Kisima Academy Pond Upgrades

Just a quick note. Kisima Academy is trying to enlarge the existing fish ponds and increase the number of ponds in order to increase the harvest for the children. If you would like to be a part of our Kisima Academy, Kenya project, you can send donations to: Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, 260 Wade Road West, Loudon, TN 37774-3412. Be sure to make your checks payable to Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church and attach a note that it is for the Kisima Academy Tilapia Project. Thanks for supporting this ministry and the children it serves!

It's been a while...Update!

The orphanage and kids in need of a Tilapia Project in Chiapas, Mexico

Large new pond in Uganda for PCM

Well, it has been a while since my last post. Thanks to all those who have been an encouragement these last six months. Our family is doing well. Sophie is now a very active 7 months old. She is finally starting to sleep better (Thank the Lord). Emma is a great sister and a lot of fun for us. Just the other day she told me she was "all grown up".

We are happy to report that despite our silence on the blog, Tilapia Projects are continuing around the world, and we do have some new prospects as well. Our pilot project in Kenya continues to produce fish for the Kisima Academy Orphanage. They have had a few bumps in the road, but Martin, the director of the orphanage, has a knack for overcoming adversity. They continue to build new classrooms, dorms, and a kitchen, while growing much of their own food including vegetables, maize, chickens, fish, etc. Martin does have a need to expand their tilapia ponds in order to increase production. The two small ponds they originally started out with will be combined into one larger pond. More water equals more fish for the kids! Great job Martin. http://www.kisimaacademy.blogspot.com/

Parental Care Ministries (PCM) had completed construction on several different ponds, they have filled with water, and stocking with tilapia has begun. We at the Tilapia Project have been greatly encouraged by PCM founders, Dr. Mark Barret and his wife Monica. PCM has done a great job of taking the idea for fish farming and running with it. May the harvests be boutiful and quick! www.parentalcareministries.org/about.php

Our newest active project is with Living Among Them Ministries in Chiapas, Mexico. Lance Keeling and his wife are full time missionaries working with the native people in a variety of ways including helping with an orphanage. They hope to begin work on a well and some tilapia ponds this fall to benefit the orphans. (contact me for more info on this ministry)

All of these projects are centered around God's love for his people, and his desire for us to know him. The most important component of any Tilapia Project (beyond God's blessing) is the people on the ground who are managing it. They must be people of strong faith who are willing to overcome adversity. They must be forward thinkers who can work through obstacles. The projects mentioned here have such people directing them on-site. Our role here at the Tilapia Project is more advisory than physical. (Though one day I do hope our family can visit these sites) We are also working to match potential donors directly to projects that God is leading them to. If you are moved to support any of these ministries, or know someone who might be so led, please visit the websites listed above to learn more. Your direct donations will be well used and tax deductible.

P.S. Dr. Neshia Rudd of Today's Vision Tyler will be holding another trunk show to benefit The Tilapia Project this Saturday, June 25th,from 9 to 3. Stop by if you're in the area. And thanks to Today's Vision for your support!

We Wish You a Thankful Christmas

It's been a whirlwind around our house for the last few weeks with the blessed arrival of our second daughter, Sophie. God has touched our family this year not only with a beautiful daughter, but with His provision in our lives through our friends and family. We never really understood the ministry that it is to bring a family a meal until now. We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love. Its about so much more that the wonderful food. When people come to our home, they are telling us that they are standing with us. We are not alone. God is showing us in a very real way that He will provide. Thanks to all our friends and family for their support and willingness to love us. And thanks to God for reminding us that we have so much to be thankful for.

There are so many people around the world who can not see God's love or provision right now in their lives. We pray that through their difficult circumstances, pain, and abandoment, God will touch them and let them know they are not alone. May God's people stand up this year to show people in a real way that God loves them.

This season we celebrate the birth of God's son. We celebrate our ultimate salvation from ourselves through Him. And we celebrate God's provision for all of this and so much more because of His love for us. May all of our hearts overflow this season with a better understading of just how thankful we should be.

Merry Christmas! The Saviour is born!

Tilapia Project Uganda Kickoff Lunch

Parental Care Ministries and the Tilapia Project are hosting a Kickoff Lunch at the Potpourri House in Tyler, Texas. This fundraiser will benefit the Tilapia Project in Uganda (PCM Ministries).
Its TODAY! Tuesday, November 9th, 2010 at 11:30.
Join us for a quick lunch, and for a donation of $20 you will receive a fabulous free lunch. PCM is a great ministry and the proceeds will go towards building and stocking a LARGE tilapia pond for the orphange. Hope to see you there!

Dominican Republic Project Update

Our friend Stefan Schmid was unable to make his trip from Haiti to the DR due to the bad timing of Hurricane Tomas. Instead, Stefan had to make a quick getaway back to the states. So, we will find another way to make contact in the coming weeks. Stay tuned as God continues His work. It's always an adventure!

October 2010 Update, New projects in the works!

The Tilapia Project continues to move forward despite the lack of posts these last few months. We have been seeking God's direction in our on-going projects, and in finding new projects. It seems God is leading us primarily to ministries that are serving children. What better way to show His mercy than by feeding His most vulnerable people?

Our first project, Kisima Academy, continues to produce fish, feeding and providing money for this orphanage serving over 140 children. The director, Martin, has done a wonderful job of growing additional food to provide for the children in his care. He is not only growing tilapia, but also vegatables and grains. Martin has plans to build more fish ponds in the future in order to provide more security and self-sufficiency to their ministry. If you would like to learn more about Kisima Academy, and how you can help, go to: http://kisimaacademy.blogspot.com/

The Dominican Republic project takes another step forward in November when our primary contact, Stefan Schmidt, will travel to Puerto Platta. Stefan will make contact with Richard James to determine what progress has been made and will bring information about where he can purchase fish in the DR. We will use this trip to establish more reliable means of communication and to ensure that Richard is still able and willing to be the man leading the way in the DR for the Tilapia Project. The DR project will serve Hatian refugee children by providing fish to the school serving the Villa Ascension refugee camp.

Parental Care Ministries, Uganda, is also moving forward with their Tilapia Project. This ministry is orphanage based as well as serving to unify and enrich local Christian ministries and churches in Uganda. PCM is in the fund raising phase of its Tilapia Project. They will be hosting a fund raiser at the Potpourri House Restaraunt in Tyler, Texas on November 11th. We hope to break ground on the first fish pond at their property in Uganda in November! If you would like to learn more about Parental Care Ministries and how you can help, go to: http://www.parentalcareministries.org/

We have another possible project in the planning stages in Chiapas, Mexico. This ministry is lead by Lance Keeling of Living Among Them Ministries. Lance and his family are working with a local orphanage trying to improve the children's lives. He approached me through a common friend about raising tilapia. We've had some great correspondance and he has a great vision for how the Tilapia Project could help these children. Right now Lance is working to find a sustainable water source for the fish. A well would be a great answer to prayer, but they are quite expensive. Please check out the Living Among Them Ministry at http://www.livingamongthem.com/ to find out more about this ministry and how you can help.

Debra and I have been impressed in the last year how many children in this world are in need of help. We hope that if you are reading this, that you may be encouraged by the people who have stepped forward, with God as their guide, to care for these kids and show them and their communities God's mercy and grace. If you are inspired to help, you can give tax deductible contributions directly to Kisima Academy, Parental Care Ministries, and Living Among Them Ministries. Thanks for following the Tilapia Project! Bill

August 2010 Update

Its been a great summer for the Tilapia Project. The exposure we gained at the Today's Vision Tyler trunk show in June continues to impact the Tilapia Project (Thanks again to Dr. Rudd and her networking genius Todd Hinkey).

As a result of that opportunity, we had an amazing meeting with the founders of Parental Care Ministries (PCM), Dr. Mark Barrett and his wife Monica. One of the ministries of PCM is to provide a home for orphans in Uganda. At the moment PCM is providing a home for about 200 children. They hope to be able to serve over a thousand children as resources and infrastructure allow. As we found out in Kenya with Kisima Academy, the Tilapia Project is a natural fit for orphanages looking to become more self-sustaining. That is just what PCM is looking to do in Uganda. We have already begun working with this great ministry to formulate a budget and a plan to bring ponds and fish to Uganda. Check out the PCM website at: http://www.parentalcareministries.org/

Another result of the trunk show is that we will be giving a presentation to the Bullard, Texas chapter of Rotary International on August 12th. We are looking forward to sharing our vision for the Tilapia Project with these fine men and women. It is always an honor to share what God has done and is doing in our lives.

We are still working on getting the Dominican Republic Project up and moving. We keep reminding ourselves that God has His own timing, and He seems to be on Caribbean time for this one. :) We continue to make slow progress. Because our project manager in the DR has no telephone, internet, or electricity, our communication with him is challenging. However, we should have more specifics laid down with him in the next few weeks.

Thanks to all for your prayers and support.