Newsletter

October 2009

The year is quickly passing by and many good things have been happening at our homes. It is so encouraging when donations are given from caring people from all over the world! We received generous giving at all of the European Conventions, which has enabled a wonderful thing to happen! But due to tougher economic times, giving in general, is down. I hope that if you haven't given in a while, that you consider giving again soon. You are making the lives of these children better and better, each and every time you give.

First, let me give you the fantastic news about our newest home - Grace Children's Home in Kenya. In the last newsletter, I told you that 15 children were staying in a little mud house behind the pastor's own small house. At the Italian Convention, my husband Dick shared a new dream for this orphanage that we would earmark the money donated at the European Conventions - to build a new dormitory to house these children. Dreams do come true! Presently, bricks are being made, by the children, so a larger building with a floor and tin roof can be built. The cost for this project is about $5000, so we just sent $1700 to help with this much needed building, from the donations made at the European Conventions. THANK YOU to each person that made a donation at a Convention.

To affirm the good being done, here is a short letter from one of the children there. Isabellah wrote:

"Greetings to all sponsors. We appreciate all that you have done for us. For now through you, we have bought uniforms for school, school supplies and are able to get books for we can pay the book fee. Before we only got one meal a day and now we have more food and we are healthy. Thank you for the milk cow, we really enjoy the milk. We girls would really like to have a separate building from the boys."

So we have another challenge and dream as well now - to build a second dormitory so that the girls and boys will have separate sleeping areas and bathrooms.

grace children's home

At Karakol Children's Home, all is going well. We have been supporting this home for 9 years and it gives me much joy to see all the improvements that have been made there. This past summer, 11 children graduated from this home to the transition home - House of Hope. That now makes 28 children who have graduated the past few years. Most are now in the university or trade schools. What a difference your giving has done for these now, young adults. As for House of Hope, in the last newsletter we said we were sending money for the completion of two bathrooms. Well, those are now complete! :-)

Casa Heidi, the new Children's Home being built in Campur, Guatemala is nearing completion and is expected to be finished by the end of this year. Presently, work is being done on the security wall surrounding the property, as well as finishing the interior of the first floor. This month, the kitchens on the first and second floor are to be installed. We have sent $500 to help with this project. Incidentally, the person responsible for creating Casa Heidi is Dick Pelley (founder of Frontline Missions), who is my husband's uncle and who he was named after.

In Lesotho (South Africa), I'm excited to report that we are reaching out to more orphans in the area now, than just Mants'ase Children's Home. We are now going to be sending our support money, for this area's needy children, to Faith Foundation. Reno Schalm, the Executive Director, works hand-in-hand with the people in Lesotho and with Mants'ase to help them become self supporting (making bricks, farming, sewing, raising chickens for eggs, etc.). He presently plans to go back this month to personally work with the people there. They not only help support Mants'ase Children's home, but many other orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). We feel very good about the focus of this foundation and how the goals are to enable the orphans of Lesotho to become self-sustaining.

Once again, it is clear to see that your support makes a difference. Please continue to be a vital part of changing the lives of these children.
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." - Luke 6:38

Pat Burke