Ting Ministries and Bible Orphan Ministry - Hope After Hosting for 2 Ukrainian Orphans

Update: April 15, 2018
Thank you for those who responded to the need for Artem and Yana! Immediately after we sent out the newsletter, we received well over our goal! Thank you for helping Ting Ministries and Bible Orphan Ministryreach these young lives. We are so blessed at the response and praise God that we will be able to help them get a new start surrounded by mentors. Please pray that Artem and Yana would feel the love of Jesus overwhelmingly through our team and supporters and that they would come to know Jesus. Please pray also for their protection and that Jesus would give them peace instead of any fear or doubt they may feel as we soon begin this transition . James 1:27 and 2 Corinthians 5:17

Question: What happens to host children who are never adopted? 
This is a common question in the adoption community and one with real implications for children. 

Where Artem and Yana are currently living. BOM told us they get water from a basin in the sink and take outdoor showers in the summer.

Today, Ting Ministries is working to aid two former host children through the help of our in-country partners, Bible Orphan Ministry. Brother and sister, Artem and Yana (names changed for privacy) were hosted several times, sadly aging out before they were adopted. We at Ting Ministries knew these children and were able to stay in touch with them. 

Yana and Artem with our BOM partners. 

Our BOM partners were able to spend a day with them and saw first-hand their terrible living conditions - no firewood for the winter, little available water, no money for food. Unfortunately, for orphans who "age out," this is the norm. Not an exception.

The living conditions inside. 

 Our friends from BOM spent the day with them supplying practical needs, loving them and sharing the Gospel, demonstrating the love of Jesus in a very real way. Ting Ministries and BOM were heartbroken to hear that Artem and Yana begged to go with our partners, asking: "Can you take us with you now?" 

BOM took Yana and Artem for a meal together.
Artem and Yana told us: "We are so thankful to you all and miss you terribly! May God protect your paths. Thank you!"

BOM helped Artem and Yana go shopping. They never learned how to cook. Artem didn't know how to shave using shaving cream, as it was always too expensive. We are so grateful by our BOM partners who mentored and loved these kids!

These two teenagers are trying to survive on their own, without any support. Artem is studying and Yana wants to go to university, but there are few opportunities for them outside of the orphanage. 

We plan to help Artem and Yana move closer to our BOM partners so they me be mentored and taught by our BOM partners and other Ukrainian Christians. We have already raised the money for Artem and Yana's bus tickets. But they each need 200 USD for adequate summer clothing. BOM's van was also damaged on the torn up roads to the village and the cost of repairs amounts to 155 USD.  In order to fulfill this need for Artem and Yana, we need a total of 555 USD.

The roads to Artem and Yana's village.

An outside view of the place where Artem and Yana are staying currently.

We have the ability to change the lives of two orphans for the better. They are not just names and pictures - they have fears and dreams. They are longing to be loved.

What are we living for?

Please pray for Yana and Artem, that through the love of Ting Ministries, BOM and all our supporters, that they would come feel and know the love of Jesus.


If you'd like to give and help answer Artem and Yana's prayers for someone to come and care for them, you can: donate online at www.paypal.me/Tingministries or send a check to: Ting Ministries, 29 East Poplar Street, Lebanon, PA 17042

UPDATE: 12/18/17: TM Bulgaria Christmas - Thank You & 13 Outfits Still Needed!

Update: 12/17/17

Bulgaria Christmas Child Update: Clothes for 13 KIDS STILL NEEDED!

Dear Friends of Ting Ministries - Thank you so much for following our Christmas project this year. We are collecting new/gently used articles of clothing to bring to orphans in a rural Bulgarian orphanage. Thank you to those who have donated either new/gently used clothing or money towards a new outfit! Through your generous support we have over outfits for over half of the children! Thank you for helping share the love of Jesus in a tangible way to these children, some of who will never get the chance to be adopted into a family.

If you want to help it is NOT TOO LATE! There are still 13 children who need outfits. We will be purchasing the rest of the items in country, when our director travels to Bulgaria next month. Please consider how you can help! A suggested donation for a complete outfit is 100 dollars, but any amount you are able to contribute is appreciated, getting us one step closer to our goal!

Please pray for these children as they receive their gifts. Pray they would not only know the love of people here, but most importantly that this gift would open their hearts to the love of their Heavenly Father. We hope receiving this gift will not only meet a physical need, but that it will stay with them for years be a part of them coming to know and trust Jesus. Thank you for your part in caring for the orphan!

Please see the HOW YOU CAN HELP Section, below the original post (separated by ***).

Original Post

Ting Ministries: Upcoming Bulgaria Trip and Christmas Clothing UPDATE:

Our director and administrator will be travelling to Bulgaria in about a month to oversee how our ministry work is progressing. As a part of the trip, they will be visiting several orphanages to see how Ting Ministries can be a part of helping the children, some of whom will never have the opportunity to be adopted. In particular, we are visiting a very poor, rural orphanage which has asked Ting Ministries for help.

You may be aware of our Christmas Gift Drive to help collect new and gently used outfits for the children in this rural orphanage. Our plan is to provide each child with a new outfit (shirt, jeans, coat, hat, gloves, scarf and shoes). We are pleased to have received enough to provide outfits for about 15 children!

**********************************************************************************************************
HOW YOU CAN HELP:

We will be purchasing this clothing IN-COUNTRY to lessen the cost of shipping and travel. If you would like to help, there are several ways you can give:

1. Ting Ministries PayPal (on our website, www.tingministries.blogspot.com) Please note: for Bulgarian Rural Orphanage
2. Write a check to Ting Ministries c/o Brian Carpenter and send it to our headquarters: 29 East Poplar Street, Lebanon, PA 1702

The children we are helping have never had nice outfit of their own, which is very stigmatizing and damaging to their self-esteem. Not only will an outfit provide for a practical need, it will help them feel a sense of worth and most importantly, it will show the love of Jesus to these children! This will be something they will remember and that may draw their hearts to come and know Jesus!
Please help us show these kids that they are loved by others around the world and by their Heavenly Father!

TM Bulgaria: Christmas Child Gift Program!

Update: The trip was a success! Thank you to those who were following and supporting us in prayer. Look for more updates about our work in Bulgaria in the future.

Sign Up to Participate in TM's Bulgaria Christmas Child Gift Program! 

Sign up in the spreadsheet here. 

Are you looking for a new way to bless others this Christmas? Do you want to teach your children in a new way what it means to give and help others? Or, are you not sure what to give someone? Consider donating a gift in their honor and help Ting Ministries! This year, we are helping a rural Bulgarian orphanage by providing gifts and needed items for the children. Imagine having to wear someone else's junky, hand-me-down clothing, and never having something to call your own. How humiliating and discouraging this would be - but this is exactly what many orphans have to experience. This Christmas, we want to share encouragement and the love of Christ through donating gifts to these kids and teenagers.

Ting Ministries is collecting the following items: lightly used/new clothing such as jeans, leggings, long-sleeve shirts and sweaters, underwear, socks, coats, and shoes. You can sign up for a child below and purchase the items and send them to Ting Ministries. Or, if you prefer, you can donate towards the cost of a care pack and Ting Ministries will purchase the items (Suggested Donation per child: 100 dollars).

Some of the clothing will be sent to Bulgaria and other items we will deliver personally when the director of Ting Ministries takes a trip this winter. Please contact us at: tingministries@comcast.net with any questions!

Bulgarian countryside

Emergency Update: We Need Tangible Help for the Philippines!

Update: This need was met! Thank you to our supporters!

EMERGENCY: Okay friends! You may have seen our update yesterday from the Philippines, asking for help. Today, the situation has gotten worse. Our team is down in Marawi and they have run out of funds - and they still have 200-300 children to feed tomorrow. Trusting the Lord, they went down and were able to have several days of ministry, but unless people like our supporters begin to help in tangible ways, there is nothing they can do! Some people may call it foolish to go down having little else but faith, but what else can you do when you see suffering and the Lord commands us to "Go?" (James 1:27)

Pictured is a little girl who sustained severe burns on her face during the fighting between ISIS and the military in Marawi. Dear friends - I am pleading with you - this is why we need you! Ask yourself what you can give, even if it is 5 dollars it makes a big difference! If everyone who liked only our Facebook page gave ONLY 5 dollars we would have more than enough!

The total needed is 1,060 dollars. Please. It is nighttime in the Philippines. Let's show Pastor Mark the faithfulness of the Lord by having the need fully met when he wakes up! To Donate, go to: www.paypal.me/tingministries and specify Emergency Marawi Relief.

Thank you and help us be a Voice for the Voiceless.
Proverbs 31:8-9

Completed: Marawi Children's Relief: Emergency Update (Part 2)

UPDATE 7/26/17: Our goal for the Children's Relief is FULLY FUNDED! Thanks to everyone who gave, prayed, and shared. Stay tuned for more updates as Pastor Mark continues working in Marawi. 

To see the first update and pictures from Marawi please go to this post. 

A collection of updates from Pastor Mark on the ground in Marawi. 

Pastor Mark: "This is one of the kids and his name is Andrew* (not real name). He told me that he was brainwashed to join the ISIS. He wants to go with me to Zamboanga... oh... I really wanted to cry!"

Oh, how our hearts ache for Andrew. Please keep him in your prayers! Just imagine how many countless children there are in similar situations. 

The children asked Pastor Mark if they could have a party. Not part of the original plan, the team put together an instant party for these children who have been uprooted, traumatized, and on high-alert since the ISIS attack. Here you can see what Pastor Mark is seeing: children finally being children again in Marawi.

The children Pastor Mark is helping Marawi fled their homes. Right now, they are living in tents and many of them did not even have a pair of underwear. Can you imagine? They were so happy to just receive one new pair of underwear. 

580 dollars is needed to reach our goal - so every child can be helped by the relief program and recieve food, clothing, toys, etc. If you want to give a gift of love to these children, who have been displaced and/or orphaned by ISIS, you can: 1. Use the PayPal on the side of our website. 2. Send a check to Ting Ministries, 904 State Drive, Lebanon PA 1702. Thank you dear friends! You are making a world of difference for these children.

Completed: Marawi Children's Relief: Emergency Update: Please Share!

UPDATE 7/26/17: Our goal for the Children's Relief is FULLY FUNDED! Thanks to everyone who gave, prayed, and shared. Stay tuned for more updates as Pastor Mark continues working in Marawi.

Below are just some of the pictures sent by Pastor Mark who wrote: "We are having a children's party for the traumatized children. This is not actually part of our agenda but when we talk to the children... they asked us if we can have a children's party for them so we prepared an instant children's party for them..."

Dear friends, very late last night we had an emergency need from Pastor Mark. He and the team were going down for children and youth relief in Marawi and were shocked to learn their preparations for 300 children were nowhere close to the 700 that awaited them. While they have started the relief already, they need 580 dollars to ensure all the children can recieve a meal, enew unnderwear, clothing, toys etc. Thank you to our one donor so far! There are some particularly wrenching stories Pastor Mark sent us, which will share throughout the day, as putting them all together would not do them justice.

Please look through the pictures and if you want to give a gift of love to these children, who have been displaced and/or orphaned by ISIS, you can: 1. Use the PayPal button on the side of our website. 2. Send a check to Ting Ministries, 904 State Drive, Lebanon PA 1702. Thank you dear friends! You are making a world of difference for these children.

Unpacking and distributing toys

A family that was displaced from their home by ISIS

The meals for children

Pastor Mark's team talking to, playing with, and comforting children

The instant children's party

Help Provide a Motorbike for Bangladesh

A TM evangelist climbing with a pack of shoes for village children

Dear friends, thank you for your support of Ting Ministries and our families, pastors, missionaries, and children all around the world. We could not be doing this without your help. 

One of our areas of work is with pastors and unreached tribal groups in Bangladesh. TM missionaries face heavy persecution, while risking their lives to travel through the jungles to reach remote villages. Yet they persevere because they are called to share the gospel. Right now, they are walking and climbing through the jungle; the journeys are arduous, taking several days and facing obstacles on the way. For the safety of the team and to make the trips faster, we would like to meet the need of a motorbike for TM Bangladesh. The motorbike will cost 2,404 USD. 

Can we come together to help provide a motorbike? Pastor Sanga and his team thank you for your help. They are always so grateful - imagine how blessed they will be, knowing people across the world care about their protection and about sharing the love of Jesus! 

If you would like to give towards the motorbike: 
1) Use the PayPal button on the side of our website.
2. Write a check out to Ting Ministries, 904 State Drive, Lebanon, PA 17042. 
Please specify Motorbike for Bangladesh

Happy Independence Day: Need for School Fees and Marawi Relief Program (a Philippines Ministry Update)

As we celebrate our freedom and independence on this July 4th, the people of Marawi, Philippines are still struggling under the recent ISIS attack at the beginning of the summer. We have an update from Pastor Mark to share with you. He has been in Marawi for 2 weeks now, establishing a relief program, helping street children, trying to relocate lost family members, and ministering to soldiers. Some of the people he has met with have accepted Christ! Here is what he has to say:

The children Ting Ministries plans to help send to school 

(not including the children already going to school in Zamboanga). 

"There are thousands of displaced children who didn't have much food a month now. Hundreds of children are displaced from their families and we are going to look for then tomorrow. Marawi is a mountainous area and so big... Please pray for our ministry. These are the pictures of the children under education support in Zamboanga. THIS IS ALL BY FAITH Sister. Some of the Zamboanga churches think that I am crazy of coming to Marawi...faith is indeed a crazy thing to others! HALLELUJAH!"

The van that Ting Ministries' helped provide a couple months ago is very

beneficial! Pastor Mark and others drove it down to Marawi. 

Pastor Mark (left, taking photo) with other Filipino ministry partners

in front of the van.

Wounded soldiers in Marawi. There was an ambush yesterday afternoon,

 and some of them were injured. They were ministered to yesterday and

 some of them accepted Christ!

We need your help to send the rest of these street children to school in Zamboanga and anything above the cost of this, Pastor Mark will be able to use for Marawi relief. Please keep the people of Marawi, the street children, and our ministry partners in your prayers! Later today, we will share a particularly tragic, yet joyous story from Marawi with you.

The relief program underway, providing food

 and necessities to the people of Marawi.

If you would like to give towards the joint project of school fees/Marawi relief, there are several ways to help: The blue Donate button at the top of the Facebook page will take you to our website, where you can donate through PayPal. Or send a check to Ting Ministries, 904 State Drive, Lebanon, PA 17042. (For both options, please designate for Marawi Relief). Thank you dear friends, followers, and brothers and sisters in Christ.

May we never take for-granted the freedom and protection we celebrate on July 4th. Happy Independence Day USA!

Title-This-Painting Contest! LEAVE YOUR TITLES HERE IN THE COMMENTS

Update July 11, 2017

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Title-This-Painting Contest! It was so fun to read everyone's submissions. We had some great titles from "Tiny Birds are Trapped but God Can Free Them" to "Unhidden." While many titles had something to do with the contrasting of darkness and joy, or one's adoption journey, there was one title that surprised us all with it's unique connection.

AND THE WINNER IS...

"Scribbly Gum" submitted by Ting Ministries' missionary partners in China!
Our Australian friends sent us this title with a brief explanation: "In Australia, we have a tree called a Scribbly Gum. This came to mind when we saw this painting!"

Thank you again! We hoped you enjoyed this contest as much as we did. Be sure to stay on the look out for more Art for Orphans in the future!

Update July 9, 2017

*THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED*

Thanks to everyone who submitted titles. Keep an eye out for the winner to be announced in the next few days!

right, everyone - it's time to get creative! What do you think the title of Hannah and Ellianna's painting should be? It's a bit Jackson Pollack-esqe :) What do you see at the heart of their artwork? The title can be silly or serious - it's up to you!

The contest will run for a WEEK, until 9 pm on July 9th. The WINNER will receive a print framed copy of the canvas (with the title painted on it), a set of handmade greeting cards, and a Team Ting t-shirt!

A Few Guidelines:

1. Multiple Entries per day accepted! The more, the merrier.

2. Where to Share Your Titles - There will be several "original versions" of this post in the following places: Ting Ministries' Facebook page, our Facebook event page, Instagram, and our website. If you are submitting a title, please only comment on posts where you see the heading Title-This-Painting Contest! LEAVE YOUR TITLES HERE IN THE COMMENTS. This will make the titles easier to keep track of - we don't want to miss any! (Make sure you comment on the original, not a shared post). You may also email us at tingministries@comcast.net. Just clearly indicate it is for this contest.

3. If you want, show us your favorite title by liking the comments as they come in. This is meant to be fun, and something everyone can participate in somehow!

So, without further ado -

Get ready...Get set...GO!

ICII Sponsor Update as of June 6th

Update July, 2017

All the children have sponsors! Thank you to those who have prayed, shared, and donated!

Update as of June 6, 2017

We heard that the son has a full 60 dollar sponsor! Praise the Lord! So, only 2 partial sponsors for the daughters are needed. One needs a 30 dollar sponsor and the other needs a 45 dollar sponsor. Please keep sharing the need!


Hello friends of Ting Ministries! A few days ago, we shared the story of three precious children in Pakistan who have an immediate need for sponsors. Read their heartbreaking story here. 

As of today, there are two children with sponsors and one child with no sponsors. One of the daughters needs another 30 dollar sponsor and the other daughter needs a 45 dollar sponsor. The son does not have any sponsors yet. 

Please consider what you can do to help these children. (See the original post for links to sponsor information or a place to make a one-time donation).

These innocent children have undergone tremendous suffering in their short lives. You could help change a child's life! Please feel free to contact us for more info at: tingministries@comcast.net. We are personal friends of ICII and are so happy to partner with them in their work!

Completed: Please Read this Story - Immediate Need for Sponsors

Dear Friends of Ting Ministries​, we have an immediate need to share with you from our friends at ICII. Please take time to read this story. Are you looking for a way to get involved with orphan care, but unsure of how you can help? Please keep reading -- there are three precious children in urgent need of sponsors! If you would like to help these children in need, please contact us at tingministries@comcast.net or ICII for more information (contact info at the bottom).

Guest Post from Independent Church in India.

Greetings, in the name of Jesus!

Each of Independent Church in India's (ICII's) four children's homes were founded for the purpose of providing a light of hope for children who are scared and alone in the dark landscape of their poverty-stricken and cruelty-filled world, where there is no one else to help them. We want to be able offer them compassion and relieve their suffering. Yet all too often, yet more young faces full of hopeless desperation come forward to us out of these shadows, and we have to turn to others to join with us in reaching out to them.

We have just such a sad story to share with you today, about three totally innocent children in Pakistan who have become orphans. Even though their story is tragic, it is not hopeless - God can bring hope in their lives through you. Please read on, and pray about how the Lord can use you to give a new life to these dear children.

Rafiq and his wife had three small children: a son, Shamil, and two daughters, Angelina Rose and Arqa. The family was living in suffocating poverty. Rafiq worked hard at a brick company, where he made low wages as most Christians do in Pakistan. But through all their struggles Rafiq was faithful to Jesus, and whenever he had a chance he would share the Gospel at his workplace. Rafiq would do evangelism when he could. One day Rafiq was arrested for sharing about Christ and he had to appear before the judge. If Rafiq would have denied the resurrected Christ that day, the judged might have released him. Instead, because he would not deny Christ, Rafiq was sentenced to life in prison with no hope of parole.

Rafiq was thrown into a crowded prison cell along with thirty or forty other convicts. The prison was smelly, filthy and putrid; there wasn't even a toilet in their cell. The only food they were given was very unsanitary rice and dhal (beans), full of worms and bugs. Whenever a person got sick in the cell, there was no medical treatment. As a Christian, Rafiq was a prime target for bullying and abuse by other prisoners.

After spending more than two years in that hideous place, and due to all of the nightmarish things that have happened to him in jail, Rafiq has become mentally disturbed. The last time his children went to see him, he was weeping, incoherent, and he no longer could even recognize his own children.

On top of all this, their mother was unable to provide for her three children, so she left them with a family member and vanished, never to return. The children were passed along to four different families, none of whom wanted them or could bear the burden of providing for them. At such young ages, their lives had become unbearable. Often the children were forced into labor. Rather than receiving any love, they were treated as slaves.

One of Independent Church in India's Pakistani pastors named Mehbob was preaching the Gospel in the area where the children were living, and he discovered them in this terrible condition. The family they were staying with told Pastor Mehbob they didn't want the children and would no longer be responsible for them. Frustrated that the three kids had been left to them, the family was considering turning them over to a private orphanage nearby. It is well-known in the area that girls in that orphanage are often used for prostitution and boys crippled so they can beg for money, just as in the movie "Slumdog Millionaire".

Shamil is seven years old, Angelina Rose is six, and Arqa is four. Pastor Mehbob currently has only one sponsorship for $30 per month, which barely provides for himself alone. Still, he was filled with compassion for these three children and has taken them for now into his own home to rescue them from having to go to that orphanage. But he can't afford to provide for them properly. ICII wants to help these children find safe and loving homes where they will be well cared for. We are looking for those who would like to personally sponsor these children. It takes only about $60 per month to help a child. You can fully sponsor a needy child for $60, or $30 for a partial sponsorship.

All throughout India and Pakistan, there are tragic stories of young children who vanish into the night, never to return again. Terrible things are done to kids like these every day, by those who practice evil so horrible it is unspeakable. We can not turn our backs on these precious children who are in desperate need of our help. This is your chance to help us rescue three innocent young lives who have suffered greatly, all for Christ's sake.

To give through Paypal toward helping these children, please use this link:
http://indchurch.org/projects/three-orphans.html

You can sponsor these children, and other kids who urgently need
support, at our child sponsorship page:
http://indchurch.org/wp/sponsor-a-child

100 percent of gifts given for this project will be used towards these three children's most urgent needs. Any gifts we receive for this project over the amount that is needed will go toward meeting the needs of orphans in Pakistan.

Please visit our website at:
http://www.indchurch.org

If you would be able to send a gift by mail, please make your check or
money order payable to "Independent Church In India" or "ICII", mark it
"Orphans in Pakistan", and send it to the address below:
Independent Church in India
PO Box 238
Fredericksburg, PA 17026

Thanks so much, and have a blessed day!

Reaching the Unreached in India, Pakistan, and Africa,
Lowell and Kathy Smith
Independent Church in India
http://www.indchurch.org
(717) 865-7885 (717) 865-7885
info@indchurch.org