Lifeline’s Childrens Homes: ministering to the neediest

Lifeline’s Children’s Homes are truly “homes” in the fullest sense of the word. The children are loved, cared for, taught, nurtured, disciplined, and raised like our own children by dedicated house parents.  The children are educated at a local Lifeline Christian school and are involved in a nearby Lifeline church because we want each child to grow spiritually, physically, emotionally and socially.

And, just so you know, some call these homes “orphanages” but many, if not most of the children, are not orphans; they come from circumstances beyond what some of us could even imagine. 

Mahotiere Children’s Home | Haiti

In Haiti, most children are placed in our home because they are one-parent orphans, or the family is so large that the child is not getting sufficient nutrition, or sometimes (but not often) they are abandoned.  In Haiti, a child can be left on our doorstep and be accepted into the home.

Nay Nay & Martine Auxilas are the wonderful house parents to these 72 children – 39 girls and 33 boys ranging in age from 4-26 years old.  They also have 4 children of their own who share their parents with their “siblings” at the Children’s Home. 

Omoa Children’s Home | Honduras

Lifeline’s Children’s Home in Honduras is just for girls!  The girls are placed in the home by the courts: some are abandoned, a parent might be in prison, their mother is a prostitute, the parent(s) have been killed or died, or a child is born with disabilities and the family abandons them.  In Honduras, the government must place the children via the court system. There are strict rules and the court is so pleased with Lifeline’s compliance and care of these precious children that they call us and ask us to take children in.

Carlos & Paty Cojon are the wonderful house parents to these 26 girls ranging in age from 6 – 21 years old.  They also have 4 children of their own, two of which are adopted from Guatemala.

Construction on a new Children’s Home at Lifeline’s main Grand Goave campus in Haiti began in May 2012. Once construction is complete, 76 Haitian boys and girls will call this their new home! 

Construction is progressing and the second building (the kitchen/dining hall) was started in September by the men’s work team.  Recently, two 40-foot containers of materials and furnishings (to complete the interior of the new Home) arrived at Grand Goave. (These were donated by a generous donor in Canada and shipped to Haiti.)  Also, the new, donated playground equipment arrived and is in storage until it is time to construct it for the children!  The playground location is already prepared!  

Everyone is so excited to see this facility come together!  The need for another children’s home in Haiti is so acute – especially after the earthquake. The need is ongoing: while in Haiti just last month, we were approached multiple times by Haitians telling us they know of children that need to be in this new Home.  

 Please pray for these precious children and our ministry to them: 

• Pray that we locate the right couple to be the directors of the new home in Grand Goave.  Even though the home won’t be completed until next year, we are praying for God to prepare the hearts and minds of the married couple that will fill this position.

• Pray that the hearts and minds of the children will also be touched, leading them to walk in God’s truth and light.

• Pray for protection of the children from heartbreak and physical harm. 

You can impact these precious children and meet the needs of the homes in many different ways.  Please pray about how you can partner with us! 

Donate towards ongoing operation

We need additional and increased funding to cover the day-to-day operations for the Children’s Homes.  Since these children are cared for 24/7, the child sponsorship doesn’t begin to cover the great needs.  We provide the children their basic needs:clothing, school uniforms, shoes, books, Bibles, backpacks, health care, nutrition, school costs, and on and on. We also need funds for the home itself: utilities, maintenance & repairs, upkeep, transportation, staff salaries, vehicles, etc.  …Kind of like the expenses you have for your own home and children!  You can donate onlineor mail a check to Lifeline’s office.

Sponsor a child

The children at the homes in Haiti & Honduras are available to sponsor the entire time they live at the home. But, since children at the home receive care 24/7, the child sponsorship amount of $35 per month per child is insufficient to support the Children’s Homes ongoing operations.  Therefore, we have expanded the program: children living at the home may have up to four (4) sponsors so that our true financial needs can be closer to being met.  

Email  Erma@Lifeline.org or call 614-794-0108 for additional information. 

Items needed for the Omoa Children’s Home

We have created an online wish list of much-needed household items to help Carlos & Paty minister to the girls and continue to provide the quality of care that is needed.

Our online wish-list of items at Target.commakes it easy for you to know exactly what is needed and avoids unnecessary duplicates.

It’s also convenient!  When you purchase the item(s) online, they are shipped directly to Lifeline’s Ohio office.  When we receive the purchased items, you will receive a Gift in Kind receipt to claim the cost of the item as a tax deductible contribution.  We will then ship the items down to Honduras.

A current, rather urgent need is for 24 mattresses for the girls’ beds. The mattresses are $130 each and already funds have been donated for 8 of the mattresses.  Please contact Gretchen@Lifeline.org or 614-794-0108 to help.

The Omoa Children’s Home also needs new living room furniture.  ContactGretchen for specific details.