The Children's Voice Newsletter 

September 21, 2004

A message from Larry Gibson:

This being our first newsletter, let me bring everyone up to speed. Over the last 4 months God has allowed us to gather a group of people to form The Children's Voice Foundation. The Children's Voice was created to care for orphan children around the world, specifically in China and Ukraine. In July we were presented with an opportunity to host 13 Ukrainian orphans, ages 10 -16 years old. This gave us the chance to bring children here and tell them about Jesus. Being a brand new foundation, we had no money to bring them here. Our founders stepped out on faith that God would provide what was needed to get these children here. Faith is what God wants us to have; He will provide everything else, including money. The $22,000 we needed to bring them here was provided by God in the next 6 weeks.  All 13 accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and 8 followed through with baptism. This was a most amazing time for our church and our foundation. Our main goal is to provide transitional homes in Ukraine for the older children to go to when they graduate from the orphanage. This is important because when these children graduate, they go either to trade school or to the street. The lucky ones learn a trade that they may be able to use and provide for themselves. The ones that don't learn a trade are turned out into the street to fend for themselves. Many turn to prostitution and crime; others commit suicide. Sept 23rd through Oct 3rd we will be going to various areas of Ukraine to find transitional homes for these "graduated" children to live. Places where they can feel safe and loved and don't have to worry where or how they will get their next meal. If you would like to be part of this exciting mission experience please contact us at info@thechildrensvoice.org.

A message from Don Langner:

Our first mission is complete. God revealed himself in a mighty way to those who participated with the hosting of our 15 Ukrainian visitors. We are grateful to all who were involved in this event. Words cannot adequately describe the extent God revealed himself and changed the hearts of his people through this mission.

To observe these children and learn about them throughout their stay was overwhelming.

They arrived at the Airport in Atlanta, each carrying a bag with one change of clothes, virtually all they owned. They live in an orphanage in a very poor land where they are considered "throw aways". Their life is of little consequence to the country in which they are abandoned. Although some are true orphans whose parents are deceased, most are orphaned as a result of their parents losing or relinquishing their parental rights. Commonly this is due to alcoholism or substance abuse.

These orphans were shown that there is no such thing as a "throw away" in God's family. We are all precious in God's sight. These orphans not only heard the news that Jesus saves, they experienced it. All thirteen children professed Christ as their personal savior and eight followed in Baptism. God is good.

There were also many first time experiences on their trip. To swim in a pool where you could see the bottom was something most had never experienced. They watched their first baseball game, tasted cotton candy for the first time, learned to ride bicycles, learned to ride horses, fished with a cane poles, jumped on a trampoline, and ate seconds at mealtime, ate as much fruit (especially bananas) as they wanted.

I wonder what it would be like to walk one day in their shoes. I know it is something that I cannot even begin to grasp. I thank God regularly for His gracious blessings to me and my family. Participating and experiencing the joy of these children in this orphan hosting ministry reveals so many of God's basic blessings which most of us fail to acknowledge in thanks. Once you have experienced these children, you will never be the same.