New Refugee House for Winnipeg

Winnipeg will soon be home to an International Teams Canada refugee housing community. Tim Nielsen of City Connexions Winnipeg says that the new house will provide much-needed temporary housing for many of the refugees expected to arrive in Winnipeg over the next few years. "We have a number of very strong private sponsorship programs going here in Winnipeg. Canadian churches won't be sponsoring any new refugees in 2012 due to a cap implemented by the government to try to clear up an application backlog, but we expect quite a few of the backlog will be coming here. The need for housing in Winnipeg is greater than ever."

City Connexions, along with a private foundation committed to paying the bulk of the mortgage, are in the process of making an offer to purchase a house that was formerly operated by another ministry as a halfway house. Tim and the rest of the planning team are confident it is an ideal fit for their needs. "It's a 9 bedroom house with lots of flexibility in its layout. The renovations on the home completed by the previous owners were all very well done in terms of safety. Right now, we're in the process of hiring a potential director. We're also in the process of developing our programs, philosophy of ministry, procedures, and budget. A lot of the details are still in development, but we expect the home will open in the fall."

Tim says that as they work out the purchase of the home and their strategy for the coming months, prayer and financial support are their greatest needs. "We're very grateful for the foundation's money, but still need to raise approximately $50,000 each year to support the costs above and beyond the mortgage, plus some additional funds to cover furniture, kitchen supplies, paint, and some renovations. We would also appreciate prayer for wisdom in developing the structure and programs, that our financial needs would be met, and that God will open the door for solid partnerships with local churches. We want to find churches to be behind the ministry, to send their people to serve at the house and be a key part of it."

To learn more about City Connexions Winnipeg or to make a financial gift in support of the new refugee home, click here.

Kosova Albanians: By David Field

I saw this great post on David's blog and thought I'd share with you! 

Although there are not any Kosova Refugees in the camp (Refugee Camp in Austria) anymore I still have a special place in my heart for them. Following on from 'What people think I do' series. Here are the Albanians

The Sanctuary: A Place of Hope

For the former street kids living at The Sanctuary in Jinja, Uganda, a group home gives them more than just a safe place to sleep – it gives them access to education and vocational training with the power to truly transform their lives.

Founded by Henry Wanjala in partnership with Melissa Maertens and Tom Dale, The Sanctuary is a project of International Teams Canada's Impact Uganda program. In 2008, Henry was a high school student working at an internet cafe in Jinja when he happened to meet Melissa, a young Canadian woman volunteering in Uganda with Give International. During her visit, Melissa befriended a small group of street kids and was inspired upon her return to Canada to raise funds for them to attend school. After Henry met Tom, the idea for The Sanctuary was born, and the three worked together to make it a reality. Starting with just Henry and 5 boys in a 3-room house, the group home now houses 15 boys on a larger property.

Henry says the group home gives the boys a chance to break the cycle of poverty that traps kids who live on the streets. "For many of them, their parents don't believe in education. Some of them are addicted to alcohol or glue sniffing. If they weren't living at The Sanctuary, the boys would be marrying young and having kids they can't take care of, kids that would end up on the streets themselves. But our volunteers tutor them, advise them, and teach them about God. In addition to sending them to school, we are also training them in practical life skills so they can take over their own care at a certain point. They're motivated and transformed and our hope is they can turn around and transform their communities as well."

Tom, now Chair of the Board of Directors for The Sanctuary, says that their most pressing need is for regular monthly donors, which helps them to budget effectively in the face of Uganda's high inflation rate. "Food and rent have doubled in cost, and many of the boys are now in high school, which means higher tuition fees. Our yearly budget has almost doubled as a result. We're praying that God will send people who will catch the vision, and encourage us as well as encourage the boys we're working with in Jinja."

Henry's dream is to someday provide a home for 100 boys. To help make his vision a reality, visit their website and click How Do I Get Involved? in the main menu.