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.

$1000 donated by Today's Vision of Tyler, Texas!

Dr. Rudd hosted a trunk sale at Today's Vision of Tyler, Texas, benefiting the Tilapia Project last Saturday.

Today's Vision trunk show in progress.

Dr. Rudd pictured above in full Tilapia Project regalia :)

Many thanks to Dr. Rudd and all the Today's Vision employees for their support and hard work. Their donation of $1000 is roughly enough to get a new Tilapia Project going. We met lots of great people, and even made some connections for future projects. God has greatly blessed this project through Today's Vision!

Today's Vision hosting the Tilapia Project this weekend.

Our friend Dr. Neshia Rudd of Today's Vision, Tyler Texas, is hosting a fish themed trunk sale June 19th. Dr. Rudd has been kind enough to sponser the Tilapia Project with a percentage of the proceeds. We will be at Today's Vision from 9 am to 2 pm tomorrow. Come out and see what Today's Vision has to offer!

Tilapia found for the Dominican Republic Project

After over a month of phone calls and internet searching, we have located a local source for fish in the Dominican Republic! Now we will put our missionary project manager in the DR, Richard James, in touch with the hatchery in nearby Nagua. This project is run by Food For the Poor. Our contact there will not only sell us fingerling tilapia, but will also be a great resource as Richard begins growing fish. Progress in the Caribbean is slow, but we're getting there!