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Meet Our Sponsored Children: Deborah and Aaron

but Jesus said,
“Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them,
for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
— Matthew 19:14

This year, the families and students of Classical Conversations Downtown Tulsa (CCDT) will be sponsoring two Ugandan orphans through Bless the Children Ministries (BTCM). Our donations will help provide food, shelter, and most of all, a safe place for these precious children to be nurtured, and to learn about God’s love.


Meet Our Sponsored Children

[one_half padding=”0 10px 0 0″]

Deborah

Deborah Namukwasa was born December 25, 2015, and is 1.5 years old.

Deborah’s mother died in childbirth and her father abandoned her. An aunt was trying to care for Deborah and her two siblings.[/one_half]

[one_half_last padding=”0 0 0 10px”]

Aaron

Aaron Manzi was born approximately January 1, 2016, and is 1.5 years old.

Aaron was found outside a school gate, completely alone, abandoned, and starving. At 16 months, he could barely crawl.[/one_half_last]


How can I get involved?

The cost to sponsor one child through BTCM is $44 per month. CCDT families and students are encouraged to participate in this project in the following ways:

  • Donate toward the monthly costs of sponsoring Deborah and Aaron.
  • Make a donation to help send our sponsored children a care package at Christmas time.
  • As a family, pray for our two sponsored children, Uganda’s 2.5 million orphans, and the work of orphan outreach ministries like BTCM.
  • Write letters to our sponsored children (details available soon).

Our Uganda Giving Box will be available to receive donations on each Community Day. Look for the Giving Box in Room 203 during Foundations & Essentials. (If you need to make a contribution at another time, please contact Abigail Prescott.)

We will also collect funds to apply toward the sponsorship costs through different fundraising opportunities, such as our Community Day Marketplace, and Moms’ Networking Night. More details on these events will be shared soon.

Other Ways You Can Help

  • Visit Bless the Children Ministries online and sponsor another child, or a member of the Ugandan staff.
  • Volunteer your time to support BTCM’s US operations by helping with fundraising, marketing, or other activities.
  • Join a mission trip! Each year, several Tulsa-area churches sponsor mission trips to serve at the BTCM campus in Mabaale, Uganda. Areas of need may include: medical outreach, educational services, construction projects, and more. BTCM also offers summer internships for college students who have a heart for serving orphans.

Why Uganda?

Uganda is a nation of children with a history of poverty, corruption, and war that is ripe for investment and hope.

  • Half of Uganda’s 38 million people are under the age of 15.
  • 45% of Ugandans are Protestant, 39% are Roman Catholic, 14% are Muslim.
  • The total fertility rate is 5.8 children per woman, one of the highest in the world.
  • Uganda’s maternal mortality rate is 16 times that of the United States.
  • Over 1.4 million Ugandans are living with HIV/AIDS — the 10th highest rate in the world.
  • 14% of children under the age of 5 are underweight.
  • Uganda has 2.5 million orphans.

What is Bless the Children Ministries?

Founded in 2008, BTCM’s mission is to care for orphans and vulnerable children through discipleship, Christian education, and health care. As part of its ministry, BTCM provides: a Children’s Home for orphaned and vulnerable children; a Sponsorship Program to meet ongoing needs; and a Christian school to provide Christ-centered education and relational discipleship. BTCM strives to help these children grow to be Godly leaders that will impact their communities.

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Service Project: Laura Dester Children’s Shelter

As some of you may already be aware, the OK Department of Human Services (DHS) has been working to close Oklahoma’s two emergency children’s shelters in order to move toward foster care placement for every child in state custody. The shelter in Oklahoma City has been closed for more than a year, but Tulsa’s Laura Dester Shelter remains in operation due to the long-term needs of the children living there. Most of these kids are teenagers, with serious medical or emotional needs that make finding a permanent foster home a special challenge.

Unfortunately, the publicity behind the scheduled closure of the Laura Dester Shelter has led much of the public — and many volunteer organizations — to believe the shelter is already closed, so donations, volunteers, and other support have dried up to almost nothing. Luckily, some amazing local citizens have stepped in to spread the word about these needs and help bring these special kids a wonderful Christmas!Each child at the shelter has already been sponsored for Christmas gifts (praise God!) but there are ongoing needs we are asking our community families to help address. (See the list below.)

Please bring some of the following items with you to community day THIS THURSDAY. The donated items will be collected and delivered to the Shelter next week. (If you aren’t able to make it to the store, but would like to donate money, we will use any donated funds to purchase items on your behalf.)

Thanks so much!

Needs for Laura Dester Shelter:

  • Shampoo
  • Men’s Deodorant
  • Toothpaste
  • Toothbrushes
  • Towels
  • Wash Cloths
  • Soap
  • Pillows
  • Flame resistant twin sheets
  • Sweatshirts
  • Jackets
  • Men’s shoes
  • Men’s Belts
  • Blankets
  • School uniforms

STAR Store: (A rewards “store” where the kiddos can turn in their points for good behavior for toys and other fun things!)

  • Playing cards
  • Uno cards
  • Candy
  • Hot Wheels
  • Axe products (no aerosol)
  • Wallets
  • Sunglasses
  • Reusable water bottles
  • Legos
  • Rubik’s cube
  • Hats
  • Hacky Sac
  • $5 gift cards to QT

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