In early 2008 German Chancellor Angela Merkel presented her State-of-the-Union message to the nation of Germany. One of her major points of concern for the nation of Germany was the growing number of children from broken families and abusive homes. In her address to the nation Chancellor Merkel made “children” and “families” one of the nation’s highest priorities.

Today it is estimated there are seven-thousand (7,000) children living on the streets of East Berlin. Why, in a nation with excellent social programs, are so many children homeless and in distress?

After decades of poverty and spiritual emptiness under Communist control East Germany and East Berlin have a high rate of family breakdown. Many homes are fatherless. Thousands of children and teens flee their abusive homes and live on the streets. These children receive no support from family or from government social programs. They end up begging for food or resorting to crime and prostitution to survive.

It is also estimated that modern Germany – the homeland of Martin Luther’s Christian Reformation – currently has only 1% evangelical Christians. The needs of children – both spiritual and practical - prompted Kids for the Kingdom to begin a new ministry outreach right in the heart of Germany. Along with our sister organization Kids for the Kingdom-Deutschland we began working with German national workers Josef and Maria Prenninger. (One of the photos shows Josef Prenninger baptizing a young girl who recently gave her heart to Jesus at “Children’s Hour” Bible Club.)

For the past seven years Josef and Maria Prenninger have been ministering to children and families in an East Berlin inner-city slum district called “Hellersdorf.” The Prenningers have a heart to reach lost and troubled youth. They are working each day to share the Good News of the Gospel and to provide warm clothing, meals, job-training, and counseling. Each week they conduct “Children’s Hour” Bible Clubs and many other outreach programs to street children.

For nearly two decades Kids for the Kingdom has made Germany a home-base for our Christmas Shoebox Project (called Aktion Schuhkarton in Germany). Each Christmas school children throughout Germany fill Shoeboxes with toys, toiletries, school supplies, treats, and clothing. These Shoeboxes are then shipped to Kids for the Kingdom projects in Cambodia, India, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and other third world countries where they are distributed to needy children. Now we are shifting our focus back to the children of Germany.