Dear Friends,

About two years ago, Andrew Mason, a 30-year-old native of my hometown of Pittsburgh, had an idea. He asked the owner of a local pizza shop a simple question: “If I guaranteed you twenty customers, would you sell them two pizzas for the price of one, and then give me part of your profits from those sales? The pizza shop owner did the math. His profit margin on each pizza would decrease significantly, but because his total sales would increase, his overall profits would also increase. Plus he would receive free advertising and a chance to build his customer base. So he agreed to the deal.

Andrew then found twenty people who agreed to be one of those twenty 2-for-1 pizza buyers—but the deal was promised to them only if he could find at least twenty. Once he found twenty, the deal was “tipped.”

That simple idea became a company known today by millions of people as “Groupon.” Every day, forty-four million subscribers receive a daily discount coupon offer in their inbox, and once enough subscribers agree to buy into it, the deal “tips” and it becomes available to all of them. Groupon earned over $500 million in 2010, and it now promotes some 650 regional or nation-wide deals each day, and more than 95% of them tip. Upwards of 26 million Groupon offers have been purchased world-wide, saving customers in the U.S. $850 million. In November, Groupon rejected a 5.3 billion buy-out offer from Google. According to Forbes, it is probably the fastest-growing company in history.

Groupon works because both buyers and sellers win. Buyers save money while sellers make money, an idea that has propelled Wal-Mart to where it is today.

Personally, I’ve never bought anything via Groupon because I’m not interested in most of what they sell, even if their discounts are huge. My wife, however, has bought into one Groupon deal on some organic food, and our daughter also bought into a Groupon deal for a major discount at GAP clothing stores that offered $50 worth of clothing for $25. She shopped at the mark-down rack and walked out of GAP with $180 worth of clothing for $25. Lots of other people took advantage of that same deal—445,000 in all.

I wish I had thought of Groupon before Andrew Mason, and if I had, I wish I would have had the time to develop his idea as he has! Or, I wish I owned just a small stake of Groupon. If I did, I could have become Heaven’s Family’s major donor. And I would have been perfectly happy to live on my 2010 salary of $32,000 for the rest of my life, because I don’t need more than that.

Why am I telling you this? Because I received an email a few days ago from my friend, Tony Dale, founder and director of House2House Ministries. Tony and his wife, Felicity, are both medical doctors who gave up their medical professions to build God’s kingdom all over the world through the multiplication of house churches. They’ve influenced a lot of people for good, including me.

I learned in Tony’s email that two of his sons have launched a Groupon-like business named Moolala that has attracted venture capital and some very talented people to run the business. But instead of following Groupon’s win-win business model, Moolala has a win-win-win business model—a model that makes it possible for Heaven’s Family to be one of the three winners in that equation. In fact, their business model can also make you one of the three winners.

How is that? It’s very simple. You sign up to receive Moolala’s email discount-coupon offers using Heaven’s Family’s referral code. Then you recommend others to sign up. Those people recommend others, who recommend others who recommend others. If any of the people in the first four tiers ever purchase any of Moolala’s discount deals, Heaven’s Family receives 2% of their purchase price. If any of the people in the four tiers below you ever purchase any of Moolala’s discount deals, you receive 2% of their purchase price. It is what is called “affiliate marketing” in the internet world, with the added benefit of commissions going to multiple generations.

In Groupon’s business model, only Groupon and the businesses they partner with make profits on their discounted coupon sales, even though lots of people have helped them make their money by spreading the word about their deals to their friends. Moolala’s business model, however, is much better, because it incorporates the concept of profit sharing (a godly idea). Simply put, if you help me make money, I should share some of my profits with you, otherwise I have not loved you as I love myself. In contrast to Groupon and its many smaller imitations, Moolala will share profits with those who help spread the word about their discount deals. When Moolala makes money, those who helped them make money will also make money. So everyone benefits: the buyers save money, the sellers make money, and Moolala and its “sales force” make money.

Obviously, Moolala has the potential to succeed in a big way. And if Moolala succeeds, then everyone who helps them will benefit. And that is why I’m telling all of you, my friends, about Moolala. You are the kind of people who are kingdom-minded and who love to show your love for Jesus by meeting the pressing needs of “the least of these” among His world-wide family. By signing up to receive Moolala’s discount offers and by asking your friends to sign up, you can help Heaven’s Family meet more pressing needs around the world, as well as receive some more blessing yourself.

But wait! When you do sign up, make sure that you use this link: www.moolala.com/r/14CTT1M, or use this referral code in the appropriate box at Moolala’s website: 14CTT1M. Doing either of those things tells Moolala that Heaven’s Family referred you.

After you have signed up, then please ask others to sign up as well. Moolala makes that very easy to do with simple tools at their website, so you can send a message to your email list, post a message on your Facebook page or Twitter, and so on.

Moolala is just getting off the ground, and it is those who get involved in the early stages who stand to benefit the most. So please don’t delay signing up and telling your friends to sign up. Moolala will soon have a huge email list of subscribers, a list that will give them lots of leverage to approach national retailers who want to increase their profits through discount offers. It would be lovely if that email list was built from a foundation of people like us, who realize that we are not owners of anything, but only stewards of what belongs to God, people who love to lay up treasure in heaven.

Finally, please remember that there is nothing wrong about making money, as long as it is made ethically, and as long as stewarded according to God’s commandments. I’ve noticed that the people who give to Heaven’s Family are people who have money to give! And most of those people work hard to earn what they give. For that reason, I naturally want all of the friends of Heaven’s Family to prosper—as long as their wealth doesn’t become their god. I’m very happy that, by telling you about Moolala, I can hopefully be a blessing to you, because you have been a blessing to Heaven’s Family.

Sincerely in Christ,

David

A couple toys and hugs made this little girl very happy!

Dear Friends,

Because you’ve demonstrated your compassion for our Haitian brothers and sisters in Christ who survived January’s earthquake, I wanted to update you on Heaven’s Family’s on-going relief efforts in Haiti. I recently returned from a week’s trip there.

Our team of five journeyed to Haiti with plenty of concerns. There were reports that the often-deadly disease of cholera was spreading. Then we learned that presidential elections were scheduled two days before our arrival. Many sources predicted violence when the results were announced. The Lord kept reassuring us, however, and we went as planned.

Day 1

On the first day, we checked on the progress of a home Heaven’s Family is helping to rebuild for a man named Antoine, whose story we told in the March issue of our magazine. Antoine and his wife lost a daughter when their small home collapsed during January’s quake. When I visited their homesite in July there was only a pile of rubble, but this time I was encouraged to see a simple home rising up in the very same place. The joy and gratitude on Antoine’s face encouraged me.

We also visited two orphanages in Port-au-Prince. The first one, Children’s Home for Tomorrow, had never been visited by Heaven’s Family staff before, although we had been in contact with the director via email for a few months. The children welcomed us warmly. They were just finishing school for that day, which is conducted in their rented orphanage building.

Our team members didn’t waste any time loving on the children, giving them new clothes, shoes, toys, and medicine. We were blessed to see the joy on their faces! While my wife Karin and I, the two Heaven’s Family staff members on the team, busied ourselves talking to the orphanage staff and taking photos, our three other teammates played with the children and gave them lots of hugs. I think everyone at the orphanage truly sensed that the Lord touched them that day.

At Children’s Home for Tomorrow, orphans received special love and attention from our team members

We later visited Mt. Zion Orphanage, which Heaven’s Family has assisted for several years through our child sponsorship program. The children have finally begun to sleep inside their concrete block home (which was not damaged in the quake, and which our work team painted in July), having slept outside in tents for more than eight months due to their fear of another earthquake. We also gave them clothing, shoes, toys, and some medicine, and talked to the director about helping him rebuild a collapsed wall on the edge of the orphanage property.

Days 2 and 3

On our second day, we drove north to a rural area, where we found El Bethel, a very poor orphanage that had to relocate from Port-au-Prince after the quake because their building became uninhabitable. The director had purchased a small, inexpensive parcel of land—a barren, rock-strewn plot without access to water—and built a very simple concrete block building in which he and his wife now live with over forty children.

Our hearts broke to see their living conditions. Everything—including water—had to be carried up a rocky, winding path to the low hilltop where they live. The director and his wife, however, had the joy of Lord in their hearts, and they were grateful for our visit. We intend to provide them with a well so that they can enjoy a plentiful source of water for themselves and their dozen or so neighbors. We also hope to find sponsors for their children through the Orphan’s Tear division of Heaven’s Family. (Please email me at Jeff [at] HeavensFamily.org if the Lord touches your heart in that regard.)

After our stop at El Bethel, we headed for what has been named “Mahaneim Camp,” about an hour’s drive north of Port-au-Prince. This is the Christian resettlement camp that many of you, through Heaven’s Family, have helped sustain throughout the months following the earthquake. Hundreds of our brothers and sisters in Christ fled there after their homes were destroyed, and we helped provide their basic needs.

For the last few months we’ve been funding construction of permanent homes to move people out of tents. Six duplexes that will house twelve families are nearing completion. Each duplex costs about $10,000. Our team of five even got to spend two nights in one of the homes!

Heaven’s Family is also working with the camp’s spiritual leaders to develop income-generating small businesses and a school to teach English and computer skills. The long-term vision is to help the camp’s families become more self-sufficient and reach out to their neighbors. We were very excited to see how, thanks to you, we’ve made a measurable difference in the lives of the people there.

At left, three of our team members with Ruth, one of our favorite translators, in front of an almost-finished home; at right, two more duplexes near completion

Days 4 and 5

We left Mahaneim Camp early on the fourth day and headed back to Port-au-Prince’s airport to catch our flight to north-central Haiti aboard a single-engine Cessna. Landing on the grass strip in the town, Pignon, was very smooth, and we were soon at Mt. Carmel Orphanage, which Heaven’s Family has also been assisting for several years through our child-sponsorship program.

Just as at the other three orphanages we’d already visited, we blessed the children at Mt. Carmel with new clothing, shoes, and toys, and gave medical supplies to the director. We spent two nights there, sleeping in an adjacent home, so we were able to spend lots of time with the children. We also took photos and collected names and biographical information of several new orphans. Many of them lost their parents in the earthquake and were moved to Mt. Carmel from Port-au-Prince. They are now living in a much better place.

New toys and clothes brought smiles to lots of children!

The director of Mt. Carmel and his wife see us off at Pignon airport

Day 6

In the morning, we drove back to the airport to catch our little plane for the flight back to Port-au-Prince. A few cases of cholera had been reported in the area recently, and many people were fearful. Cholera, however, is easily cured with antibiotics and lots of liquids. We were glad to be able to leave some medicine to treat cholera at Mt. Carmel in the event it reaches their neighborhood.

After arriving safely back in Port-au-Prince, we had some time to rest and reflect on our mission trip. We were very grateful to have accomplished everything we hoped to accomplish, with the added unexpected blessing of helping a new orphanage. And I’m happy to report that all of our on-going relief and development efforts are progressing satisfactorily.

Thanks to all of you who have helped poor Haitian believers through Heaven’s Family during this year of disaster. Together, we’ve touched the lives of thousands of our brothers and sisters in Christ. They asked me to send you their heart-felt thanks, and I’m sure they will also put in a good word for you when we stand before the Lord someday! Thanks for making a difference.

Be blessed this Christmas Season!

Jeff Trotter

Director, Disaster Relief Fund

Fanice, Lydia, Daniel, Cynthia and Cecilia, standing in front of their tin rental home in a Nairobi slum

Lydia never dreamed she would be a widow. She had just given birth to her fourth child—a long-awaited first son named Daniel. And then it happened. Her husband, Peter, died unexpectedly of heart failure. Lydia found herself alone, trying to raise their four children by herself.

Lydia, a trained beautician, would take work at any hair salon that gave her an opportunity, but she was only able to bring home about $12 per week. The single room she rented for her family cost $31 per month. There wasn’t much left over for food and other necessities.

The government of Kenya provides free primary education for all children, but Lydia’s oldest daughter, Fanice, was just starting secondary school, and the fees were $435 per year. And Lydia’s twins, Cynthia and Cecilia, would be out of primary school in a few years.

Some days Lydia couldn’t find work. And there were even a few days when she had no food to feed her family. During those times, her church family helped her as best they could out of their own poverty, but it still was never enough. Lydia found herself struggling against hopelessness and despair. She prayed for the Lord to help her open her own hair salon, but she knew it would take a miracle. Her pastor wrote to me and asked if Heaven’s Family could help Lydia with a grant to start a saloon (not the type of small business that Heaven’s Family usually helps widows start!). Further investigation revealed that he meant to write “salon” rather than “saloon”!

God heard Lydia’s prayers. Because of gifts to the Widows Fund, she received a grant to open her own hair salon. Her clientele is now growing, and she is prospering. There is food for her family every day. In her gratitude, Lydia wrote “I give thanks to the Heaven’s Family for helping me out of sorrow and tears.” Thank you for caring.

Lydia in her new shop with one of her clients

We have been transitioning the Widow’s Fund for the past few months so that we cannot only help trustworthy Christian widows in very poor nations with grants, but low-interest loans as well. We believe this is a way that we can better steward the funds entrusted to us while economically empowering widows. We now have three Widow’s Micro-Banks in Kenya, and soon will have more in three other countries. I love it when I see God’s plans come together! May He be glorified by our deeds!

Becky Servant
Director of the Widow’s Fund