Looking spiffy!!!

Don’t the kids look great in their new school uniforms?!!

Do you see your sponsor child??? (Click the photos to enlarge)

All BCI Academy students in their new uniforms.

BCI Academy Bus – up and running!

The BCI Academy bus is up and running! It makes transporting the children to school every day quick and easy. Its also a great promotion for the school!

Thank you to everyone who helped make this a reality! See pictures below.

Praise the Lord, He is faithful to provide and continues to exceed all our expectations!

BCI Academy bus

 

BCI Academy bus, picking up students

BCI Academy Update – Phase II Completed!

Hey everyone! As you’ve probably read (if you receive the BCI Post), Phase Two of the BCI Academy has been completed and school is in session for grades first through sixth! We are so excited about this new school year and so grateful to everyone who helped make this happen. We just wanted to update you all with some pictures, as it progressed the last couple months. Enjoy!

“Our Journey to Ethiopia”

A couple from the Blessing the Children Canada Board of Directors went on a mission trip this summer and their lives were forever changed by the experience. Sharon has so graciously shared her experience with us and we would love to share it with you!

This is her story.

Our Journey to Ethiopia by S. Sommers

Life Saving Water – a story of hope.

“In June, a 10 member team from Iowa, Illinois, and Oklahoma came to Debre Zeyit to work with Blessing the Children.  7 water purification systems were brought with them for the people in the area.  Each water unit, from hayspurewaterforallfoundation.com, provides clean, safe drinking water for 5,000 people for 5 years. During their stay in Ethiopia, the team was able to participate in the water unit training of area pastors and leaders.  One water unit went to a rural school, and 2 others went to outlying churches whose only water supply was a contaminated lake and a muddy river.  What a blessing to be a small part of God’s work in Ethiopia, and get to personally meet the people who will benefit from the gift of clean water.

The idea for this project was born when Beth Trexel from Iowa went on a BCI mission trip in January of ‘09.  While she was there, she learned that the some of the greatest needs in Ethiopia were better roads and clean water.  She thought to herself “I can’t do anything about the roads, but I can do something about the water!”  God paved the wave for her and her team to return to share the gift of clean water so that the churches of Debre Zeyit could share the Living Water, Jesus Christ.

Whether it’s to GO, GIVE, or PRAY, God has a purpose for each one of us in the Body of Christ.  We in the U.S. are so blessed by God, but even more importantly, we are blessed to be a blessing to others.  That occurs when we simply share the things that God has given us… whether it’s our time, our resources, or the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: ‘He who gathered much did not have too much, & he who gathered little did not have too little.’” 2 Cor. 8

Godly compassion is a light for Christ that all will see.”

This article was written by Wendy, a member from this team. Kay, another team member, writes:

“Getting to be a part of the team delivering the water purification units was an unexpected and meaningful part of this trip. I am so grateful that God orchestrated the timing of my trip to coincide with the team members who brought the water units! It was amazing! To see the faces and hear the hope in the voices of the leaders when we delivered the units was unforgettable. To witness murky green water turn into crystal clear purified drinking water was miraculous! At Green Lake, one elder stood and told us that many people had visited them and promised to help them get clean water – other missionaries had come, the government had come, but no one had ever come back, until us. He said that we had given them HOPE! And that they would share the water with their communities, with the Orthodox and Muslim, and they would not only give them clean water, but they would give them JESUS!”

Below are some photos from their trip.

Before

After

The June Team with the people of Green Lake

Beth doing a demonstration

Trying them out

Moses doing a demonstration

If you feed them, they will come.

This summer, Blessing the Children had many visitors. Among them was a very special couple who saw a need, found an opportunity, and made a difference.

During their short two-week visit, Dave and Holly made a lasting impact. Not only did they forever change a child’s life (front page – http://blessingthechildren.org/Forms/BCI_Post_2010-07.pdf) but they started a monthly feeding program. They saw the need while they were there and upon their return, they emailed us and asked what it would take to start this program. After some research and planning, we decided to start the program as one meal a month at a local church. The meal would take place after the weekly activity day, and the moms of several children in the BCI sponsorship program would be recruited to prepare the meal. This will not only put food in the children’s bellies but also provide jobs for their mothers!

Once all the details were worked out and a plan set in place, Dave and Holly started fundraising for the feeding program. The program is now in its third month and is going great! The wonderful thing is that before the meal, the children take turns putting together a small, bible-based skit, a few bible verses, and the children’s choir leads a few praise and worship songs. So this is not only reaching out to the children physically by putting a healthy meal in their bellies, but it is also ministering to them spiritually.

The hope is to eventually expand the feeding program to offer more than one meal a month. All of your prayers and support are greatly appreciated! And a big thank you to Dave and Holly, for all their hard work and fund-raising for this program. God is truly blessing the children!

The moms preparing the meal.

The moms preparing the meal.

Dish it up!

And ENJOY!

Feeding Program.

Feeding Program.

The multitude.

The wheels on the bus go round and round…

Some of you may remember getting a letter from Blessing the Children about the government allowing us to import a minibus duty-free. This is a huge blessing to the ministry and the BCI Academy. Having our own bus would allow us to pick up the children for school and church and to transport missionaries/team members, instead of renting a vehicle, which ends up being about $1,000 a month. So this bus will pay for itself in about a year and then save us the large transportation expense.

We are happy to let everyone know that Tadesse traveled to Dubai last month, found a beautiful bus, and was able to purchase it. It is on its way to Ethiopia right now and we are hoping will arrive and be available for school in September. Thank you to everyone who donated to the purchase of the bus!

BCI Academy's new bus

BCI Academy's new bus

BCI Academy – Phase Two Update

You heard it here first!

Phase Two of the BCI Academy is coming along great: so far this summer, the floors for three of the classrooms have been poured and the metal work for the roof has been started. We are so excited to see the finished product and to be able to expand the number of children in the school. Please keep BCI in your prayers, and that the rest of the funds needed to complete Phase Two come in.

BCI Academy, Phase Two

BCI Academy, Phase Two

BCI Academy, Phase Two

BCI Academy, Phase Two

Check out our team member videos!

Please feel free to check out these video’s team members have posted from their trips. They will touch your heart and if you sponsor a child, you may even see a picture of them in one of these videos so keep an eye out and ENJOY!

Our featured video – Blessing the Children Ethiopia – Mission Trip

Ethiopia Blessing the Children 2010

The Beautiful Children of Ethiopia

Highlights of Ethiopia

Africa Project

Phase Two of the BCI Academy is underway!

We are so excited to announce that Phase Two of the BCI Academy is officially underway. Phase One of the BCI Academy is currently grades 1 – 4 and Phase Two will be holding grades 5 – 8. Its so great what the Lord is doing in Ethiopia, through the local churches and staff, as well as teams and missionaries.

We are certainly excited for the upcoming summer teams. They will have the opportunity to work on the construction of Phase Two, as well as reach out and share the love of Jesus with the community through the local churches by doing activity days and VBS classes.