CbR

CbR Standard Pattern of Aid

The CbR (Community-based Relief) is a direct, individual-centered community program with financial aid from SLF (Stichting Liliane Foundation) and/or from other funding organizations and partners. From your perspective, the program may benefit the whole family and eventually the community around this family. Initially, this ministry focuses on the handicapped/disabled child or youngster (aged 0-25 years old). This is done through a local mediator (staff-worker-volunteer). The mediator must be responsible for the financial assistance, accounting and bookkeeping, administration and in assertive communication with SitD (Streams in the Desert) and SLF (Stichting Liliane Foundation).

The mediator’s main concern is relating with child, parents, neighbors and the community. Funding does not cover worker’s personal financial support, but workers may reimburse some ministry expenses. Funds need to be coursed through a registered organization or church and not through personal bank accounts. Most significantly, the CbR program could usher in the gathering of neighbors and the community leading to giving all the credits to God and the study of His Word. Thus, the church planting among unreached peoples. Standard pattern of aid:

1. A worker or staff (mediator) of any organization (NGO) may scout first for a handicapped or disabled child/youngster*. Or, one may already know of somebody in his/her community who is in need, but cannot afford treatment/medication/surgery/ therapy/rehabilitation, etc. for their disabled children. Situation varies. Some mediators still have to look for the children, who may be hidden due to the handicap and poverty and due to lack of facility in the community. Other prospective mediators may have problems getting funding for so many disabled children in their community. Not all cases may be approved for funding. SLF has criteria to follow on which handicap cases are to be funded.

2. After identifying the handicapped child, worker needs to approach parents and relate with them regarding the child or youngster. IMPORTANT: Never promise anything as yet, but this is an opportunity to pray with the family. This can be a great time for friendship and relationship building. Prayer is a necessity. This can put the worker/s to practice healing in the Power of the Holy Spirit.

3. Worker must know the basics on how to diagnose, but need not be a professional health care worker. Worker doesn’t have to be a degree holder. In any case, worker may consult parents now to get the child patient a check-up with the nearest physician or specialist for recommendation for treatment. Get estimate of cost of treatment from doctor/hospital and the length/duration of treatment (e.g. weeks, months or years) including possible surgery, rehab and therapy. Put everything on record with a pocket notebook. Worker now develops relationship with hospital personnel as well, but must not get sidetracked though hospital personnel is part of the bigger picture. Hospital personnel also need Jesus.

4. Worker needs to do a survey with his/her own journal using information based on the ISF (individual survey form). After the survey, worker must e-mail information back to SitD head office or the field mediator in-charge of the region for evaluation and pre-approval of child’s case. This e-mail survey form can be available immediately from SitD upon request or by e-mail (4 CbR Forms). This will expedite the application process and avoid unnecessary procedures in a traditional “snail mail” postage.

5. This time, worker makes his/her own cost list including the doctor’s estimate; the worker includes his/her own expenses, i.e. transportation, communications, food & snacks of patients while on check-up and treatment, medicine, paper works, etc. Worker uses the ISF (individual survey form) here. For thorough evaluation, it is important that workers must include the estimated cost of expenses in the ISF. (At first, it is important that worker never mention anything about aid yet. Do not show ISF or any SLF forms to avoid later frustrations and disappointments).

6. After evaluation and approval, SitD head office or the field mediator may ask worker to send the hard copy ISF with estimated cost directly to SLF’s postal address. Wait until SLF finally approves and then sends the check (under the name of the child). Meanwhile, worker continues to see the child/youngster and to spend time with the family. Continued prayer is needed here.

In case, child is placed in an orphanage or institution, procedures must be done in cooperation with nurses or staff of the institution. The staff or nurses act as guardians in the absence of the parents.

7. Once approved and check arrives, deposit check right away in your organization (NGO) bank account, depending on how accounting works in your country or area/ location of work. In some cases, when the check arrives, worker can already send the child to a hospital for follow-up check up or treatment if NGO has revolving funds to use for this purpose. Reimbursement procedure follows.

8. Worker always keep track of expenses from the smallest to the doctor’s fees. Always get receipts. If receipt is not available, make a small piece of paper note individually (preferably signed by the vendor). Mediator needs to sign every piece of paper as a receipt. SLF would like to know where the money goes and they will visit your area one day and audit all expenses. You may also make a financial report, if possible, and send to SLF on schedule via the post office or by fax.

9. In case there are unexpected additional expenses like doctor’s request for more medicine and budget runs out, contact SLF immediately and they may consider sending additional budget. All these extra works must be supervised by the field mediator. Or, inform us at Streams in the Desert as soon as possible, or send an e-mail: STREAMS7@juno.com or Benjo_Lee@juno.com or go to the SitD website to keep updated with the procedures.

10. By this time, worker has rapport with parents and relationships growing. In the case of an institution, community resides there and worker or mediator must maintain working relationships with the institution management and staff as well. An orphanage may be a venue for meetings in the study of God’s Word, but may require sensitivity and tactfulness in the part of the mediator. Everyone can rejoice in the Lord. Healing, however, is from the Lord. We are only willing vessels.

11. Mediator must have co-workers from the start to help in the ministry to relieve in case of regular breaks, rest, vacation or furlough. Co-workers can be coming from the child’s relatives, neighborhood, community or management & staff of an institution .

12. The financial aid may cover child’s schooling and parent’s small-scale livelihood to sustain child while on therapy and recovery. This is especially if parents are not earning any income, and are very poor. Worker must mention in the application form the economic situation of the family. Additional funding for this purposes must be requested by the mediator through communications (e-mail) and relayed to SLF correspondent.

13. Case approval will be based on the GDP or GNP of a child’s country. A nation with high GNP like Malaysia, although located in a third world region such as Southeast Asia, does not qualify. However, this is on a case-to-case basis. We may be able to find another source of funding. That is why it is best to identify which country first to operate a CbR program and determine its GNP before starting a CbR program.

14. In case, for any other reason, a child is disapproved of financial assistance, we will resort to other funding sources and through referrals. SLF is just one of our resource partners.

15. In case handicap or disability is not treatable, or that doctors had already diagnosed that there is no cure for such a case, SLF may still assist in supplying wheelchair, braces, crutches, prosthesis and other gadgets that will help the child in daily undertakings and adjust to community life, i.e. like going to school, walking outside the house or spending time with neighbors and the community. In this case, inform us at SitD immediately or SLF so we can do what is necessary for the child. In most cases, the ISF survey form will serve the preliminary evaluation and, of course, speed up the process of assistance for the handicapped child.

16. Remember that communication is very important in helping the handicapped children achieve his/her potential. Contact us immediately if you have more questions or needs. Another reminder to mediators/workers: the acronym CbR is coined and used by Streams in the Desert referring to the assistance for disabled children. SLF does not know or recognize this term as a proper name of the assistance. Although it’s a generic term, please avoid using the term CbR when you communicate with SLF directly. Always spell it out as community-based relief or community-based rehabilitation.

17. At the start of a case/project, SLF prefers postal (snail) mail especially in sending PIF (Personal Intake Forms) for mediators and Application forms (for the child), but fax will do in case of emergency. The Applications Form is the hard copy of the ISF. Then all the follow-ups can be done via e-mail.

18. Worker also needs to maintain communication with designated correspondent from SLF, once a month or depending on the need of the child. E-mail is great!

19. Important Paper Works (hard copies):

With the ISF (Form # 2), after identifying at least one qualified handicapped child, a staff-worker/mediator needs to fill out an Intake Form (PIF or Form # 3) and submit this with his/her personal information together with the bank account information (Bank Form or Form # 4) to which the money from donors will be sent to and deposited in for CbR use. Bank Account number/info must be that of a registered organization.

20. Send Form # 2 first by plain e-mail (no attachment pls.) to SitD through e-mail: streams7@juno.com and when evaluation is done and satisfactory, send Forms #3 & #4.

21. Upon approval, mediator will be asked to submit a hard copy of Forms #3 and #4 later to our donors. Donor's postal address will be supplied upon request.

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// --- Cases of handicap may vary from blindness, harelip/cleft palate, folio, land mine victim, cerebral palsy, colostomy cases, malnutrition, down syndrome, etc. In whatever case the child may be in, you may check it out with SLF correspondent assigned in-charge of your country. SLF will decide according to qualification and who to send financial aid to, based on your report and application. Worker must be diligent to follow-up either by e-mail, fax or postal (snail) mail

A comprehensive handbook from SLF will be available upon request. Or, you may visit SLF web site. Let us know if you can surf the Internet and visit SLF website. Please visit Streams in the Desert’s website as well. The URL is:       www.streams.mysite.com    

For further information, contact: Streams in the Desert  e-mail: streams7@juno.com

www.streams.mysite.com

--- The following is the list of 4 CbR Forms:

1. SPA (standard pattern of aid)
2. ISF (individual survey form) for handicapped children (for evaluation)
3. PIF (personal intake form) for mediators (please do not send this form to SLF if evaluation is not finished)
4. Bank Form (to be submitted only after evaluation) (please do not send this form to SLF if evaluation is not finished)

Please review them prayerfully. Copy-paste to your Word file and save. For further details, please do not hesitate to inquire. 

Help us extend assistance and support to the many children with disability. Contact us today!

streams7@juno.com 

The CbR among the handicapped children is the flagship ministry of Streams in the Desert. This program reaches out to children with disability and are unreached and hidden due to their poverty and situation in society. The parents are one of the main concerns in a CbR and they would be a catalyst to reaching the neighborhood and eventually the whole community.

The CbR can be done in an emergency, i.e. war & conflicts, disaster stricken areas with children experiencing disability due to land mines, etc.

In a country where poverty is prevalent and corruption in government is rampant, less can be done to help these type of needy children. However, we are God's vessels and agents of change and we have what it takes to effect what God has authorized us to do. Resources are unlimited with our God!

One country could have their Congress allocate some budget for humanitarian purposes. Another could have their department of social services release some funds for these type of children. Some hospitals or medical institutions may be able to cover some special arrangements. We can explore ways and display God's abundance. The church itself has an unlimited potential in some case as well.