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The Power of a Smile

"How will God change you as a result of this Venture Trip to the Dominican Republic?"  I wondered the same thing when I read that question on the preparation information I received before the trip.

by Sue Parks, COTN Venture Participant

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Jesus Christ Soccer Star: Athletes Point Children toward God

Hundreds of people came from the nearby villages to the Children of the Nations (COTN) campus in Malawi. It was the first day of a soccer tournament hosted by a Venture Team from Summit Church in Orlando, Florida. Everyone was eager to show off their soccer moves, including COTN’s in-country staff. With a running sports commentary over a loudspeaker, the games began. 

by Heather Ostalkiewicz, COTN–USA Staff Writer

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Little Jesus in Los Robles

The following was written by Pastor Brent James of Peninsula Bible Fellowship in Bremerton, Washington, during a recent Venture Trip to the Dominican Republic. 

This afternoon we headed back to the Dominican community of Los Robles to play more baseball with the children.  After three innings, I went back into the neighborhood to look around, meet some people, and take some pictures.

by Brent James, Lead Pastor at Peninsula Bible Fellowship

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A Visit to Randy's Home

The first thing that struck Brian Ballard and his son Kyle when they walked up to Randy's home in the Dominican Republic, was how large it was. The entire home, which housed ten people, was small by American standards—only about 35 by 25 feet. Yet it was one of the biggest they saw while walking through the impoverished Dominican community of Don Bosco with 6-year-old Randy.

by Brian Ballard, COTN Venture Participant; and Cassia Burke, COTN–USA Staff Writer

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Can I Pray for You Before You Go Back to America?

On my first trip to Uganda, I got to meet the girl our family sponsors through Children of the Nations (COTN). Her name is Sharon. 

by Brandon Beard, Executive Pastor of Core Values, Compass Christian Church

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The iPad Versus the Mud Hut

The following is an excerpt from a blog Fraser kept while leading a "Visit Your Sponsored Child" Venture Team to Uganda last summer. Click here to read his earlier post from Malawi.

by Fraser Ratzlaff, COTN-USA Seattle Area Community Representative

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Dental Workers Bring Smiles to Dominican Children

Mindy Finnegan did not take her church's challenge lightly. It was Missions Day at Peninsula Bible Fellowship and her pastor had encouraged everyone to pray about how they could be involved. Mindy left the missions fair feeling like God was calling her to something.

by Cassia Burke, COTN–USA Staff Writer

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Excess is Not the Enemy

The following is an excerpt from a blog Fraser kept while leading a Venture Team to Malawi and Uganda last summer.

After arriving in Malawi and getting things up and running with the team, about day three, I started asking God, “OK God, what do you have for me on this trip?” The answer came on Friday night, August 10. It was after the team had all gone to bed. I found myself unable to put down our 96-page debriefing book, Unearth. Near the end of the book there is a paragraph entitled "Excess is not the enemy."

by Fraser Ratzlaff, COTN-USA Seattle Area Community Representative

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Art Inspires Malawian Students

Mollie Mitchell is a teacher serving for six months in Malawi as an Education Consultant with Children of the Nations (COTN).  One of the joys consultants get to experience in-country is the visits of shorter-term Venture participants, who come with projects, supplies, and new ideas to bless the children.  Last month, Mollie helped host COTN board member Bonnie Steele and her husband, Kirk, who came to Malawi for the first time to meet the children and teach art at COTN's new secondary school, the

by Mollie Mitchell, COTN Venture Consultant in Malawi

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A Groundbreaking Trip to Haiti

In September, Saskia Schmidt and her thirteen-year-old daughter Kaatje went on a Venture Trip with Children of the Nations (COTN) to the Dominican Republic and Haiti.  It was their first Venture Trip.  It was also a first for COTN—they joined the inaugural medical team to Haiti, and got to meet the very first children to enter COTN's newly-launched Village Partnership Program.

by Saskia Schmidt, COTN Venture Participant

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