World Mission - Toybox

The Toybox charity is seeking a permanent site to house their latest project. This is going to be a refuge to help high risk children and their families needing crisis care. An example of this is:-

A family of nine children, Dad died of AIDS a few months ago and Mum is also affected with this illness. The aim of the refuge is to help the family to cope with the loss of their father, to help them adjust to life without both parents and to give them a home where they will be loved and cared for when this happens. The refuge would also help families who need other types of temporary emergency care.

Toybox is also continuing with the high risk team visits to the streets.

A new home for the girls is being built and a new boys home is being sought in rented accommodation.

If you would like a collecting box there are some available at the back of church.

Please can you pray for the needs below:

The places where the street team works to be transformed by Gods love and power.
For the children that they may know God's love and learn to trust the people trying to help them.
The staff at home in the UK and abroad in Guatemala for strength, wisdom, encouragement and peace.
The children in Guatemala who have to work to contribute to the family income.

April 2004

April is the month when we remember the Toybox Charity and all the work they do in Guatemala. The latest news is that the students who have taken a gap year with Toybox are now giving talks about their experiences in Guatemala. We have arranged for them to come and talk to us on Sunday 20 June at the 6:30 pm service. Please make a note in your diary.

The charity is in the process of looking for land to build a new home for the girls to replace the present one (Shalom) which is becoming too small to house all the girls. They already have the funding.

Toybox is helping support families through training of parents and carers in needlework to allow them to earn money and therefore buy food.

The High Risk teams are continuing to go out onto the streets to help the children who are homeless and give them encouragement to stop taking drugs etc and try to give them the hope they need to survive, attend school, etc.

Marilyn age 10: I'm not on the street. God is in my heart and I have better things now, the love of all my friends, my teachers and everyone in the ministry. I would like to change my character with God's help so that I can be a better person. I want to continue my studies, to continue living like a family in the home and one day to graduate.

Ana Maria age 14: I'm in a home that the Lord has given me. I have the love and care of my house parents and a family, I want to make progress in my studies and have the courage to do this, I want to meet with and help my natural family and I also want to learn how to play football and baseball.

Please pray for all those involved with the Toybox charity at home and in Guatemala. Please pray for a little boy called Christian, his mother has died recently of cancer and he is now in the care of the Toybox Charity.

Please help support the Toybox charity by placing an envelope marked Toybox on the offertory plate or by taking and filling a collection box. These can be found at the back of church. Thank you.

Janette Burridge

April 2003

Who runs Toybox?

Jenny Dyason. The Dyasons felt a call from God, to do something to help these children.

What is Toybox?

The Dyasons set up Toybox to support work they had started in 1991 in Guatemala after watching a documentary on the children who lived on the streets there.

Why are the children on the streets?

Various reasons ranging from war to poverty. Some parents throw them out because the family is too big and they cannot afford to feed them.

Where are these children living?

Some live on the rubbish dumps (with their families) in tin huts, or cardboard shelters, with all the smells and constant risk of disease. Others have no homes; they just wander the streets in constant danger and sleep where they can.

Facts

43% of the 1500 (approx) children on the streets are there because of abuse or neglect by their families. Once on the streets they are unlikely to live for more than four years. Most are aged between 10 and 14 years, although some are younger.

What has Toybox done?

1. Set up a safe hostel for children to go to for a shower, chat, clean clothes or a chance to learn. This is called The Tower.

2. A halfway house for kids between the streets and a permanent home - The Hostel.

3. A place to call their own, house parents to call Mum and Dad - Homes

What Next?

Toybox continue to help further out from the city in the south, in the railway community in Escuintla with a high risk team going in to help teach the at risk children. A school has been opened in this area to help these children and their families.

Work is continuing to try to stop the kids going onto the streets in the first place. Toybox is working with the parents and children to work towards this. Please take a look at the boards at the back of church and read the latest letter from Jenny Dyason.

What about in the UK?

Toybox's base is in Amersham, which sells items made by the Guatemalans. Visitors are very welcome if you ever find yourself down that way.

What can I do to help?

Pray for all those people involved in Toybox both here and abroad.
Pray for the children - a lot has been done but there is plenty still to do.
Take a charity box from the back of church and fill it.
Make a one off donation - put your envelope, marked Toybox, on the collection plate.
Sponsor a child - from £15 per month. Forms are at the back of Church.
If you are 18, and are taking a gap year, try a year with Toybox.

September 2002 - Toybox

How many homes does Toybox run?

There are now five homes and one school.

What next?

Toybox have recently started to help further out of the city in the south, in the railway community in Escuintla with a new high risk team going in to help teach the "at risk" children A new school has been opened in this area to help these children and their families.

Work is continuing to try to prevent Kids going on the street in the first place. Toybox is working with the children and parents to work toward this. The government have also now acknowledged there is a problem and are working to resolve it.

April 2002 - Toybox

How many homes does Toybox run?

The Hostel
Malquias - a girls' home
Emanuel - a boys' home
Jerah - a Boys Home
a new home recently opened

One school

£200 is needed to put a teacher in for one month.

Future plans

Toybox hope to open two more homes this year. Work continues to stop children going onto the streets in the first place. Toybox is working with parents and children toward this.

this page was last modified on 3 October 2004