26 September 2007
ELLIOT FURNISS
EADT24 (Suffolk & Essex, UK)
AN ORPHANAGE in Cambodia is set to be handed a cash boost this month as a Colchester church holds a charity evening in a bid to raise much needed funds.
Colchester's Kesed church, which meets each Sunday at the Sir Charles Lucas School, is hoping to raise £5,000 for the establishment in the city of Phnom Penh.
The parents of Matt Teece, a member of the congregation, moved to the Southeast Asian country about 20 years ago and have been running the orphanage ever since.
They are desperate to try to accommodate more children, many of whom have been living on the streets or sold into the sex trade when they arrive.
The pastor of the church, Barry Roberts, 36, said that last year enough money was raised to pay for an extension to allow the orphanage to raise the number of children it cares for from 25 to 45.
Now he is holding a charity ball to help pay for a school to be built on land next to the site.
Mr Roberts said: “Matt Teece's parents are out there. They got it going from square one - from nothing. They live by faith and have been out there for many years now.
“They need to raise about £50,000 to get the school up and we're aiming for about £5,000 from our ball.”
He said some of the stories about the children taken in by the orphanage could “tear your heart out” and said the church's involvement was about raising funds and awareness.
The ball will be held at Colchester Town Hall on September 27 when musical entertainment will come from live band Soul Kitchen. A presentation will be made during the evening explaining more about the work being undertaken in Cambodia while the ball will also feature a charity auction with a glittering array of lots including a wine tasting evening and a personal chef for a night.
Kesed only started less than three years ago but already has a following of about 80 people.
Mr Roberts said: “We're going in the right direction. It's been quite exciting for us and with this we just wanted to do something locally that could make a difference.”
He said the church was hoping to send some of its members out to Cambodia to help with the work at some stage in the future but all involved were now preparing for the charity ball.
For more information about the ball, visit www.kesed.org.
Colchester's Kesed church, which meets each Sunday at the Sir Charles Lucas School, is hoping to raise £5,000 for the establishment in the city of Phnom Penh.
The parents of Matt Teece, a member of the congregation, moved to the Southeast Asian country about 20 years ago and have been running the orphanage ever since.
They are desperate to try to accommodate more children, many of whom have been living on the streets or sold into the sex trade when they arrive.
The pastor of the church, Barry Roberts, 36, said that last year enough money was raised to pay for an extension to allow the orphanage to raise the number of children it cares for from 25 to 45.
Now he is holding a charity ball to help pay for a school to be built on land next to the site.
Mr Roberts said: “Matt Teece's parents are out there. They got it going from square one - from nothing. They live by faith and have been out there for many years now.
“They need to raise about £50,000 to get the school up and we're aiming for about £5,000 from our ball.”
He said some of the stories about the children taken in by the orphanage could “tear your heart out” and said the church's involvement was about raising funds and awareness.
The ball will be held at Colchester Town Hall on September 27 when musical entertainment will come from live band Soul Kitchen. A presentation will be made during the evening explaining more about the work being undertaken in Cambodia while the ball will also feature a charity auction with a glittering array of lots including a wine tasting evening and a personal chef for a night.
Kesed only started less than three years ago but already has a following of about 80 people.
Mr Roberts said: “We're going in the right direction. It's been quite exciting for us and with this we just wanted to do something locally that could make a difference.”
He said the church was hoping to send some of its members out to Cambodia to help with the work at some stage in the future but all involved were now preparing for the charity ball.
For more information about the ball, visit www.kesed.org.
3 comments:
Thanks you for your generous to our orphans .
May god bless you!
Thanks you
Okay, but no conversion, please.
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