Amorth, age 4, treated for a bone condition at CURE Children’s Hospital of Niger
CURE International and Praise Works Inc. have partnered together to bring the story of Jesus to kids in their own language at CURE Children’s Hospitals all over the world. Through collaborative efforts, over 106,000 books are ready to be shipped out to eight CURE Children’s Hospitals, in 14 different languages, being distributed and used to minister to kids during their time of treatment.
The late founder of Praise Works Inc., Don Hammatt understood the need for simple and clear language when he followed the leading of the Holy Spirit and put together the Jesus Story and the Jesus in Me series for children. He writes in a letter, “When children receive Christ at a very young age, their spiritual eyes are opened and they can understand God’s word and hear Him in their spirit. Our Lord also gives them discernment that they do not have without their spirit being made alive.” Praise Works’ vision is to provide the gospel of Jesus Christ to children and adults around the world in a simple, easy-to-understand form. A partnership with mission-minded people at Baker Printing in Louisiana made quality printing possible at cost.
Leslie Bartel, daughter of Don and now the steward of carrying on Praise Works Inc., shared, “The genesis for the Jesus and Me storybooks is the concept of dependency on Christ, Christ living through you instead of you living through your own strength. A generous donor with a tenacious vision started the process with CURE International. He saw how the two organizations could benefit from each other.”
Earnest Kioko, Senior Director of Spiritual Ministry at CURE, shared how it has benefited the ministry to the patients at CURE Children’s Hospitals around the world. “Praise Works Inc. brought in a simplified but comprehensive way to tell the Jesus story to the children we serve. The booklets are not only bringing an eternal perspective to many children, but also many are leaving our hospitals with the spiritual tools to use at home and share with other family members and community. Alone we could do little; together with Praise Works, we are telling the Jesus story to so many.”
CURE’s mission of healing the sick and proclaiming the kingdom of God partnered with Praise Works Inc.’s mission and vision of providing a simple to understand resource of the gospel and God’s great love for the patients CURE serves is reaching the multitudes and making a difference in the lives of kids like Emmanuel. Emmanuel received surgical treatment for a bone condition at the CURE Children’s Hospital of Zambia and was introduced to the Jesus and Me story in the playroom there. He shared, “After reading the Jesus Story, I have learned that when we let Jesus live through us, then others can see we love and care about them. The Jesus story is very interesting because it has photos.”
“Partnerships like these that build the kingdom of God in such a practical and tangible way are an absolute joy. The outcomes of when we combine the strength of each one’s area of expertise with a shared mission are making a difference to those who are in need of hope,” said Justin Narducci, President & CEO, CURE International.
About CURE International
CURE International is a Christian nonprofit organization that operates a global network of pediatric surgical hospitals, which serve one of the world’s most marginalized and vulnerable populations – children with disabilities. Patients at CURE hospitals suffer from orthopedic, neurosurgical, and maxillofacial conditions that limit their mobility/functionality and opportunities for education and employment. In addition to world-class clinical service, CURE intentionally ministers to the emotional and spiritual needs of patients in its care and invests in training programs that aim to equip the next generation of health workers and strengthen national health care systems. Since inception, CURE has conducted more than 5.3 million patient visits and 330,000 surgical procedures around the world. For more information, visit https://cure.org/.
