Global Family Sponsorship

The Global Family sponsorship program gives us the opportunity to “celebrate God’s love” by becoming a Global Family Sponsor!  The cost of a sponsorship is $25 monthly or $300 annually.  The funds support students involved in community-based projects in children’s homes, libraries, schools for the disabled, street children and troubled youth, orphanages, preschools, regular primary and secondary schools and churches.  Call Ruth at MCC Alberta office (403-275-6935) or email at: to request a brochure and registration form.  The Global Family web site is: www.mcc.org/globalfamily/.

New projects, as of April 2007 include:

1. Brazil: “The Projeto Novo Cordeiro”, in the city of Recife offers help to poor children between the ages of three and six years, teaching them basic literacy skills, medical and dental care for mothers and children, and sports activities.
2. Burkina Faso: “ASAD” (Action Sida des Assemblies de Dieu/AIDS Action Association of the Assemblies of God in Church) helps children orphaned due to the AIDS pandemic with school (fees, uniforms, supplies), food and medical costs.
3. China: “Dazhou Children’s Speech and Hearing Kindergarten” in Sichuan province – provides intensive speech therapy training for 45 preschool children with hearing deficits.
4. Egypt: “Seeds of Hope Centre” at Salam Center in Cairo – a center/school for children with disabilities.  GFP helps to cover tuition fees, provide new equipment and materials, training for teachers, teachers’ salaries, and student bus service.
5. Syria: The Franciscan Nuns’ “After School Support Program” in Damascus helps children at risk of becoming street children to stay in school, providing free after-school assistance with homework, computer literacy, links to local social services, and free snacks before going home for night.
6. Ukraine: “Family-type Childrens’ Homes”.  Natasha Nniklaenko, of the Sokolovskaya Baptist Church, has welcomed six foster children into her home to provide love and care.  Global Family funds support Natasha and the church in renovating a little house for this ministry, defraying costs of food, education, transportation for medical care, medicine and other costs.

Highlights:

• As of June 30, 2007, there are 245 sponsors in Alberta, sponsoring 400 GFP cases.
• Rebecca Janzen and Ruth Neufeldt represented MCC Alberta on a Global Family Learning Tour to India last November 2007.  The trip was “amazing, and very worthwhile – packed with great learning opportunities”.  It was very encouraging to meet adult teachers, health workers, and workers in the public sector who, as children, had been sponsored through the Global Family Program.  Rebecca was able to meet several of the young people whom she and her family sponsor – a very special time!  Both Rebecca and Ruth are willing and eager to share their experiences with church groups and individuals.




Ruth Neufeldt