Dear Friends:
Happy end of August Amigos! Did you make it through the summer ok? Though our temperatures still remain in the high 90's most days - for our RIN Family & Kiddos - summer is coming to an end. Two of our 11 groups of students began classes today 8/22 - and the majority of the others will begin on 8/29. This is also when Colegio Refugio Internacional will open its doors to over 100 precious Elementary I Pre-school children to begin the
2022-23 school cycle. 27 of those students are "ours" and the rest are boys and girls from the community who will not only learn about mathematics, grammar, history and science, but will also be hearing about Jesus on a daily basis, some for the very first time!!! Isn't that exciting?
It's because of the faithful support of this ministry through your prayers and monetary gifts like the one you just sent; CHI is able to:
- Consistently, touch the lives of nearly 200 youngsters (school & home), ages 1 yr. (our baby Valery) to 21 year old Teresa, who is the daughter of Tios Oscar & Laura and the newest member of our full-time teaching staff!
- Hire a total of 15 teachers & assistants and 18 Tios & Tias as Mexican Missionaries serving their own people!
- We are able to provide 2100 meals a week for our full-time family that's now grown to 100! (18 Tios & Tias /15 staff Kids and 67 RIN Kiddos). Praise the Lord!
- Your donations help make it possible to provide everything else they need too - clothing, housing, transportation, medical treatment, schooling, etc. - things most of the RIN kiddos didn't have before coming to us and wouldn't have if they left. You are making a big difference!
- Because you chose to partner with us, we can maintain & upkeep 9 casas, 12 classrooms, 3 offices, a gym, pool, soccer court, auditorium, dorms and outbuildings - THANK YOU!
So far, despite the crazy price increases on absolutely everything, coupled with our Family almost doubling in size in 18 months - we still remain on solid ground. We pray you will continue to give, and we pray God will give us wisdom and guidance on how to stretch every dollar to the fullest. These are uncertain, challenging times for all of us, but it's when the Lord has chosen to bring us the most children - so on we go trusting HE will provide!
For those of you that give monthly, and just received the July 4 pg. letter, I sure hope you will be as thrilled as we've been to hear and see some of the many exciting things the Lord has done in just a matter of weeks!
Special note to our Amigos from CANADA,
For a while now we have been trying to think of a better way to keep you more up-to-date on the happenings here at The Haven. We appreciate ever so much your faithful partnership, love and devotion to our Kiddos despite the thousands of miles that separate us. As you are aware, in order for your donations to be tax deductible in Canada - they must run through our International Children's Haven office in BC. Vic and Nellie Epp have been so kind and gracious to set aside a small space in their home and give of their time all these years to fulfill all Canadian requirements for making international donations as well as issuing each of you your end-of the-year tax statements.
Their service also includes exchanging Canadian funds into US dollars and sending a check from ICH every month or so to our US office in Pharr. Therefore we have decided that beginning this year - each time we receive their donation, we will send out a copy of the letter like the one above, that accompanies their receipt - to all those that gave during that particular time frame. As you see it is not meant to be a receipt and does not include any individual donation amounts or dates - but Lord willing will serve as an extra thank you for your support and give you greater insight to what the Lord is doing through your contributions. May God bless you for your kindness to His children.
CHILDREN'S HAVEN
"Providing loving Christian care for needy children"