Children have helped to change the world! Their prayers for the needy of our world have been music to the Father’s ears and heart and as children learn of opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others – especially other children in need – they desire to express God’s love in action and lives are changed (1 John 3:16-18).

Empowering Lives International cares about the suffering children in our world and has established dynamic programs and schools in East and Central Africa to help children directly and to help families break the cycle of poverty so that parents can adequately provide for the needs of their families.

You and the children in your VBS can help to change the course of a child and families future. Empowering Lives provides strategic trainings for families in need that help them learn how to grow more food, start a business, or break an addiction (such as drinking alcohol) so that the course of their futures can grow stronger and lead them to a place of sustainability – all the while learning that God cares for them and desires to know and lead them to a relationship that gives hope for now and eternity.

We have a very important project that in partnership with you and the children you know, can help us to reach hundreds of families in Africa with life changing skills - not only now but for decades to come. Here’s how:

Trees for Life

• This important project will provide every child in the VBS program with the opportunity to see that trees are planted in Africa which when mature will provide financial resources that will impact and empower lives for decades to come. The funds generated from the trees (sold for timber) will be used to supply food and education to needy children (and orphans) and will also enable the training of needy families so that they can gain skills to grow food and break the cycle of poverty that holds a chokehold on millions in Africa and around the world. Each $10 tree will quickly mature and will produce $100 dollars worth of wood over a ten year period.

• For every ten dollars we can grow one tree AND purchase the small portion of land (the six square feet) where we will be planting the tree. The total for the tree and land is $10 (Land is $8 and planting tree is $2). One acre holds 600 trees and in five years the wood from these trees will generate over $60,000, and over the next ten years will help to feed and educate needy children ($30 per month per child) and train hundreds of families with life changing skills at our training centers ($30 helps train one family with skills)!!! That’s helping empower 2,000 lives or families!

• Something else that’s important to know is a special option of having your name put on each tree you help to make possible. With the planting of each tree – our staff will place a small marker with the sponsoring child’s name ON EACH TREE that they helped to make possible. This marker will remain on the tree as it grows. Some children may even desire to come to Kenya someday to visit the tree(s) they helped make possible and to meet the people that their generosity has helped to empower.

• Notes: A goal for your VBS could be to help plant 1/2 acre ($3,000); ¼ acre ($1,500); 1/8 acre ($750) or a full acre ($6000) or more. If the VBS has 150 kids - if each child helped with 2 trees ($20) - this would provide ½ acre of land with trees – generating $30,000 over ten years to impact and help empower 1,000 children or families.

In summary: Trees For Life

Trees planted now help create and sustain life among the poor and needy.

A $10 gift makes possible the purchase of land and the planting of one tree which (optional) will be labeled with the name of the sponsoring child. The tree will mature over the years to come and after five years will be sold which will help to feed a child AND provide Life Skills to a needy family. The tree will immediately begin to re-grow and EVERY FIVE YEARS will be sold for timber – producing more funds to again impact needy children and families. This cycle will continue for years – even decades to come. And it all begins with a child - putting Gods Love into action – joining together with ELI to plant a Tree For Life. Each tree – providing funds – to bring life, hope, empowerment and the message of God’s love to the needy in our world today.