ONE LESS
GIFT
2019
SAVE THE DATE DECEMBER 15
On Sunday, December 15, we are collecting a SPARK anniversary offering with the goal of $725,000! If we meet this goal, we can accomplish three things: • fund the weekly budget for that week ($60,000) • make the last two debt payments ($565,000) • fund One Less Gift for 2019 ($100,000) So, mark it on your calendar, pray about what God is calling you to do, and take a step of faith as you bring your offering. Let’s make a SPARK!
what is one less gift? One of our favorite Christmas traditions at College Heights is our One Less Gift initiative. Between Thanksgiving and New Years we set aside money that we would have spent on ourselves so that we can give to others in need around the world. Last year over $100,000 was given to people who have greater needs. Half was used locally and the other half was used internationally to those struggling with hard issues that confront the poor. This year we want to give away another $100,000! In this catalog you will find a variety of wish list items from our Community and Global Partners. As a sponsor, your contribution will go toward the One Fund. We then distribute these financial gifts to each of our partners. Come be a part of this amazing opportunity to make a difference this holiday season! Gather your family, sit down with a cup of hot chocolate, and consider how you will give to those most in need. On Sunday, December 15, we are collecting a special SPARK anniversary offering with the goal of $725,000! (Read more about it on the preceding page). You can also give at church any Sunday, online, or at the church office.
MILESTONES & MEMORIES 2010
$100,088
2011
$107,500
We gave $49,000 locally and $51,000 internationally to projects that directly impacted individuals and showed them the compassion of Christ. Little did we know what God would do through One Less Gift in years ahead!
While recovering from the tornado, we were still able to bless a pregnancy crisis center in Serbia, a therapy center for the disabled in Africa, houses for persecuted Christians in India, and a training institute for Christian leaders in Sudan.
2015
2016
$121,563 We provided care packages to Syrian refugees, a dental clinic in Northeast Africa, seeds for farmers in Eastern Europe, and therapy for kids in North Africa, among other projects.
$104,222
We helped earthquake relief in Haiti, bought motorcycles for evangelists, helped refugees overseas and in Missouri, purchased clothes for poor children in India, among many other gifts.
20
$101
Funds were us to return sight woman, utilitie who had lost th for the poor in milk for an or motorbikes for India, as well as
20
$115
We assisted a in Harlem, bro hurricane victi Rico, provided ing to doctors i helped victims along with othe
012
1, 091
sed for surgery t a near-blind es for a family heir jobs, a well Asia, cows for rphanage, and evangelists in s other projects.
017
5,000
a new church rought relief to tims in Puerto d medical trainin Central Asia, s of trafficking, er efforts.
2013
$107,419 This year funded cleft palate surgeries for children in India, a well in Uganda, supplies for Neighborhood Lifehouse in north Joplin, wood for windows in Eastern Europe, and therapy supplies for boys rescued from sex trafficking.
2018
$100,000 We were able to help fund a drug rehab program in Southeast Asia, parenting classes for inmates in Missouri, a generator for a safe home for girls rescued from trafficking, as well as much more.
2014
$134,680 We gave funds to buy goats for a children’s home in India, micro-loans for farmers in Togo, a playground for kids in Sudan, Bible translation in Eastern Europe, and food and blankets to widows in India.
ONE LESS GIFT AR
Gifts for Kids Oklahoma
Church Plant New York
Various Projects Eastern Europe
Help For Homeless New York Therapy Center North Africa Boys Rescued from Trafficking Dominican Republic Blankets & Bibles South Sudan Various Projects Missouri
ROUND THE WORLD
Compassion Projects Eastern Europe Various Projects Central Asia
Clothes for Children India
Girls Rescued from Trafficking Cambodia
Microfinance Malawi
CAMBODIA
CARING FOR GIRLS RESCUED FROM TRAFFICKING
$2,900
Rapha House knows that meeting the basic needs of children rescued from trafficking allows them to see and feel they are cared for and protected. These are the first steps in the healing process. This grant includes $2,500 to provide a motorcycle for the Girl’s Home, transporting clients to school as well as helping staff pick up and deliver supplies for the safe house. A grant of $400 also will allow the safe house to purchase solar lights which will improve the safety and security of their residential clients during power outages.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC RECOVERY FOR BOYS RESCUED FROM TRAFFICKING $5,000
Blackbox International is one of our partners who provides holistic aftercare to boys rescued from sex trafficking. Every boy that is welcomed into their aftercare home receives medical care, from initial screenings to monthly check-ups. Part of this grant will help provide needed monthly medication for some of the boys. Additionally, because of the great trauma and shame these boys have experienced due to being exploited and trafficked, they are behind in their education and learning. This grant will also help provide specialized speech therapy for one of the boys. Another part of this grant will provide funds to celebrate birthdays and holidays to help the boys learn about cultural and special celebrations. This brings value and dignity to these boys and those who work with them.
INDIA
CLOTHES FOR CHILDREN $2,250
FOOD & BLANKETS FOR HOMELESS $1,800
The beggars in central India have nothing of their own. This grant will help Central India Christian Mission purchase blankets to give to 150 beggars in central India to keep them warm and to show them compassion.
This grant will help Central India Christian Mission purchase warm clothes for 150 children in their children’s home so they can stay warm this winter.
SUDAN
BLANKETS AND BIBLES FOR REFUGEES $6,050
South Sudanese refugees have run from violence in their country to the surrounding countries. College Heights is working to walk alongside these refugees in the largest refugee settlement in the area. As the rainy season approaches, blankets will help keep people from disease and sickness. This gift will also provide Bibles to the refugees in the Maaji Refugee Settlement.
HELP FOR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS $400
SERBIA HEAT FOR THE WINTER $1,800
Each winter, Choose Life sees some people struggle with the basic need of heating their homes. This grant will provide wood or electricity for heat for 10 families to survive the cold Serbian winter.
Choose Life Center in Serbia desires to reinforce human dignity through the affirmation of those who are dependent and weak. This grant will help four families with special needs kids.
FOOD BASKETS FOR FAMILIES $500
The Nexus Church in Serbia has handed out food baskets to poor families in Novi Sad since 2009. As a result, two house churches have been planted with the potential to start two more!
FOOD AND DIAPERS $1,800
This grant will provide much needed food, supplies, and diapers for three months for two single moms who have found themselves in crisis situations.
PROVIDING FOR SINGLE MOMS $1,400
Choose Life’s NEST Maternity Home helps single moms and their babies start well. This gift provides household goods and appliances for the first three months they are out in the “real” world.
GIFTS FOR NEW FAMILIES
$1,500
This grant helps Choose Life fill the empty fridges of 20 clients, buy hygiene products and diapers, and provide winter shoes for their children.
CENTRAL ASIA SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR KIDS
DIGNITY FOR THE POOR
Our global partners in Central Asia have a good relationship with a school who serves the poorest in their city. This grant would allow them to buy proper school supplies and books so that kids are better prepared to learn and grow at school. This will continue to foster trust and relationships with the school’s faculty, parents, and children.
Our partners have identified microloan projects which will benefit the poor by promoting dignity and sustainability. This grant will expand their microloan fund so they can help families purchase five goats for both nutrition and income. This act of compassion helps them build bridges with those who are among the most poor.
$2,000
$1,000
NORTH AFRICA HELP FOR THE WINTER $1,000
Every week hundreds of people are escaping violence or looking for economic betterment in Central Asia. Many do not have even basic necessities. Our partners want to bless 40 families by showing the love of Christ and giving them basic provisions of a blanket, flour, oil, rice, and green tea.
COMPUTERS FOR MINISTRY $600
Our partners in North Africa have been utilizing an online tool to provide a series of Bible studies leading to personal engagement. They have partnered with local believers who are beginning to handle many of the online responses. This grant will provide computers to allow them to expand their capacity and reach more people for Christ.
EASTERN EUROPE WOOD FOR WIDOWS $2,000
This act of compassion opens doors to spiritual conversations and shows people that we care for the whole person—their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
EQUIPPING A PREGNANCY CENTER $1,000
This gift will help furnish a pro-life pregnancy center overseen by our partners in Eastern Europe. They want to be available to more women in crisis pregnancies.
MEDICAL EXPENSES OF BELIEVERS $1,000
Several believers that our partners work with are affected by poor health which limits their capacity for ministry. This grant will provide medical help for three particular men.
HELPING WOMEN IN CRISIS PREGNANCIES
$1,000
This grant will help our partners in Eastern Europe provide housing, money for medical needs, diapers, and baby clothes for women facing an unexpected pregnancy.
MALAWI
MICROFINANCE $5,000
Lifted Up International, one of our partners, provides grants for microfinance projects in the most impoverished areas of the world. One group they work with is the Namikango Village Savings and Loan. Members of the group put their savings together and then use that money for a loan that rotates through the group. These types of programs have been successful in the most impoverished areas. This grant will fund the overhead of the program to support and train loan officers and participants.
MISSOURI SAFE PLACE TO PLAY
$2,000
We partner with Neighborhood Lifehouse to minister to kids and their families in North Joplin. They desire to connect with the older youth in their neighborhood. This grant will help them create a safe spot that attracts older students so they can connect with them, mentor them, and share the love of Jesus with them.
REMODELING FOR RESIDENTS $2,000
God’s Resort in north Joplin is a transitional housing ministry that provides stability for families and individuals to help them get to a place they could not achieve without a faith community of care and support. This includes safe, clean, dignified, and affordable housing. This gift will help fund renovations to an apartment for a family.
MISSOURI & OKLAHOMA BED FOR THE HOMELESS $2,670
This grant helps sponsor Bed 17 at Watered Gardens Gospel Mission. This includes a bed, access to laundry and shower facilities, meals, hygiene items, clothing, shoes, an opportunity to hear the Gospel, and mentoring in goalsetting, life skills, and accountability.
SPACE FOR KIDS AT CAMP $930
This gift helps expand the space at Maranatha Bible Camp so they can serve more groups and provide more discipling opportunities for kids.
BLANKETS FOR THE COLD $2,000
Our partner, Crosslines, works with families in Joplin who can’t always afford basic necessities. This grant will provide sheets and blankets to keep them warm during the winter.
WELCOME GIFT FOR KIDS $1,000
Starting over can be scary, especially when you’re nine years old and you don’t know anyone in your new home. This gift will supply new children at Cookson Hills with their basic hygiene and clothing needs, as well as a new pillow and blanket to curl up in at the end of a long day.
TRAFFICKING RESPONSE TEAM $3,000
The mobile medical unit and the trafficking response team take their services “to the streets” instead of waiting for women to find them. In the last four years, LifeChoices’ medical team has responded to dozens of requests by local, state, and federal law enforcement for assistance with domestic trafficking operations. This allows them to not only treat these young women for the physical effects of their exploitation, but to also care for them emotionally and spiritually. Currently, they have served 115 survivors of sexual exploitation. Each deployment of their mobile medical team costs around $3,000. Currently, their team deploys around three times per year.
COMMUNITY AND HOSPITALITY FOR REFUGEES
REFUGEES WITH MEDICAL AND LEGAL NEEDS
Hospitality and gift giving are at the core of many cultures around the world. As refugees arrive in the Noel, MO area, we want them to know the church welcomes them and wants to help them settle into their new season of life. We also want to create opportunities for new relationships as well as foster an atmosphere of unity among the different cultures present in the Noel community.
When refugees come to the U.S., they have huge adjustments like learning English, finding a job, and learning the laws in the U.S. This grant will help show compassion by allowing our Global Oureach Team to help local refugees navigate legal and medical issues. By participating in their lives during the hard times, our partners help the refugees know they are not alone and someone cares.
$3,500
$2,000
NEW YORK CITY GIFT CARDS FOR THE HOMELESS $1,000
There are 61,000 people experiencing homelessness in New York City. (That’s more than the population of Joplin!) This grant will provide $5 gift cards for our partners, Lance and Tara Schaubert, to give to those who are homeless as they minister to their community and city.
SURVIVAL KITS FOR THE HOMELESS $400
The Schauberts have built friendships with men who are experiencing homelessness in the park. As winter arrives, Lance and Tara would like to provide some helpful supplies like a backpack filled with first aid kits, socks, and a blanket. This grant will allow them to purchase and assemble 12 of these “survival kits� for these men.
NEW YORK CITY HELPING A NEW CHURCH HELP OTHERS $10,000
Kenny and Shanika Hart love the people of Harlem and understand its culture. They want to give the rest of their lives living out the Gospel in this community. They see the need for ethnic reconciliation that can happen with the spread of the Gospel. The church they work with, The Harlem Gathering, recently celebrated their two-year anniversary. This grant for $10,000 will create a benevolence fund to help this church show the compassion and mercy of Jesus to the community of Harlem.
BENEVOLENCE COMMUNITY CARE $30,000
We want to draw people closer to Christ by helping meet their basic financial needs in times of crisis. These charitable gifts are accompanied by evangelism (when applicable), discipleship, and counsel on biblical financial stewardship: Counseling We work with several wonderful counselors in the area. Many from our church and community have received guidance toward healthier relationships and have been given the resources to improve their emotional and spiritual well-being. We also offer financial budget counselors who help people create personal budgets. For most people it is reassuring to have someone walk with them through this process. We offer basic budget tools, encouragement, and hope to show people that they are not defined by their financial situation. Car Care Outreach Four times a year, we offer oil changes and minor car repairs to single parents, the elderly, and those struggling financially. Practical Help We regularly help with housing, utilities, food, and gas for people in need. We also send teams into the community that adopt the widowed, single parents, and others with long-term needs. Teams of four meet on the third Saturday, for two hours, once a month. They perform basic handyman chores such as doing yard work, fixing leaky faucets, cleaning windows, etc. This ministry is making long-term changes in the lives of people!