Our final ministry site with Sherwood Baptist this week was at an orphanage. We have recently been connected with a nearby orphanage called Children of Hope. Pastor Jean Marc runs this orphanage and has 26 kids. 15 of them are “true orphans” who have lost their mother and father. Pastor Jean Marc originally came to this area from another town for a church planting assignment during seminary. When his leaders told him it was time to move on, he felt God call him to continue with his ministry here and to care for the many orphans he had encountered. He still has the church and now runs an orphanage and a school. The school is open to children in the neighborhood as well. He does not charge the families to put their kids in his school except for exams, in which he has to purchase the materials for the exams. His orphanage operates by faith. It is incredible to see all the ways God has already provided, but there are still many needs there. And I think the biggest way I can see that God has provided is through Pastor Jean Marc himself and his heart for the children. He is a very resourceful man and uses every inch of the land and every bit of his resources to help the kids. He’s planted gardens, he has cows and goats, they have a chicken coop (and is building a bigger one), and they’re trying to build a concrete pool for fish. It is so encouraging to see a man of God, doing everything in his power, relying on God for the rest, and not standing around waiting for a handout. Those are the people I especially want to help because I believe the work will be multiplied even more because of the faith and determination they are already demonstrating.