99 Balloons:: August 2013 Update

99 Balloons:: Updates

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Current rEcess Sites::

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Arkansas::! !

Bentonville! !

Bryant Decatur! !

Fayetteville (2)!

Rogers Siloam Springs! ! ! !

Tennessee:: Memphis! ! ! ! !

Canada:: Toronto

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Louisiana:: Baton Rouge

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Missouri:: Bolivar

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Oklahoma:: Stillwater

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Texas:: Dallas

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There are currently 13 rEcess programs, with the most recent having launched in February at Faith Baptist Church in Memphis, and a Toronto rEcess is scheduled to have their first rEcess night in October.

Through our Engage Conference in Little Rock this past May, as well as connections made via email, we are talking with 14 additional churches and individuals who are seriously pursuing building a rEcess in their area in cities such as Denver, Nashville, Jacksonville, Little Rock, Arlington, Branson, and more!

We are also working on developing ways to train Leadership Teams outside of our annual conference, including offering online training and Skype training.

AFRICA TRIP

On July 6-16, we led a team of 17 incredible folks to work with children with special needs in Kenya and Uganda.

Our team consisted of Medical Professionals who worked with the children, as well as trained caregivers, parents, professionals and staff. We were also able to provide equipment and supplies for the kids.

We also had a Day Camp Team that organized art activities, Bible lessons and games specifically for kids with special needs. The Day Camp team allowed all the staff and caregivers to be free to attend training by our Medical Team. This was huge, as it was the first time for our partners in Kenya and Uganda to have their entire staff free to attend this type of training.

You can follow the links below to learn more about our trip: • Africa Update on the Story Fork • Updates posted during our trip (internet was scarce, so we couldn’t update as often as we would have liked) • Video from our time in Kenya put together by our team member, Nathan Strayhorn

GLOBAL PROJECTS We have continued to help change the global story of disability through Global Projects. So far in 2013, we have helped raise over $6,500 for 5 Global Projects impacting kids and families affected by disability in Haiti, Bethlehem, Guatemala, Kenya and India.

On our recent trip to Africa, we were able to see some direct results of Global Projects funded over the past two years.

• We got to meet “Matt-ilda” in Uganda - Matt Mooney’s namesake goat that was purchased through a Global Project last summer. Matt-ilda and Darcy are two milking goats that provide nutrition for kids with special needs in Uganda.

• We also saw the amazing Multi-Sensory Room at the Ekisa home that was funded through a Global Project, and heard of their plans to continue adding more. The Ekisa directors told us that the Multi-Sensory Room is used very often, and the kids love it!

• We saw the two sewing machines purchased for Dignity Designs in Kenya. These sewing machines will help provide income for mothers of children with special needs. Click here to read more about the impact of this project and see additional pictures.

COMING SOON

This fall we will be releasing a documentary on disability in Uganda. Our desire is to use this documentary to point folks to our Featured Global Project this fall benefitting Uganda.

More details will be coming soon, including the documentary release date and how you can help host a Couch Screening!