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Please note, to protect the children’s identity we have not used images of the children, we have used stock images.
We have received this information from our Las Palmas project director, Samilin, and are including it as an edited excerpt.
A special greeting to all ICC donors. We are recounting God’s blessings in the year past.
The Administration of the Las Palmas Children’s Village would like to thank you for the selfless effort and love you have shown for children. We started 2023 with many expectations and challenges to meet, trusting that God would help us in everything we needed to do for the benefit of our children; the goals to achieve with them, that their food and health would be assured. Only with trust in God could these goals be achieved. Our theme for the year was: "Let's move forward trusting in God."
We always pray for each donor, and that it will be the hands of God that will supply the needs of the children.
If the children don't come into this program, their life would be more difficult. But God in His love and mercy provides the Children’s Village and people with a noble heart, so that these children can move forward in their lives and develop in the right and positive way.
Through your support, ICC makes possible the development of the children who come to the Children’s Village.
Only through donation programs can this be a reality. So we want to thank all ICC donors for the effort they make every day so that the development of the children is positive and with a future not only for this life, but also for eternity.
They will never know the extent of their donations. The children are small today, but in the future, they will be the adults who will form the society. And that the society that we will have in the future will depend on their good development and correct education.
We see their growth, from starting a new school year, to graduating, to starting their college career with so much enthusiasm about accomplishing their goals...
…that gives a lot of satisfaction and joy. In this year, we completed several projects, thanks to the donations received from our beloved donors. One project was repairs on house #6. This house needed to be repaired for a long time, but we did not have the money. Thanks to God, in the month of August we were able to move the family back into that house. They are happy to be in more comfortable living conditions.
House #1 was also able to have necessary repairs, thanks to your donations. And today, ten children can live happily in that cozy house.
When preparing house #1, ten new children were admitted to the Children’s Village. Five of those ten children were siblings and arrived from a very sad situation.
They lacked the care of their parents. The oldest was only ten years old, and she was responsible for taking care of her younger siblings, ranging from age 1 to 5. Their mother was gone to work from 7 am to 9 at night. Their father was not able to support the family.
Shown is the kitchen before (left), and after the renovation (middle) and an upgraded bathroom (right) in house. Now, the children in the Dominican can live more comfortably, thanks to your continual support
The Children’s Village quickly became a place where they all felt cared for and protected. The children were able to eat and sleep well, with loving house-parents. All of this was made possible because of the donations we received.
December 3 was a joyful day at the Children’s Village, as four beautiful girls celebrated their 15th birthdays.
Renata
My dream is to be a nurse and help people in need (for the) honor of God. On this special day, I thank God for allowing me to come here. I thank Him so much for touching my mother's heart and allowing her to bring me to this beautiful place. I also want to thank all the donors who have contributed to make this day a reality.
Elisa
I arrived in 2015 at Las Palmas, along with my brother. I thank God for allowing me to come to the Children’s Village. Today, I thank God for the privilege of celebrating my birthday. I thank my sponsors for supporting me.
Yanna
I thank God and ICC. I am very happy to be here and very grateful to God.
Juanita
I am so grateful for the opportunity to be received at Las Palmas Children’s Village and for the opportunity to celebrate my 15th birthday here. I thank God and the Children’s Village staff and house parents.
Thank you. May God richly bless you!
-Samilin
Samilin, Director at Las Palmas in the Dominican Republic
A Heartfelt Thank You From Congo
Thanks to your kind generosity, Patmos children have a secure place in which to thrive and prepare themselves for the future. Recently, the children were able to participate in a special New Year’s Day celebration. Thank you for all you do for the children. They appreciate you!
We are grateful that God worked through caring individuals like you to provide for the sustaining care of ICC children in the DR Congo last year. In fact, 2023 was quite challenging for the Patmos Children Village which saw…
An increase in the number of children by nearly 40%. A total of 48 new children joined the ICC family as a result of torrential flooding that killed their parents.
Erosion from heavy rains temporarily crippled Patmos on two different occasions.
The drinking water supply became unstable because of the heavy rains and flooding, and several of the new children became sick even in spite of precautions taken by the Patmos staff.
These were immense challenges, and yet, God worked through your generous support to help provide for the needs of these children. Caring for such a vast number of children and their varied needs would not be possible without your support! Thank you!
Désiré, Patmos director, sent a year-end update and some pictures which you see on this page. Here is an edited excerpt.
We are pleased to find this moment to share God's miracles and blessings, which God has worked through ICC despite the great circumstances at Patmos Children's Village. God is wonderful.
I do not have the appropriate words to appreciate how many times all activities have gone very well at kindergarten, primary, secondary and university schools.
Our students studied in good conditions, and the success rate was much better than last year.
Three young people became independent after finishing their studies, and we hope that they will soon be integrated into the professional world.
Once again, please accept our sincere thanks for having found the funds to build the warehouse. I have faith that it was God who planned the construction of the warehouse. Had it not been for this, we would have had great difficulty in receiving the 48 orphaned children from Kalehe. We thank God and ICC's sponsors and partners. We ask God to grant longevity and rich heavenly blessings to ICC's active donors who have contributed in some small way to the erection of the Warehouse.
We continue to thank you for all your support in helping the orphans from Kalehe.
Helpful Ways To Bless Children
Thank you for the funds received to start construction activities. We have already completed the earthworks for two sites for the 2 houses, the construction of 2 foundations and the raising of the walls of homes 13 and 14.
Thank you for blessing the lives of the Patmos Children through your ongoing support.
ICC children’s villages strive to carefully use the funds that you provide. Budgets are carefully created, and there is little surplus to stretch very far when urgencies and emergencies arise. In addition, some needs just aren’t covered within the budgeting process.