Rodger Obley 6/29/18 Rodger Obley 6/29/18

The Pittsburgh Kids Network

We sat down with a few of the youth leaders in the Network and asked them how it's impacted their lives and their ministries. Check it out!

The Pittsburgh Kids Network (PKN) has always been the backbone of The Pittsburgh Kids Foundation. PKN is a Network of support, understanding, encouragement, and training. Once a month, we gather youth leaders from all over the Pittsburgh area and encourage them to engage with their peers who are also on the frontlines of ministry. Monthly PKN Meetings provide a much-needed opportunity to connect with other leaders, share prayer requests, worship the Lord and be free of the everyday demands and expectations of youth ministry. Youth leaders also have the opportunity to meet on a smaller scale in PKN Groups in their own geographical area of Pittsburgh. There they can share ideas, concerns, and support with one another, as well as collaborate on upcoming events.

We sat down with a few of the youth leaders in the Network and asked them how it's impacted their lives and their ministries. Check it out.

PKN meetings are open to all youth leaders and resume on September 7, 2018! For more information on upcoming Network events, join the PKN Facebook Group.

Rodger Obley 3/27/18 Rodger Obley 3/27/18

Manuacha's Story

"I didn’t know someday I would have somebody, someone who would think of me, about my future, my school and my life."

Manuacha and her husband on the front porch of their new earth block home.

Meet Manuacha!

We were able to spend some time chatting with Manuacha recently. She grew up at the EBAC Orphanage. She's excited about her future and grateful for how much she has been blessed by her sponsors. We hope you can get a glimpse of her sweet personality and the joy that she exudes as she speaks!

Hey Manuacha! Go ahead and introduce yourself.
My name is Manuacha. I’m 30 years old. I’m married. I got married in August. And I’m expected to have a baby in May.

So where did you grow up?

I grew up at EBAC.

What are you doing now?

Now I’m studying to become a nurse in Cap Haitien.

Where do you live now?

Now I live in Morne Rouge.

When did you know that you wanted to go to Nursing School?

When I was a child at EBAC.

What are you most excited about for the future?

Becoming a mom. (as she smiles and laughs)

Can you tell me a little bit about how PKF Sponsorship has impacted your life?

I think PKF Sponsorship has impacted my life like something that I didn’t expect. Like, I didn’t know someday I would have somebody, someone who would think of me, about my future, my school and my life. And I know God is everything and I think the PKF Sponsorship is a good, good, good, good thing that God can put in someone’s life. Because without them, we don’t know what we gonna do without school. Studying to be a nurse…I didn’t know if I was finished at Christian Academy so I will have to go to be studying nursing…because I didn’t have someone like my parents or my family who can pay the school for me. And God put PKF Sponsorship in my life, on my path so they have me. And I am so glad that God gave us those people who are thinking about the Haitian people in Haiti to help them and may God bless them.

You already touched on this a bit…what would you like to tell anyone who is thinking about sponsoring a child?

I would tell them that the work they are doing…it’s a good work. No one, no one, even in Haiti or America, in state, people can pay them for that. Only God can pay them for that. And I know everyone at PKF Sponsorship who gives money for those in Haiti, God will give them more than that, more than they can give us. So I will pray for you, for them, so God can always give them more and more so they can have more to give in Haiti.

Thanks, Manuacha!

Manuacha's story is one of many that we're so excited to tell. It's a wonderful story about how consistent sponsorship can empower students and provide opportunities that otherwise wouldn't exist.

Sponsor a Child

Rodger Obley 3/27/18 Rodger Obley 3/27/18

Mackie Family on Child Sponsorship

" The need is great. Sponsorship is a way to tangibly support the basic needs." - John Mackie

The Mackie family has been a part of PKF Child Sponsorship since its inception, years ago. John Mackie is a First Vice President professional for Hefren-Tillotson, Inc. and sits on our Board of Directors. He's understandably pretty busy! He made time to talk with us about his family's experience as sponsors.

" The need is great. Sponsorship is a way to tangibly support the basic needs." - John Mackie

Hi John. First, thanks for being making this interview happen, and for being part of the sponsorship program. How long have you been sponsors?

We've been sponsors since the start of PKF Child Sponsorship. We sponsor Shayna and Jackson. My wife’s name is Shana and Shayna was a baby at Jean Claude and Monica’s, so we felt connected to her.

That's awesome. I love that little personal connection. What has been the most rewarding or exciting aspect of sponsorship?

Knowing that we are helping support the wonderful loving work at the orphanages in Haiti.

You traveled to Haiti with PKF awhile back and got to meet one of your sponsor kids - tell me a little about that.

I got to meet Jackson when I went to Haiti a few years ago. It was an incredible experience to not only meet him personally, but see all the work that is being done to love and serve our Haitian brothers and sisters.

What a great experience! You're family takes an active role in sponsoring Jackson and Shayna - how has that impacted your family as a whole?

Making sponsorship a family activity has allowed us to have great conversations as a family about loving people in a tangible way, about how people have various needs, hopefully helping my kids to have some perspective on the world (outside of their bubble). It creates an opportunity to discuss giving as a family. Many times, it’s hard to understand where a gift is going. A program like PKF Child Sponsorship allows everyone to see and understand where the gifts are going and how they are helping someone. It is very relatable for our kids to see and relate to other kids, even if they are half a world away. This provides a great dose of perspective and the ability to have meaningful conversations.

I love that. You guys have been part of the program since the start. Why do you think it’s important to sponsor a child?

The need is great. Sponsorship is a way to tangibly support the basic needs.

Has traveling to Haiti and sponsoring a child changed how you live here in the U.S.?

I think it is always good to expand your perspective. There is no better way to do that than firsthand experience. Haiti is an incredibly beautiful place. It shattered many of my preconceived notions. However, many things were as I had expected (i.e. lack of infrastructure). When you see and interact with the people, it definitely makes it personal and the compulsion to act moves from the abstract (we should help) to the concrete (we must act).

I think you hit the nail on the head. Haiti is a beautiful country full of incredible people, most of who simply lack the opportunities that we have in America. The PKF Child Sponsorship program is all about empowering students and making sure they have the opportunities to excel. John, thank you and thanks to your family for being part of this with us!