Letter from the Director
Running a mission to help street kids is both very heartbreaking and very rewarding. As I write this, we just found out that both a street boy and a street girl that we have ministered to on the streets died within the past 24 hours. Rescuing children from the streets is literally a matter of life and death.
At the same time, with the addition of 2 new families serving on our TRU International team, we have seen the number of street kids we minister to rise from about 250 just a few years ago to over 500 in 2022. Presently the number of former street kids whose education we are providing for has risen to 22 students this year, the most we have ever had! We have also seen over 20 street kids baptized into Christ this past year alone. Plus, we have opened up regular programming to minister specifically to street girls and highly impoverished mothers, some who are only a small step away from returning to the streets. God is on the move!
While we love working with kids who are on the streets and seeing them find the hope that is in Jesus Christ, the promise of Jeremiah 29:11 is not just one where they find hope, but also one where they discover the future that God has for them. The purpose of “Hope and a Future” campaign, is to equip former street kids, rescuing them from the streets and having them fully devoted to Christ and training them to serve their communities in a skilled profession. In order to accomplish this goal, we desperately need to expand our ministries to include a residential training center so that we can equip boys, and eventually girls, to be trained professionals in their fields, while at the same time growing their capacities as Christian leaders.
This past year God has provided us with an opportunity to purchase an amazing facility from a ministry at a very fair rate. After much prayer, we have concluded that this is the direction that God is leading us to go, and that the time is now to take the next steps to purchase this facility. However, we can only do this with your partnership. My hope is that this brochure describes our plan and how you will play a role in giving street kids a hope and a future!
In Christ,
Tyler Maxwell | Executive Director | TRU International
Hope and a Future
TRU’s dream has always been to not only help street kids recover on the streets, but to see their lives forever changed as they grow into more mature disciples and learn a valuable trade or skill that can empower them for a lifetime of service to God and their communities. Recently, an opportunity opened up for TRU to develop its own vocational training center on a beautiful property just outside of Nairobi. This facility was made available exclusively to TRU, and features a residence home for the site directors and six other structures that will be used for housing and training former street kids.
In 2023, we are launching our “Hope and a Future” campaign with the goal of establishing a residential training center on this property (see pictures below and on next page) where rehabilitated former street kids can be equipped in a profession while continuing to grow as Christian leaders. Phase 1 of our plan includes the acquisition of the property, the development of our vocational training ministry that will initially serve up to 25 former street kids at a time, and the purchase of an adjacent parcel of land for further development. To accomplish this task, we need your partnership to help raise $1.3 million over the next 2 years to help transform the lives of these former street kids.
Project Phases
Once Phase 1 is completed, we anticipate beginning Phase 2 in 2025, which includes the development of Parcel 2 and the expansion of ministries to be able to train 65 kids at a time and the purchase of an additional adjacent property, while Phase 3 will begin in 2028 and will expand the ministry to be able to train 125+ former street kids at a time.
Watch this video that summarizes the Hope and a Future Project!
Our Goal
Our goal is to raise $1,300,000 over the next two years
Where will the money go?
- $675,000 to purchase the fully developed and maintained 1.25 acre property that includes a main house and 6 other structures to be used for housing and training (Parcel 1)
- $200,000 for two years of facility operations, including security, electric, water, property upkeep, taxes, and other miscellaneous expenses
- $150,000 for program launch expenses including tools for mechanic training, computers for IT training, furniture for housing, and a vehicle for transport
- $125,000 for purchase of Parcel 2, a piece of land adjacent to the current property for future addition
- $40,000 for legal and government fees and taxes
- $25,000 for fundraising expenses such as travel, materials, etc..
- $70,000 for project overruns and emergency expenses
- $15,000 for construction to turn housing into training centers
What Can I Do?
Prayerfully consider giving in the following 3 ways:
Courageously: Write the largest check you’ve ever written to a ministry to help us launch our initiative.
Consistently: Pledge to give monthly over the course of the next 25 months.
Creatively: Think of non-cash gifts like real estate, cars, stocks, bonds, etc.
Giving Details
To reach our goals, it’s important that all of our supporters are involved. Every gift will not be the same, but each gift is vital! This chart is a projection of the kinds of gifts that will be necessary to reach our Hope and a Future goal.
| Monthly Gift | 25 Month Total |
| $100 | $2,500 |
| $150 | $3,750 |
| $200 | $5,000 |
| $300 | $7,500 |
| $500 | $12,500 |
| $600 | $15,000 |
| $750 | $18,750 |
| $1,000 | $25,000 |
| $2,000 | $50,000 |
| $3,000 | $75,000 |
| $4,000 | $100,000 |
| $5,000 | $150,000 |
Ways of Giving
– Check gifts can be sent to:
Make payable to: TRU International
P.O. Box 9364, Peoria IL 61612
– Credit Cards: Give now
– Donations of Stock, Mutual Funds, Bonds, and ETFs can be sent using the following instructions:
Account Title: TRU International
Account Number: 3436-1172
DTC#: 0141
– From IRAs using Qualified Charitable Distributions(QCDs) for those over age 70.5.
– Donor Advised Funds
– Life Insurance
– Charitable Remainder Trust
– Family Foundations
– Participating companies may match their employees charitable giving
– Venmo
Questions about giving?
Call: (217)779-2774
Email: accountant@truinternational.org
FAQs
Q: How much should I give?
A: We are challenging ourselves to 100% participation from our supporters. We are encouraging not equal gifts, but equal sacrifices. We will never ask for a specific amount, just that you generously give as a commitment to God. The most important thing is to give from the heart and not out of compulsion (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
Q: What if we don’t meet our goal of $1,300,000?
A: We will trust God and keep on going, knowing that God is our provider. Our first priority is the purchase of Parcel 1 of the property. We will exhaust all possible options to ensure that the money that is given will go to develop TRU’s residential training center and its programs.
Q: What if we exceed our goal of $1,300,000?
A: Then we may do a happy dance like David did in 2 Samuel 6! Any additional funds given will go to help accelerate the 10-year development plan.
Q: Why should I give?
A: The word sacrifice means to willingly give the best you have for a bigger cause—to give up something you love for something you love more. You should give to be part of helping bring the better way of Jesus to street kids who are in need of a hope and a future. You should give because God gave first.
Q: How does the giving work?
A: Hope and a Future will last for 25 months. You may choose to make a commitment and give monthly for 25 months. Online giving is the quickest, safest, and easiest way to give. After you make a commitment to Hope and a Future, you will receive occasional updates on giving and the progress of Hope and a Future. If you give non-cash stock gifts, those gifts will immediately be turned into cash and go towards the campaign.
Q: Why are funds for Hope and a Future being given to TRU International and not to ACM International?
A: ACM International is our missions sending organization that gives us accountability and oversight. TRU International is our on the ground organization that owns all ministry property. ACM and TRU have a strategic partnership including the sharing of multiple board members to ensure that accountability and oversight happen at every level.
Q: Where do I give?
A: Give online at truinternational.org or write a check payable to TRU International and mail to:
TRU International
P.O. Box 9364
Peoria, Illinois 61612
Q: What if I have more questions?
A: We are willing to answer anything! Please feel free to reach out to us at information@truinternational.org.