Dear Friends and Sponsors,
Thank you for taking to time to read our newsletters. I have hundreds of photos to share with you this month, but only a few are allowed in an email. First of all, let me say THANK YOU to all who heard our plea and sent in special offerings this past month. Today we had our monthly meeting with the pastors and were able to pay the raise we had promised. When we visit the schools, we have a little ceremony and give the teachers their certificates. Already we are seeing improvements in the decoration, planning and organization of the 18 schools we are sponsoring. Yes, that’s one more than last year!
We were very happy to have a loyal sponsor from Long Island, Patty Smith, visit with her pastor, Troy Reid in early October. A highlight of their short trip was going door to door in a Haitian community, delivering care packages and more importantly, praying for each person. Patty sent 9 barrels full of care packages, food, clothing, shoes and lots of school supplies. We made up backpacks with supplies for over 100 students in two schools, Cenovi and Sabaneta. She even sent a sewing machine, which was a real answer to the prayer of a pastor’s wife! We were all deeply impacted by the extreme poverty of the shacks we visited, and the spiritual need. I realized again how essential the church is, what a loving and safe place the school is, and how badly those kids and teachers need that hot meal every day! The first ten photos are from that visit.
The next two photos are of a new school we adopted in Rincon. Patty donated some t-shirts to the pastor which became the uniform of the older children, and the school doubled in size. Pastor Lucknner is very appreciative of the modest offering we are providing so he can pay the teachers, and for the food. We need new sponsors for this school!
Next I included 3 photos from the school in Moca. We gave certificates to two teachers. One teacher went back to Haiti after the birth of her third child. The director’s wife took her place. Carl, the director, was picked up by immigration this week when he went to the corner store to buy food for the school. He had to pay $20,000 pesos, which is 2 months pay, to come back from the border.That is a frightening threat for all our teachers, students and their parents. The situation is so bad in Haiti that people are willing to pay to come back to the DR, where they live in relative peace and are able to eat every day. Pray for Haiti! Pray for the Dominican Republic!
The last five photos are from the school in Rio Verde, the school we highlighted in the video in August. There are 215 students enrolled this year! I had to give the director extra money today so he could buy another big pot to cook for all of them! A special thank you to all the groups that have worked at the school to build classrooms, the house where we have 3 classrooms, the benches, the medical and eye clinics, and so much more.
Your tax-deductible donation is changing lives forever. We have some special requests. First of all, we need miracle offerings each month to make our budget. Only a quarter of our students are sponsored at $25 a month. The pastor in Moca approached me today about helping him buy a van to transport students. He needs another $3,500 dollars. I told him I would include his request in this letter. Hopefully God will touch someone’s heart.
I am also thinking about Christmas. If we are to give each of our 1,000+ students and staff a small present, we need about $7,000. Would you like to be a part of bringing Christmas joy to our students? Your present will likely be the only one they receive.
To sponsor or make a special donation using your credit or debit card, please click here to give now.
If you prefer to write a check, please make it out to Teach Feed Love and send to TMCI, PO BOX 1761, Columbia, SC 29202.
As always, please pray for us and our students. Feel free to let me know what your prayer requests are, too. Thank you so much for partnering with us to teach, feed and love these precious children. God loves them so much more.
With gratitude,
Your Missionaries Debbie and Mitch Martinez
~ For Previous Newsletters CLICK HERE FOR ARCHIVE ~