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Website updated: 7/09/10
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Progress Reports and Information:
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Want to Help?
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Resources and Links:
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Click HERE for an update on Current Projects and Needs for 2009.
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Click the button below to check out our latest video on YouTube!!!
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Spring 2010
From the March newsletter:
“Taking It For Granted”
Hello again, friends.
Our friend Gary flew out from the States on a mission with Convoy of Hope. When he arrived  in Davao, he was traveling light. Gary had one suitcase filled with water filters and a small bag with one set of clothes for overnight.
On Wednesday he showed us how to put together the water filters and how to use them. By that afternoon we were out in the middle of a field visiting a fatherless family.
The littlest child (1 ½ years old) lay sleeping inside their hut--which was made of whatever scraps of material they could find to protect them from the elements--a place they call home. We asked Esther, the mother, if we could see what drinking water they had so that we could show them how to filter it. Her income may reach US 50 cents a day, depending on if she finds a job and if someone needs their laundry washed by hand. Esther had about ¾ of a gallon of brown brackish water. Insects were floating on the top, and other unidentifiable particles as well.
 With the water being so dirty we took a T-shirt and filtered out the bugs and bigger particles. Then we poured the water into the white 5 gallon bucket which we had brought to filter their water. Since they scarcely had enough water to filter we asked where we could get some more. Not wanting to walk to the nearest shallow hand-pump well, which was about 2 miles away, we instead purchased water from a wealthier neighbor for US 10 cents a bucket (20% of her income for the day). It was also very dirty. Maybe from rusty pipes, or maybe they pumped it from a shallow well.
Once we filled the five gallon bucket & filtered the water, we poured a cup of clean, clear water. We gave a glass to her and then some of her children. The 3 year old drank the entire glass, and when asked if she wanted more, she raised her eyebrows as a sign for "yes". We asked Esther if her family was suffering from diarrhea, and she replied yes. We explained that with proper use and maintenance of the filter, the removal of bacteria would help her family be healthy.
 To see and hear the thankfulness expressed by the family, including the little ones as they drank the clean water, was deeply impacting. Once again I felt His smile, and heard His words echo in my heart, “When I was thirsty, you gave me water to drink…”
I am guilty of “taking for granted” the water that we use every day. Hopefully this lesson will not soon be forgotten, as I now pause to drink another glass of water.
Later that day we gave two more families the water filters. One family had 20 members living in their house, and they were so thankful. As we prepared to go they said, “May God Bless You!” What might be considered unusual about that is the fact that the household is Muslim. (We have 43 more water filters to give to needy families). Thanks to God, Convoy of Hope and our friend Gary.
Just a cup of water given in His name. Let’s not be caught guilty of taking it for granted…
As Gary flew out of Davao the following day, he left with our thanks. He left behind filters that will provide untold thousands of cups of water from the One who supplies us with Living Water.
For the King & His kids,
Darrell & Sandy Blatchley
Family Circus Children’s Ministry – Davao City PHILIPPINES
Summer 2009
Report - 7/1/2009
Recently we became aware through the immigration department of about 7 other foreigners who have been using Family Circus and a friend’s orphanage to obtain missionary visas apparently to obtain donations.
They took pictures of the kids and yet were not involved in the ministry, nor did they give any funds they may have raised for the children to the ministry.
It’s too bad there are people who would do that and we all need to watch out and be aware there are wolves out there in sheep’s clothing.
For the King & His kids,
Darrell & Sandy Blatchley
See Map of property purchases below.
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Family Circus Children’s Ministries
Urgent Needs - Summer 2009
(Figures updated 6/26/2009)
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Summer 2009 . . .
Hello, friends.
We endeavor to keep you updated on a regular basis, and as your extended hands on the field, we are grateful for your participation in the Great Commission and your enabling us to “feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and to care for the widows and orphans in their time of distress.” If anything were to describe the Family Circus Children’s ministry, those words would prayerfully be most appropriate.
God is doing a wonderful work, and we are requesting to return to the states for a mini-furlough in Mid July – Mid October 2009. Upon approval, if these dates would fit in your calendar, we’d love to schedule services with as many as possible. Due to the short duration, we are open to creative opportunities outside of the regular time slots, including coffee around the table on other than normal church service times.
Current update of ministry:
At present we are completing the construction of a bakery cafeteria. The goal is to provide meals for the thousands of malnourished children who attend our weekly services. The current needs include purchasing a city transformer ($2,500), a generator ($9-10,000) capable of sustaining the electrical needs of the ministry in times of (frequent) power outage, and $4,500 for the wiring and lighting for the cafeteria and the completion of the building proper. *See pictures and the table below.
(Continued below.)
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Family Circus Children's Ministry Projects
and Continuing Needs
(Figures updated 6/26/2009)
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Item
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Amount
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Per Time Unit
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Cafeteria kitchen equipment - to assist in the feeding of malnourished children.
Fryer, Grill, Tables, Compressors for the freezer & refrigerator.
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$2,450
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Once
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City Transformer.
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$1,200
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1
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Food - 1 ton of rice $500 supplies about 2 weeks for the thousand of malnourished children and widows.
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$500
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Every 2 weeks
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10,000 Hot bread rolls.
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$400
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Each week
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10,000 Juice servings.
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$150
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Each week
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Fund needed to supply food for the pantry - Noodles, fruit, vegetables, etc, to supply the kitchen.
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No limit
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Ongoing
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School Supplies - $25 will cover 1 year school supplies and child school uniform, shoes, socks, pencils, erasers sharpeners, glue, paper, etc.
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$25
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Per child
Per year
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Dental supplies - $100 covers 1 week dental care for 200 kids.
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$100
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Per week
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Vitamins $350 = 1 box 25,000 multi-vitamins 5,000 kids for five days.
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$350
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5 days
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Gymnasium - covered basketball court - teen ministry center.
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$85,000
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Once
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Security lights $2,500 - 42 lights.
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$2,500
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Once
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Food carts - Hot Dog, French Fryer, Snow Cone Machine, Cotton Candy, Noodle Cart - $6-$850 each.
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$6-$850
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Initial cost with future growth needed.
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Convoy of Hope Shipping containers loaded with items needed and shipped for the Family Circus Children's Ministry - $40,000 – $50,000 value. Freight/customs costs $8,500 per 40' container.
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$8,500
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Per 40' container.
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First Aid Supplies.
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No Limit
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Continuing expense.
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Tractor - to assist in gardening and construction.
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$16,500
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Once.
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Playground equipment, and marine paint for fence.
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$4,500
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Once.
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Sports Equipment – all kinds: basket balls, badminton, volleyball, table tennis, chess boards, etc.
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$2,750
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?
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2 Generators 139KVA. (Capable of operating entire ministry center.)
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$12,000
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2
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PA system for the Circus Tent.
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$7,500
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1
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Lights for the Circus Castle and Tent.
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$2,500
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3 sets.
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Four Daylight Video Projectors to use in the circus tent and for Public School Assemblies.
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$4,500
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4
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Electric Piano and music instruments.
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$1,250
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3
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Property Purchase Update
06/09
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(Continued from above.)
Also, we have five more lots yet to pay off each with approximately $20k remaining due. This property is in the heart of the Muslim Friendship village of Davao City, Mindanao Island, Philippines, and yes, we are having large numbers of their families and children attending services each week.
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Property Purchase Status
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Updated 11.14.09
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Property
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Status / Remaining
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C-3
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PAID
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C-4
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PAID
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C-5
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PAID
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C-6
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$ 5,000.00
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C-7
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$ 15,375.00
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C-8
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-
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C-9
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-
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C-10
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-
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C-11
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$ 30,000.00
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C-12
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$ 23,750.00
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C-13
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$ 5,000.00
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C-14
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-
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C-15
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-
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C-16
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-
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Total
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$ 79,125.00
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In 2009 . . .
We anticipate building a "castle" beginning in March 2009 that will have a 1,000 seat sanctuary for the adults. Currently everyone attending services (approx. 5,000 weekly) join together in the circus tent during the two services. When the castle and cafeteria are complete, the teens and adults will have their own meeting area. The cafeteria, second floor, is planned to be used as a temporary meeting room for the teens until a basketball gym is constructed as a sanctuary for them. This will create a three-cord approach to ministering to the needs of the entire family. Donations for the ongoing construction are welcome. Project #5499
We welcome short term missions groups and building teams to come and assist us in ongoing projects.
In it for the King & His kids,
Darrell & Sandy Blatchley
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Family Circus Children’s Ministry was created by Assembly of God Church missionaries Darrell and Sandy Blatchley in 1993 to produce high impact and joyful methods of presenting the Gospel (#1) to children and (#2) to their families.
The purpose of the Family Circus is to bring the life and joy of Jesus, combining both discipleship and evangelism, to reach lost children, while ministering to the needs of the child, both spiritual and physical.
Each week five to six thousand people of all ages attend the Family Circus church services held under the ‘Big Top’, a big circus tent pitched in the center of the densely populated “Muslim Friendship Village in Davao City, Mindanao City, PHILIPPINES. Approximately 4,000 of the 6,000 member congregation are children- half of which are malnourished. More than 1,000 are adults.
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Please pray for Darrell & Sandy, and the team. God grant them sufficient:
- Strength,
- Energy,
- Wisdom,
- Knowledge,
- Discernment,
- Peace, and
- Joy - unspeakable and full of Glory!!
Pray for food - spiritual and physical - sufficient to help with the needs of those attending Family Circus.
Pray for supplies, building materials, permits, etc. for current and future needs of Family Circus.
Pray for health and safety for all those involved in the Family Circus mission outreach.
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