"Can you be sure every child gets a Christmas Gift?"

A frequent request from donors and sponsors at Christmas. People are more generous this time of year, especially to children. It's a natural time for giving as we reflect on our blessings, read the story of the gifts to the Christ-child, remember the plight of widows and orphans (James 1:27) and others less fortunate, or see the wonder of Christmas through the eyes of children. Who doesn't have trouble thinking about a child not having a gift?

It's no different in the child-focused culture of Costa Rica. Every year, we receive an outpouring of Christmas generosity from local individuals, churches, businesses and civic organizations in Atenas. For the entire month of December, it seems the children are partied out, sugared out, and gifted out. I feel very safe in saying that the children are well taken care of by our local communities at Christmas. Our Guatemala home in San Andres has less local support, but Journey Christian Church in Rochester, NY has been faithful for years to cover the lion's share of filling out our mission's wish list and have a wonder Christmas experience!

What about the rest of the year?

What our children need more than anything is the "Christ-centered" security of someone to consistently love, care and nurture them, and provide food, shelter and clothing until they are placed in a permanent home. That's The Best Gift you can give them. It doesn't come wrapped in pretty paper tied with a bow, but it is what they really need.

For 2013, I'm a little concerned. I wouldn't call it fear, but I am less optimistic about the future. As with most churches and charities across the US, we are seeing our donations falling faster than we can cut costs. (See article below for more details on our current financial situation.) Asking for money isn't my favorite thing to do. When many families have lost jobs, taken part-time jobs, lost overtime, or missed out on a pay increase, it's hard to be asking now. But I am asking for the children, not for Dena and me. I wouldn't ask if the need was not urgent, and I would be failing in the responsibility God has given me if I didn't ask.

What our children really need is the ongoing commitment that comes from sponsoring a child, a care-giver, a house, or a day at one of our homes, and I ask you to prayerfully consider making or increasing a sponsorship commitment. Click here for more information on our Expanded Sponsorship Program.

Whatever your decision we thank you for your prayers and your support, and wish you a blesses celebration of the Savior's birth.

Tim and Dena

He showed me that the extra income from summer Mission Teams temporarily shielded us from the downturn in giving that most churches and charities in the US are seeing. But since September, our income is $1500 per month under our expenses. We're tightening our belts, eating less meat, cutting back staff and doing what we feel we can do to stay afloat.

I know that 2 months ago we put out a plea for funds to extend our security wall. We thank God for a $5,000 donation and plans for a bowl-a-thon fundraiser from Matrix Ministries in Texas (www.matrixministries.org.) Meanwhile, the annual Atenas Chili Cook-off team of wonderful folks from around the world have set a goal of $10,000 to be raised for our security wall. (www.atenaschilicookoff.com.) PRAY with us and may the Lord get us all we need to close off our boundaries completely in 2013! But that's a long-term need for our facility.

We're also praying that God gives us wisdom to do all we can with what we have to meet the monthly operational expenses. We're meeting the physical needs of the children, but reducing staff means a weekly work schedule that shifts Tias from house-to-house affecting the consistency of relationship with the children needed to foster a loving and nurturing environment. Our preschool teacher, a faith missionary, has been called to a new missionary endeavor beginning in January! We send her off with our blessings but this requires us to hire a salaried part-time teacher. Need $500 a month. Pray for educators to help sponsor our educator!!!!

In times of trials and hardships we turn to the Lord where our help comes from. We see the hand of God in the lives of our 35 children, with some going into Costa Rican adoptive families. Adoptions from our mission have been very successful as God knits families together. We pray for all to experience Jesus.

Our security wall is absolutely necessary and I appreciate the response. But our need for support to meet monthly operational expenses is also urgently necessary. Please prayerfully consider the situation at Hogar de Vida, Costa Rica. A generous one-time gift (donate online or by mail) would be a blessing at this time. However, a consistent commitment to a monthly sponsorship would help assure the long-term financial health of the home in Costa Rica. Please check out the Expanded Sponsorship Program for more information on Sponsorships and how to set up a monthly giving plan by credit card or EFT.

As a reminder, the entire 100% of every donation given through Children of Promise International (www.promise.org) and earmarked for the Costa Rica home gets here in its entirety. NOT A DIME IS TAKEN OUT. Thank you Lord for the volunteers running Children of Promise.

Tim Stromstad