Thanks for your interest in the history of Orphan’s Tear. My name is David Servant, and I’ve been traveling throughout the developing world for twenty-five years conducting pastors’ conferences (see www.shepherdserve.org). I made my first of several trips to Myanmar (Burma) in 2001, and while I was there to minister to pastors I visited several Christian orphanages that were desperately in need of help. Precious children were squeezed into small rented homes, sleeping in rows on the floors. They had little to eat. Their clothing was ragged. Their needs were overwhelming…far beyond the means of our ministry.

God, however, began to answer the orphans’ prayers, and through the gifts of friends, we started to improve the quality of their lives. We purchased treadle sewing machines for thirteen orphanages so the children could have better clothing to wear. We purchased land and oxen so orphanages could grow their own rice and vegetables, empowering them to become more self-sufficient. We provided simple but improved buildings for the children to live in.

The greatest needs, however, are for the day-to-day costs of taking care of children. Can you imagine trying to take care of a family with fifty children? Even in a very poor nation like Myanmar where most people live on less than two dollars a day, fifty children adds up to a big expense.

So we determined that we would try to find people like you who would sponsor one child through a gift of USD $20 per month, something just about anyone from America, Canada, Europe, Australia or New Zealand can afford. Because all our administrative costs are paid by our parent ministry, Heaven's Family, USD $20 can actually provide food, clothing, and school fees for one orphan in Myanmar for one month. We presently assist thirty-four orphanages in Myanmar, Pakistan, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and India that are overseen by dedicated Christians who provide caring Christian nurture.

In the months and years ahead, we hope that thousands of orphans around the world will find the care they are praying for from compassionate sponsors like you.