Frequently
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It is the atmosphere of heaven that changes the atmosphere on Earth. We encourage heaven's atmosphere to invade our lives and our ministry by living Kingdom values including love, hope, honor, humility, grace, and gratitude. When we live by these values we create an environment that will shape the culture around us. This process always leads to change.
Our Vision Statement
Our vision for Sonshine is to encourage heaven to be released over Sonshine Center, changing the children by changing the environment in which they live. We accomplish this by diligently practicing our core values.
Our Mission Statement
Fulfillment of our vision requires an ambitious mission strategy. We have identified three areas that not only enable the completion of our mission, but also set us apart from other charitable organizations:
The Complete Child
Physical Development
Proper nutrition is vital for the physical and cognitive development of growing children. Sonshine Ministries provides fresh, nutritious food that enables our children to grow strong and healthy, allowing them to concentrate on their studies. We have dairy cows, chickens, gardens and orchards providing a large part of our food supply.
Shelter is a basic human need; it brings safety, love and protection. Our homes are clean, of high quality, well lit and safe. We have the highest standards for sanitation and safety.
Sonshine also has it's own source for fresh clean water; a deep well providing enough water for all the homes, the animals and irrigation for all our crops.
Emotional Development
Our center is staffed with quality, trained and licensed matrons who provide daily oversight, counseling, mentoring and love for the children living in our care. Additionally, our staff teachers are role models for the children both in and out of the classroom.
Our child sponsorship program connects children with individuals and families who love them, pray for them and believe in them. Child sponsors write letters, video chat, send gifts back and forth, providing an additional source of encouragement and emotional support. Our children know they are loved.
Sonshine Ministries also welcomes visiting teams. These visits often leave a lasting impression on both the children and the visitors, forging long-term relationships.
Spiritual Development
Sonshine Ministries is a place where children are able to grow and mature spiritually. We provide biblical teaching that is age appropriate for each child. These times include prayer, bible reading and memorization, instruction, praise and worship. Our children have their own worship team and often share in local churches.
Educational Development
One of our mottos is “Sponsor a Child Today. . . Create a Leader for Tomorrow”. In order to make this a reality, Sonshine provides each of our children the skills necessary to achieve their God given potential. We have teachers and classrooms for all our pre-school kids and our older children attend a nearby English Medium School, the very best in our area. Our goal is that all our children will complete High School and to become fluent in English. Only 5% of Tanzanians complete High School and even less have a working knowledge in English.
A Self-Sufficient Village
Sonshine’s goal is to develop our children’s village, school campus, and missionary center to be nearly self-sufficient. We believe that investment in education, infrastructure and micro-business ventures will produce enough revenue to sustain the village long-term, allowing for financial independence.
These projects and improvements will not only produce revenue for Sonshine Village but will also provide employment to men and women from the surrounding community. Instead of relying on charity; students, workers and leaders will be empowered to create wealth, improve their lives and the health of their community.
Current projects and programs for our village include solar energy for reduced dependence on the electrical grid, increased water storage for both home and irrigation use, full agricultural use of our 15 acres including row crops, orchards, dairy cows, chicken production and constructing a new laundry building to serve the center.
Together is Better
Sonshine joins together with others to get things done. One thing we’ve noticed over the years is that God always uses people. Whenever there is a need, He brings someone with a heart to help with that need.
In the book of Philippians we read about Paul rejoicing because God’s people had once again given to the needs of the ministry. Paul speaks of the fruit that would abound to their account. He tells them that the gifts they sent to him were a sweet smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice pleasing to God.
By utilizing this biblical model, our homes are now in place, our people are trained and ready; ministry leaders, house matrons, cooks, teachers, support staff, security guards and farm workers.
Sonshine continues to grow and change lives because of people just like you. Together is better!
Our Core Values
The excellent way is the way of love
The way of God is the way of love. Love is the bond that joins our hearts together. Everything done in, for and because of love yields fruit with eternal value.
Seeing all things through Kingdom eyes - Heaven’s perspective
The Eyes of Faith enable us to believe the best about others. We are to know each other through the lenses of God's Kingdom, not the flesh.
Nurturing enduring hope
We value process. Being filled with hope, we possess a finisher’s heart, the spirit of endurance, patience and longevity in our journey. Hope anchors all of us together to the future that He has promised us.
Honor increases and releases life in, among and through us
Christ in us is the Hope of Glory. We honor others because we see Christ in others. A culture of honor activates an unstoppable force of goodness in this world.
Humility releases the fullness of God’s ability
Humility is the hallmark of greatness. We maintain humility in our hearts towards one another on our way to greater heights in His Kingdom. The way up is to stay low.
Kingdom assignment
We are a family with purpose. We are called to bring the Kingdom of God to the unreached, releasing the love of the Father to the least, the last and the lost. This is the heartbeat of our family.
Attitude of gratitude
In all things we give thanks for this is the will of God. Thankfulness opens us up for more favor.
Passionate receivers, extravagant givers
Freely we receive and freely we give. Everything in the Kingdom of God is to be received and not to be achieved. We give extravagantly because we have received from Him extravagantly. The purpose of blessing is to be a blessing!
Good Kingdom stewards reaping great Kingdom rewards
Increase comes to the hands of the faithful. We value the works of God in us, we work together to cultivate what has been entrusted to us. Faith plus faithfulness brings heavenly harvests.
Seekers of God before speakers of God
We pursue His presence, we declare His glory. Our speaking of Him overflows from our being with Him.
Supernatural is natural in the Family of God
The Kingdom of God is supernatural. Signs, miracles, wonders and the gifts of the Spirit all demonstrate the supremacy of the Kingdom of God in all things.
We value family
Father, Son and Holy Spirit; Three-in-One, this is the divine pattern for our family. There is unity, alignment and love in the family. Interdependence draws us to God and to one another. None of us is as great as all of us!