The ten children of Emmanuel Orphanage, and their director, Joseph
Dear Friends,
In last month’s Update, I told you a little about Emmanuel Orphanage in Kalaymyo, Myanmar. It consists of ten small children who were literally going days without eating until we found them some sponsors from France. Now things are much better.
The orphanage director’s name is Joseph Bawi Ceu. He has his bachelor’s degree in theology from a Bible school in Myanmar. He felt his call to care for orphans when he read about the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25. Joseph is 29 years old and single, and so his sister has been helping him with his ten orphans.
Joseph recently wrote to me:
Respected Sir,
Now I am planing to get marriage. We asked a lady for my honey to be a mother of many orphans. But her parents asked me 500,000 ks for dowry. So please I beg you to pray for this matter and to register it in your prayer lists with your best consideration.
Joseph
500,000 ks is a lot of money in Myanmar—about $370. Most people there live on less than two dollars per day.
Generally, paying a dowry is not the kind of need that we try to meet. But since meeting this need would benefit ten children who will then all have a mother, I began to consider it while asking Joseph for more information.
Joseph informed me that the name of his intended is Miss Par Dim. She is 21 years old. Joseph and Par have known each other for three months. His relatives picked her out, which is not unusual in Myanmar. Joseph’s father had promised to provide a wife for him after he completed Bible School, but he died before Joseph graduated. Because of that, his own family is now too poor to help him.
Joseph also assured me,
Her parents and all of her relatives are agree to get marriage with me for keeping orphans. The date is not decided because I cannot give the dowry. I think that there must be the needs for doing festival of my weeding.
Apparently, the dowry money is what will pay for the wedding (or “weeding”!) celebration, which is often a very big catered event where hundreds of people are fed.
I asked Joseph to send me a photo. Here it is:
I suspect that the pose could be the first time Joseph has put his arm around Par Dim!
So I promised Joseph I would do my best to try to find $370 for the dowry.
This Month’s Blessings
As of today, 745 children are sponsored! That means we disburse $14,900 every month to our 35 orphanages in Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Kenya and Tanzania. May God bless every sponsor.
Because of gifts to the “Dorms for Orphanages Fund” and “Special Gifts Fund,” in September we were able to disburse $13,500 to four orphanages that have new dorms under construction, and $1,400 to one orphanage to purchase two oxen, a cart, and a plow. Earlier this year, we had provided funds for that same orphanage to purchase acreage for growing rice.
All total, in September $29,800 was disbursed to help hundreds of little, unwanted followers of Jesus know that they are not unwanted by Him, but loved dearly. When we started Orphan’s Tear just two-and-a-half years ago, we never dreamed that we’d be so blessed to be a conduit of so much blessing.
If you haven’t taken a look at our 2-minute Orphan’s Tear Promotional Video yet, you can so so online. Sending that link to your compassionate friends can also be the means to another child being sponsored.
Finally, I am occasionally asked if I sponsor any orphans through Orphans Tear. The answer is yes. Becky and I have been sponsoring seven children from the beginning. We love knowing that 100% of what we give to Orphan’s Tear is sent to the orphanages! And we love the convenience of auto-withdrawal, so we don’t have to remember to write checks each month! (What a great ministry!)
For the Children,
David
Orphan’s Tear
P.O. Box 12854
Pittsburgh, PA 15241
www.OrphansTear.org
