April 29, 2008 Dear friends of The King's Children Home, Belize! You may have read the recent announcement on the website regarding my appointment as Chairman and International Director of the King's Children Home (KCH) in Belmopan, Belize. I am very excited about my new role. Since my first trip to KCH in 2001, I have supported the home in many ways, including prayers, time and, financial resources. The future of KCH has always played heavy on my heart. Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am a businessman /entrepreneur who has been involved in various ventures since receiving his degree in computer programming & analysis in 1980. I began my career as a computer programmer during the early 80's with a downtown Toronto consulting firm. I then moved on to start my own business, offering contract computer programming and consulting. In 1992, I helped found Jewelstone Systems Inc. which became a large enterprise with 130 staff and significant annual sales. In 2002, I sold the business and then shortly thereafter, I moved on to become the founder and current President of Random Technologies Canada, where I now work with inventors of medical products; providing capital, business & legal expertise, and infrastructure & accounting services to assist in bringing various products to the marketplace. Currently we are working on a new innovative kidney dialysis machine. I am an active member of the community, having volunteered in various Christian organizations including the Toronto Evergreen Centre for Street Youth and the Yonge Street Mission and World Vision. My daughters and I have also taken numerous humanitarian trips to Africa including Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania with World Vision Canada. My humanitarian travels have also taken me to Belize where I learned of KCH. I have been to KCH numerous times since 2001, along with my wife and 4 daughters who have all graciously volunteered their time at KCH. They also share my love and respect for Leonie and her staff and especially for the children of KCH. Over the years, the need for a new children's home has become more and more apparent. This past January, I was invited to meet with Leonie and the local KCH board in Belmopan. We discussed the future of the home and the need for more living and playing space for the children. My role as Chairman and International Director was established at that time so that we could move forward and embark on a campaign to acquire land and build a new King's Children Home. It was also during this trip in January, that the Lord confirmed for me what we were to do. There was another gentlemen by the name of Paul Uffidell who also had a vision for the future of KCH. After numerous discussions with Leonie and Paul, it was evident that he too was part of the vision. I will elaborate more on this in a subsequent email. We envision that this project will take up to three years to complete. We need to search suitable land sites, purchase land, design the new home and most importantly do the actual building of the new home. We cannot do this alone. Together we can make a difference for the orphaned and vulnerable children in Belize. Providing them with a safe and comfortable home is crucial! Leonie and her staff offer these children family, a sense of security and most importantly love in a Christian home environment. There are a number of things that we are currently working on in order to make all these dreams become reality. First, we are establishing a charitable organization in Canada. With this structure we can raise funds and issue tax receipts for donations. This process is detailed and takes time. Our goal is to have the charity registered before the end of 2008. In the USA, there are currently options available for taxable receipting, please contact me if you would like details. Second, it was important that we get the input from the staff and children. A number of us (myself along with a few other KCH supporters) traveled to Belmopan in March. We were able to hold meetings with the staff and the children in order to get their support and their ideas. The children were very enthusiastic. They said that this was to be their new home and they wanted to take part in the build, even with the clearing of the land! Some of their suggestions were: a separate area for the older children to gather, a pool, an exercise room, etc. and yes even a hot tub! A question they were all concerned about was whether Mom (Leonie) would still live in the home with them. We told them this would not change of course. The staff also shared some ideas with us such as suggestions for a workshop, a garden or a bigger kitchen. We collected all of the suggestions and if possible will incorporate them in the build. Your suggestions are also very welcome; please feel free to pass them on to me. Finally, we are counting on you. You may ask 'How can I help?" There are many ways you can be involved.
This message is the first of many to come in the following months. We are building our team and will have some further announcements in the coming months, so stay tuned! Also find us on facebook and join the Kings Children's Home Group. You will find lots of pictures and video on there. Sincerely and thanks for reading to the bottom! Robert Massaar Chairman & International Director |