Personal Message
Bon Nwèl!
Greetings! And blessings to you and your family for a Christ-filled and joyous Christmas holiday.
We want to extend our deep love and appreciation for helping make 2007 a very special year for the children at The Lighthouse.
It has been an incredible year of growth and spiritual blessings for the children. And we are seeing the fruit of those blessings every day in the lives of these very special children.
Thanks to a lot of different people at a lot of different churches, this will be one of the best Christmas celebrations the children have ever know. And it is not just because they are receiving more gifts and a experiencing a bigger celebration. It is because of the significance of who the Christ child is to each and every one of them personally.
Many of these kids have no family or relatives. They have known much pain and heartache. But, despite it all, they have a Savior who they know loves them above all else. They have seen the Lord work miracles in their young lives. Heal the pain. Mend the scars. Restore hope. And to them... there is no greater gift, than the gift of that precious Christ child born humbly in a manger.
Thank you for helping these children to know the true meaning of the season. To know that Jesus loves them and will never leave nor forsake them.
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"May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33.22
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God bless you.
The Manasseros
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Merry Christmas From The Kids at Maison de Lumiere!
 The children at Maison de Lumiere (The Lighthouse) want to extend a very special Christmas thank you to all of you reading this newsletter.
You all have a role in the wonderful things happening in these special children's lives. From your child sponsorships and prayers to special gifts and teams that have helped bless the children with transportation, playgrounds, repaired facilities, awesome VBS/Bible programs, and much more.
The children at The Lighthouse are continuing to grow into godly young men and woman as the Lord continues to transform their lives from the hurts and abuse of the past to a brighter Hope and future through Jesus Christ.
God's hand is upon these children. And the prayers and selfless efforts of the saints have helped move God's hand even further.
On behalf of all the children at The Lighthouse, God bless you abundantly in the years ahead and have a wonderful Christmas!
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Christmas Outreach Only 8 Days Away
 Walking around the orphanage and the Manassero home you see and hear signs of the upcoming special Christmas program. Young voices practicing Christmas carols, wrapped gifts stacked up on the floor and a growing excitement for the big day ahead.
One of the big factors in this event is that the children have an opportunity to serve -- to give back to the Lord for all he has done for them. It means a lot to the children to help serve the hungry and needy in their neighborhood and to be a light for Christ during this Christmas season.
One of our prayers is to be able to offer the children a special Christmas meal before the event. This, however, has not been budgeted and will only happen by God's grace. We also want to bless the attending children some type of little Christmas gift. There will be approximately 50-100 attending people.
If the Lord puts it on your heart to help the meal and/or gift part of this event it would be a real blessing for he children. To make last minute donations online, click here.
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Investing in Lives - Year-End Giving Ideas
 Some have asked how they might help out The Lighthouse at year-end.
As those who read this newsletter know, there is much happening and much ahead at The Lighthouse.
Here are just a few ways you can help:
Pray - This, above all, is our greatest need. Without prayer -- and lots of it -- we're on thin ice out here. Please commit to praying daily for the children at The Lighthouse and our family.
Sponsor a Child - We still have children with no sponsors. In addition, there are lots of children that are only partially sponsored. It is our prayer that the homes can be 100% funded through sponsorships. Right now, only 66% of the budget is provided through sponsorship.
Schedule a Missions Trip - A 2008 missions trip to the orphanage is an excellent way to contribute directly to the work being done there.
Upcoming Projects
All of these projects will require additional funding, outside of the orphanage's regular support. If one of these projects is of interest to you or your church, you may contact Brooke Herman at the Child Hope office (888-808-9595) or email her at brooke@childhopeinternational.org.
Neighborhood Feeding Program - To be launched in 2008, this program will help feed local hungry children and allow The Lighthouse children to serve others in need in the name of Jesus.
Expanded Egg Business and Other Micro-business Start-Ups - We want to purchase 1000 chickens and launch a full-fledged egg business. This could provide a number of jobs and career opportunities for children at the home. There are many other future job ideas/businesses we are also investigating that can also provide future employment for the children.
Vocational Training Program - Funds are being sought to purchase equipment and train children in specialized trades including welding, auto mechanics, carpentry and plumbing.
Education - Each year we must raise funds to pay for the Lighthouse children's education, plus 30 neighborhood children. Advance contributions here will greatly alleviate this heavy burden each year. We also eventually want to start our own school.
Medical Fund - We not only treat our own children, but many of the children and families in the neighborhood come to The Lighthouse for medical help. This year alone, a child's arm was saved and many children were treated for malaria, colds, fevers and minor injuries.
Future Home of The Lighthouse - We are praying that the Lord will provide the perfect property to house The Lighthouse, which will also include a boys home, girls home, school, chapel, vocational training center, discipleship center, medical clinic, working farm, missionary home and missions teams' guest quarters.
These are just a few of the areas of current and future need. If you want more information, you can contact Brooke Herman at the Child Hope office (88-808-9595) or brooke@childhopeinternational.org. If you would like to donate online, you can click here or mail donations to Child Hope International, P.O. Box 3677, Redondo Beach, CA 90277. You may also call in donations to the Child Hope office at 888-808-9595.
Merry Christmas, God bless you and thank you for your prayers and support.
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