Dear Friends,

As you read this, I’m in East Africa, conducting a pastors’ conference in Kenya near the Ugandan border as well as visiting two orphanages that we help in Kenya and Tanzania. Chuck King will soon be departing for Ukraine to conduct leadership training. But regardless of where Chuck and I are, the ministry of Heaven’s Family is working in many places around the world through a small army of dedicated servants.

I’ve highlighted a few things we’ve been up to over the past month in this Ministry Update. Everything you read about has been made possible by your partnership. On behalf of all those who are benefitting from your love for Jesus, thanks so very much. — David

We’re on TV!…Almost!

I’m happy to report that production of our half-hour video teaching series, taped in Israel last year, is moving right along. You can watch our first and second broadcast of my teaching through Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Every other week (but hopefully every week!), there should be another program ready on our website. Until we can think of a better name, our broadcast is simply titled, David Servant Teaches. Our local Christian TV station (CTV in Pittsburgh, PA) will air the first of the series in the Spring.

Equipping Romanian and Moldovan Pastors
The Books for Pastors Fund at work in Romania and Moldova

A Moldovan pastor proudly holds his new copy of the Romanian version of The Disciple-Making Minster.

Through the concerted efforts of dear friends in Romania, the Romanian translation of The Disciple-Making Minister is now being distributed to Romanian and Moldovan pastors. Most people have never heard of Moldova, but it is the only communist nation in Europe (by free election) and, not surprisingly, also the poorest nation in Europe. Hard times tend to open hearts, and so we’re seizing the opportunity to equip devoted pastors there. Christian leaders around the world consistently tell me that the greatest need in their nations is for leadership training.

A New Place to Live for the Life Orphanage Kids
The Dorms for Orphanages Fund at work in Myanmar

The directors of Life Orphanage and their eighteen orphans (pictured above) have something to rejoice about this month. They have all been living in a rented, primitive, and crowded one-family house. But last month we were able to send them enough money to buy a nice parcel of land and begin construction of a new and more adequate building. Lord willing, we’ll get to see it when we visit in early December.

I checked the other day, and we currently have nine (yes, nine!) orphanage construction projects in various stages in three countries. Plus we are building a small hospital in Myanmar that will service hundreds of orphans as well as the local population of Kalaymyo. I’m so glad that God often credits my stupidity as being faith!

View the Shalom Orphanage video about one of the nine orphanages for which Orphan’s Tear is funding the construction a new building. Shalom Orphanage, which is featured in that video, will help you understand why we are so motivated to provide better places for our orphans to live.

Helping Refugees and Widows in Sir Lanka and India
The Christian Refugees and Widows Funds at work in Sri Lanka and India

Over the past few months, we’ve been helping fellow followers of Christ in Sri Lanka who have had to flee from the ongoing ethnic war. The man in the foreground of the above photo, as well as all the women behind him, are grateful for the food necessities and cash they received from Heaven’s Family (that’s you!). So far, Heaven’s Family has been able to come to the aid of over 160 Christian families in Sri Lanka. Some, who have lost everything, have received help to start new businesses. We’ve given bicycle taxis, boats, fishing nets, masonry tools, weigh scales and water storage tanks.

Above is a Christian widow in India named J. Vijaya Rani, the mother of two little girls. Her husband died three years ago from AIDS. Since then, she has survived by working ten hours a day cutting field grass (a seasonal job) while her children were unattended back at her village.

Last month, Heaven’s Family gave her a gift of $200 to start her own fast-food restaurant. She serves morning and evening meals and cold drinks throughout the day. Now she is able to earn more money and be with her children all day. She is very grateful to God. We’ve helped three other widows like Vijaya start their own businesses in February.

Don’t Mess with Texas!

To all our friends in Texas, we hope you can join us at our March 23-25 Family Reunion in Schulenburg (half-way between Houston and San Antonio)! We’ll be enjoying good food, fellowship and teaching all weekend. For more information contact us.

To Be Involved…

I can’t tell you how much joy it gives us to be able to serve as your love-link to some of the “least of these” among Jesus’ family around the world. And it gives me even greater joy to be able to promise you that 100% of your contributions to every need mentioned in this Update is sent overseas—because all of our administrative costs are paid for through gifts to the general fund of Heaven’s Family. Here are some opportunities presented in this Update:

1.) Help put copies of the The Disciple-Making Minister into the hands of pastors in Moldova and around the world, or just write “Pastors’ Book Fund” in the memo of your check.

2.) Help us complete the nine orphanages we are building in three countries, or just write “Dorms for Orphanages Fund” in the memo of your check.

3.) Help Christian refugees in Sri Lanka or other parts of the world, or just write “Christian Refugees Fund” in the memo line of your check.

4.) Help us provide business start-up funds for poor widows in India, or just write “Widows’ Fund” in the memo of your check.

5.) Help where most needed, click here, or just write “Where most needed” in your check memo.

Projects highlighted in this Ministry Update are administered under one of our three divisions: Shepherd Serve, Orphan’s Tear and I Was Hungry. If you would like to invest in all three ministries, we’ve created the Heaven’s Family Mutual Fund just for you. Current investors in that Fund have the joy of knowing that they were a part of everything that is mentioned in this Ministry Update. To learn more, click here. The returns are heavenly!

God bless you for allowing Christ’s compassion to work through you. Have a magnificent March!

David