ECED UPDATE - OCTOBER 2007
14,963 children are now receiving hot, nutritious meals everyday around the globe from the partners of FTH.
- 1,500 at Childcare Kitgum Servants in Uganda
- 1,000 at Mercy & Grace Ministries in India
- 500 at Living Word Ministries in Thailand
- 2,500 in North Korea (Updated)
- 1,750 children through Empower Africa in Swaziland
- 1,300 children through Soweto Academy Centre in Kenya
- 800 at King Solomon's Academy in Bulenga, Uganda
- 35 in the Indonesian Island of Nias
Newly Added
- 3,500 at Overland Missions Livingstone, Zambia
- 520 through Evangelical Mission Church, Cambodia
- 550 through the Amazon Xpedition Outreach, Columbia/Brazil
- 600 in Islandia Peru
- 408 at the Liberty Christian Centre in Liberia
Under the direction of Peter Sumrall, in 2005 Feed The Hungry began a new initiative specifically to feed children, who have been taken in by Christian Orphanages around the globe:-
- Children who have been orphaned by war and disease
- Children from unimaginably poor families
- Children torn from their homes and turned into refugees by natural and man-made tragedies
- Children who, without the care and protection of these Christian orphanages, would be desperately needy and terribly hungry
"This is a chance to fulfill a significant part of the vision that God originally gave my father, 18 years ago" says Peter Sumrall; "it's been my desire to return to the work my father began in the 60's -- working with Christian Orphanages."
"It all started when a lady from Baugio, Philippines who ran an orphanage, called with a plea for help. She had been a member of a local branch of an American church, " remembers Peter, "but when she married a local Filipino her church had cut her off. The church left the orphanage with no food, almost no water and absolutely no money to take care of the children."
"My dad received the call and without a second consideration, he said yes, he would assume the responsibilities of all the children."
"This was the middle of the night, so understandably my mom asked what the call was all about and he simply answered, 'we are now responsible for fifty children in the Philippines'. And that was the beginning of LeSEA's ministry to children."
Over the years, LeSEA has fed, clothed and educated literally millions of children. Dr Sumrall never lost his “soft spot” for children and in his final years wanted more than anything to reach out to those who could not protect themselves, could not care for themselves, nor feed themselves -- the children.
It is FTH’s privilege at such a time as this to be able to reach out and help children who are in need, whose only contact with the Christian community is the efforts supported by FTH. Our goal is to help 100,000 children per day in the next few months. With your help, we can.
It's an opportunity to make a generational impact as we work with well-established ministries in Africa and Asia -- because God's Word will be taught and demonstrated before their very eyes. These children will see the love of God in word and in deed.
As FTH takes over the burden of the daily food requirements it will allow the orphanages to improve the quality of life for their wards, and increase their intake of abandoned children as Charlie Milbrodt shares:
When Feed The Hungry approached us with the possibility of helping with our food budget for the children... I could hardly believe my ears. This has been our biggest challenge in the 12 years we have been ministering to the children in Thailand. We feed them one hot meal per day, and for many this is the only decent meal they get each day. More than 500 children are under our care: orphans, AIDS orphans, refugees, desperately poor families and so on. Our constraining factor has always been the funds to feed the children. If we have the natural food it will give us the opportunity to provide the children with spiritual food and an education to give them a secure future.
Charlie Milbrodt
Living Word Ministries, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Steve Lazar from Mozambique shares this one testimony:
Meet Lija, a 5yr old little girl who weighed 10kg when she came to us. Her mother having died from AIDS and her father long gone, she was suffering from malnutrition, AIDS, untreated TB, and a chest infection. She was a very sad and sick little girl when we accepted her into our dormitory. She was scared of the other children and extremely fragile.
During the last month she has put on almost 2kg, her chest infection has healed, and she has been on TB medication for three weeks, but the most exciting thing to see is her changed demeanor.
She is like a little ray of sunshine, happy, jovial, responsive, and she loves to play. The change in one month is so marked. It magnifies the fact that these children really just need the love of God, a sense of belonging, good food, and medical intervention - that's what we are about.
Steve Lazar
Zimpeto Children's Center, Mozambique
The EveryChild EveryDay campaign is re-writing the life stories of children all over the globe. It is our next great step in the fulfillment of our God-given mission.
I do not go to take dreadful pictures of malnourished babies near death from hunger or sickness, but to personally feed hungry people and to minister in Jesus name. Then I return to challenge you, to not gasp in horror, but to rise up and help me feed the people and especially those who pray "Our Father who art in heaven... give us this day our daily bread." Only you can answer the prayers of those good people caught up in the devastation wrought by civil war, famine, drought, and other contributing causes of world hunger. I go where the hunger is at it's worst today... the plight of God's hurting people and the cry of those who have not yet heard the Good News drives me forward to keep running with the vision. My vision is to inspire God's people to help fulfill the call the Lord gave in Jerusalem, that of feeding the world's hungry and being obediently responsive to the Word of God.
Dr. Lester Sumrall
Founder, LeSEA Global Feed The Hungry
Statement taken from the book
Dark Hole of World Hunger & the Christian Solution
"We began the year with a goal to feed 1000 children each day for 12mths. We have already accomplished that goal. Now we are reaching towards 100,000 children. As God's people open their hearts and give towards this cause, we can feed more children, in more orphanages, in more regions of the world." explains Peter Sumrall.
We can feed every child, every day.
This is our great legacy - our thrilling future.
To help us reach our goal of feeding 100,000 children click here.
Click here to read an article published by ALIVE MAGAZINE
on Irene Gleeson and the Childcare Kitgum Servants