Han Kham Pau and me in a Kalaymyo market

Dear Friends,

I had an incredible “God moment” during my visit to Kalaymyo, Myanmar, last November, and I want to tell you about it!

During a bit of free time I went to a local bazaar filled with dozens of small shops crammed together and connected by little narrow walkways. Two of my Kalaymyo friends, Nu Bawi and Nan, were with me when we spotted a man sitting on the ground begging. I immediately noticed his bandaged hand and feet—telltale signs of a person with leprosy. He introduced himself as Han Kham Pau, and we talked with him for a while, getting the quick version of his life’s story. My heart went out to him. Before we left, we put a little money in his bowl.

Later, I felt the Lord tell me to do more for Han. I left some money with Nu Bawi and Nan from our Lepers Fund, asking them to use it to meet any pressing needs that he had.

The following weekend, after meeting with Han to find out what he needed, my two friends delivered a wonderful blessing of rice, blankets, and medicine to his doorstep. They also had the opportunity to meet his family and talk to them about the Lord!

God really does work in amazing ways, and I’m glad He worked a blessing for Han and his family through me and my friends that day!

At left, Han Kham Pau with his family after receiving rice and blankets for the winter; and at right with Nu Bawi (left) and Nan Aye (right)

Heaven’s Family also continues to help forgotten lepers in China and India, where our physical assistance continues to soften hearts to the gospel. The Lord is doing some wonderful things, and we—together with you—are glad to be a part.

Together with Him,

Carole J. Collins
Director, Lepers Fund

Ms. Lian Tiem and Sui Par

Dear Friends,

For the past five years, Lian Tiem, a 60-year-old widow, has lived at the Handicapped Care Center, a Heaven’s Family-sponsored orphanage for polio-stricken children in Kalaymyo, Myanmar. Lian has been blind for 12 years. Her teenage daughter Sui Par, also a resident at the orphanage, watches over her.

When I met Lian this past November, she was sitting quietly by herself on the floor of the orphanage while all the children sang Christian songs and played games. My heart went out to her.

During our visit, the director of the Handicapped Care Center asked us a favor on behalf of Lian and Sui Par. He wanted to know if Heaven’s Family could empower them to become self-supporting and move into their own rented house. He estimated that they would need a grant of $675 to help them to purchase a hand loom and thread for making clothing, as well as buy some pots to do their own cooking. Sui Par knows how to weave from her training at the orphanage, and she estimates that she could earn about $40 a month using her skills. That would be enough for her and her blind mother to be self-sufficient.

The plan made sense to us, and since we’ve known both Lian and Sui Par for years, we gladly agreed. Although we prefer to help widows become self-sufficient through offering them small-business micro-loans, we felt that in this case a grant would be better. A micro-loan may be appropriate later if Sui Par wants to expand her business.

Through Heaven’s Family’s Christian Widows Fund, we’re lifting many poor widows from poverty around the world, through both grants and loans. Your gifts are making those blessings possible! Thanks so much.

For our Sisters,

Peter Wray
Director, Christian Widows Fund

Pastor Yasser Castillo and his wife Teresa with HF staff member Dick Samuels

Dear Friends,

I want to tell you about Pastor Yasser Castillo and his wife Teresa. They direct a drug and alcohol rehab ministry in inner-city Havana, Cuba, one of the world’s remaining five communist nations. Along with the current 12 resident men, Yasser and Teresa live in a small, dilapidated storefront that they’ve converted into a chapel and home.

Yasser and Teresa disciple and counsel the recovering addicts, and they try to teach them marketable skills. Teresa also ministers to prostitutes and female addicts.

They previously supported the drug rehab by means of three bicycle taxis that the residents pedaled, but about a year ago the Cuban government confiscated the bicycle taxis, saying that they were being used in an unlicensed, illegal business enterprise. The ministry struggled to survive. Earlier this year, however, the government relaxed its regulations on private business enterprises, and now Yasser and Teresa can operate their bicycle taxi business again as long as they obtain the required permits and pay their taxes—and find more taxis to replace the ones the government confiscated.

That’s where Heaven’s Family was able to help.

Seeing this as an opportunity to help a vital ministry become self-sufficient, we purchased three new bicycle taxis for the ministry through gifts to the Drug Rehab Fund. Yasser estimates that each bicycle taxi can generate at least $100 a month in profit—enough to meet the basic needs of the ministry. We also helped them buy food to sustain them until they can get the taxis into service.

Heaven’s Family was able to purchase three new bicycle taxis similar to this one

I am so overjoyed at what God is doing in Cuba through Pastor Yasser and his wife Teresa. What a blessing it is to help this brother and sister as they fulfill the Great Commission by making disciples of former drug addicts and prostitutes. Your faithful gifts to the Drug Rehab Fund made this possible. Thank you for your heart of obedience to Jesus.

Eternally Grateful,

Bob Collins
Director, Drug Rehabilitation Fund