Amazing Water Filter from Sawyer May Provide Health Benefits and Grow Business

Submitted by Kyle Douglass (not verified) on March 10, 2010 - 5:59pm
A ministry friend mentioned this new water filter (http://sawyerpointonefilters.com) to me the other day, saying it was revolutionary and could be a great option for our friends in Ddwaniro, Uganda, who drink mostly from rainwater collection ponds and have little to no access to filtered water. Besides offering a relatively inexpensive, inexhaustible filtering option, he said that Sawyer, the U.S. company producing them, was looking to use the filters to support business in undeveloped nations as part of their deployment strategy. I was excited today to see a demonstration of the product at the Partners World Wide (http://partnersworldwide.org) office in Grand Rapids, MI, and participate in some of the discussion surrounding the implementation of the filters.

Families Through Adoption is offering to start home studies for Southwest MI families interested in adoption of Haitian orphans

Submitted by Kyle Douglass (not verified) on February 22, 2010 - 5:10am

From an email announcement on February 2, 2010 by Char Lanning, Executive Director of Families Through Adoption:

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Thank you for your willingness to help the children of the earthquake in Haiti. It is an encouragement to see so many people express concern and dedication to make a difference in these children’s lives. I will try to highlight the ever changing information with you and update you on Families Through Adoption’s plan to help provide loving care to children in need.

U.S. legislation to open up adoption for Haitian orphans gains momentum

Submitted by Kyle Douglass (not verified) on February 22, 2010 - 3:28am

Bill Terpstra, of the Haiti Orphan Task Force (HOTF), has been working with Paul Pennington from Hope for Orphans to gain sponsorship of HR 4603. They currently have 4 senators (2 Republican and 2 Democrat) who are interested in sponsorship and Lamar Smith (Texas), the ranking Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, is also considering co-sponsorship.

A Visit to the Birthplace of AIDS - February 19, 2010

Submitted by Kyle Douglass (not verified) on February 19, 2010 - 6:40am

We are making a brief stop in Kyotera again, back from an early morning visit to the birthplace of the AIDS virus, a small fishing community on Lake Victoria called Kasensero (Kah-sin-say-ro). There is a potential partnership opportunity we were exploring there: a small church which is operating a school for several hundred children as well as running an aids clinic. As a fishing village, the community is mostly transient with very little health or educational infrastructure (the school we visited is one of two for the estimated 2,000 children in the village).

Rain - February 15, 2010

Submitted by Kyle Douglass (not verified) on February 15, 2010 - 11:46am
I'm in Kyotera right now. Don't really need to be, but here I am. Funny story, though. I get a call from Paul during the morning STS training (which is incredible and amazing and will be a powerful tool for Glory of Christ Church). The airline won't let him take John and Kelly's bags because we didn't give him an authorization letter to act on their behalf. Okay, a little bothersome but understandable.