Dear Friends,

Over the past two days we’ve visited ten orphanages, eight of which are already sponsored by Orphan’s Tear and two of which we’re newly “adopting.” Of the eight, we’ve been blessed to purchase land and build spacious and durable two-story dorms for six of them. Some of those dorms have been constructed since I was here earlier in the year, and we were invited to grand dedication ceremonies for two of those over the past two days. I am always amazed at what can be built for about $16,000.

Today, as we visited one of the two orphanages that we’ve just adopted, I was reminded of what so many of the thirty-three orphanages that we assist each month in Myanmar were like when I visited them for the very first time. This one was named “Beulah Children’s Home.” The director, whom I’ve known for about four years, has rented a tiny house for the fair price of fifteen dollars per month. The house is difficult to describe by western standards. It is all wood except for a thatched roof. The “walls” are matted bamboo so they are almost paper-thin. There is a single “outhouse” that is the most primitive you could imagine. There is a tiny dirt yard surrounded by a stick fence.

The director was so happy to know that his children’s portraits and bios will soon be posted at the Orphan’s Tear website, making his children available for sponsorship. They have just been surviving since they started more than a year ago. But I had to tell him that our posting of photos and bios was no guarantee that his children would be soon sponsored. They will be praying, he said, with great hope.

Below are a few photos from the past two days. — David

Feeding hundreds of people after the dedication ceremony of the new orphanage building in the background

Feeding children at yet another dedication ceremony

Two friends at one our adopted orphanages

Team members David and Emily Growden experiencing some typical love

Myself with three “actors” whom we used in a video we’re making for the Rice Fields for Orphanages Fund

Standing in front of their new building that we dedicated the day before

This orphan girl was accidentally dropped into a fire as a baby which resulted in facial burns. Praise God that she is loved, sponsored, and loves Jesus.