Family Support Center, Liepaja, Latvia

A single mom with three daughters, Baiba knows what it’s like to feel isolated. She says that, at her lowest point, she wondered if her life would ever change. It was then she decided to reach out to the Family Support Center in Liepaja, Latvia. She and her daughters now attend every event at the Family Support Center, from Christian counseling to parenting classes. And she encourages other moms to ask for help as well. “I was ashamed and embarrassed to admit that I could not cope at first; I could not seek help because I did not want to appear weak. But, in the end, you do not have to be afraid of it; instead, let someone else walk with you.” Baiba is excited to start her career as a new police officer – a lifelong dream come true because of the confidence she’s gained through the support of the Orphan Outreach program.

More about the Family Support Center: 

The Family Support Center is a community outreach center sharing holistic Christ-centered care with families in Karosta. Parenting and early childhood development classes are offered to young moms, and counseling and mentorship is provided to parents and their children. The goal of the center is to strengthen families by equipping parents and children with the tools to develop healthy attachments and relationships with one another.

Cruzon & Rosylin

Just 28 years old, Rosylin is a single mother to two daughters, Celione (13) and Cruzon (10). They live in Mathare Slum, a poverty-stricken community on the outskirts of Nairobi. After dropping out of high school when she became pregnant with Celione, Rosylin tried to continue her education through an adult learning program. However, the demands of single parenthood became too overwhelming, forcing Rosylin to drop out again. Celione was thriving academically and preparing for her 8th-grade national exams when she was suddenly diagnosed with epilepsy, leaving her paralyzed and immobile. This devastating turn of events forced Rosylin to leave her full-time job at a community health clinic to care for her daughter. Despite taking on odd jobs like washing clothes for neighbors, she struggled to make ends meet and faced shame from the community for her inability to provide. The one source of hope for Rosylin was the support her younger daughter, Cruzon, received at Patmos School. The school not only provided a quality education and nutritious meals but also extended social support to the family, offering prayer, counseling, and essential supplies. “Our home doesn’t have electricity, so the school gave us solar lamps and uniforms, easing my burden,” Rosylin shares. Despite these efforts, income prospects remained bleak until Patmos School launched a SILC (Savings and Internal Lending Community) program. Rosylin eagerly joined, contributing 100 Kenyan Shillings ($1 USD) weekly. Through the program, she secured small loans to start a porridge-selling business, which now supports her family. She even became the group’s treasurer. Rosylin’s success has inspired Cruzon to dream big. “I want to be a doctor to care for those in Mathare,” says Cruzon, “I know it will take a lot of education, and I am ready for it.”

More about Patmos School in Mathare Slum, Nairobi:

Patmos School offers more than an education to students in grades pre-K through 9th grade in the Mathare Slum of Nairobi, Kenya. It provides Christ-centered counseling, nutritious meals, medical care, and safe haven to orphaned and vulnerable children living in one of Africa’s largest and poorest slums. The goal of Patmos is to break the cycle of poverty that pervades the community.

Joseph's DreamCoat

Jessica Gregory had a dream in 2022 that she would be a mother to orphans. She shared this with her husband Joel, and they began to slowly take steps to follow God’s call to adoption. After the long adoption certification and match process, they received news that they could adopt Manveer, a young boy from India with special needs. After they were “matched” with Manveer, a grant from Joseph’s DreamCoat helped make it possible for them to pay for the adoption costs and bring their son home.

Joseph’s DreamCoat helps provide Christian families in the United States and Kenya with the funds to follow God’s call to adoption. Thank you for your generosity in helping place children in families. 

THE NEED IN THE USA: 

• More than 115,000 children in the foster care system are eligible for adoption in the United States; most will wait at least three years for an adoptive family. 
• Around 20,000 of those children will age out of foster care each year without being adopted. 
• Adoption in the United States can sometimes cost between $10,000-$60,000. 

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