Milestones
1995
On project assignment in Sierra Leone with Youth for Christ (YFC), Chris and Debbie Clark encounter orphans and refugee children in dire need of assistance. Committed to finding help, the Clarks return to the United States and begin searching for an organization or mission agency that will come to the children’s aid. Sadly, they find none willing to offer help. Nor, surprisingly, was there a single organization whose sole purpose was to provide for the needs of orphans around the world. Sensing God’s call, Chris and Debbie resign from YFC and found Children of the Nations to meet this very real need.
1996
Our first foreign National Board is set up in Sierra Leone.
Our first Feeding Center begins in the Dominican Republic.
1997
COTN purchases a plot of land in Marjay Town, on the outskirts of Freetown, Sierra Leone, to establish a children’s home for orphaned children. Our first ever short-term missions team (Venture Team) from the US breaks ground in Sierra Leone.
COTN encounters Malou Faublas who is ministering to 67 children in the village of Algodon, Dominican Republic, holding classes in a dilapidated classroom with broken desks. Village Partnership Program begins in Algodon, focusing on education and nutrition.
1998
Construction on our first school and feeding center in the Dominican Republic is completed in Algodon.
Our first Medical Team performs operations in the Dominican Republic.
Bill Clark, serving with his wife Pat in Malawi, calls home to his son: “You’ve got to do something for these orphans. Chris, they are in desperate circumstances!”
1999
Our first Children’s Homes opens in Malawi (Chiwengo) and Sierra Leone (Marjay Town).
A Venture Team visits the village of Los Robles in the Dominican Republic and hosts a Vacation Bible School program for the children; as a result, ministry begins and a Village Partnership program is started.
2000
The first Coin Banks are placed in US businesses to raise funds to feed children.
2001
We begin our first Agricultural Project at Chitipi Farm near the capital of Lilongwe, Malawi, and open our Chitipi Children’s Home, which houses up to 33 children.
Village Partnership Program begins in Mtsiliza Village, Malawi.
2002
SmilePacks® are created allowing individuals to send supplies and gifts to children in need.
With construction complete, the official dedication of our Marjay Town Children’s Home takes place.
COTN begins Village Partnership Program in Don Bosco, Dominican Republic, enrolling 80 children.
2003
Ready Relief program is created, giving schools a way to be prepared for disaster and help fight famine.
The first child ever from Algodon, Dominican Republic, graduates high school.
Construction finishes of three primary classrooms and one small office in Don Bosco, Dominican Republic.
2004
COTN is gifted a 45-acre plot of land in Banta Mokelleh, Sierra Leone by the paramount chief for us to develop into a ministry site.
Our first Church of the Nations forms in Sierra Leone.
Our first Village Partnership Program begins in Sierra Leone in Ngolala.
Our first Skills Center opens in the village of Mtsiliza, Malawi.
Our first Teen Home opens in the village of Mtsiliza, Malawi.
2005
Our first Medical and Dental Center opens in Barahona, Dominican Republic.
Our first Area Office opens in Orlando, Florida.
Initial ministry at our Banta ministry site begins: a temporary primary school, a medical clinic/malnourishment center, and a skills center.
Venture Teams add three classrooms to our Don Bosco school in the Dominican Republic.
2006
Casa Bethesda, COTN’s Guest House in the Dominican Republic, is purchased.
COTN begins Village Partnership Program in Altagracia, Dominican Republic
Our first Ministry Center opens in Njewa, Malawi.
COTN purchases 350-acre Chichere Farm in Malawi.
Widows Program begins in Mtsiliza, Malawi.
COTN Founder Chris Clark meets Pastor James Okalo while passing through Lira en route to Gulu in northern Uganda, seeking to look into the needs of the children there. “We have children with those needs right here in Lira,” says Pastor James.
COTN–International purchases land and office buildings in Washington State.
2007
Construction begins and is completed on the expansion of our Banta Mission Center in Sierra Leone, including permanent school buildings (a nursery school and a primary school) and ten Children’s Homes. Our 98 children from the Marjay Town Children’s Home are relocated to our Banta Children’s Village. The Marjay Town Children’s Home is converted into a community school, the Mallory Jansen Memorial School (Marjay Town). A dedication ceremony of Mallory Jansen Memorial School in Banta is held.
Additional Village Partnership programs begin in the villages of Mokpangumba and Mosenesi in the Banta Mokelleh Chiefdom.
COTN begins Village Partnership program in Pueblo Nuevo, Dominican Republic.
Village Partnership Programs begins in the villages of Mgwayi and Chirombo in Malawi.
KuJAMbula Studio at Njewa Ministry Center is built.
In response to Pastor James’ prayer and God’s guidance, COTN returned to Lira, Uganda to begin ministry. COTN trauma counselors began working with children in IDP camps.
Working with Uganda social services, COTN begins to ministering to the worst-of-the-worst children, identifying 29 children in need of immediate intervention. First Children’s Home opens in Lira, becoming home to 29 orphans.
COTN launches the JESUS film ministry in Uganda.
2008
COTN purchases land in Lira, the future site of our Uganda Children’s Village.
I love Baseball® program begins in the Dominican Republic with the vision of training professional baseball hopefuls, while continuing an education.
2009
Precious Ibrahim becomes the first child from our Banta Children’s Village in Sierra Leone to graduate from secondary school and begin university.
The dedication of our first Senior Secondary School in Sierra Leone at our Banta Ministry Center takes place.
COTN–Malawi celebrates its tenth anniversary.
Ground-breaking ceremony and dedication of future Uganda Children’s Village takes place; construction begins.
First seven homes in the Uganda Children’s Village completed. Children move in during fall.
Village Partnership Program in Anai-Okii begins to formulate in Uganda.
2010
A celebration marks the fifth year of COTN’s ministry in the Banta Chiefdom.
Charinson Feliz becomes the first student from our VPP program to graduate from university, beginning his career as a medical doctor.
COTN–Malawi opens its first secondary school. The students name it COTN International Christian Academy. In its first year, the school takes in 29 pupils from our Children’s Homes and Village Partnership Programs.
Working with Ugandan social services, COTN identifies 26 more children who move into the Children’s Village in March. The center gazebo and two school buildings are completed in the Children’s Village. Nursery and Primary 1 and 2 classes begin.
Village Partnership Program launches with 176 children from Anai-Okii and surrounding villages enrolled.
COTN helps lend medical and emotional assistance to many Haitians after the devastation of the earthquake in Haiti, January 2010. COTN promises long-term assistance to 13 families in need.
COTN Founder Chris Clark takes a Vision Trip to Liberia, the country where he spent his childhood.
COTN–International Board of Directors votes to permanently expand COTN ministry to Haiti and Liberia. Nationals begin work on establishing COTN as local NGOs.
COTN–USA Area Offices established in San Diego, Portland, and Phoenix.
2011
Construction of additional buildings for the secondary school begins at Njewa Ministry Center in Malawi.
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