Kingdom Vision International

Kingdom Vision International (KVI) is a Christian organization committed to the relief, development, and advocacy of disadvantaged children and their families. KVI will devote itself to helping these children and their families become holistic, mature, and self-sufficient citizens of the Kingdom of God on this earth.

KVI cares for all people, regardless of gender, religion, race, and ethnicity. We believe that God’s love is inclusive, and so our love will reflect His.

KVI’s values:

Kingdom-minded: KVI exists because we have been invited to see and hear the kingdom of God. We want to live in light of that truth. What this means practically is that we invite people who partner with us to seek God’s kingdom, taking seriously Jesus’ words in Matthew 13:16

“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.”

This is our prayer. That everyone who comes in contact with KVI will be blessed. Their eyes will see God’s work around them. Their ears will hear him speaking clearly about their life as His children. That these children and families will see and hear God’s kingdom and know that He is God.

Holistic: KVI will stand for people to receive the whole blessing of God on their lives. He will lead them to faith in Himself, as well as heal the rest of their lives. God’s word is full of Him saying that He will heal land, heal hearts, restore what is broken, and we believe that God means what He says. The dream of KVI is to see children and their families flourish spiritually, physically, emotionally, intellectually, and within their community all to the glory of God. We will not settle for a smaller picture of what God wants to do in His children.

Excellence: The immediate impact of all of KVI’s work is the children and families that are reached, but the reason is because God has invited us to obey His calling to see and hear the kingdom. With this invitation, God deserves nothing less than our best. In all that we do, KVI strives to do it with excellence. Whether we are involved in a Vision Impartation Programs, changing a diaper, or creating this website, KVI wants to do everything with excellence.

Ethiopia is located in East Africa just north of Kenya, west of Somalia and only a few hundred miles north of the equator. Interestingly, it is the only African country never colonized by Europe (though it was occupied by Italy in the 1930s). It is almost twice the size of Texas. Ethiopia counts as one of the largest populations of orphans in the world: 13% of children throughout the country are missing one or both parents. These children are left to find shelter with already financially-stretched relatives, care for themselves and their siblings, or live on the streets. According to the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry, some 150,000 children live on the streets in Ethiopia, about 60,000 of them in the capital, Addis Ababa.

We are currently working in central and southern Ethiopia. We have an office in Addis Ababa, which is the capital of Ethiopia. Addis is the home to the African Union and is home to many embassies, as Ethiopia was one of the original 51 members of the UN. It is a beautiful city that is representative of all of Ethiopia, with most of the people groups having a presence within the city.

In southern Ethiopia we are beginning in a town called Nazareth (also known as Adama). Nazareth is the capital of the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Nazareth has an estimated total population of 228,623 and is home to at least 100,000 refugees, mainly from Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia. Nazareth has one of the highest percentages of street children in Ethiopia, most likely due to the fact it is known as the high corridor of HIV in Africa.

Eventually, when we are certain that we will never lose sight of Nazareth, we are feeling that God is calling us to work in Awassa as well. Awassa is three hours south of Nazareth and is becoming a bigger city day by day. Currently we have children moving from Awassa to Nazareth to live in our orphanage.

On January 17th, 2008 Eyob Kocha (KVI Director-Ethiopia) walked 25 people including Nikki Ness (KVI Director-United States) through the orphanage that God has provided for us. The owner saved the compound for KVI until we could rent it and rented it to us at a reduced price as well. The compound is safe, clean, and well built. It will be a beautiful home to many children who currently don’t have a home. We will be housing about 50 children in this compound, who will be cared for by nannies, the project director, a nurse, a part time doctor, and a visiting pastor. All will be protected by guards. God has been so faithful with this. The orphanage is more than we could imagine. We are currently praying that the city will donate a nearby soccer field to our children, as well as land to build a larger facility when the time comes. We spent that afternoon praying and thanking God for His faithfulness.

Also on January 17th, 2008, Eyob, Nikki, Esayas Ersabo and Matt Ness were able to present a Vision Impartation Program in Nazareth that was attended by the same group of people who prayed with us at the orphanage. By the end of that day, Eyob was invited to present KVI to 1,500 of the most influential people in Nazareth as we sponsored a city event led by the mayor. That was on January 27th and was an incredible opportunity for KVI.

For more information about our orphanage email Nikki.Ness@kingdomvisioninternational.org

One third of KVI’s work in Nazareth is child sponsorship. Along with the orphanage and family empowerment, this is how we believe God is calling us to see and hear His Kingdom in Nazareth.

Child sponsorship is something that many are familiar with, but looks slightly different within KVI. Each child who enters the child sponsorship program will be matched with a sponsor who will sponsor them with $20 a month. In designing this program it has been important to us that all of the money donated to that child goes to that child. What we mean by this is that no salaries, orphanage fees, etc will be paid for out of the $20 sponsorship. We are trusting God to provide that money in other ways.

Currently there are many 10 year olds who have never gone to school. Instead they need to work or beg during the day to get money to eat, give to their family, as well as pay for school. With this sponsorship program, these children are able to go to school, buy the uniforms needed for school, eat healthy meals, as well as pay for their medical needs. The children that will be sponsored through KVI are vulnerable children who are very near being street children or orphans. By sponsoring them through KVI, we are able to invest in their lives, give them hope, and tell them about the life that God invites them to live. Sponsorship literally transforms these children’s lives.

For more information about sponsorship or to be matched with a child email Nikki.Ness@kingdomvisioninternational.org

Family Empowerment is another work that KVI is involved in within Ethiopia. It is a holistic way of partnering with families and helping them to get out of the addictive cycle of poverty. Within our Family Empowerment program, families will be brought through trade classes where they learn how to trade goods, make or grow goods, and have a financial resource that they can rely on. As they understand trade, the families are given a loan of 1,000 birr (about 110 USD) to begin producing goods that can be traded.

Currently in Ethiopia, like everywhere else in the world, poverty has become a vicious cycle that families cannot get themselves out of. Part of the Family Empowerment program will be helping families discover their identities, outside of the poverty that they have grown accustomed to, and live in light of that new identity.

If you are interested in more information about Family Empowerment email Nikki.Ness@kingdomvisioninternational.org

For stories of the need for and the results of Family Empowerment, click below:

Coming soon...

KVI is looking for people to partner with us. The number one request that we have is for prayer that eyes and ears will be opened. Below is a list of specific prayer requests, as well as financial and material needs of KVI.

Prayer Requests:

For KVI to continue to walk in God’s favor with wisdom guiding the entire process

Safety and God’s blessing as children are moved into orphanage to receive the care and love they need.

The children and families will feel and see the love of Jesus through KVI

A piece of land at a fair price

The finances to hire nannies, etc. to care for the children

Kingdom-minded staff members and partners

A manual, diesel, Ford Explorer without tinted windows (pretty specific!) This is to pick up the children, where SUVs are really needed

God’s name to be known through the work of KVI, with all glory going to Him

Praise for God’s provision so far, and for the way that He has allowed all of this to happen so quickly

Other Immediate Needs:
Two laptops
Two printers/scanners
Money towards staffing, utilities and other needs
Digital camera

Digital Video Camera

Memory Card Reader

A manual, diesel, Ford Explorer without tinted windows (we received permission to ship from states)

Financial support can be mailed to:
KVI
412 S. Barstow St.
Eau Claire, WI 54701

Questions?
Contact us at info@kingdomvisioninternational.org

Kingdom Vision International
412 S. Barstow St.
Eau Claire, WI 54701

This all began with a dream of an orphanage. God has called us to dream again! His plans are much greater than our own. When we train 25 people, God invites us to train 1,500. Here is a glimpse of our dreams as we realize that God invites us to dream again. None of these things below are happening yet, but God has invited us to be hungry and thirsty for these things:

We dream of starting an orphanage in Awassa as well, being able to impact communities like Soddo and Walyata from there!

We dream of sponsoring another 100 children as the need is so great, as well as allowing another 100 families to take part in the Family Empowerment program.

We dream of being able to build or find a bigger compound within Nazareth where we can hold about 250 children.

We only begin new things as acts of obedience, but it is fun to dream what God might be inviting us into next. Dream along with us, because this is more and better life than we ever imagined! (John 10:10, Msg)