The children of Peace Orphanage. Aung Shwe, whose story is below, is the furthest child on the left in a red shirt.

Dear Friends,

Peace Orphanage was one of the first orphanages in Myanmar for which we provided funds for a new brick building to replace their run-down, thatched and very inadequate existing building. (You would have had to see it to believe it.)

The director of Peace Orphanage, Za Chum Luai, is a precious older saint whom we’ve grown to love dearly. Almost two years ago, he was by the bedside of his son who was dying from cholera. His son stopped breathing, and Za Chum began to weep and pray, “Lord, I am an old man, and this son was to succeed me as the one who will take care of our orphans. Who will take care of the children when I die?”

As he prayed, his son began to breath again and started recovering from that moment.

Last month, because of the gifts given to the Orphan’s Tear Special Gifts Fund, I was able to send Za Chum the good news that one more of his prayers had been answered. I told him that we would soon be sending him $5,700 with which he could purchase ten acres of land for growing rice for his children. The price of rice has more than tripled in the last year in Myanmar, and so this is a huge blessing for Peace Orphanage. Za Chum replied:

I could not believe my eyes when I read your email, but after reading for sometime, I knew that it is your real words. I could not say how much we are happying.

I am now 71 years of age I am afraid to die before I have rice paddy land for my children. Now we will have as we prayed so that my children will not buy rice from other, anymore. So I really not afraid to die now.

Brother, I am happy. Tears could not stop dropping from my eyes. Please give my happiness to our family in Christ and your own family.

Your loving Brother, Za Chum

One very special child at Peace Orphanage, Aung Shwe, is blind. As a child, he developed an infection in his eyes, and his parents could not afford the inexpensive medicine that would have saved his sight.

Aung’s parents divorced in 2005, and tragically, neither wanted to care for him any longer. So he ended up at Peace Orphanage, even though both his parents are still alive.

Last year we brought Aung a puzzle and Chinese checkers game made especially for those who are blind. Here he handles the puzzle for the first time.

Aung’s sponsor from Colorado traveled with us last Fall to Myanmar, and while there he purchased an electronic keyboard for Aung, who is musically talented, so he could learn to play. Aung has already taught himself to play the guitar, and while we visited him, he played a song for us that he had written. Here are the lyrics, roughly translated from his native Chin language:

When I survey the planning of my life
There’s no hope for peace and happiness
Friends enjoy their life with happiness and joy
But weeping and crying is for me
Oh I wish when shall these tears stop!

O I long for my heavenly life
I eagerly wait for the heavenly life
There will not be weeping and blindness
I will meet my Savior and I will bid good bye to this world

I am ashamed to accompany my friends
They laughed at me as a little child
I am wondering all the time with my guitar
But there is no blind nor lame in heaven
I will praise the Lord for ever more with the angels

Although he is blind, Aung sees more clearly than most people with sight. It was at Peace Orphanage that he learned about Jesus.

I hope that more of you who sponsor children in Myanmar can join us there this year right after Thanksgiving, November 23-December 7. It is a life-changing experience to meet your child at his or her orphanage.

Finally, I’m so happy to tell you that last month we had our greatest increase in sponsored children that we’ve experienced in a long time. This was due primarily to the new sponsorship of twenty-five of our Pakistani orphans by one ministry. For this we praise God! Currently, 664 children have sponsors and 424 are still waiting. Our greatest need is for more children to be sponsored, and so please consider forwarding this newsletter to your compassionate friends. Also, if you have knowledge and experience in pay-per-click internet marketing, we would sure appreciate it if you could help us in that regard.

As always, thanks to everyone who is sponsoring a child or children, to everyone who invests in the Heaven’s Family Mutual Fund, and to everyone who has given to the Orphan’s Tear Special Gifts Fund. You are demonstrating your love for Jesus as you care for little members of His family!

For the Children,

David

Orphan’s Tear
P.O. Box 12854
Pittsburgh, PA 15241
www.OrphansTear.org