Archive Newsletter

March 2007

Spring is in the air!

This is a wonderful time of the year, as new growth appears in nature and people as a whole have a feeling of renewal. Whether it's working in the yard or doing spring cleaning, commitments of time and money are being made to improve our lives. My hope is that during this time, we don't forget those that have so much less in the world, especially the orphans that we support. If you have not done so yet, I urge you to make a commitment and become a partner with us in supporting these children.

We have a lot of news from Karakol Children's home. Unfortunately, there are many needs there. The building, which the DHS Club was very involved in purchasing several years ago, now has many cracks causing the stucco to fall off. In addition, the heating system needs repair. The group, that just returned, noticed that the building was much colder this year and the childrens' hands were cold at all times. The pastor there is looking into what needs to be done, but meanwhile the group, while there, bought some plastic sheeting, which was hung downstairs. They told us that this made a huge difference in the temperature inside the building. Although the building was still not as warm as it needs to be, at least the chill was taken off. Luckily, they only have about one more month of very cold weather before it starts to warm up.

As you know, at Frontlines Missions & Ministries, all the money has been raised for the children's home in Campur, Guatemala. Construction there is underway and unless unforeseen problems arise, money will not be needed there until completion. At that time, money will be needed to furnish and stock the home. I will continue to keep you updated on the progress there.

Today, I had the pleasure of spending time with the founder of Lynetta All Children's Home, Reverend Ebby Jeyaraj, as he is here in Florida. I was told the children had a wonderful Christmas. Each child got a new outfit and a very special Christmas dinner. Many participated in the Christmas program at their church. As for the money we sent, it was used towards building a second floor to the boys' home for a sleeping space. Currently, the main floor has no furniture. It is used for sleeping, schooling, and recreation. More money is still needed to complete this building project. In talking to him, I learned a lot about the culture of India and his future goals and dreams. Presently, this home is just for boys, but once the second floor is completed, he wants to start a home for girls. In this part of India, a baby girl is considered a burden and the mortality rate is very high. In fact, one of the statistics, on the video we watched, was that only 1 out of 3 girls live beyond the age of 15. This alone struck me as so unjust, and really made me want to be a part of getting this project started quickly. Let's face it, this home for girls will literally be a life saver for many. My hope is that many of you will also feel the burden of these children, as I do.

I have no new news from Mants'ase Children's Home, so next month I will update you about them and their needs.

I have started to check out DHS Club Affinity Groups that have signed up with the DHS Club to see if any of them meet our qualifications and could use our help. If any of you would like to give me any input, please contact me at dhsclubkids@dhs-club.com.

Thanks again for your support and may spring bloom bright for you and yours!

Pat Burke