The 2nd ECHO Agricultural Conference will be held at the Empress Hotel in Chiang Mai, Thailand fromSeptember 21-25, 2009. Geared towards enabling persons serving Asia’s poor to network solutions related to alleviating hunger and poverty, this ECHO conference will offer:

• Three mornings of plenary sessions featuring knowledgeable and experienced speakers. Slated speakers include Dr. Norman Uphoff (researcher and advocate of SRI rice production worldwide), Salinee Tavarana (director of the Border Green Energy Teamthat provides hands-on appropriate technology training and financial support to village innovators in ethnic minority areas on both sides of the Thai/Burma border) as well as Jon Jandai and Peggy Reents (founders of Pun Pun, organic farm, seed-saving operation, and sustainable living and learning center known especially for its promotion of earthen houses).
• Dozens of afternoon and evening workshops and discussion groups led by regional agricultural development workers and experts (possibly including you).
• A day of post-conference tours (September 25) to notable venues which offer excellent examples of sustainable agriculture, appropriate technology and outreach to the poor.
• Members of the ECHO team based in Ft. Myers, Florida, including Stan Doerr (President/CEO of ECHO), Beth Doerr (Intern Manager/ Agricultural Consultant who brings expertise related to the Moringa tree and Appropriate Technologies), Dr. Tim Motis(Director of ECHO’s Agricultural Resources Department and Seed Bank Director) and others. Excellent and affordable conference-related accommodation and meals at Chiang Mai’s Empress Hotel http://www.empresshotels.com/empress_hotel.html
• A resource fair featuring displays and booths by various development organizations and businesses.
• Unlimited networking opportunities with fellow conference participants and resource persons. Additional information, including on-line registration and payment, will be made available via the ECHO website (www.echonet.org) by early 2009.

For more information please contact Rick Burnette at rburnette@echonet.org. We’re looking forward to seeing you at the conference!

The YWAM Child Protection Policy guidelines have been revised. The most current copy of the YWAM Child Protection Policy can be found in the YWAM Mercy documents section.

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From John and Jill Bills report June 2008 Uganda –

St. Ameria Orphanage

John Mark, a Ugandan who is a student in the YWAM DTS I taught in for that week, escorted me to the St. Ameria orphanage. John Mark has a remarkable story. Both of his parents died from AIDS and he was left at the age of 13 to care for two brothers and a sister.  As a young adult now, he has worked hard to care for his siblings to give them food, clothing and an education.  He now works in another orphanage of 200 orphans.  He wants them to receive what he did.  He is a young man who displays a humility and dependency on Jesus in every area of his life and those he cares for. 

As I walked onto the property of the St. Ameria orphanage, I was greeted with squeals of excitement, not only from the children, but also the staff.  Edith especially came running up to me yelling and laughing as she gave me the biggest hug.  It was one of those emotional moments where tears are way out of control.

I stood in amazement of all of the construction work that they have done on the orphanage since I was there last year.  I have had the privilege of seeing money raised for the much needed building additions  for the children in this orphanage.   Edith was so proud to show me the work that has been done on the orphanage.  They took me from room to room to show me the new improvements.  What I saw was amazing. 

There is a new wall running down the side of the property connecting into the new girl’s dorm.  They have put a nice seating area outside under a new roof to greet guests.  The girl’s dorm is complete where they are housing 27 girls.  They have bunks three high, two girls to each bed or mattress. The new boys dorm is partially constructed.

Doreen

Doreen is 12 years old and has been at St. Ameria for 4 years.  She loss both parents to AIDS.  She has HIV as a result.  She had two brothers and two sisters who all died from AIDS when she was very young.  Doreen was staying with a guardian when Edith found her and brought her to the orphanage.  She was very ill at the time and was in the hospital for an extended time in order for her to be treated for the AIDS virus.  Doreen wants to be a doctor when she grows up.  Because of the faith in Jesus that all of the staff have shown her, Doreen has hope and trust in a loving Father to care for her in every way.  Edith, like many of her staff, are orphans themselves, so they know what life is like having no parents and some having died from AIDS.  

A report from John Bills on their time in Uganda after the fire that killed 18 young girls at a Boarding school. 

“Come to the mortuary and bring a casket with you.”

These were the only words that Dickson and Mabel heard from the mortuary to confirm the fate of their daughter Melissa.  Melissa, nine years old, along with 18 other young girls, died in a horrible fire at their boarding school.  The reason of the fire was due to some arsonist with unknown motives. 

Dickson and Mabel are YWAMers and Melissa was their only biological daughter.  They have an adopted daughter around the same age as Melissa.  I sat with Dickson and Mabel under a tree as they went through every detail of what happened to their beloved daughter.  As with any trauma, there are always the questions and doubts.  It was such an honor to be allowed into their suffering to bring comfort and prayer.  They had just buried their daughter a few days prior and now they were faced with her upcoming birthday.  Mabel had put aside for weeks, some of Melissa’s favorite foods.  They don’t have a lot, so Mabel had to work for weeks to be able to keep that special food for this special event.  When I asked them what they were going to do on her birthday, they said “nothing”. 

I suggested that they make that day a day of celebrating her life.  So, upon my advice, they brought the family together with a few friends, cooked up Melissa’s favorite food including a birthday cake and each one shared a warm memory of their lives connected with Melissa.  There were tears but also laughter.  They entered that day in uncertainly and finished with a healing touch on their hearts.  Melissa was a prayer warrior even at the age of nine.  She was always praying for the other children at the boarding school. 

One Muslim father said that his daughter was deeply impacted by Melissa’s faith in Jesus and her ability to show so much compassion and depth of prayer.  Her death has truly produced life in many.  I personally came out of this time with them being emotionally and physically shaken by what I experienced.  To show empathy for others does come with a price.  But it is a price worth paying in order for Jesus to be glorified in the lives of those who are hurting.

The ywam-memorial.org site is ready for you to visit, register, create memorial pages, make comments and upload pictures about those who have died while serving God through YWAM. We hope that it will be very user-friendly. 

I have been deeply moved by what people have already been saying. I think that you will be touched as well as we see how God has impacted people’s lives in our midst over the last 48 years. Please feel free to share this site with your various networks, forums and friends of YWAM. 

There is also a resource page where people can find help about the process of grieving, bereavement and much more. This is a sacred place where we can honor, remember and give thanks to God for those who have died while serving in YWAM. This site is also a place to take some time to reflect upon how our family and friends have touched our lives, been models for us and to share some thoughts.

A big thanks to Adrian Young who has helped technically put this site together and to many of you who have already sent pictures and made comments about your friends. Now this site is open for all of YWAM and our friends to be involved. 

Also, you have asked how you can contribute financially to this ongoing site development and there is information on the site. We welcome your first visit and ongoing visits to this ywam-memorial site and look forward to your reflections and comments.

May God be honored above all. 

Steve Goode