Dear Friends,

Hurricane Sandy tried to deter my travel plans to Myanmar—just as "she" had done to thousands of others—but after driving three hours to an alternate airport in another state, I was finally able to secure a seat on one of the few flights not cancelled, enabling me to finally arrive in Myanmar on schedule.

Over the next two weeks, I will be visiting 43 Christian orphanages—at least four each day—and hundreds of orphans. I will not only be checking to see how the children are doing (my favorite part), but I will also be talking in depth with each orphanage director about ways that Heaven’s Family can help them become more self-sufficient. I will also be discussing with them ways they can move some of their children into foster care—providing them with small, family environments rather than the institutional-like setting found in larger orphanages.

My first stop in Kalaymyo was Compassion Orphanage. Just a few months ago, Orphan’s Tear bought them a new building with some land because the director had tragically lost his ability to walk. It became impossible for him to run their snack shop business, so his wife, who also took take care of the orphans, ended up doing both tasks! The solution we all came up with together was to purchase them some land and a building where they could start a pig business! Because pigs require minimal attention, she can run the business and take care of the children at the same time—and the kids can even help!

I checked out both building and pig business during my visit. They want to eventually expand their pig business to become more self-sufficient. And with the land they own adjacent to the dorm, they have plenty of space to grow.

I asked the children if they like their new home and they all said they were so happy to be living there. Below are two of the nine precious children who live at Compassion Orphanage.

Watch for my next blog from Myanmar, coming soon!

Elisabeth Walter
Director, Orphan’s Tear division