Dear Family,
I wish you could all come visit us. I want you to see our mission so you can have a better mental picture of what is going on here. After 12 years, the mission is simply busting at the seams. As many of you know we recently completed an addition to In The Father's Hand Children's Home at our original piece of land, to make room for our group of boys, now numbering almost 50. A few years ago we rented a house for all the babies that Father kept bringing to us who needed a home while they waited for adoption. Then Father started sending us girls who were being abused or abandoned by their families. Overcrowding was already an issue when the landlord told us he was selling the house we were renting. Shortly thereafter several areas of the ceilings fell and we had to move the 18 babies into the house that Cindy and I are renting between the two properties. We have left the toddlers and girls in the creche home pending an answer to our housing issue. It was obvious that it was time to do something to provide a permanent home for Grace Children Adoption Home and to begin our separate girls home for the children in our care. Adding to the urgency to move the babies into another home that is safe for them is Cindy's hearing. By no means is Cindy being selfish, but she needs her home back to prevent further hearing loss. The hearing doctor told her she is damaging her hearing aid with the constant noise. As we have searched over the months, we have found several options and possibilities, but no fair price. On Saturday April 4th, Solange, our national director of the adoption home, took Cindy and I to see a large piece of land with an unfinished home. It's within a short walk of our other facilities. We really believe this could be the house that God has for our children, fair price and all. The house is not a large home but is built so that finishing it and adding on what would be needed would be easy. The one thing we really like about this property is that there is a big yard. There is enough space in the back to build another house for the girls and enough yard in the front to have a playground for the children to play in. We feel that this is the home. But this is an opportunity we could miss without your help. Another buyer is interested in the property and the seller will not hold the house for us. We believe we are to finish the existing house on that land and then build the new home for the girls'home. To buy the land with the unfinished home is $60,000. To finish the existing home will be approximately $25,000. Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of time. We must produce at least $60,000 right away to purchase this property. Another consideration is our need to move the children out of the current creche house before our lease is up in August. The landlord insists he wants to sell it but even if he would let us rent it again it would cost us another $6000 to rent it for another year; $6000 that could be used to purchase our own property. Cindy and I are asking you, even in this time of econmic difficulties, to give once again. There is a peace about this home. We believe this is the property God wants us to have. This area of the community is developing so fast that land is very hard to find. That this particular place became available now is something we consider a "God thing." This will be a place where we can house the babies and toddlers and start the girls' home (which we desperately need), another place where we can continue to show the value of family to this country of Haiti. Your family here needs your help. We have been offered a matching grant of $15,000 to help kick this fund raising effort off. If we can QUICKLY bring in $15,000, the matching grant will put us at $30,000, which will bring us half-way to the goal of $60,000. We NEED YOU TO GIVE FROM THE BLESSINGS FATHER HAS GIVEN YOU. Please consider how much you are blessed. PRAY!!! ASK FATHER WHAT YOU SHOULD GIVE. There is an old saying, "You can't out-give God," and it is absolutely true. As a pastor once said, (I paraphrase), "I have good news and bad news. The good news is God has given us all the money we needed for the new furnaces. The bad news is most of it is still in your pocket book." Here is an opportunity to show your faith in His provision for your family as you give sacrificially to help those even more in need. You can donate on-line at www.gme.org. Designate your gift for "new building." Or you can make your check payable to: Lashbrook Family Ministries, and mail to: Globe International, P.O. Box 3040, Pensacola, FL 32516-3040.
If you have any thoughts, or ideas, or are interested in bringing in a building team, don't hesitate to call or send me an email. And remember, it's all "In the Father's Hands!"
(Front view of the home.)
