Current Projects
In addition to our ongoing need of sponsors for children, we also have a number of other needs both in the office and out in the field. Below is a list of our current urgent needs.
Twenty Churches in Twenty Years
Why would a ministry called “Allow The Children” do a project for building churches? Children in many villages in Nepal and throughout the world are growing up without the experience of a church, even if they have the blessing of a home fellowship of believers. For many small groups in a village, to have a building dedicated to the Lord for worship, teaching and serving is just incredible. For people who struggle daily for survival, a church building is quite beyond their visible means to provide for themselves.
For our 20th anniversary in ministry, June 2023 we want to look back over all that the Lord has done. We also want to step confidently into the future with a challenging project that will have a spiritual impact until the Lord returns!
We would like to see a total of 20 churches funded and buildings completed over the next year and a half—the last half of 2022 and the full year of 2023—TWENTY CHURCHES in TWENTY YEARS of ministry. We need $10,500-15,000 to complete each village church building.
The Lord has met this need and provided even more abundantly than we could have imagined. As of May, 2023 we have funded twenty-two churches! We have other village fellowships that have been screened and there is an ongoing need for more church buildings. A gift of any amount is a blessing to this ongoing project.
Please note “church building project” on your gift
The Christmas Project
The Christmas Fund is divided among all of the children in our program to provide gifts and a special Christmas meal for each of our children’s homes.
The Christmas bags contain different items every year. Typical gifts are school tablets and pens, soap, a toothbrush, some children’s Bible tracts, and a hat knitted by our volunteers in the US. Last year, each child received a package of masks. About every 3 years we supply new Bibles to all who are of reading age. Some years we have given T-shirts, a towel, a water bottle and we always include candy which is a rare treat.
Bible Project
All of our ministry countries need Bibles. We distribute them through the village churches. The pastors know who among their people can read and do not have a Bible. We also use them during our medical clinics. We give them to children in our sponsorship program who do not have one.
We can use as many Bibles as we can fund.
Burundi Vocational Projects
We praise the Lord that the buildings and equipment needed have been completed. Ongoing expenses for this ministry include salaries for the teachers and materials for the kids to use as they are learning. The goal is to build a base of customers so that vocational training will support itself or even provide income for the school. While we are in the start-up phase, we need wood for the kids as they learn carpentry, cloth for sewing, and metal for practice welding. As funds allow, we would like to give each student a sewing machine when they finish the sewing program.
Pastor Training
An important part of our work is to encourage, equip and enable the faithful pastors who are already ministering among the people.
A village pastor might have been a believer for only a short time. He may not have learned the familiar bible stories as a child. He may have received some education or none at all.
Each country is structured a little differently, but Pastor training is a big project that we have done many, many times. It is a blessing to invest in those who will go out and reach others. It is a blessing to give them time to come away, to fellowship and worship, and pray together.
Women’s Training
It is so very important to train women in the Bible and all matters of faith. Women are an incredible influence in the family and the church. Women are the primary leaders and teachers of the next generation of the church. In less developed countries, women’s ministries are often considered less important than those of the men. Women need the encouragement of these seminars. These seminars require hours of preparation, of course, for the teacher. Funding is needed to provide at least one meal. This is a very special time for women to come together to fellowship and focus on spiritual things.
Administration supplies: postage, paper, printing, etc.
We find that people really like the fact that ALL of the money they designate is going for the child or project. But they also want their tax receipt. There are government compliance tasks which we must do and which cost money. Banks charge fees for services to wire funds internationally. We must have a web site and make promotional materials. We need to maintain computers and other office equipment. We need paper, printing and postage. The office administration is an important part of the ministry.
Everything we do in the field depends on the efficiency and integrity of the office ministry in the U.S.
We are so grateful for those who help with the office needs.