The ministry has grown to where we now will have our first graduating class this year! Our school has been so successful. IF we are going to properly brag, we are the only high school (there are 121 in the district) with a library, a chemistry room, and a band program!!! We are blessed that God has seen this need and given us his blessing.
But with growth comes higher costs, more salaries, and inflation affecting our grocery buying power in that country. We are struggling to meet the needs for children who have no future without our help.
A ministry with feeble beginnings in a trash dump in Africa is now setting its heart on not only feeding, educating, and saving the lives of these orphans, but giving them a jump start into a career. These kids are so worth it. They have nothing else and without a career after graduation they will return to the streets to beg, or worse, prostitute themselves. As a result, some faithful donors have committed to funding one year of vocational school (community technical college) for our 20 grade 12 students. This jump start will be amazing for them and give them something most orphans in sub-Sahara Africa never see.
Americans, as a rule, are very generous, but so much of that generosity is extended to local charities. Understandable. But those of us trying to make a difference in the lives of the potential workforce in an impoverished country struggle to raise funds for overseas work.
We are in constant fund-raising mode with a contingent of faithful donors, and though we appreciate every donation, it is exhausting to be constantly ‘begging’ for support. Some large donations would be a huge boon to our budget and pull us out of our budget slump. We are always looking for corporate support and applying for grants, but that hasn’t resulted in enough help to date.
“The world of the generous gets larger and larger…the one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.” Proverbs 11:24-25
