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Again, this month, we have many praises to God: 1) in the United States, Mr. Jerry Woods continues to make great progress on the soon-to-be-available Horizons Foundation website - this man is the CEO of a large, successful company and yet he takes his personal time to develop a state of the art web site; 2) amongst the snow and ice in Moldova, the bakery at the Bethany Christian Complex made a profit for the month of December, the first month of operating in the 'black' - like most new businesses, it took a few months to become profitable; 3) a computer was transferred from Moldova to Ukraine along with funds to purchase a monitor - this was accomplished by driving 12 hours over snowy/icy roads, 4) on this same trip, funds were transferred from Ukraine to Moldova for missionary support, and 5) God has already provided the funds for increased missions support in 2004 - all we need to do is recognize His abundance and channel it to His projects. From Moldova, Calvin Klaus shares the following: "Please pass this small note to all those who support Horizons Foundation. Your support to help change the lives of children in Moldova is blessing many. Young children that some years ago did notknow how to talk without screaming now speak so graciously, in two or three languages. Other young children have had opportunities to be loved for the first time in their lives. Others live in the comfort of real homes with loving Christian parents, go to a wonderful school and learn practical skills of life as well as academic skills. Others have found the confidence that they can do something through the opportunity to learn music. When they realize they have learned to play an instrument, they know they can do something else in life also. From a missionary that has close to seven years in Moldova, I thank you and thechildren that you have helped and continue to help, thank you and hope you have had a blessed holiday season and new year. Love to all, Calvin Klaus" P.S. After Al acquires better computer skills, he will forward some of the pictures sent from Moldova in this newsletter -- pictures of kids playing guitars, piano and performing with a group. Sorry, as of right now, Al just doesn't know how to do it. Additionally from Moldova, we have this report, "On 25th December in our church we celebrated Christmas. In that Christmas Program were involved all the children and adolescents that attend the Sunday School. Children presented dramas, sang different Christmas songs. Approximate one year ago Music School was opened the where many children gain abilities to play on different musical instruments. Thus in the Christmas celebration children from Music School also performed on their instruments. As a part of church ministry we have a special program for children of risk. These children also took part at that Christmas Program. It was a happy day. All the adults and children that watched the program were full of joy. In the end each child received a present and this increased their joy." You can help rescue these children at risk. In Moldova, these children were defined as follows: "A child at risk can be: 1. Without parents. 2. From a single parent family; divorce, death, abandoned, or imprisoned. 3. Abandoned and staying with a grandparent or relative. 4. In a blended family, these children are without care of the other parent and many times pushed out of the home. The child's situation is: 1. They are around drugs or alcohol. 2. They cannot enter school without outside the home intervention. 3. They are in very negligent homes. Without proper food, clothes or medical care. 4. They can be encouraged to go beg and steal for what they want to eat. 5. They will not receive proper education without some one intervening in their behalf at the public schools 6. Their friends usually encourage them to drink, do drugs, steal and live a non-moral life. Without intervention: 1. These children will follow their parents; in alcoholism, drug addiction, prostitution, and crime. 2. These children will never have the possibility of an education that can help change their life. 3. These children will live a life of suffering and deprivation. 4. Most of all these children will never come to know Jesus love in their life. The need of intervention: 1. First and foremost is to show the child that there is hope in life because of Jesus. 2. Hope comes from having a loving daily program for children. 3. Hope comes from having a good meal each day, help with cloths and medical care when needed. 4. Hope comes from loving workers who help the children, hugging, joking, teaching, and correcting when needed. 5. Hope comes when the child realizes that Jesus cares and they open their heart to Him. Existing intervention: 1. There is a daily program where the children learn about Jesus and the love of God; both in word and action. 2. The children are feed a good meal once a day. 3. The children have the opportunity to learn music in the music school with out cost. 4. The children are helped with clothes and medical supplies. 5. The children are mentored in life. 6. The children are guided through the difficult decisions they face. Planned growth in intervention: 1. Build a building special for the needs of these children: with showers, laundry facilities, and a better environment for the program. 2. Start a Christian school where the children will receive the same care as any other child. 3. To start a complex of homes for children who need a Christian home because they are abandoned, taken from the parents by the state, or orphaned." During 2003, the US dollar declined in value, compared to the Euro from 105 to 125, about a 20% decline. Of course, you math majors know that you really have to have 25% more dollars to buy the same amount of goods as you did one year ago. Horizons Foundation is committed to increasing the funding to Eastern Europe for the ongoing projects by at least 25%, so the missions work will NOT be decreased in Moldova, Ukraine, or Romania. As will be our custom, every third month of this newsletter, we will identify needs, both for prayer and finances. Prayer changes things! Prayer brings projects to fruition. Please pray with us for these needs: 1) in Romania, during the past week, the almost new van used for transporting the food to the orphanage was stolen - this van was purchased new for almost $30,000 not 8 months ago; please pray for the Executive Director in Romania, Mihela Fordor, and for the board of My Brothers Keeper for hope and encouragement in this upsetting time; 2) in Chisinau Moldova, we need a Moldovan couple to make the long term commitment to come to Bethany to become parents to 12 former street children - the house has been rehabbed, the furniture bought, the waiting list of kids needs to be addressed, we need volunteers for this most difficult, most important job; 3) in Belti Moldova, we need to hire the right architect to prepare the site sketches and plans for children's homes on the hilltop the city will be giving to the work; 4) for Jan and Kevin Rutledge, that God will use these very talented, just returned missionaries fluent in German, Slovak, and Russian in just the right spot - how many neighbors do you have that speak four languages and want to use their talents for His projects; and 5) for Go Ye Ministries' Avis Goodheart as she now starts to build an orphanage in this dry season in Peru and shows God's love and kindness for those in Palmeras and Pacasmayo Peru - that God will give her great wisdom in this project and the microlending partnership with Horizons Foundation later this year. The primary financial needs presented to us recently are: 1) $1800 to hire an assistant Executive Director for one year in Odessa, Ukraine to administer the 'First Step Program' (the program for feeding over 120 street children) which will free up the Executive Director to plan additional children's homes there, 2) $4600 to purchase a house near Belti, Moldova that will be used as a church and outreach center in a small town where the mayor and some local thugs have threatened bodily harm to anyone coming to start a non-Orthodox church - committed Christian's continue to go there to hold meetings out in the open or inside a van if it gets too cold; 3) an additional $16,500 to be raised to fund the Peruvian microlending project -- $3500 has been committed so far; and 4) funds to replace the van in Romania. To those who expressed interest in Dr. Jo Anne Lyon's book, it will be mailed to you in February. Al and Charlotte just returned from Nicaragua and Panama. While in Managua, Nicaragua we met with a high school principal in charge of a school of about 150 kids. She had two recent graduates needing to go to college, but they do not have the funds. $350 pays for one year of college. Will you put one of the girls thru one year of college? As always, 100% of your contribution goes to the project of your choice and your contribution to Horizons Foundation is tax deductible. In His Service, Al Lockhart Past Newsletters: 30 November 2003 31 December 2003 01 January 2004 01 February 2004 01 March 2004 01 April 2004 31 May 2004 30 June 2004 01 July 2004 01 August 2004 30 September 2004 31 October 2004 30 November 2004 31 December 2004 31 January 2005 28 February 2005 31 March 2005 02 May 2005 02 July 2005 31 August 2005 11 October 2005 18 December 2005 02 April 2006 30 June 2006 31 October 2006 |
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