This Thanksgiving, the hearts of many, many once vulnerable children are now full. Over the last 15 years of ministry, we have seen an outpouring of the Spirit working through you to radically transform the lives of forgotten and lonely boys and girls all over the world.
This year alone, you’ve helped us:
Purchase and move to our new offices that will provide more space for more changed lives and new volunteer opportunities!
Open a New Home of Hope in La Source, Haiti, that provides a nurturing Christian family for 12 orphaned and at-risk boys.
Grow our Business Development initiatives and begin Aggregate Plant, Concrete Block and Pre-cast businesses.
Provide new programs and practical work and life skills to help free families in Ethiopia who were once mired in poverty.
The list can go on and on. God is on the move and it’s so humbling to see it in action. Lives are changing. Generations are finding hope in Jesus. This is Kingdom work. And it’s happening because of you.
Over the last 15 years, through the time, talents, and treasures of people just like you, we’ve helped 8,000 families navigate the adoption process with personalized resources, all free of charge. We wholeheartedly believe that God has called all of us to care for orphans and vulnerable children. Your prayers and financial support allow us to provide this free, objective, personalized information to those thousands of adoptive families!
Here are just a few things people are saying about our free adoption resources:
“I can’t tell you how much my husband and I appreciate how thorough you are with your responses and information on adoption. We have been already so blessed in this process by your organization and we haven’t even started the adoption process. You are doing a most excellent thing assisting families like ours in your willingness to serve us. We are grateful to you and so inspired in this process to have you as partners in these early stages.” – Anonymous
“We finalized our adoption last fall (2016) with a beautiful baby boy through Bethany Christian Services. The Adoption Resources Team at LSM was absolutely instrumental in directing us toward the pros and cons of domestic adoption so we could make an informed redirection from international. I’m so very grateful for their guidance in those early stages!” – Erin, adoptive mom
“We really appreciated the adoption assessment form and found it helpful for narrowing down what can otherwise be an overwhelming array of countries, programs, agencies, each with their respective requirements. I‘ve sent many people to you as a starting point.” – Indiana family
We are grateful that you have chosen to partner with LSM. Your prayers and financial support are ensuring that thousands of once vulnerable boys and girls are now exactly where they are supposed to be-within the love and safety of a family.
You can help change a future generation in Ethiopia. We’re seeing it happen every day. In fact, Meseret*, a young single mother in Ethiopia, raising two beautiful children on her own, will tell you herself that your prayers for the ministry of LSM and your financial gifts have completely changed their lives:
“I feel empowered. I am now relying on God to lead my path and am
making wiser decisions. I now have a support system to encourage
and help me. My children are receiving a good education and,
because of LSM, they have the support they need to complete it!”
Meseret’s own single mother knew how important it was to get an education. Somehow, she managed to scrape enough together for Meseret to attend school, even though it meant 4 hours travel every day!
When she finished 8th grade, Meseret had to go to the city to attend high school, a rare opportunity for a young woman in her village. But when she got there, a series of poor decisions, difficultly finding resources and little support left her with two small children, an unfinished high school career and living in severe poverty, at the young age of twenty-nine.
With our staff and church support, her family has been introduced to a personal, saving relationship with Jesus. She went through small business training and is now growing her own business, selling spices in the market. And her children are looking ahead with great hope.
With every prayer, with every gift and with every introduction to Jesus, lives like Meseret’s and her children are changing forever.
You are a part of this. Your prayers and your giving does make a difference.
This summer, because of your heartfelt prayers and financial support, 12 little boys were rescued from a life of rejection, pain and exploitation as we opened the doors to their new home-the La Source Home of Hope!
For the first time, each one of these boys can look toward a future free of fear and full of possibilities, surrounded by the love of a mom and dad within a safe, nurturing family!
First picture as a family of 14!
Imagine the ripple effects these little boys will have on their community as they reach their God-given potential!
Thank you for the powerful ways you are making life transformations with once vulnerable children. It is both humbling and exciting to see the Body of Christ working together far beyond what we could ever imagine, bringing lasting hope to children who need it most.
The family shared their first meal together at the opening celebration. Many of the boys have never seen this much food at one time!
Our LSM team shared their passion and joy at the opening of La Source.
More than 40 vulnerable families are finding new hope through the life-giving work of LSM in Ethiopia. To see the faces and hear the stories of once vulnerable women and children who have now been freed from the cycle of poverty and desperation, we encourage you to check out this page to learn more.
As we work with single mothers and help them create sustainable small businesses to care for their families, our Ethiopian staff has also been growing programs, seminars and opportunities to ensure their children are growing up in a safe, nurturing environment. This summer, they held their first ever Vacation Bible School in Woliso, Ethiopia! As the children came together learn about Jesus, it was a richly rewarding time for everyone.
These pictures give a deeply meaningful look at what they experienced for the first time over the last three months!
The kids learned worship songs and prayed together every day. They received powerful bible lessons and did crafts they were able to take home and share with their mothers!
From oldest to youngest, we know all the children and their families were incredibly blessed by this new program this summer. What a privilege to continually be adding enriching experiences into the lives of these vulnerable children.
If you’d like to get more involved with the work we’re doing with 40 vulnerable families in Ethiopia, here are three ways you can get started right where you are:
We are privileged to serve more than 240 vulnerable children and 40 single mothers in Haiti and Ethiopia. Our small U.S. staff supports LSM’s vision through fundraising and mobilization with the U.S. church. It’s our heart to always empower people in their own cultures and communities to care for the vulnerable children among them. As we continue to expand our ministry in Haiti and Ethiopia, we have growing needs here in the United States as well.
Do you sense God calling you to join the LSM Team? Or do you know of someone who would qualify for this role and has a heart to join this life-changing work?
JOB OPENING: MOBILIZATION COORDINATOR
LSM is seeking to fill an immediate need for a Christ-centered, highly motivated individual to help build and develop relationships with ministry partners via digital marketing, social media, and regional awareness campaigns. Candidates must be willing to work from LSM’s Bluffton, Indiana, offices. Ideal candidates will have professional social media experience, possess very strong writing and communication skills, be able to do public speaking and networking, and be effective at scheduling and making their own appointments.
Please contact Joe Gerber at joe@loving-shepherd.org to receive a full job description and more information about the position.
Please join us in praying for the right people to continue to join the LSM team here in the States, in Haiti and in Ethiopia.
Share this job opening with a friend who might be qualified.
There is a brand new future waiting for 12 vulnerable boys.
Recently, Pastor Wilfrid Remonvil, our Haitian Home of Hope Director, joined us in the Midwest to talk about this new Home of Hope in LaSource, Haiti.
Just one month prior, Pastor Wilfrid stood among the ramshackle huts that pepper the Haitian countryside, deeply saddened at the terrible conditions many children in his country are forced to live in. Through much prayer, searching and interviewing, our Haitian team selected 12 vulnerable boys to be a part of this new LaSource family, where their lives will take a dramatic turn.
Pastor Wilfrid has also already worked with a young couple who have a heart for God. Jean and Emise have been selected to be the new Home of Hope parents at LaSource. They are now fervently praying that the arrival of their precious new children, 12 boys they will call their sons, will become reality.
You can come alongside this new family as an ongoing family sponsor to ensure these boys will never again have to go through another day without the love of a mom and dad, or suffer through the night with an empty belly.
The last 15 years of ministry has been an incredible ride! God has done abundantly more than we could have ever asked or imagined. A small, local beginning helping families through the adoption process has blossomed into a continuum of care that empowers vulnerable children to reach their God-given potential in three countries!
Together we are changing lives, whole communities and even entire generations—one child at a time.
In 2006, LSM opened the first Home of Hope in a rural mountain village in Kpoux, Haiti. We had no idea what God would do over the next decade of ministry. We just knew there were some desperate children who needed a roof over their heads and a mom and dad who could show them the love of Jesus.
Jesse* was four or five years old (he doesn’t know his original birthday) when he became a part of the first Home of Hope family. And for the first time in his life, Jesse had a safe, stable place to call home. He barely knew his biological father, who had several “families” in different villages. Now, he was now surrounded by the love of a married, committed, Christian mom and dad.
Jesse says the day he came to LSM’s Home of Hope was “more than super perfect.” In that moment, he became a part of a family with 11 other boys who are now his closest friends and brothers. He went to school consistently for the first time. He had three meals a day and received the nutrition and medical care he desperately needed. He was mentored by successful Haitians who helped open his eyes to a world of endless opportunities that were once unimaginable. And more than anything, he found the role models in his parents that would ultimately help lead him to a personal relationship with Jesus.
A decade later, Jesse is leading worship and preaching at VBS 2017. We received this picture on the anniversary of LSM’s opening—a reminder that God’s plans are often far bigger than our own. Jesse is a part of that plan! And it was because of the willingness of people just like you coming alongside LSM that his story is possible!
From a place of utter brokenness, God raised a leader who cares deeply for vulnerable children. Jesse is working towards his dream of becoming a nurse so he can help stop meaningless death and save lives just like his was rescued.
Alongside the local church and community, we seek to empower vulnerable children to reach their full, God-given potential. We praise God for 15 years of ministry, for your generous support and, most of all, for the hundreds of children just like Jesse who make LSM what it is.
15 YEARS AGO, ON JULY 22, 2002, LSM OPENED ITS DOORS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A 300-SQUARE-FOOT OFFICE IN DOWNTOWN BLUFFTON, IN. IT’S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE RIDE.
Since then, hundreds of the world’s most vulnerable children have come into loving families where they are reaching their God-given potential. What a privilege it’s been to be on this ongoing journey together! As we praise God for His work, we’re also humbled to announce that He’s provided open doors for further ministry opportunities as we enter the next 15 years.
WE ARE MOVING OUR HOME OFFICES TO CREATE MORE SPACE FOR THE AMAZING THINGS GOD IS DOING THROUGH YOU AND LSM!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOVE:
Where will your new offices be?
Our new offices are located on the north side of Bluffton at 1935 North Main St. Bluffton, IN 46714.
When will you move?
We don’t have an exact timeline for moving locations, but we hope to complete the move in the Winter 2017/2018. Check our blog and Facebook for more information!
How are you paying for the new building?
We feel blessed that five partners who are passionate about growing LSM so that more vulnerable children and families can be reached, have covered the cost of the building.
None of the costs for the purchase of this new building are coming out of our current budget for the work we’re doing with vulnerable children in Haiti and Ethiopia.
What do you need the additional space for?
Currently, our offices are filled to maximum capacity and we are extremely limited on what we can do with volunteers who want to get more involved with LSM (see below for information on THE GOSPEL PROJECT, which some of this new space will be used for). We also currently rent additional space at a separate location for our warehouse and shipping. At the new building, we will be able to house everything in one location and have plenty of opportunities for volunteers to grow our community outreach! This space will also allow local groups to learn about Haiti through walk-through exhibits and prayer rooms.
We pray this will become a space where your whole family can learn more about the plight of the vulnerable and serve right alongside us in tangible ways!
What is the Gospel Project and how can I get involved?
The Gospel Project connects volunteers in the U.S. with our Home of Hope families in Haiti! Gospel Kits with a variety of Haitian-Creole books, hygiene materials and other necessities will be packaged at our new offices and then shipped to Haiti, where our Home of Hope families will be able to share them in their communities. Through the Gospel Project, families in the U.S. can actively contribute to the physical care of vulnerable children in Haiti, as well as help share the Gospel in tangible ways. Stay tuned for updates on the Gospel Project, as well as ways your youth group, bible study and family can be part of this experience!
Does the extra office space mean you’re expanding your U.S. Staff?
No, this space allows us to grow our community outreach and volunteer opportunities as well as provide space for our staff and board to meet with more flexibility. While over time we may add minimal U.S. staff for specific projects regarding stateside logistics, that is not our goal with the new move.
It’s our privilege and desire whenever possible to hire local people in the countries we serve to reach the children in their own communities. In fact, we have over 150 Haitian men and women serving in various capacities in Haiti, with no full time American missionaries on the ground. Additionally, our committed team in Ethiopia operates without any U.S. missionaries on the ground as well. We believe in the power of local people, partnering with the local church, to bring long lasting change in their own communities!
How can I help with the transition?
As you know, moving several offices and getting the new (to us) building ready will take some work. If you’re interested in volunteering some time, please email rebecca@loving-shepherd.org for more information.
We’d love to hear from you! Leave a message in the comments or email us at info@loving-shepherd.org.
DONATE to help LSM continue to reach the lives of vulnerable children.
Last Saturday, July 8, a group of over 140 women sat down for a beautiful morning at the SEEDS OF HOPE Ladies’ Brunch. In the middle of daisy bouquets and coffee shop treats, they took a stand together for sisters, daughters and mothers on the other side of the world just like them but who were tragically born into abject poverty and pain. It was a powerful morning learning about the plight of vulnerable families in Ethiopia and considering how each one of us can make a tangible difference.
Throughout the morning, seeds of hope were planted by women just like you into the lives of mothers who are struggling to provide even the basics for their children.
Our Ethiopian Servers!
We sincerely believe that Saturday’s commitments will grow into a beautiful harvest in the next generation—both for 40 precious families in Ethiopia and for the families right here who are changed with every connection, story and investment they make in the lives of the hurting.
We’re grateful to the local businesses that hosted tables and brought together their own passionate groups of women! A special thanks to those who invited and encouraged their friends and co-workers to come.
Additional Sponsors include: IN Balance Books and Courtney and Jodi Pfister
Our volunteer committee poured many details into the SEEDS OF HOPE Ladies’ Brunch to bring beauty, artistic flair and a smooth flow to the entire event! We’re so pleased with their efforts, and we know that because of the passion and inspiration their unique gifts inspired in the attendees, many vulnerable families in Ethiopia will receive the life-giving support they desperately need.
Quiche from Crimson House (Ossian, IN) and Cinnamon Roll / Coffee from Hugh’s Coffehouse (Bluffton, IN)
From fair trade shopping that creates dignified jobs for single mothers to ongoing family sponsorships and commitments to prayer, there was an incredible outpouring of support.
GET INVOLVED:
Do you have a passion to serve vulnerable women and children? We’d love to talk to you about hosting a SEEDS OF HOPE Ladies’ Brunch in your city. Email amber@loving-shepherd.org to learn more.
