News

My New Friend, Miguel Dominican Republic
Oct 1, 2007 -

I would like to tell you about one of my friends from the Dominican Republic. His name is Miguel. He’s a small, 13-year-old from Don Bosco, one of the bateys where COTN operates a school. I met him last summer when I had come to play basketball at the school. Any time the children were playing basketball, he was sure to be found close by. This summer I got the chance to hang out a little more with Miguel, and I found out more of his life story. Miguel hangs out with a group of boys at Don Bosco who write and sing Christian Rap songs.

Knowing Less Every Day Dominican Republic
Oct 1, 2007 -

Regresé a mi casa más viejo
después de recorrer el mundo.
No le pregunto a nadie nada.
Pero sé cada día menos.

I returned home much older
after crossing the world.
Now I question nobody.
But I know less every day.
-Pablo Neruda

Interns' Summer in Banta Mokelleh Sierra Leone
Oct 1, 2007 -

Our last few weeks in Banta Mokelleh in Sierra Leone have been bittersweet. Sweet because every day we feel more and more a part of this community and the color distinctions seem to fade away as we share laughs and inside jokes with our friends. Bitter because even as I write this, it’s still hard to believe that it’s our last day here. This is the day we have all been dreading. Some of us are running around doing some last-minute cleaning and packing.

The Process of Learning Malawi
Oct 1, 2007 -

When the interns come to Malawi, one of the first things I tell them is this: “It is not what you come to Malawi to do that is important, but what you learn.” I believe that in this life, God asks us not to be doers, but to be learners. Of course there are many great works to do, many things that God does indeed ask us to do, but the process in getting those tasks done is of far greater importance than the actual task. The journeys—the lessons learned—have eternal value, while the tasks themselves, in time, will fade away.

Lira, Uganda—News from the Field Uganda
Oct 1, 2007 -

Greetings from Lira, Uganda! It is so good to be back here—to feel the embrace of the Ugandan staff and to see some of the children and adults in the camps that we left behind. There were tears of joy and hugs as we were warmly welcomed to our home here. Ed met his namesake, Little Ed or “Hed” as they call him here! It is such a joy to see the work of God in the lives of the people that we met last year.

Rescuing an Orphan in Sierra Leone Sierra Leone
Oct 1, 2007 -

Since leaving my home in the UK and joining my husband Ian in Sierra Leone, I have been working at the Shepherd’s Hospice in the capital city of Freetown. The hospice is situated on the east side of the city, a poverty-stricken area which was badly affected by the terrible civil war of the late 1990s. The hospice was established to try and provide palliative care services for people dying from life-threatening illnesses, such as AIDS, tuberculosis, and cancer.

Living Out a Dream—in Malawi! Malawi
Oct 1, 2007 -

As a little girl, I knew that my life-long dream and goal was to help many people in many different ways. Since becoming a teacher seven years ago, I have had the opportunity to help 140+ American children learn basic academic and life skills. Four years ago, I was asked to be part of a COTN Education Team that would teach in Malawi, Africa. At first, I was hesitant to answer the call. Africa??? Now I look forward to teaching there every summer!

Dominican Republic Container Loaded and On Its Way! United States
Sep 24, 2007 -

Thanks to everyone who volunteered last month to pack shipping containers destined for our ministry in the Dominican Republic. We were able to send 49,000 lbs. of donated supplies, including:

The 2007 Some Kind of Miracle Benefit Celebrations United States
Aug 15, 2007 -

Our 2007 Some Kind of Miracle “Now I Can Dream” benefit season has come to a close. This year we hosted celebrations in Orlando, FL; Orange County, CA; Seattle, WA; and Bremerton, WA and had the opportunity to share COTN with many new faces.

Thank you to our COTN family and friends—new and old, for making this benefit season such a success.

Orlando Sentinel Reports on COTN in Malawi Malawi
Jul 21, 2007 -

Laura Brost, currently in Malawi with Summit Church and a reporter with the Orlando Sentinel, has been posting her thoughts and experiences to the Sentinel’s website. Over the past week, her team of 46 from Orlando’s Summit Church has been partnering with COTN-Malawi to raise awareness for HIV/AIDS and to give children and adults an opportunity to be tested.