Cyclone Funso's projected path as of 5pm January 24th may avoid areas our programs serve. Image courtesy of the Pacific Disaster Center's Global Hazard Atlas.

UPDATE: Cyclone Funso's path is taking it out to sea. Praise God with us that our friends in Mozambique and Swaziland were spared more storms.

When it rains, it pours. And that’s definitely happening in Mozambique and Swaziland. Less than a week after Tropical Storm Dando made landfall and ruined both church buildings and homes in the communities we serve, now Cyclone Funso is threatening.

Today it strengthened to a Category 4 storm with winds over 130 mph. Thankfully, it seems to be drifting along the Mozambique Channel and has not veered inland.

We are praying Cyclone Funso continues on its projected path and skirts past Mozambique and Swaziland. Still, bands of intense storms are raking across southern Africa. Even Bulawayo, Zimbabwe is getting large amounts of rain. (You can see the general location of our projects in the white dots on the image above.)

As the ground is already saturated from Tropical Storm Dando, the aftereffects of Funso can still cause major damage. Please join us in praying for the safety of the children and staff in Mozambique, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe, especially those who may be staying under damaged roofs.

The weather reports show another round of storms brewing behind Cyclone Funso -- please pray with us that those storms also miss these beleagured countries. But if they don't, we pray that God will be making a way for those in the storm's path to find shelter and hope. And may His church continue to move to meet the needs of our brothers and sisters around the world.

You can help Mission of Mercy respond to crises like cyclones and floods with a donation to the Children’s Crisis Fund. In the past, funds have been used to rebuild homes, provide medical treatment, and allow the staff to meet the most pressing needs in a community. Thank you for your continued support of our friends and the children they serve!

Weather as of 1pm MST, January 17. Image Courtesy of TerraMetrics via Weather Underground.We are asking for your urgent prayers for the children we serve in Mozambique, as they recover from the effects Tropical Storm Dando.

With forceful winds and heavy rain, Dando wreaked havoc in Mozambique, and in Xai-Xai (pronounced shy-shy) in particular. Today we received reports that the roof of the building that served as the project and church was ripped off.

The staff in Mozambique are in the process of checking on the children registered in our programs. As always, please know that if your sponsored child was directly affected, we will contact you personally; however, given the general state of things this may take some time.

If you would like to make a donation to help Xai-Xai rebuild, or to help the children and their families repair homes that were damaged, please consider making a gift to the Children’s Crisis Fund. Mission of Mercy relies on the CCF to respond and rebuild in situations like these.

Thankfully, Tropical Storm Dando has slowly lost intensity after making landfall, but is still dumping rain in Mozambique and Swaziland. Please pray for the children whose homes may have been damaged. May the Lord be their protection and keep them dry. And may His church rise up beyond the building itself and continue to serve this community.

It's that time of year -- time for the sweetest photos that make you laugh out loud. Our friends and ministry partners in Swaziland, Children's Cup, know how to throw a party, especially if it's celebrating Jesus!

If you want to see more of this awesome party, click to read more. In the accompanying photo gallery you'll see what it’s like for a child to encounter Jesus and the celebration of His birth in a whole new way... from the child's perspective!

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In the coming weeks you should receive a Christmas card from your sponsored child, and on it will be Christmas wishes in their own hand. We love this time of year because you can see the anticipation of Christmas in the children's heartfelt wishes. 

But very few of the children in our programs speak English -- so what do their Christmas wishes look like?

In most of the countries in which we work, the language spoken does not use a Latin or Roman alphabet such as what we use in English or what many of the countries in Africa or Central America use above. 

Yet the result is just as beautiful. Several countries, such as the Philippines and India, have regions that use different languages or dialects, which are represented below.

And then there's the Middle East, where Christ and the Christmas season was born. What wonderful wishes!

It's a bit early to wish you a Merry Christmas, but we can't help getting in the spirit! 

Did you know you are a fighter in the battle against HIV/AIDS? Here's how we -- because of your help -- are moving to address the needs of children in countries devastated by this disease.

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Mission of Mercy is incredibly blessed to work with several passionate partners on the field, such as the staff of Children's Cup who help us minister to children in Swaziland and Mozambique.

Nothing encourages us more than when the body of Christ comes together to meet the needs of children. Even the smallest act, such as measuring basic food stuffs, can make a huge impact.

Yesterday we received some photos of our Children's Cup friends in Swaziland unpacking 1252 boxes of food from another partner, Feed My Starving Children.

The "Manna Packs" that Feed My Starving Children donates to organizations like Mission of Mercy are enriched with protein and nutrients which are essential for meeting the nutritional needs of children in our programs, especially in remote areas where food and transportation costs are so high.

In addition to Swaziland, we have used Feed My Starving Children rice packs in Haiti after the devastating earthquake and cholera epidemic.

Several shipments also went to Kenya in response to the severe drought and famine there. Over the course of a year and a half, Feed My Starving Children and Mission of Mercy made sure over 1 million meals made it to the mouths of hungry children in several areas around the globe.

What's amazing about all of these Kingdom connections is that several of our headquarters staff in Colorado Springs will volunteer to pack Feed My Starving Children meals at area churches this weekend. We are thrilled to take part in a program that we know saves lives!

We also want to ask for prayer for the continued needs in Kenya. The drought in the Horn of Africa continues to impact families across Ethiopia, Somalia, and Kenya. We are coordinating with Feed My Starving Children to send another shipment to our projects in Kenya, and the logistics are always harried. Please pray that we can quickly cut through the bureaucracy and customs issues and get this critical food source to the children and families who need it most! 

If you'd like to help us ensure that our children in Kenya receive the nutrition they need, please consider donating to the Children's Crisis Fund. Thank you!

How many of us grew up on a playground, chasing friends and competing to see how high we could swing?

Should children growing up in poverty be denied that opportunity?

Get a glimpse at what one devoted group of generous donors did for thousands of kids in Swaziland!

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How does Mission of Mercy intervene on behalf of children who are orphaned and left with few resources for their own care?

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Homes in Sub-Saharan Africa reflect an ingenuity fitting of their sparse environment. Could you build a home out of mud, sticks, and tin?

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In a letter to her sponsor, Temaswati from Swaziland asks,

Jesus Christ died for our sins in April, when did Jesus died in America? Please give me the month.

Just a reminder to write to your sponsored child about your Easter traditions, and perhaps to clarify that yes, Jesus died (once for all) in April!

As you eagerly anticipate spring and all its joys (flowers, warmer temperatures, allergies), your sponsored child may be preparing for another season entirely.

To give you a taste of what's to come, did you know that the names of the seasons (spring, summer, autumn, winter) apply the same way regardless of where you live -- it is the months they apply to that differs.

For example, while we anticipate spring in the Northern Hemisphere, the Southern Hemisphere is entering autumn. For those of you who sponsor children in Swaziland and Mozambique, this is particularly important -- while we are expecting warmer weather, they are gearing up for colder weather... which may not seem all that cold to you! Swaziland and Mozambique's coldest months are called winter, but their winter is from June to September, roughly speaking.

Enjoy the signs of spring, and check back for more fun facts as well as how you can talk to your child about the seasons and what you experience here!

Yesterday's post revealed some of the practical projects we undertake -- but as our ministry is focused on developing children, we are compelled to assist with some fun projects, too!

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When you pray for God to meet your sponsored child's needs in extraordinary ways, this is sometimes the answer He delivers...

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Our sponsored children are creative beings, inventing games or tweaking rules of established sports to accomodate their resources. From simple to high-flying, these games sure look like fun!

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Four quarters. A leather ball. A rectangular court with a hoop on each end. Think you know this game? It's sweeping the globe but it's not what you'd expect...

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Our projects in Swaziland throw Jesus a birthday party for Christmas. Do you want in on the fun?

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This week we’ve been talking about the importance of education and how we can help. So how is your sponsored child's education supported at the project level?

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Does a mission trip do more harm than good? As the team bids Swaziland and its precious children goodbye, Mission of Mercy president Mark Pluimer shares his thoughts.

Praying safe travels for these tender hearts!

Can you tell the story of these children in such a way that people are compelled to get involved? The Swazi mission team will face that challenge soon enough. The work continues, and prayers are needed. See Mark Pluimer's blog for more...

How do you change a country when the leaders, elders, and parents are dying? With the highest HIV/AIDS infection rate in the world, Swaziland is in crisis. The entire nation could be wiped out unless something changes. Is that change possible? Mission of Mercy's president Mark Pluimer shares his thoughts in this latest update from Swaziland...