After having tuned important financial and organizational affairs in the previous year, in 2016 the Art Bible Child Foundation (ABC) continued working out ideas for new activities and for network expansion. To this effect there were three board meetings, and besides there has been an intensive discussion and collaboration with volunteers and partner organisations. The Netherlands Reformed Church in Wageningen provided both limited financial support as well as supervision of ABC’s financial management.
In order to make the foundation’s work more widely known first the website in Dutch language was introduced, and later also the English version. See https://artbiblechild.org. Several volunteers have helped with building the website, with writing, translation and correction of the texts, and with designing a logo.
Starting new projects for distribution of the ABC materials turned out to be difficult to realize. There were only a few applications for the ABC Bible study group that was started in order to flesh out the ABC work, while the board members lack time to expand the network of ABC sympathizers and to raise funds on their own. Beside the earlier started cooperation project with Operation Mobilisation to provide a large amount of Bible booklets for mission ship Logos Hope a quantity of Bible booklets was taken by an OM team to Durban (South Africa). More information can be found on the project pages of the ABC website. Alongside the long-term cooperation project with OM, opportunities are being explored to start up smaller-scale projects with interfaces between own networks of congregation members, family and friends.
The financial situation of ABC is stable, but doesn’t allow large projects yet. At the start of 2016 the credit balance was € 6,233; income (collections, donations, sale) added € 1,481. The donation pattern remained stable compared to the previous year. Expenditure (rent, administration costs) was € 2,161 and considerably higher than initially foreseen, especially because rental costs for storage of part of the booklets were unexpectedly raised after many years, and were charged retrospectively. Just as well the financial year 2016 was closed with a positive result of € 5,554.
An extensive financial report with declaration of approval by the audit committee is available for viewing by interested parties via the treasurer of ABC.