Well, it's been almost two years since our last update and a lot has changed! Below, we have posted some pictures of our recently acquired "Phase II" property as well as an overview of how we came to buy the property. It is nothing short of a miracle how God provided the required finances to buy the additional land! Phase II:
In July 2009, we learned of a family’s desire to help us purchase a new piece of property. For quite some time, Steve had been praying for this particular land, along with others. His prayer was that if God wanted us to have it, then He would provide the necessary funds to purchase it. At times, it seemed next to impossible as land prices had skyrocketed in this area. Well, God is a big God. What seemed impossible, was the very thing God wanted to do. To make a long story short, He provided the funds to purchase the property through the generosity of a family and a business man.
That is not really the end of the story because throughout this process we had to convince the owners (10 brothers and sisters) to sell the land and to sell at a price that we could afford. From July 2009 to March 2010, we were able to convince them to reduce the price by almost 66%. God was definitely at work throughout this whole process. On March 22, we officially closed on the land deal.
Now begins the real work.
The land we purchased is actually a tract that adjoins the property where we are currently located. It measures a little over 10,000 square meters, which is equivalent to approximately 2-1/2 acres. This doubles our space at the Project and allows us to expand.
With the beginning of Phase II at our doorstep, this would be a great time to stop and reflect on what God has done. We have witnessed God’s financial provision in ways that defy conventional wisdom: Steve's father passed away in 1999 and as a result, the church his father founded decided to donate enough money to build the 1st children’s home; the Japanese Embassy donated $89,991 to help construct one of the children’s homes; the many different companies that provided huge discounts on building materials; the company that contributed wood that we recycled and used to build much of the Project, and the list goes on. the Project has expanded from a small church of less than ten people has grown to over 400 members, the Daycare now has approximately 130 children enrolled, and two children’s homes operating at or near capacity most of the time (full capacity is 20 children). The lives of at-risk children are being transformed as they learn of God’s immense love for them.