suite 205
Franklin TN 37067-8289.
If you prefer, you may call The Outreach Foundation at (800)
791-5023 or visit
their Web site. You can make a gift using Master Card or Visa.
Kindly indicate which project(s) you wish to support by writing
the amount(s) and letter codes [A] [B] [C] etc. in the memo field
on your check.
Contributions in support of our ministry are always welcome.
In this case, all you need to do is mention our names. If you
recently received an Outreach Foundation mailing asking for a
year-end gift, we would prefer that you make your response to
that first. Then consider these projects for “over and above”
generosity. For those who may desire a photo of your project,
we will gladly provide one, but be patient with us please. Internet
connections here are really slow.
On the birthday of Jesus we take delight in sharing his own abundant
life. We dare to believe that angels still sing, and the star
still shines, when God’s people seek his face. On behalf
of the entire Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), we thank you warmly
in advance. We only wish we could do so in person.
Till the whole world knows,
Your partners,
Ted and Sue Wright |
