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A Publication of Little Children of the World, Inc.
“Echoes of mercy, whispers of love” for little children on today’s “Jericho Road”
TOWARD AN ENDOWMENT FUND
Ways to Contribute:
Friends of LCW who are committed to our children’s ministry now have an opportunity to help secure its long-term future. As we announced in the Christmas issue, an LCW
Children’s Endowment Fund is being established through the generosity of an anonymous donor who desires to match donor gifts to the Fund. To date, $8,105 have been raised in
donations, mainly from LCW Board members. All donations will be matched over a period of four years for a maximum total match of $100,000. This means that the first $25,000 donated
to the Endowment Fund this year will be matched. So we encourage you to get your donations in, to be sure they will be matched.
It is understood, of course, that only the interest on the principal of an endowment can be spent. LCW Board member Dr. Lee Betts has suggested that, in considering your pledge for
the four-year period you may wish to explore with your financial advisor avenues of giving that can result in tax savings. The higher your tax rate the more you save from each dollar
given.
You may also save more by giving assets. In addition to the savings provided by the charitable deduction, giving appreciated assets such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds that you
have owned at least one year and a day (“long-term”) generally allows you to bypass capital gains tax that would be due if you sold the assets. For example, a $1,500 gift of stock with a
tax basis of $300 allows you to bypass tax on the $1,200 capital gain, and, in addition, save as much as $594 in income taxes. Avoiding capital gains tax and receiving a charitable
deduction lowers the cost of giving.
There are many other possibilities to consider such as making larger gifts in a particular tax year when they will help you to exceed the standard deduction. Above all, we invite you to
prayerfully consider the needs of our children and the opportunity to give a gift that will keep on giving long after you and we have passed away. Please see the enclosed Pledge
Envelope.
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SCHOOL ON WHEELS
Thanks to the generosity of one of our LCW Board members, who wishes to remain anonymous, we recently launched a new outreach program
called the School on Wheels at our Philippine project site in Dumaguete. It is so-called because a bus, nicknamed the Popsicle for its good air-conditioning, brings education to out-of-school children in the barrios.
The pilot program has enrolled around 100 children. As funds become available, it will be extended to other communities. The School on Wheels utilizes the mothers of sponsored
children in each community to help. They gather these least-fortunate children together and teach them, using the School of Tomorrow curriculum (Accelerated Christian Education).
This is an accredited program that gives the children an opportunity to take placement tests for re-enrolling in public school at their ability level. This was a dream that has now become
a reality! If you are interested in helping to support this pioneering program, please see the attached pledge envelope.
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LCP PRESCHOOLS
A total of 200 pupils are enrolled this school year in the eight LCP preschools. The average number is 22, with ages ranging from three to six. Each preschool has its own building and
PTA.
These preschools are not just day care centers; they are prep-schools which enable these children to excel when they enter public school, in comparison to other children from
low-income families. There is now a need to open two new preschools in other districts. A donation of $1,000 would provide start-up funds for one preschool for one year.
1ST GRADE THRU COLLEGE
Over 240 LCP school-age children and youth are enrolled in educational programs, made possible by child sponsorships funded by LCW friends around the world. But many children
lack sponsorship and are unable to attend school. Often their parents cannot afford to give up the income their child can earn selling peanuts on the streets, washing motorbikes or just
begging.
Children who grow up in a poverty sub-culture know that without a college education they cannot rise above the poverty-level of their parents. A college education is essential. A
donation of $300 to $500 would enable a youth to attend college for one year, depending on the college and on their chosen major.
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HANDCLASP
Twenty-two LCP children with harelip and/or cleft palate received a free operation last year, thanks to Interplast Medical Mission and the Consuelo Foundation in partnership with
LCP. In addition, nine children with an in-born disability were provided corrective surgery through the cooperation of the Liliane Foundation. Follow-up visits are done by the LCP
Handclasp staff to monitor their progress and offer counseling and/or home schooling as needed. More funding is needed, however, as LCP must shoulder the cost of transportation
and accommodation for the child and parent to avail of the free surgery.
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YOUR PRAYERS & SUPPORT
LCW continues to play an important part in the life of many poverty-stricken families. We are deeply grateful to the friends of LCW, for we know that without your prayers and support these
accomplishments would not be possible.
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HEALTH PROGRAM
The LCW Health Program seeks to be preventive as well as curative. Hence the emphasis on physical examinations, vitamin distribution, the milk program for malnourished children,
immunizations, corrective eyeglasses, hearing aids, lice control, pre-natal counseling and family planning. Nearly 300 children received physical examinations in 1999, and 154
malnourished children received vitamins and enriched milk on a regular basis. The national statistics show that 14% of all school-age children are underweight.
Much of the work is basic first aid administered by community-based paramedics, assisted by international volunteers. The paramedics are trained by the local Red Cross where they
learn first aid, how to take blood pressure and pulse rate, and how to make referrals to the hospitals when necessary. Local medical doctors and a trained nurse donate their services
when called upon.
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INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERS
Each year many people from around the world, of all ages, contribute their skills as LCW Volunteers. For instance, last year we had 35 volunteers, and about 25 are already scheduled
for 2000. Volunteers assist in a variety of LCW programs, ranging from health care and tutoring to computer training and financial accounting. Whatever their talents or training, LCW
can find a role for them. Our slogan is: “Do what you do best, and do it for a worthy cause.”
The LCW Volunteer Service Program has three major objectives: (1) To provide hands-on experience and exposure by having volunteers participate in ongoing programs or projects
managed largely by the recipients — that is, the low-income families for the benefit of whose children the program exists. (2) To promote friendship and international understanding with
people in the developing world. (3) To provide an opportunity for volunteers to serve as responsible advocates of children at risk, when they return to their respective homes. In other
words, international volunteers are important to LCW not only for the work they do on the job but also for the service they render as child advocates upon returning to home-base.
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PEACE AND FAITH
The Little Children of the Philippines’ Sunday School has burgeoned to a total enrollment of 900, and seems to be growing by the week. Classes include 400 children, 100 youth, and 400
parents. Thirty teachers volunteer to teach or team-teach eleven classes, some of which have to meet out under the trees for lack of classroom space! Bible studies, which are held
weekly in each of the 13 communities, attract 300 parent participants.
An active Youth Organization numbers around 75 and meets weekly as a fellowship. They sponsor a Youth Choir that assists in the worship at the Sunday assembly. Many families are
being transformed through LCW’s varied ministries. But funding is needed for operational expenses of this essential program.
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UPDATE ON HOUSING PROJECT
As reported in a previous issue, Patti Lyons and Bettie Elwood signed a Memorandum of Agreement at the LCW Board meeting last April. It was an agreement to develop a model
housing community on LCP’s property, for low-income families in and around Dumaguete City.
Patti Lyons is president and CEO of the Consuelo Foundation and Bettie Elwood holds a similar position with Little Children of the World. The Consuelo Foundation, based in
Honolulu, has been assisting LCW over the years in a number of important ways, including health, education, housing, and general support for child services.
We are pleased to report that, as of February 4, the first 16 of the 32 housing units are 80% complete and six more are 30% finished. Also, the water connection is nearly complete, while
the installation of electricity is already in process. Our congratulations and appreciation to all who have made this possible!
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LCW WEBSITE
We invite you to visit our website at
www.littlechildren.org
This has been a cooperative venture with Kim and Mark Owens of Jacksonville, Florida as web designers, and Philip Elwood of Atlanta as editor, with input from Steve Hartzler of
Lake, Michigan, and from the Tennessee office.
The site includes pictures, our mission statement, a message from the founders, a description of LCW with some history and the H-E-L-P strategy, recent newsletters, a section on
volunteering, child sponsorship and other opportunities to become involved. The website will be continually updated, so please contact us if you have any suggestions on how we can
improve the site. Here is the e-mail of Kim and Mark: markandkim@mediaone.net
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LCW Mission Goals
LCW seeks to realize its vision and implement its mission through the following specific goals:
1. To protect the basic rights of children -- rights of provision, protection, participation, and peace -- in the name and spirit of Christ.
2. To initiate prevention programs for children and youth from families living in temporary shelters, city slums, and squatter communities.
3. To introduce these children to Christ and help them to become responsible Christian disciples.
4. To develop training programs in self-reliance and personal development.
5. To provide college scholarships for talented youth at risk, to enable them to rise above poverty and become self-supporting within the context of caring communities and Christian
values.
6. To foster Christ-centered leadership with emphasis on five basic disciplines: spirituality, servanthood, stewardship, simplicity (simple living), and shalom (peace & well-being).
7. To promote world peace, friendship and international involvement with people in less developed countries of the world.
Jericho Street Echoes
A Quarterly Newsletter Published
by Little Children of the World, Inc.
Editor: Douglas Elwood
Contributing Writers: Peggy Houk, Bettie Elwood, Lee Betts
The Name: “Jericho Street Echoes” suggests that the “Jericho Road” in Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan is the city street of our time, and the victims are too often the street children
— 150 million of them worldwide!
Mission Statement: to help develop caring communities for the world’s children at risk.
Address Changes: Please send all address changes to the return address on this label.
Volunteer Opportunities: LCW has an ongoing need for volunteers, at both its international headquarters and its overseas project sites. Please call or e-mail the TN office for more
information.
Directors for USA
PEGGY & DEAN HOUK
55 HORTON ROAD
CARROLLTON, GA 30117
PHONE: (770) 834-6894
EMAIL: phlcw@aol.com
Associate USA Director, Treasurer
GLENNA WALLER
BOX 37
BARNESVILLE, GA 30204
EMAIL: mwfwt@aol.com
International Directors
BETTIE & DOUG ELWOOD
361 COUNTY ROAD 475
ETOWAH, TN 37331
TEL / FAX: (423) 263-2303
E-mail: lcotw@tds.net
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