Guatemalan Home Tour!

Through our partnership with PA, we were able to fund the construction of 10 widow's homes! When the homes are finished it looks just like the photo below. In fact, this photo was taken from a trip that our team went on a year ago to help build these homes! Each home includes a bathroom, water filtration system, and energy efficient stoves. For the home restoration projects, this includes : painting of home, repairing boards, build bathroom, stove, and water filter.

We are so excited to learn more about the families who move into these homes once the projects are finished! Stay tuned for more information to come!

You can make a difference

When a family chooses to welcome a child into their home, the impact they can make is far greater than you can imagine. The story below is an extraordinary example of the impact that one family can make.

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E was a five month old frail, weak little guy when he came to Bethany’s foster family.  There was no light in his eyes, his hair was matted and he lay still most of the time. He had a feeding tube in his nose and a heart monitor and there was the possibility that he was deaf. He was in need of open heart surgery as well as surgery to insert a permanent feeding tube.

His new family made E their son immediately and cared for him with passion and gusto. E gradually began to make tiny improvements. He began to make eye contact, to kick his legs and make the smallest of vocal sounds. The love and nurturing he was receiving from his family was soaking in and bringing healing.

E underwent open heart surgery. His foster parents stayed by his side during his stay in the cardiac NICU. They cried and prayed over him. Their love was the key to his recovery. He then had a permanent feeding tube implanted in his stomach so that feeding and life would be much easier.

E then began to make great strides. He began smiling and laughing! He could sit upright in a special seat.  He had a new view of the world! His siblings made it their personal jobs to entertain him and engage to make him laugh. His eyes were bright and took in everything around him.

E grew, physically, emotionally and developmentally, under the Anderson’s love and support. He began to eat solid foods and wore hearing aids (though he tended to try to eat them almost as often as he wore them). His doctors were amazed at his progress as they did not believe he would be able to function well at all.

Today, E is walking, talking some and using sign language most of the time. He has a broad smile and the brightest eyes one will ever encounter. He is truly a little boy that is evidence that through the power of love and prayer, miracles occur.

Introducing our Q4 Partner : Guatemala

Guatemala has a high population of homeless widow's in rural areas. The organization we are working with this quarter is passionate about solving the problem of homelessness for widow's in Guatemala.

Through our partnership we will be sponsoring the employment of local guatemalans to construct 10 12x12 homes with electricity, water sanitation, windows, and beds. That will mean 10 widows and their families will no longer be without and will be able to flourish in their new home.

We are excited to journey with you in this process. Throughout this quarter we will be sharing stories and photos of amazing people in Guatemala.

Happy 10th Birthday to charity:water!

Happy 10th to charity:water! In 10 years they have brought clean water to 6.4 million people in need..... absolutely amazing! We can not wait to see how many people receive access to clean water in the the next 10!

http://cwtr.org/2btdilD Ten years ago, former nightclub promoter Scott Harrison set out to solve the water crisis in his lifetime. Today, more than one million people have made it their mission too. This is all of our story.

"East Lake Is Now Where Possibility Takes Place.."

An overview of the work of the East Lake Foundation's success to date, built upon mixed-income housing, cradle-to-college education and community wellness. Through partnerships with the community, the public and the private sectors, East Lake is now where possibility takes place. Be a donor. Be a doer. eastlakefoundation.org

"Everyone Deserves A Chance.."

Friday we had the honor of sitting around a table at The East Lake Foundation and learning from amazing leaders in the East Lake Community. The East Lake Foundation was founded in 1995 based on the belief that "everyone deserves a chance to succeed." This belief fueled opportunity for change in a community that everyone else turned their back on.
Over the past 20 years, The East Lake Foundation has been working in conjunction with public and private parties to break the cycle of poverty & create a thriving community. Their focus is a holistic approach to re-development through purpose built communities, cradle to college education, and community wellness.

Through these strategic programs, violent crime has been reduced by 95%, graduation rate near 90% (compared to 30% in 1995) and all eligible adults are working or in job training (compared to an EMPLOYMENT rate of 13.5%)

We are honored to support The East Lake Foundation through Brilliant! And we can't wait to see what the coming years hold!

Meet Cheryl

Meet Cheryl: one of the Assistant Branch Directors at Bethany Services specializing in Foster Care.

"Cheryl’s team works with at-risk youth and children in the custody of the Department of Family and Children Services.

Recently, one of our at-risk youth was hospitalized in East Georgia for his own protection.  When the child was ready to be released, he declared to his Bethany case worker, “I want to go home”.

HOME was the child’s foster family that had only hosted him for 45 days prior to his hospitalization.  This was the only stable home he had ever known."

Cheryl says that she supports Bethany because "they pour life into children".

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We are honored and excited to be able to work with such an amazing organization that is providing safe and loving homes for children.