Bigger Needs
BIGGER NEEDS IN 2021...
Last year will always be remembered as the year of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a year of great needs, great opportunities, and great responses by friends of ALO like you. But with your help, this year is promising to be even BIGGER! Here’s why: the needs are BIGGER!
Covid-Related Needs
You’ve experienced and observed the destructive results of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns in your own family, community, and nation. The impacts have been even more devastating for the poorest and most vulnerable—the very children who depend on ministries and programs supported by ALO and friends like you. Here are some of the BIGGER COVID-related needs ALO must address in 2021:
Increasing poverty—the poor have been thrown out of work due to lockdowns, quarantines, or sickness, and there is no governmental safety net in most Asian countries.
Supply issues—lockdowns and/or outbreaks have broken supply lines and shut down normal production channels, resulting in shortages of food and other items.
Inflation—the price of food and other essential items that are available are rising sharply, making them harder for the poor to obtain.
Lost educational opportunities—the poorest children, who need the benefits of education most to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty, are most likely to be entirely cut off from education because of their remoteness and lack of computer access or affordable options.
Increased child exploitation—evil thrives in the dark shadows of captive minds and hearts. The physical abuse and sexual exploitation of children has dramatically increased.
Spiritual and mental health crises—isolation, uncertainty, and fear have contributed to the breakdown of individuals as well as society.
Closed doors/lockdowns—fewer relief organizations and workers have been able to access hard-hit areas due to restrictions and closures.
Natural Disaster-Related Needs
Typhoons, monsoons, earthquakes, and even a volcanic eruption have plagued many places where ALO is at work. Particularly hard hit have been Fiji, Vanuatu, and Indonesia.
Political Upheaval
A military coup in Myanmar, followed by protests, reprisals, and escalating violence are making life uncertain—including the lives of civil war orphans like those who have sought refuge at Maranatha Children’s Home.
THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE BIGGER...
Lockdowns have been particularly strict in the Philippines, making life and ministry difficult—but not impossible. For more than a year, Childcare Community Ministry Philippines (CCMP) has been unable to run their feeding programs normally, but they have distributed relief and ministered one on one. When the feeding program associated with his church was stopped due to the pandemic, Pastor Federife continued to visit and encourage each family with Bible studies and prayer. A water baptism where dozens publicly declared their faith in Christ was the end result of this continuing ministry—in spite of the pandemic and the lockdowns. How reassuring to be reminded that God finds a way to use for good even those things that are very bad.
Water baptism: Pastor Federife rejoices with those who declared their faith in God in the midst of a pandemic.
THE DREAMS ARE BIGGER...
The ministries that rely on ALO—and your help—are NOT going to let anything derail them. If anything, their dreams for helping have gotten BIGGER, along with the needs and opportunities. Here are some of the big dreams for 2021:
Vanuatu—Sunday School in My Language
Our dream for SSML over the next 10 years is to see the Bible made accessible to the children of Pacific Oceania through leveled, contextual Sunday school curriculum in 23 distinct languages. In 2021, we dream of seeing three levels of curriculum finished and being used throughout all of Vanuatu’s provinces. With your help, we will see this happen!
Philippines—Happy Horizons Children’s RanchWe dream of...
Adding a social worker dedicated to staying connected to and assisting HHCR alumni and preparing children for reintegration with their families;
Making greater use of creative arts as therapy;
Accepting boys—this would require adding a new dorm for boys and developing a plan to keep the boys separate from the girls. This is a pressing need that we would like to be able to meet with your assistance.
Indonesia—Nias Children’s Home
We are so close to realizing a huge dream in 2021—seeing the first orphan from the home graduate from the university. This is bringing hope to all of the children and the whole island. We dream of being able to promise all of the children at the home a chance to graduate from high school—and even college. Four years ago, this hardly seemed possible, but with God’s help—and yours—we can make the dream come true.
Laos—Life Center
Twenty students made decisions to follow Jesus in 2020. We’re praying and believing for 20 more to do so in 2021. Our dream is that we will see the Father move like never before in the lives of our students and staff who have not yet believed.
God is working in Laos’ Life Center.
GO BIGGER!
This year, the needs are bigger, the opportunities are bigger, and the dreams are bigger. We need your help—in a bigger way than ever before. Won’t you help us go bigger as we seek to ensure that needy children have health, homes, and education?
Here are some ways you can help:
Give more! As you double, triple, or even quadruple your giving, we can expand our reach and effectiveness in equal measure. Give today!
Pray more! Ask God to meet the needs of the children, ministries, and staff more abundantly. Ask God to show you what you can do to help. Follow along on Facebook and Instagram to stay connected to what’s happening.
Talk it up more! Tell others about the big needs, big opportunities, and big dreams you’ve read about today. Encourage others to get involved in the great work of Asia’s Little Ones!
Asia’s little ones have big needs—will you go bigger to help meet them?
Asia’s little ones have big needs—will you go bigger to help meet them?