Nicaragua!

Some of you have already seen this letter, but for those of you who haven't yet, I wanted to share my latest adventure that I really feel God has put on my heart. I'm traveling to Jinotepe, Nicaragua, August 8-15, 2009, to work with a local orphanage, Los Niños Del Rey (Children of the King). These children have been taken from their homes for horrendous situations that I hope none of our families will ever face including child prostitution, drug abuse and physical abuse. When I first heard about the trip, I initially said no. I wanted to go, but money is always an issue living in New York City. Eventually after hearing more about the orphanage and the children themselves, I knew money couldn't be the reason I didn't go. These children deserve to be loved on even if it is just for a week.

What is this all about?

• Los Ninos del Rey is an orphanage in Jinotepe, Nicaragua that is home to 20 children ranging in age from 2 to 14. The children come from various backgrounds of abuse, neglect, drugs, prostitution, and abandonment. The home provides these children with a bed, three meals a day, clean clothes, schooling, a safe home and teaches them about Jesus. You can see pictures from last year’s visit.

• Our Trip will be August 8-15. We will be completing construction work at the orphanage and local church, helping to build a garden, forming a vision for a multi-purpose center, setting up their computer network, passing out food and clothes to the local community and, most importantly, providing the children with daily activities and adventures that remind them of how much they are loved.

• Our Goal while we are there is simple: to encourage the children and ensure the orphanage has the tools they need to sustain their works. This is a long-term goal that extends beyond a week visit and we are continuing to identify different methods to help the orphanage become less reliant on outside funds and eventually self-sustaining.

How can YOU make a difference?

• Prayer for our trip, the kids, and the community

• Donate Clothes, Shoes, Sandals or School Supplies

• Clothes, Shoes and Sandals: New, used, out of style, any age and any size – we’ll take it! What doesn’t fit the kids we will give to the local community.
• School Supplies: The children always need new notebooks, coloring books, crayons, pens, pencils and backpacks.

• Financial Support - My goal for the orphanage is $1,000 but no gift is too small!

• Tax & Use: All donations are fully tax deductible, and, if so desired, every cent of every dollar will go straight the orphanage.
• Credit Card: View the online donations page and find our trip listed as “Nicaragua Mission Trip 2009." If you'd like to donate directly to me for my trip expenses, select my name from the drop-down menu. Select “Chris Cunningham” from the drop-down menu if you want the money to go directly to the orphanage or select “General” if you want to support our team's trip expenses (i.e. construction materials, supplies, etc.).
• Check: Please make the check payable to “Redeemer Presbyterian Church” and place “13506, Melody Willingham” in the memo line. The church mailing address is:
• Redeemer Presbyterian Church
  Attn: Missions
  1359 Broadway 4th Floor
  New York, NY 10018