“D/O” stands for “daughter of.” Marvee lost both her parents in Pakistan’s 2005 earthquake.

Dear Friends,

I’m happy to report that everyone who sponsors children in Myanmar, Tanzania and Kenya should have received recent photos of their children over the past five months (if not, please let us know). And we now have in our possession photos of about half of our 115 Pakistani orphans, and we expect to have the rest within a month or so. As soon as we receive them all, sponsors of Pakistani children will receive updated photos.

So all that remains after that are photos for those of you who sponsor orphans in Sri Lanka and India. I’ll be in Sri Lanka this November and will hopefully be able to visit all three of the orphanages that we help there (Sri Lanka is currently experiencing civil war). If so, I’ll bring back photos of every sponsored child. And I’ll be in India in February of 2008, and I’ll be able to bring back photos of every sponsored child from each orphanage that we help there. So thanks for your patience in this regard.

We could, or course, spend a large percentage of your monthly sponsorship for overhead costs such as updated photos, but as you know, 100% of your monthly gifts are sent to the orphanage where your child lives. All administrative costs are paid for from the general fund of Heaven’s Family (and we thank God for the folks who give to that general fund). I’m sure you would prefer that we use your gifts to serve your child or children, rather than to serve you! We hope to be able to send updated photos of your child or children at least every two years so you can see how they are growing.

May has been another month of miracles for Orphan’s Tear. Because of contributions to the Special Gifts Fund and the Heaven’s Family Mutual Fund, we were able to send New Heritage Orphanage in Myanmar $8,000 to purchase the house next door to the small home they currently use to house 22 children. This will not only relieve their overcrowded conditions, but will provide the means for them to comply with new government regulations which require orphanages to have separate housing for boys and girls.

We also were able to send New Hope Orphanage, also in Myanmar, $5,000 to start construction on their new orphanage building after their former land and building were confiscated by the government for a building project.

And finally, we are about to send $7,000 for the ongoing construction costs of the new Mission to Homeless Children in Tanzania, where 24 AIDS orphans live, 23 of whom are sponsored.

Jeniffer Koba at Mission to Homeless Children is happy for her sponsors in Florida.

Thanks so much to everyone who has been such a blessing to our hundreds of orphans in May. I believe that the “Father of the fatherless” will bless you in return, just as He has promised, that you might continue to lay up treasure in heaven!

For the Children,

David