by Summer Kelley
Africa
Many ITMI partners had outreaches to their community planned for Christmas. Many of you partnered with them to make these outreaches happen.
Next week, our February ITMI Monthly, "A Nebraska Family Makes a Mountain of Difference," tells how one family enabled many of our partners to multiply their reach last month.
We also shared last week how much Bread of Life's Christmas at the Square event in Kalisz, Poland raised for sick kids.
We're so thankful for all God's done through our partners and supporters. But there's more!
Bread of Life, Ivory Coast threw a party for the children of cocoa workers who wouldn't be able to afford gifts. The Smiths in Zulu Natal blessed many school kids with their annual Project Christmas Blessing events, and Excellence Christian Academy improved the lives of two whole villages!
Ivory Coast
1. Gifts for Grand-Labou Kindergarten in Ivory Coast
Bread of Life, Ivory Coast has been involved with a local Kindergarten school for a couple years now. Grand-Lahou is a village where many work on cocoa farms. The hours are long, and their young kids were roaming the streets.
Some villagers decided to provide Kindergarten for them. Bread of Life, Ivory Coast got involved and raised funds to provide a swings for the school, and have helped the school out in any way they can.
Last month, Bread of Life provided Christmas gifts for the Kindergarten's 100+ kids whose parents wouldn't be able to afford gifts for Christmas.
A Bread of Life volunteer addresses the crowd before the gifts are given.
This party was an opportunity to "wear their most beautiful traditional clothing and present it to others."
South Africa
2. Project Christmas Blessing
Kelly and Cherise Smith are serving in Zulu Natal, South Africa. Each year they bless school children in their community through Project Christmas Blessing. They provide an event on the last day of school with gifts, performances and a message from a Zulu pastor.
Here's some photos from 2015's event!
Some ladies in Arizona knitted caps to be given out at the events. They were a hit!
Zambia
3. New Pipes for a Zambian Village
Excellence Christian Academy learned that two villages outside their city of Kabwe, Zambia were drinking rust due to extremely rusty water pipes. They were concerned about the effects of this on people's health.
This is the drinking water of a village!
So, they came together to bless the village of Kabowa and the village of Lubemba with new water pipes.
Old, rusty pipe being used to measure for new ones! What a difference.
Working together to accomplish this project.
The impact we made together just last month was huge. And Jesus gets all the credit, because of course, this impact was made because of His people following Him, faithfully carrying out our own parts of His mission.
Every dollar that was given, every prayer that was prayed, every plate of food served, every gift lovingly planned, purchased and wrapped was a part of something bigger than itself. Bigger than each individual person or act.
Part of God's grand and sweeping plan to redeem and restore His creation. Part of God's plan to seek and save the lost, adding them to the ranks of His people. Part of His mission.
About the Author
Summer Kelley is a writer and follower of Jesus living in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband and three kids. She’s had the honor and privilege of telling ITMI’s stories since 2006. Summer loves reading, the outdoors and Coca-Cola Classic.