Moving forward...

We began this year by speaking in faith that "THIS is the year of the Lord's favor!" Each year is exciting to enter into. 2012 is no exception.
Already several exciting things have happened!

Our Board of Directors in India met last night and spent time planning and praying over this year. The most exciting news is the beginning of construction on our campus. Though you are not aware, we have been building the last section of wall around the land (minus the canal that is still under dispute). This is the very end of that process and then we move forward.

By faith we are planning to begin work in 2012! We hope that you will follow us and see:

• a massive septic system (if this your specialty, we could use your help!)
• Electricity ran up to the small home that is presently on the land . We need to buy the electric poles and pay for the connection- approx. $20,000
• The beginning of the first 2 cottages. We hope that by the time these 2 are done, the funding will be in for the top 2 cottages as well. We presently have planned to build 4 cottages in 1 block. One cottage hosts 25 children and a family to care for them. This is a picture of 1 block (4 cottages- a home for 100 children).

Until we are ready to move everyone to the land this first block may be used.... to open the school on the campus! (All you teachers have been waiting for this one!)

This is all very exciting, but a huge step of faith for us. If we were only doing construction it would be an easy task- however we must maintain and care for an orphanage of 80+ children, run the training center, visit the US for fundraising and hopefully build a house for our family sometime as well. It is easy to be overwhelmed! We are reminded that we have an incredible team of people to pray, support, encourage and share this burden.
Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. You simply cannot ever encourage or give too much! We appreciate your partnership and hope you will continue on in this journey with us. God gave us a 50 year vision and we are over 10 years in! Let's move forward in 2012...the best is yet to come!

Prayer walking past the one of the last gaps in the wall

RP

On another note, my name means "Motherly" but very soon I am going to be a "Grandmother!" One of our girls is expecting! (just to clarify, it is the one who got married last summer!) No names on here, but you can watch my FB page for more updates and pictures!

“A longing fulfilled is a tree of life…” Prov. 13:12

We began fundraising for a tractor back in 2006. It may not seem like a very big need, but we were plowing our 24 acres of land with a bullock cart and wooden plow and were dreaming of leveling land and starting construction. We began sharing the need and looking at tractors. Our prayers have continued all these years as have watched the price of tractors increase rapidly.

My daughter, A, who was 4 at the time, began to pray daily during meals times for the tractor. I began to wonder if she would ever see the tractor she was praying for. When Titus Women was started it inspired her to start making glass bead earrings to sell to raise money for the tractor.

She would work for hours on them daily and even hung them on her bedroom door for people to see and purchase to raise money for the tractor. Still to this day she has them on her door. In 2010 she also began to make India necklaces. Her faith inspired me when I felt like giving up. She also inspired others to give to this need.

One of my relatives sends in money monthly for “Abigail’s Tractor Fund.” Another youth group got on board and did a fundraiser to help her out. Last year we had money donated to buy a bulldozer and half of the money for a tractor. This week we finally bought the tractor for the campus development and maintenance!

THANK YOU for giving to this need. Thanks for not giving up, and I am thankful for a child who has taught me to keep on in faith.  May you be inspired today for what you are holding out in faith for!

“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Ps. 27:13,14

A New Season...

We are at a new season in our lives and ministry. A season we have always hoped for, and are a little surprised is here. It is a season of blessing by just maintaining and improving what God has given us. This is different for each area of ministry.

A great new change is our new offices. We went from one room with 4 very old computers to cubicles for each department, networked brand new computers and recently today, 10 cell phones for all our staff! Yes, most of them had one already, but they were unreliable and costly. These phones are free when we call each other. A great change!

In the orphanage, maintaining means giving out supplies when needed. Our new supply warehouse will really help keep us organized and use our resources well.  It also has separate libraries for the college students and the children.

Keeping the kids fed is a big part of our daily need. We have had a year’s supply of children’s multi-vitamins donated to keep them not only fed, but healthy as well! We are thankful for all the people who contribute in so many ways. It is a team effort of skills, donations and gifts that keep everything moving forward.

Titus Women has also seen a LOT of growth this year. We are at a place where we have a lot of potential, but are holding back the group to improve the quality of our products. This seems to be the theme of the entire ministry during this season- Less Growth, Improve Quality. This is something we are all passionate about and thrilled to be able to do, without the pressures of moving into new facilties, getting a new kitchen set up, or major medical issues to tend to.

Spiritually, we need to keep investing in the lives of all these individual people we are reaching. We are already planning VBS for the children this summer, outreach projects for the students before graduation and a Titus Women retreat this month. There are many things on the horizon- and this season is good- because of your partnership with us. Thank you.

RP