Update: Child Sponsorship Program

More than any other project, I am excited to see the long-term impact the child sponsorship program will have in the Abengourou community and impoverished families.  Pasquier and Emmanuel have such a great vision and passion that is infectious.  Please pray for the program and consider how you might take part in the future.  We hope to start  finding sponsors for 100 children in February 2013.

Pasquier & Emmanuel - the co-founders of Coeur Ouvert (Open Heart)

Each student registered in the program received a backpack with school supplies and was measured for their uniform.

Everyone waiting patiently on the porch of the mission's training center.

François and Maturin (our social workers) verify the registration and contact information of all the families.

Pasquier making sure all goes well.

Lilian Tro hands out their backpacks.

Each student gets measured for their school uniform.  Our tailor was a beneficiary of our CHE's micro finance program .

Our seamstress also works with the micro finance program, measuring the girls.

Our initial group completed the process.  These children are all in 1st grade.

One of our groups of parents following a training and planning meeting.

Update: Chicken Farm Project

Another exciting new project about to get started.  A big thanks to IDES for their partnership in this new aspect of CHE (Community Health Evangelism).  Below are photos of an example of someone who is impacted by this kind of ministry.  The first photo is of a lady named Djane Djaka.  Read more about her AMAZING story here: Djaka's Story.

The first day Djaka arrived at our clinic with her son Moussa.  She only weighed 66 lbs.

Shortly after she received her first of many visits from our clinic and CHE workers.  Here she is with Natalie.

Djaka and her son Moussa in her garden.  The CHE program helped Djaka get started.

As Djaka works in the garden, not only does she have the necessary nutrition today, but she shares her abundance with others in need in her community.  This picture was taken only 4 months following the first photo!

At their lowest point, both Djaka and Moussa were living on the street with Moussa finding food for both of them.  Today he loves helping his mother raise their garden.

This is a picture of Djaka just 5 months after we first met her.  You can see why she calls herself a walking miracle.

Update: Beoumi Project

Here is the most recent update on our church planting ministry in Beoumi, Ivory Coast.  Please continue to pray for the new churches in the Beoumi Region and the church planters working hard to share God's message of hope through Jesus Christ.  Below are a few photos from the Beoumi work.

Homemade drumset

Douti Didier teaching in the village of Bélakro

Unfortunately vehicle trouble has too often been a part of our trips as well.

Children who gathered to listen to a Bible study in the village of Kouébo-Dan

The house that we are renting to serve as the base of operations and sleeping quarters for our church planters for only $50/month (the bottom floor only) and where the Béoumi church meets for weekly services.

Update: New Maternity

 Here is a quick update on our current status with the new maternity project.  Also, we are still looking for a labor and delivery nurse or mid-wife to come serve with us in the new maternity, anyone interested should contact CMF.  Click on the link to see the job description on CMF's website: CMF Personnel Needs.  Please be in prayer for the project and consider how you can help the women in our region.

Also, I wanted to give you a look at the property and also a picture of the current set-up for the mid-wife's consultation area in our lab.

Maternity & Dr.'s Office

Side of Maternity and Yard (we hope to put a playground where the cement pad is)

Current pre/post-natal consultation area (located inside our lab... notice the backup batteries and lack of privacy)

The blue building will be our social services office headed by our chaplain.  The white buildings will be hospital rooms for patients needing greater care.

Outside view of the property