00Overview:0One of our projects, David's House of Refuge is a home which began in January 2004, with young street boys ages 8-13 in the Delveaux and Fickin areas of Kinshasa. It began with four nutrition sites partnering with local churches. The home was a further initiative to identify true orphan street children and to provide them a stable Christian home environment with the added discipline of a simple boarding school.
00Education is mandatory to participate and Theresa, as a college professor, oversees the curriculum with the DRC national program, recruiting/training the teachers in current methods. Currently the boys attend local private school and are top-ranking in their classes.
00At David's House of Refuge, the boys received daily spiritual training and daily physical training for one hour each. We did not serve large numbers but tried to concretely assist and transform the lives of a few into good young men and leaders who can change the DNA of their community in the future.
00FLRC/CRVF is also assisting with a Feeding Program for small orphans suffering from malnutrition in another section of Kinshasa. These orphans are tiny--ages 1-5 years old. A large, high-protein meal is served four (4) times weekly. The health of these children has changed dramatically in two weeks – A Bible lesson and prayer is required at each meal served. In the future literacy lessons in Lingala will be required.
00We are also partnering with two small local ONG's for two Widow Programs serving widows, extremely poor women, and mothers of young children. FLRC/CRVF has funded 32 micro-enterprises--giving women an opportunity to support their families instead of begging or starving. Women are required to return the money they used to buy supplies e.g. fish, toiletries, fabrics, vegetables etc. to sell. Eight of 10 women succeeded in the first year. Three were chosen and were given a bonus to significantly expand and truly support their children in their homes. Additionally, in the second year we initiated seven more women and the third year another seven women and expanded three more businesses who are using their profits in creative ways for their families.
00Educated, well-trained Congolese women are the presidents of these ONG's (nonprofits) who direct the details of these Widow Programs. FLRC/CRVF provides initial funds and regular spontaneous audits. To date we have assisted 32 widows with their businesses.
00Literacy Projects in the local language of Lingala are a real and desperate need in DR Congo. Research indicates that illiteracy rates among the Congolese are at 33% for men and 45% for women. There is actually a decline in literacy in DRC from 1998-2003 (latest figures from Operation World). Prevention of the increase in street children means education and the means of work for mothers (and dads if present). Two literacy projects are well-established with the same two ONG's doing the widow projects. Certificates and small Lingala Bibles are awarded at the end of the 4-6 month program for the women who can read and write Lingala sufficiently. FLRC/CRVF has purchased 30 sets of Lingala readers, 35 Bibles, 3 blackboards and miscellaneous supplies.
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Children attending classes
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Mealtime for the boys
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Widow selling fabric
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Widow selling vegetables
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Planned Projects
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PRIORITY 1
Computer Center/Internet Café
Small English Resource Library
Classroom
00This project combines various needs into a single solution. A small home or cluster of three good-size rooms needs to be bought or rented. The Computer Center will serve a double purpose for skills training and internet/data processing services which will produce income.
00Numerous business and government leaders state that computer and simple English skills are a key to employment. FLRC/CRVF is looking for various means of sustainable income for this and other projects. Training will be available first for impoverished young people unable to afford post-high school education, but who can get good local references.
00The Computer Center will include a classroom for seminars, training and for a study/resource room. A small English Library will include some good French texts, references as well.
00The primary intent is, first, to provide Congolese who want to learn, practice and strengthen their English skills to have a place to come to do that. Secondly, training and assisting teachers in sustainable teaching methods is critical. Numerous research websites will be catalogued. Numerous texts and teachers guides for various courses K-8 will be available for learning activities and classroom comprehension. Teachers will have access to these resources and ideas for improving their own classroom training. The plan is also to have this center available to train our boys from David's House of Refuge and the teen moms.
00Some type of membership fee will be charged to cover possible damage or stolen goods. Actual use of texts and audio cassettes and library research will be free to the members. Certain computers will be research-designated and not for internet surfing. Fifty percent of the member fee will be returned to those who no longer wish to participate.
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PRIORITY 2
Teen Mom Center and Home
00In DRC where it is declared that more than 80% of the population says they believe in God, treatment of children and women is abominable and unacceptable. One group highly mistreated is the teen mom who gets pregnant because of a promise of marriage, or, the young woman is raped with a consequential pregnancy. These young women are rejected and thrown out of their families. They are forced to the streets or to the home of the man who abused her or took advantage of her--often living more as a slave to them. She is not welcome in most religious circles or places of worship. Often their children become street children because either the young mom does not have the means to care for the child, abuses the child, or, rejects the child with the possibility of a marriage to another man.
00At least two of the orphans in our home were the result of the above crisis. The same is true of some of the orphans in our feeding project--often regarded and treated as human "trash" just to be thrown away or discarded and ignored.
00FLRC/CRVF wants to begin a small home for teen moms in this condition. We would like 4-5 moms and their children to live together and to receive resources for food, clothing, medical care and parenting/health/nutrition training. One room of the home would be designated a sewing room and a teacher brought in to teach them. They would learn the skill with the full intention of becoming self-supportive within two years and she would move on. Child care could be the responsibility of another family member, friend or church member, on a rotating basis. A small sum would be paid to the sewing teacher and the childcare worker. The young moms of promise would have the opportunity to learn English or computer skills at our Computer Center. The hope would be to then start up another home or two--all with the intention of these women learning skills and becoming productive citizens caring for their children. These women would NOT be allowed to have other children and remain in the home.
00 All that FLRC/CRVF does or works to accomplish focuses first on giving value to children, raising them with respect, Godly values and responsibility so that they can become responsible leaders of integrity. Secondly, because we work with numerous Congolese adults or young adults, that means value changes and behavioral changes for the staff team of Congolese as well.
Many large forest fires begin with a small campfire! FLRC is treating effects for sure, but, seriously searching for ways to ameliorate the causes. We have begun to address the causes, but we have just begun....
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Much needed
Computer Center
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Much needed library
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Needed Teen Mom Center
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AS THE FAMILY GOES... SO GOES A NATION!
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" Defend the cause
of the weak
and fatherless;
maintain the rights
of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak
and the needy;
DELIVER THEM...!"
NIV Ps 82:3
"...He has sent ME
to proclaim freedom
for the prisoners... to release the oppressed...
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
NIV Luke 4:18-19 0
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000KENYA – Women of Promise 0000Releasing Women from Prison ... Setting them up of Business
" Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; DELIVER THEM...!" NIV Ps 82:3
THE CHALLENGE: Family Life Resource Center (FLRC) wants to help a group of women that are in prison. What are their crimes? Various misdemeanors: selling illegal brew (homemade alcoholic drink), killing a game animal for food to eat, are examples.
Babies and Toddlers are in Prison Too! Women often receive prison sentences of 7-9 years. They keep their infants and toddlers to age three with them--in prison! Conditions are stark and meager. Their children "on the outside" suffer. Often there is no father in the home, which is why she resorted to illegal means to survive! Abandoned children only ADD to the numbers of street children--a serious problem.
THERE IS A SOLUTION! FLRC will pay their fines which average $75, allowing them to be released. There are over 200 women in the local prison. Our focus is women with children. They will be required to be a part of Metro church and to be accountable to them. This builds toward success and real lifestyle changes.
STAYING OUT OF PRISON... We recognize that we must provide a means to stabilize each family. Therefore, FLRC in partnership with Metro church will give them $85--to start up a small business selling fabrics, clothing, vegetables, fruits, or sewing clothes etc. The women will be supervised by the Women's Ministry of Metro which is a large cell-group church. Discipleship, mentoring and accountability are part of this program.
Over a six-month period the women repay the business loan so that another group of women and widows can have a stable income.
OUR GOAL: Sufficient income for basic expenses and their children's school fees.
"...He has sent ME to proclaim freedom for the prisoners...to release the oppressed...to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." NIV Luke 4:18-19
PREVENTION
WIDOWS with children are included in this program to stabilize their families and help them " BELONG TO A CHURCH FAMILY"--a KEY to establishing this region in central Kenya.
AS THE FAMILY GOES...SO GOES A NATION!
SUCCESS IS BUILT INTO THE PROGRAM!
Since its beginning in February 2006, eleven women have been freed from prison and 14 have been assisted with starting a small business. Half have already re-paid their loans. Because the church is large, the members are purchasing their daily supplies from their own women rather than just the open market . It is an exciting testimony to see the impact a church can have on the prison system and the marketplace!
The senior pastor of the Metro church is a former street boy himself. He is a candidate for Member of Parliament! He has been influencing government leaders with the Gospel for several years. How is this possible? A missionary took time to care for him and to disciple him. Understandably, his passion is widows and street orphans--he knows their plight!
JOIN US IN THIS EFFORT! This is an opportunity to give a one-time gift... How often do you have the opportunity to completely establish a family for $160?
KNOW THAT YOUR GIFT WILL KEEP WORKING THE WONDER OF LIFE
IN THESE FAMILIES FOR YEARS TO COME!
The money paid for a small business is re-invested when it is re-paid!
Another prisoner or widow will be able to start her own business.
So your gift to Family Life Resource Center will work for years to come!
All of our work is provided by donations from family and friends and one U.S. organization. Theresa takes a small stipend/monthly of less than $500. May our God who sees all and blesses, bless and reward you
for your kindness and consideration of our work.
Would you consider a monthly amount to help us with this ongoing privilege
to bring in the Kingdom of God?
FAMILY LIFE RESOURCE CENTER, INC. IS A 501C3
AND ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. USA – MAIL TO:
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