The end of 2008 approaching too fast…!
So, we are in December 2008, and for some reason I just got used to the idea of November being around – where has this year gone? Well, it is a sign of one thing, we at ttt4c has been busy, very busy!!! In this issue of ttt4c Update, we would like to update you on some of the major happenings at ttt4c within the last 4 months, as well as what’s news from our SEED Churches and ttt4c Projects.
What a busy year it has been! We have enjoyed all the training events and networking opportunity with our different Projects and SEED partners. Some of the ttt4c team members were also blessed to visit projects during the year – always good to get out of the office and experience first-hand the wonderful way that the lives of vulnerable children in this country, are touched by the various partnerships within the work of ttt4c.
ttt4c staff matters…
Following the ttt4c Board of Director’s meeting of the 4th December 2008, we excited to inform you that the Board has approved the recommendation that Janine Ward be appointed to lead the ttt4c team.
Janine’s new position as the ttt4c Coordinator is effective as from the 8th December 2008 onwards.
Janine has effectively been fulfilling this role since Charlotte went to USA in June, so she hits the ground running. Janine brings to the role experience in NGO management and 20 years of community development practice in the field.
‘The team’s vision for ttt4c in 2009 and beyond is exciting, and we look forward to seeing God unfolding His plan for this ministry of Turn the Tide!’
– Lee Helling (Regional Director: Walk Thru the Bible)
Charlotte Moore served in the leadership role for several years, initially on her own, and later successfully built a team around her. She was instrumental in getting the vision of ttt4c off the ground, and for this the Board of Director’s expressed their huge gratitude and appreciation. This has indeed been a service of love as Charlotte served as a volunteer for all that time. Charlotte’s legacy is a large one and it continues to grow. Charlotte remains committed to ttt4c and will continue to appropriately serve in this team in 2009. It is indeed a blessing to serve alongside you Charlotte!
We thank Marianne Knoetze for the 3 months that she worked with us and blessed our team with her training and administration skills, as well as her spiritual mentoring. Marianne is in Ireland for 3 months on a missions trip – and who knows, she may be back in the ttt4c team during 2009!
On a sad note, we have to inform you that Rioleen Richard has decided to leave ttt4c – God has told her quite clearly that He has something else in mind for her to do. We thank her for her passion and loyalty to the team, and we pray that God will bless her richly and use her mightily somewhere else in His Kingdom! We’ll miss you a lot, sis’ Rio!
A few words from Rioleen:
I started at WTB through my prayer request granted by the Grace of God. I wanted to be part of this great ministry & indeed discovered it is a privilege to have served with you all. I take away with me all I’ve learnt, both good & bad memories & unless it was torture, there is nothing happy about saying goodbye to wonderful years spent with God’s children. May He continue to Bless both the ministry & the people appointed for a time such as this. Sadly I complete my journey with you all to embark on a new path that only God knows.
Have a peaceful Christmas & a fruitful 2009!
Rio
Segwati Ranch – Sondelani
The final training event for 2008 (Project Management, Sustainability & Fundraising) took place from 29 September to 3 October. The event lasted for 4 nights and 3 days, and everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy the break from their ministry, as well as the tranquil setting at Segwati Bush Camp near Broederstroom.
We learned that we are all leaders in our work and personal situations, and we had an opportunity to reflect on the strengths that God has blessed us each with. We also had a chance to apply for a share in “R1 million” (in the form of Cadbury’s chocolate!!), which was a tough exercise in proposal writing and presentation skills!
SEED intake 2009
We are looking forward to welcoming our pilot churches, as well as several new churches and some of our existing projects, into the SEED Intake phase for 2009. We sent out the SEED Starter pack and those interested are working on their Church Analysis exercise forms. Once these are completed, we will do Strategic Planning with individual churches during January and February 2009.
H-O-P-E!
As our pilot churches move towards the next SEED phase, we are excited to introduce our latest revelation from God for churches! We need to build centres of hope – not physical structures, but a centre within each vulnerable child that allows him/her to have hope for the future and above all a hope in Christ for an eternal future.
We are developing an exciting way of building this hope – join the SEED Strategy to find out more!!
So what is this ‘SEED Strategy’?
The SEED Strategy aims to build a more sustainable response through the local church, so that whole communities develop capacity to provide care for their vulnerable children. SEED churches engage in a mentorship process during which ttt4c acts as a catalyst, providing funding and training in developing communities so that more sustainable responses to the needs of vulnerable children are initiated in partnership with community-based churches. Our aim is to work alongside a resourced church, so that realistic responses can be developed within a limited period, but ideally a partnership should be developed between the resourced church and a local church in the area that the Strategy is targeting. In this way, true community-based sustainable programmes will be developed.
For more information on the SEED Strategy, please click here…
Financial support to ttt4c
All existing and new funding to ttt4c will be allocated to the SEED Strategy and its various stages which are as follows:
‘Sponsor a Child’ @ R200 per month. Children will always remain the measurable of the impact of the work done.
‘Sponsor Capacity’ @ R500 per month. Our phase 2 focuses on sustainable initiatives through various partnerships based on Christian principles that could initiate various initiatives from within the communities. [Entrepreneurial skills (Jewels of Hope), Principles and Values, Leadership (WTB), etc]
‘Sponsor a SEED Church/Community’ @ R2000 per month. Congregations receive this amount monthly as that could be allocated to vegetable gardens, counselling courses, etc.
‘Sponsor ttt4c’ @ R3 000 per month, per church – there are very intensive monitoring, evaluation, training and guidance done by the ttt4c team and the costs for administration, salaries, travel and accommodation must also be covered.
Your Partnership with ttt4c in 2009
Mar 1:17 & Mat 4:19 ‘And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
We value your partnership in our SEED strategy and we would like to highlight the following:
Our first victory lies in Jesus Christ that has given us victory over the spiritual realm by His blood and authority over all other! We need your spiritual support through prayers and words of encouragement! Please never stop prayer for the communities we work in, the SEED churches and their projects as well as the staff (and their families) of ttt4c.
Thank you for your financial partnership!
We value your SEED and believe that God will bless you!
We at ttt4c believe that we are an extension of your own personal ministry and would like to share with you the following. Jesus’ words to his disciples were to be fishers of men. When one look at the net used to catch fish one sees that in essence it is a network of hundreds of ropes connected on the sides and the one rope with the other through many small knots. Without these knots, the net will only be loose ropes with no use and purpose. We see your support through prayers and finances as these knots, enabling us to use a functional net of support and partnership, which in essence means that our ministry, is your ministry!
We value you in this light and pray the following prayer at the end of this year, while we have great expectation and promise for 2009!
‘The LORD bless thee, and keep thee;
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee;
The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.’
Num 6:24 – 26
The ttt4c team is taking our Christmas break from 12 December – 12 January 2009. On behalf of the team, may I wish you all a blessed and peaceful Christmas and may you be renewed in the knowledge that His birth promises us eternal hope.
For the children,
The ttt4c Team