Messages of Hope | Spring 2015

Spring 2015

“And whoever receives one child such as this in My name receives Me.�

(Matthew 18:5)

An Angels Of Hope Update

An Orphan Realizes Her Dreams

“ I think some difficulties help us grow and have character.”

— Mirlande, 28

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irlande has spent most of her young life in an Angels Of Hope orphanage in Haiti. She was sent to live at the home at the tender age of 8. Her mother, a single parent, couldn’t afford to take care of Mirlande and her three brothers, but abandoned only Mirlande.

This was very hard for the little 8-year-old, but Mirlande was determined to succeed. From a very young age she turned every difficulty into a challenge.

“I learned to challenge myself because without the love of my mom and my brothers, it was difficult,” she said.

“The Lord raises the needy from the dust, and lifts the poor from the ash heap…” (Psalm 113:7) Mirlande is grateful to have grown up in an Angels Of Hope home. Because of the loving encouragement she received, Mirlande was able to finish high school, attend a technical school and continues to reach for her goals and dreams.

“Thank you for helping me,” Mirlande wrote in a letter to Food For The Poor. “Without you I may not be where I am.” Mirlande is also thankful to God for everything she has achieved.

“I talk to God every second about my goals to help me realize them,” Mirlande said.

Today, Mirlande is a third-year student studying agronomy in a bachelor’s degree program. She has done so well that Food For The Poor helped place her in a four-month internship program, where she learned how to grow tomatoes and cucumbers in a greenhouse environment.

Mirlande aspires to use her expertise in agronomy to fight hunger in Haiti and give back to her community. Who knows how God will use the child you sponsor to make a difference in the world? Your support can be instrumental in helping to realize a dream like Mirlande’s. ❋

Young Artist’s Bright Sketches Outshine Painful Past

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laudia arrived at one of our Angels Of Hope orphanages in Nicaragua along with her sisters when she was just 8 months old.

Living in extreme poverty, they had been abandoned by their father and mistreated by their mother, a drug addict and alcoholic who didn’t feed the girls regularly. Finally, the girls’ grandmother reported the abuse to authorities, and they were placed in a loving Angels Of Hope home.

Life at the orphanage is all Claudia has ever known, aside from occasional visits with her grandmother and extended family.

Claudia is grateful to the orphanage for rescuing and raising her, and for showing her unconditional love. “When I get sick, they take care of me, and when I need something, they give it to me,” Claudia said.

“They feel that I am important.”

Lovingly cared for in an Angels Of Hope home since she was 8 months old, Claudia happily posed for her pre-school graduation picture at age 5.

Today, at 15, one of the things Claudia loves most is drawing — and it shows. She recently placed 2nd in our Angels Of Hope drawing contest. Her drawings are a bright departure from her painful past.

“A colorful drawing transmits happiness, and that’s what I like,” Claudia said.

Your sponsorship of a child through Angels Of Hope does so much more than simply provide essentials like food, clothing and an education. It allows a child to grow up in a loving Christian environment where God-given talents are nurtured and allowed to flourish like Claudia’s have. Your support does more than you may ever know. ❋

“I feel special,” Claudia said of her ability to draw.

“It was a gift by God.”

Contest Out of Re A

ngels Of Hope homes in Honduras recently held an innovative contest, which encouraged creativity among the children by having them design costumes made out of recyclable materials.

Katherine M. from the Hogar Amor y Vida home won first place for her imaginative costume made from plastic garbage bags.

ope orphanage in Each Angels Of H oth red contestants (b Honduras sponso est. nt co r the costume boys and girls) fo ct fle re e supposed to The costumes wer in Honduras. traditional dress

Creates Beauty ecycled Materials

Using recyclable materials like chip bags and gum wrappers, the children and their caretakers used their creativity to fashion these beautiful dresses.

There were first, second and third place winners in the competition. In addition to the costume contest, the children enjoyed a nutritious meal featuring soy hamburgers and horchata, a drink made from soy.

Since local schools in Honduras have been teaching about the importance of recycling, the AOH homes gathered together and decided to incorporate an eco-friendly theme into their costume contest. The directors of the various homes asked the children to use old newspapers, chip bags, gum wrappers and other discarded items to create their unique and artistic costumes. The winner of the contest designed a dress made entirely from white trash bags!

One person’s trash is another’s fashion treasure!

A note from Robin Dear Friend in Christ, I thank God for you.

Your generous support exhibits Christ-like love to a child who experienced an incredible hardship before finding a safe home at one of our Angels Of Hope orphanages.

When a child finds refuge at an Angels Of Hope home, they receive nutritious meals, nurturing care, prayerful guidance, clothing, an education and medical care. Because of you, these orphaned or abandoned children begin to heal, grow and blossom in a wholesome environment.

Your kindness ensures that they will continue to thrive.

0 children who are still waiting for a Our Angels Of Hope program has a little over 1,00 love and kindness they crave. sponsor to reach out to them and give them the you’ll prayerfully consider. With so many I want to end my letter with some requests I hope els Of Hope sponsorship program with a friend? children waiting, won’t you please share the Ang have a big heart for orphaned and abandoned Also, as an Angels Of Hope sponsor, I know you l commitment to sponsor another child? children. Would you consider making a sacrificia ever more…” (Philippians 1:9a) “And this is my prayer: that your love may increase A servant of the poor,

Robin G. Mahfood

ly member who might like to sponsor an P.S. Please pass this newsletter on to a friend or fami www.FoodForThePoor.org/SponsorOrphan orphan. They can sign up to sponsor an orphan at

Find us on: facebook.com/ffpaoh

6401 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, FL 33073 • 954-427-2222 • www.FoodForThePoor.org Messages of Hope is a publication of Food For The Poor, Inc. © 2015 Food For The Poor, Inc. All rights reserved.