Charities and Good Causes...
Under a tree sheltering from the heat of the day sat the little boy, wearing only an old pair of shorts and a dirty torn vest hanging on one shoulder. There was a momentary lull in the buzz of the flies, as the stranger knelt in front of him. He looked up. The abject hopelessness of his situation and life vividly reflected in his sad eyes.
"I have a little present for you from God" came the soft voice of the stranger, as a paper carrier bag was laid in the boy's lap. "Who is God" asked the boy, "Someone who loves you and cares about you" came the reply. "That's not possible" answered the boy, "Well, why don't you look in the bag and find out".
The boy removed the items from the bag slowly, with disbelief. First a brand new pair of bright blue shorts with three pockets, then some soft sand shoes and finally a multi-coloured T shirt with the words "God loves you" emblazoned across the front. All were a perfect fit. In the bottom of the bag was also enough food to feed his family for two days. The expression on the face of the boy had slowly changed and was now alight with a heavenly glow as he took the strangers hand and said "About this man called God - I really would like to get to know Him"
There is a lovely sequel to this story, please contact me if you would like to know about it!
Bud Buske (00 34) 667 848 892
At Vineyard Christian Fellowship, we have been blessed with amazing contacts to ensure that your help finds its way directly into the hands of the "stranger" and into the very heart of many problems facing different people daily. Please take a moment to read about our recent charities and donations below...
Zimbabwe Food Relief Fund...
Recent Email Updates 2009:
Dear Bud and Sue,
Trust that you are both well. I had a look at your website and am deeply impressed with the practical work that Vineyard Christian Fellowship are engaged with as an organisation. Praise god for folk like you with such a practical giving ministry.
I have some statistics on the food relief programme that we are a part of. These figures are as on 01 April 2009:
Since 2007, when the relief programme was launched by New Covenant Ministries churches in South Africa:
Approximately R2 280 000 has been spent on food and fuel costs
More than 15 000 food parcels have been sent into Zimbabwe through this aid programme.
Approximately 215 trips have taken food to 26 different regions. This averages 12 trips per month.
Plans are to continue with food relief, slowly phasing it out and replacing it with seed delivery and training in Farming God's Way at least until Jan 2010.
Thank you again for your kindness, concern and generosity.
Kind regards, Ray
Dear Bud and Sue,
Thanks once again for your ongoing support and prayers for the people of Zimbabwe . We have just returned again from a trip to Gweru in Zimbabwe and done a food drop in Lower Gweru. We also managed to distribute a few bags of maize seed for their next crops after the winter months. It was on this trip that the tragic accident took place where Morgan Tsvangiri's wife died. The Zimbabweans seem to be generally more hopeful that things will begin to improve but it seems that many other solutions still have to be found before this can happen.
The Zimbawean currency is not operative anymore and it seems they are only interested in trading in foreign currency as it retains its value. It also makes it a lot easier for us not to have to exchange money for the ridiculousy depreciating Zim dollars. However, it makes it very difficult for the locals to make any purchases as it forces them to leave the country to go and earn some South African rands or Botswanan pulas. We were surprised to find that on this occasion there was food in the shops, just very expensive and beyond the affordability of most. So the food aid coming in is hugely appreciated. There is also no way of knowing how long the food supply will last at this stage.
I am arranging to get some more information and pics on the food going in from the churches and also the Farming God's Way training.
Kind Regards,
Ray Bush
If there is any way you think you can help this cause, please contact:
Bud Buske (00 34) 667 848 892
Farming God's Way...
Africa is a continent rich in natural resources, with beautiful people, vast landscapes, biodiversity, minerals and so much more, yet it is the most poverty stricken. Agriculture in Africa is done to very poor standards with severe crop failure & the need for massive tonnages of grain to be imported to African shores every year.
The continental requirements for importing 21 million tons of grain this year clearly indicate the "begging bowl" status of the continent, whilst also displaying how poorly the continent is doing at realizing her potential. As a result of these poor yields, farming has become non-profitable, farmers are frowned upon in communities & land is not cared for.
Farming God's Way has a proven track record of 28 years and was initially designed by Brian Oldreive of Zimbabwe, on the commercial farm Hinton Estate (3,500ha). The farm was ultimately the second largest commercial farm in Zimbabwe. The technology was thereafter made available to surrounding predominantly subsistence farmers, & many success stories abound where farmers have adhered to standards, and lives across the continent have been drastically improved with results of radically improved yields, provision, profitability & restoration of farmers self worth.
Farming God's Way has been proven with a variety of crops including maize, soyabeans, sorghum, wheat, groundnuts, beans, cowpeas, vegetables and many more. By transferring FGW skills to farmers, they are quickly able to turn their farms into viable ventures, from which their families can be fed, profits can be made & farms can become worthwhile businesses passed down as an inheritance from generation to generation.
If there is any way you think you can help this cause, please contact:
Bud Buske (00 34) 667 848 892
Hope Community Trust...
The Hope Community Trust, is a small charity based in the UK, but with big work to do in India. It is a non profit making organisation created to offer educational, social and general assistance mostly to the children but also to the people living in Andra Pradeh, south east India. The affected areas are located mostly in rural communities in a state of poverty and in most cases extreme poverty.
Until recently Pastor Samuel ran an orphanage at Bobbili, which supported 20 children, ranging in age from 2 to 14 years. The children were living in a 3 sided hut, but now Pastor Samuel and his wife, Nicky Smith from Norwich, have purchased 5 acres of land at Kuntinivalasa, and have built Emmanuel Grace Childrens' Home and School. This enables the children to gain an education and escape the poverty and ignorance of the cast system.
The children are mostly semi orphan or orphans whose families cannot afford to feed and educate them. Taking a child into the home means they can have a free high standard education and avoid some of the possible dangers of a life of poverty. In some rural locations children are sold into bonded labour in rice fields to pay the families debt. This means they work for a landowner to repay a debt. They never see any money for their work and the rates of interest may be so high that the debt continues from one generation to the next. A child living in the home will avoid such a situation.
At the moment there are about 39 children in the home and 130 children attending the school.
Recently donated to the home
A cow with funds from Spain.
A roof with funds from the Pinoso Vineyard Christian Fellowship.
6 computers with funds from the Cleethorpes Baptist church.
School books from the Callosa Christian Centre in Spain.
A trip to the zoo with funds give by a couple in Torre del Rico in Spain.
Latest Email from the centre:
Dear Bud and Sue
Trust you are both well and I thought I would send some pictures and an update on the events here in India.
The monsoons did not start yet so please pray they come soon as it is unbearably hot and humid. If the rains don’t come also it will cause the rice harvest to be poor and a lot of people here will go hungry.
We opened the school last week and I have attached a few photos and will send some others later. I cant download to many at once as the computer link here is not broadband yet and so is very slow.
The school is finished with only one or two small things to do now to make it complete. We are waiting for the electricians to come and put in some fans - much needed. We are also awaiting the doors for the classrooms as the carpenter is busy at the moment but that is no problem as we don’t really need them at present.
We have taken some more children into the home and will continue to take admissions until we have around 50. At the moment we have 41. We did have 43 but some parents of two of the new children decided to come and take them away. It happens like that every year some people come and then change their mind. We have tried to take only the poorest children either orphan or semi orphan so we have turned a way a few as well because their families can afford to feed and educate them if they want to.
We have got some new teachers, much better than the ones we sacked but we still need 2 more so please pray as at the moment I am very busy covering lessons in school when really there is other work I need to be doing. One teacher was supposed to come this week but has delayed another week so I have some doubts he will come at all. Anyway God know and he is faithful so we are trusting him to provide. It is really good being in the new building with larger classrooms although we are still waiting on the furniture the kids don’t mind too much as they didn’t have any furniture last year so they are not really missing it.
We have some new Bible college students, not as many as we hoped for but some really good ones with genuine conversions which is better than lots with no real commitment. We are going to a new village this week as well so please pray as there is lots of evangelism to do.
I really enjoyed our evening together and look forward to seeing you again soon
Love Nicky
If there is any way you think you can help this cause, please contact:
Patrick Vine on: (00 34) 617 354 758
A.M.A.S Asociación Manos de Amistad y Solidaridad
The “Asociación Manos de Amistad y Solidaridad” translates as the association of helping hands and friendship. It is a non profit making organisation created to offer educational, social and general assistance to the children of Pillao Matao, Cusco, Peru.
This is a rural community in a state of poverty. AMAS run a community centre open to all children in the community. Between 60 - 80 children attend daily and on special occasions up to 400 children attend the centre. AMAS is a small organisation and only has one community centre in Cusco, Peru.
At present AMAS does not employ anyone, all those who work for the charity are volunteers. AMAS relies totally on donations from private individuals and does not receive any kind of government funding.
Latest Email from the centre:
Dear all
Some of you already know that the schools in Peru have been closed for a while due to the outbreak of the Flu and in an attempt to contain it. The AMAS centre has also been closed but it is now open again and functioning well. We have some great volunteers at the moment which is of great assistance.
A few months ago a company in England, KPMG, kindly donated 600 pounds to AMAS. We have used the money for various things which I mention in the news and events section of the website but we kept some of the money to one side in order to be able to arrange roast potatoes with cheese, fruit and fizzy drinks for the children now. We have been waiting as this is the coldest time in Cusco and also we needed to have some volunteers to assist with this event as Sra Luz would find it impossible to arrange such an event on her own.
I attach some photos of the event which I hope you will like and from which you will see that the children thoroughly enjoyed the potatoes!
For those of you who have sponsored children I will be arranging to send out photos of your sponsored child shortly with the items that Sra Luz has bought for each of them with your money this month. Many thanks as always for your continued support for these children which as you know makes an incredible difference in their lives.
Kind regards
Nicola
If there is any way you think you can help, please contact:
Nicola Jellis on: (00 34) 666 184 119
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