Start Smiling!
Our goal in ministry is to share and show the character and nature of the Father through joy, delight and unconditional love. Since 1997, HE has taken us to the ends of the earth ministering to children and the young at heart through storytelling, song, sight gags, slight of hand, crafts and drama. Join in the adventure. Share the way, the truth and the life around the world.
Smiling in His service,
Charlynn Johns
Executive Director
Check out our ministry highlights video here!
2008 Ministry Highlights
Mexico
The beginning of the New Year kept us close to home with a trip south of the border. Working in conjunction with Grace and Peace Christian Church our ministry focus was to help this young congregation by providing Bibles and evangelism materials.
INDIA
March took us back to India, to the southern tip of the country to Tamil Nadu. Working with East West International our team reached close to 800 people during outreaches during the Easter Weekend. We returned to Redeeming India (whose primary focus is in the rescue of female babies from infanticide) and worked painting, sewing and sowing for the 19 baby girls at the orphanage.
TEXAS
In April our ministry contributed the children’s program at the first retreat for soldiers wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq sponsored by Joni & Friends Ministry. It was a great honor to serve the twenty soldiers and their families who have served our country!
INDIA
The last part of May we will return to Nellore, India to work with the Lone Star Church. In November of 2007, we visited with the Pastor and were able to provide clothing, medical supplies, as well as electricity for two local leper colonies. We will visit twelve rural villages reaching over 1000 children and adults.
Tanzania
Sunshine After Rain Ministries will return in the summer to teach at a women’s training conference in Mwanza, Tanzania. The seminar is organized by the national director for Women’s Works of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the country. Local community outreach will be included during our ministry as well as humanitarian aid provision and distribution.
CHINA
Our return in the fall of 2008 will follow the historic summer Olympics held in Beijing. We look forward to cutting the ribbon as the International special guest at the new multi-million dollar facility built for the Taian orphans. We continue to witness the testimony of the Father to the fatherless at each visit to the orphanages in the region. Each year we enjoy meeting new University students and sharing our vision of hope and joy for children (old and young) around the world.
Botswana
Opportunities in Africa abound, unfortunately in orphan ministry. Each day, 6,000 children are orphaned by the AIDS epidemic. Botswana is experiencing one of the most severe epidemics with the second highest HIV prevalence in Sub-Sahara Africa. There are currently 69,000 orphans in the country. We will be traveling throughout the region with local and government officials to assist and train lay people with orphan care.
INDIA
We will be planning a fall trip to India, working with East West International. We will be serving in rural communities along the eastern coastal region badly affected by the 2004 Tsunami.
