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Blessing the Children International (BCI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 2001, that does Christian missionary work in Ethiopia, Africa. According to the Urban Institute, BCI is classified as an "International Relief" organization.〔(Urban Institute - National Center for Charitable Statistics )〕 BCI have built and operate the BCI Academy, the Adana Children Center, and they support orphaned and impoverished children through a foster care program. In addition, BCI hosts mission teams to Ethiopia throughout the year. BCI partners with several ministries, individuals, and organizations to effect its work in Ethiopia. Their strategy is to work through and equip local churches in Ethiopia to carry out the work of the ministry. At the time of this writing, BCI is partnering with 5 local churches in Debre Zeyit, Ethiopia. Working with Ethiopian church leaders and staff, the neediest orphaned and impoverished children are accepted into the Adana Children program and placed in homes with loving families. BCI raises support through donations, copy writing, print work, teams, and a child sponsorship program. ==History== Blessing the Children International was founded by Keith V. Strawn in 2001 as a means to carry out his vision of helping impoverished children in foreign countries. Shortly after creation, BCI joined a partner ministry in El Salvador to improve donor communications through regular mailings and by publishing a regular newsletters. In 2002, BCI began partnered with the Blair Foundation to administrate their church planting in Ethiopia. BCI was responsible for developing and managing all aspects of the program, including a report collection system to keep sponsors informed of their sponsored missionary's progress. In January 2004, BCI launched the Ethiopian Call Ministry through a partner ministry, planting 1,000 new churches in the remote villages of Ethiopia over the next two years. Previously, only seven churches existed in the entire region of almost 1 million people. BCI fully administrated all aspects of the program; missionary deployment, tracking, and data collection for communications to more than 1,500 donors. The goal was achieved and the one thousandth church was planted September 15, 2006. In January 2006, BCI launched the Kamashi Orphanage & School in a remote area of Benishangul Gumuz, Ethiopia, at the request of President Yaregal Ashishem.〔(The Christian Post )〕 The Kamashi Orphanage is a 500-bed facility built by the government in 2003, and sat empty for three years due to the government having no operational budget. The orphanage was given to BCI free of charge and they received the first 38 children in January, 2006. By November 2006, the number of children accepted had risen to 141. In April 2006, The first team visited the Kamashi Orphanage & School. BCI began recruiting and hosting mission trips to Ethiopia. In August 2006, BCI launched a short-term missionary program, whereby volunteers from America and abroard are able to serve longterm in Ethiopia. In the same month, the first two short-term missionaries arrived. Missionaries followed, teaching and caring for children to "Make a difference in the world", according to the University of South Carolina Upstate.〔(University of South Carolina Upstate )〕 In October 2007, BCI announced〔(Hope on the Horizon )〕 plans to start a ministry in the Debre Zeyit area of Ethiopia. The Adana Children Center is a school, community center, and foster care program. The word 'Adana' means 'Rescue' in Amharic. In January 2008, BCI launched the new program in Debre Zeyit, whereby over the next five years, 600 orphaned children are planned to be rescued and provided wholesome families to care for them as their own children. In November 2008, BCI broke ground for the construction of the BCI Academy (school) & Adana Children Center (community center) in Debre Zeyit, Ethiopia. Along with serving the community, this center will also house the BCI Academy, opening with grades 1st through 4th, the school will eventually offer grades K-12. In September 2009, BCI announced the completion of phase one construction and the opening of the BCI Academy to 83 students in grades 1st through 4th.〔(Free Christian Press - article )〕 In October 2009, the BCI Academy began construction of Phase Two, adding 6 additional classrooms. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Blessing the Children International」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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