Dear Friends,
Sarah and I (Joni) just finished a whirlwind nineteen- day trip to Cambodia and Vietnam, and we found to our delight that all four of our Stieng high school seniors passed their exams! We had a wonderful discussion with them about going out into the world, (in their case, to Phnom Penh) and starting a university experience. This is the FIRST TIME that Stieng minority students in these villages have been able to not only finish high school, but have had the amazing opportunity to attend university. One of the students, Vichek, already speaks English ( yes, he learned it on YouTube!) and wants to enroll in engineering. The other three will begin general studies. We have been working with them to find scholarships offered through the university system and are connecting them with Christian dormitory living arrangements. We are so excited for these lovely students as they launch out into an exciting future. If you would like to help, their names are, from left to right: Vichet, (who will enroll in engineering), Non Bua, who wants to be a teacher, Bo Nhap, who wants to study literature and history, and Srey Kuoi, who also wants to study literature and history. Each of them needs a computer, and extra support for their university venture. God is good!
Salt and Light Update - $100,000 Raised and $100,000 to go!
Our project is named "Salt-and-Light" because we believe that, through Christian education, these 250 students will not only receive an education based on Christian truths and values, but will also have the means to influence their families and their entire community for Christ, many of whom remain virtually unreached for the gospel. The Salt-and-Light project is also the means of bringing in short- and long- term teams to aid in community development, both through training the students and their families. The platform of Christian education means that entire communities may not only hear the gospel message, but enables flourishing and the end to endemic poverty in a region. Pray with us as phase two begins: fundraising for the next $100,000.
Raising the first $100,000 enabled our internal partners, Asian Hope, to produce an MoU (memorandum of understanding) with We Love Kids. Asian Hope will train the faculty and do the day-to-day running of the school year after year. Most exciting is that We Love Kids scholarship students currently in high school and university will be first in line to be trained as faculty for the Salt-and-Light school in a couple of years!
"And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward."
Matthew 10.42 (CSB)
WE LOVE KIDS has a new address:
11938 Mastin St.
Overland Park KS 66213
Please send all correspondence to this address.
As always, thank you all for your love, prayers and support for the work of We Love Kids in Vietnam and Cambodia!
Joni
AFM Missionary/Director, WeLoveKids.org
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