Visiting Myanmar Orphanages

10 Nov

Visiting Myanmar Orphanages

Cute orphan and Charity at one of the orphanages in Burma
Me (Charity) with 11-year-old Ngun Bor Chin from Living Hope Orphanage in Burma

Since I just got back from Myanmar (Burma) from two weeks of visiting our Myanmar orphanages, David asked me (his daughter Charity) to write the Orphan’s Tear update this month. I went with the first team to Myanmar, and the second group is leaving this Friday. They would appreciate your prayers for safe traveling.

I haven’t visited the Myanmar orphanages in three years, and there were a lot of noticeable changes. For one, all of the children are growing taller! Also, thanks to gifts to the Dorms for Orphanages Fund, nearly all of the Myanmar orphanages now have their own building. What a blessing it is to see the children in their very own concrete buildings, and no longer crowded into tiny thatch shacks.

Old and new orphanages in Burma
The old building of Shalom Orphanage in Burma (left), and the new building (right)

Our team had a great time visiting the Myanmar orphanages, but two specific orphanages stand out in my mind.

The first one we visited was Living Hope Orphanage. When we pulled up in our van, the children all clamored around our team and every child grabbed a hand or arm of the nearest “foreigner” and led us into their brand new building. Their little hands “massaged” our backs, while others fanned us. Making eye contact, their faces would light up with happy smiles while the younger ones shyly ducked their heads and looked away. They joyfully sang songs for us, and then we played games with them. Living Hope Orphanage in Burma is doing much better, thanks to all of the child sponsors and the special gifts to Orphan’s Tear. Now they have a beautiful new building, a flourishing vegetable garden, they raise pigs, and they even have a loom where they can weave their own clothing. They presented me with a skirt they had made themselves from their own loom. It was beautiful.

Kids, vegetables and pigs at Myanmar orphanages
Besides raising children, Living Hope Orphanage in Burma raises vegetables and pigs!

Orphan weaving school uniforms for Myanmar orphanages
14-year-old Thein Shwe, weaving fabric for school uniforms

More of the Myanmar Orphanages

Another special place we visited was the Handicapped Care Center in Burma. This orphanage always touches people’s hearts. You might have already seen the video, Handicapped Care Center Tour, of their new building. This was my first time to see the new building in person, and it is beautiful!

I saw street beggars in Bangkok, Thailand on our way back home. They were missing legs and arms, and sat on the street all day with a cup to collect money. It broke my heart. This is how the children of the Handicapped Care Center would be living if it were not for the compassionate hearts of Peter Mang and his wife Anna. They have taken in 31 kids and young adults who have various handicaps. Most of the children are unable to walk because of polio. They scoot along the ground with their hands, or with crutches.

When I take the updated photos of the children, I have the director of Grace Orphanage, who is very good in English, help me. He says funny things to get the kids to smile. At the Handicapped Care Center, I couldn’t find him. I found out later that it was his first time to the Handicapped Care Center, and he had to leave because he was so emotional as he watched the children hobble and crawl down the steps to get their photos taken. Although the physical condition of these children is heart-breaking, you won’t see any sadness in their faces! They are full of joy.

Severely burned child at one of the Myanmar orphanages
A newcomer to the Handicapped Care Center in Burma this year was Thian Nun Co (above). Her face is disfigured because of severe burns. But it hasn’t hampered her smile!

Don’t Forget The Orphans This Christmas

christmas gift cards for orphans

And once again, as every year, we are hoping that you give Orphan’s Tear Christmas Gift Cards this year for Christmas. These may be the perfect gifts to give to those hard-to-find-a-gift-for friends and loved ones. We’ve set up a Christmas Gift Card section at OrphansTear.org so that you can give, in honor of a friend or loved one, a gift to the Orphan’s Tear Christmas Gift Fund.

The gift cards are beautiful, as you can see from the image above. We can mail your card to your address or directly to your loved ones.

It only takes a minute to order your cards using the simple form at Orphans Tear, and you can use your credit card or check to make a payment. You could probably do all your Christmas shopping this year in 30 minutes just sitting at your computer! Or you can call us at (412) 833-5826 between 8 to 5 EST and order your cards over the phone. And as always, nothing is taken for administration of your gift. 100% of what is received is sent overseas to help meet pressing needs of our orphan children.

The deadline to order your cards is December 15 in order to have your gift cards in your mailbox (or your loved-ones mailboxes) by December 25!

Our Hope: A Christmas Gift For Every Orphan

child holding christmas gift

You can still make a donation to our Christmas Gifts for Orphans Fund and help provide a Christmas gift for each and every one of our orphans. I can guarantee you that the Christmas gifts that we give the children are the only gifts any of them will receive for Christmas. And the directors always use the Christmas funds we send them to buy their children new clothing or warm blankets, that is, real necessities.

You can give your Christmas gifts right now by credit card online, or by sending a check to Orphan’s Tear with the words “Christmas Gifts” in the memo. (Our address is: Orphan’s Tear, P.O. Box 12854, Pittsburgh, PA 15241.) The sooner we receive your special Christmas gift the better, because it takes time for us to transfer the funds overseas. Christmas is only about 31 days away! Thanks so much.

For the children,

Charity

The Charity Baby Tour

There were lots of new faces at the Myanmar orphanages this year, and here is a tour!

Babies at Myanmar orphanages
A new baby girl for the director of Faith Orphanage, and a son for the director of Emmanuel Orphanage

More babies at Myanmar orphanages
The director of Grace Orphanage has a new son, as well as the director of Shalom Orphanage

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1 Recent Comments

  • godwin ezeji

    what are we living for if not to serve these our fellows.its just a privilege to serve.

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