BMS World Mission

BMS supports Street Child World Cup - 17 Dec update

17/12/2009

 

BMS World Mission is seeking support in funding Team Nicaragua at next year’s Deloitte Street Child World Cup.

 

We’re appealing to individuals and churches to help finance the team of 13 people travelling to and taking part in the tournament in Durban next March. A total of £20,000 is needed.

 

From 14 January, you or your church will be able to register your support and pledge, or make, a donation. In return, you will have access to a special supporters’ pack, which will include a poster, fundraising ideas, a Nicaragua factfile and prayers.

 

As the tournament approaches, there will be more information from Team Nicaragua, including player profiles, and during the event, there will be regular updates from Durban.

 

We’d love to have you alongside us supporting the Nicaragua team and adding your voice to those calling for justice for some of world’s most disadvantaged children.

Street child Credit: PushplayProductions
Please consider how you or your congregation might be able to get behind this initiative. Perhaps your church could hold sponsored events to raise money?

 

Return to the BMS website on 14 January for more information – and to become a Team Nicaragua Street Child World Cup Supporter with BMS.

 

 

 

10/12/2009

 

BMS World Mission can this week reveal that it will be supporting the Nicaragua team at the Deloitte Street Child World Cup in South Africa next March.

 

BMS is committed to providing the funding for 13 people to travel to and take part in the tournament in Durban.

 

The group includes a playing squad of nine children aged between 14 and 16, who must survive each day on the unforgiving streets of the capital, Managua.

 

They’ve been training hard for the main event since February and, whilst boys and girls have been separated until now, the final team will be mixed, comprising six boys and three girls.

Nicaragua footballers Images: Peter Bone/Casa Alianza Nicaragua/Amos Trust
Nicaragua girl footballer
The Nicaragua team is being facilitated by the charity Casa Alianza Nicaragua, which helps 3,500 children in that country every year, many of whom are victims of trafficking.

 

Jenny Dawkins, UK Project Manager of the Street Child World Cup says, “It’s fantastic that BMS has become one of our partners. Without their support, the Nicaraguan team would not be able to participate in this unique event.

 

“Amos Trust has had a long history of involvement in Nicaragua and Casa Alianza is one of the world’s leading street child organisations.  

 

“We’re delighted that BMS support has enabled them to be part of this international project, and that their voice will be heard loudly and clearly in Durban in March 2010.”

BBC News Online has posted an interesting article about the Nicaragua street kids’ team – read about children such as Victor and Cristina, and more about Casa Alianza’s life-transforming projects by clicking here.
BMS has been involved in Nicaragua in the past, sending personnel to support the Baptist Convention in the 1990s and giving several relief grants since then.
We’re currently working on plans for churches and individuals in the UK to help us support Team Nicaragua, and there will be more information about this on the website next week.

 

There are an estimated 100,000 street children in Nicaragua. Chronic illness is commonplace, with drug dependency and high-risk behaviour highly prevalent.
A survey of 300 street children by the Nicaraguan Ministry of Family found that over 80 per cent had engaged in prostitution in order to survive. Without intervention many children simply do not survive the streets.
Street child


 

02/12/2009


BMS World Mission is pledging its support towards an exciting sporting event in South Africa in 2010 – but not the tournament that might first spring to mind.

 

Three months before the millionaire footballers arrive there, children from eight countries will compete in the first-ever Deloitte Street Child World Cup.

 

Held in Durban between 14-23 March, the event is an opportunity not only for these young people to enjoy a great time, but it’s also a chance to celebrate their potential and provide a platform to campaign for their rights to be recognised and upheld.

“I know from personal experience just what power football can have to inspire and change young people’s lives whatever their background or nationality. This is what the Deloitte Street Child World Cup is all about and I give it my full support.”
David Beckham
Countries competing in the Street Child World Cup are Brazil, India, Nicaragua, Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, Ukraine and Vietnam.

 

Several well-known people are endorsing the event, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and footballers David Beckham, Theo Walcott, Eduardo and Jamie Redknapp.

David Beckham
BMS has been in negotiations with organisers Amos Trust about supporting one of the teams taking part in the tournament, and we’ll be able to bring you further details about that next week.

 

We are also looking for Baptist churches to join us in supporting this initiative, and are planning a special pack for release early in the new year, which will help you do that.

 

We’ll announce more about that in the coming weeks.

 

In the meantime, click here to discover more about the Street Child World Cup.

Amos Trust asks us to pray for:

  • Funding to turn up in the right places and at the right times. May all be done to make this project effective.
  • People in governments, in sporting organisations, in society who look on street children as a ‘problem’. May they have their eyes touched and their perspective changed, to see street children as valuable people.
  • The children who will be involved in this project – and for those who will only be involved indirectly. May they too see themselves as valuable people.
Credit: Wilf Whitty/Amos Trust Credit: Wilf Whitty/Amos Trust
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