2018 Bethesda Outreach Christmas Offering
Goal: Raise $80,000/R1M
This is ‘seed money’ allocated to help begin two key projects in 2019 that position Bethesda to reach more orphaned children in a more effective manner.
Project #1 – Temporary Safe Care
- So often the first experience for children in need of care is a traumatic one. A car accident, an unexpected death of a parent, an arrest
or other forms of abandonment by the caregivers in their lives. Children need to be safe. Temporary Safe Care is the first place vulnerable children are taken if there is no qualified family or friends immediately available to care for them. - This project addresses the need for immediate and temporary care for babies and children while their need is assessed, reunification with family is made possible or placement away from parents/family is arranged.
- This ministry need is one that our local child development workers shared with us when Bethesda Outreach leadership asked them how we could be a blessing to them in their efforts to serve orphaned and vulnerable children in our area. The need for this kind of care and placement is crucial.
- Development of the project will include the potential of a Temporary Safe Care (TSC) home at Bethesda as well as developing them in partnerships with local churches and families. Our vision includes the possibility of having a TSC ministry that serves as a model and training tool to encourage area churches to get involved as well.
- Donations for this project will help Bethesda Outreach assist churches to serve orphaned and vulnerable children in a new and needed way. Mobilizing churches and families and developing a model TSC home will involve costs such as marketing/training materials, furniture/supplies grants, funds to assist families and churches . . . perhaps even a grant to help a church buy or fix up a home designated as a TSC home.
Project #2 – Development of South African leadership
- Bethesda Outreach began with the vision of assisting SA churches to reach orphaned and vulnerable children. A key component of that vision becoming reality is developing and empowering South African leaders and staff to better impact and influence South African churches.
- This project addresses the need to place qualified South Africans in key administrative and staff positions who are able to communicate the vision of Bethesda Outreach and develop partnerships with area churches.
- Currently US missionaries lead in areas of developing SA church partnerships and communicating Bethesda’s vision of orphan care. Only one member of the five individuals on the senior management team is a South African. The target of this project is to identify and fund the development of South African individuals to both lead and work alongside US and SA staff.
- We have identified a few South African individuals who love the Lord, are committed to a local church and have expressed a desire to minister in orphan care at Bethesda. These funds would allow us to offer internships, part-time or full-time employment and specific job related training to both assess and equip these potential staff (and others God may provide) over the next 12-24 months.
