Helping needy Malagasy kids to become  Jesus’ kids! October 2007                 Volume 10, Number 10 "A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor."         Proverbs 22:9

Three New Betikara Lambs

            Betikara is happy to announce that we now have three new boys. There is a fourth boy that is being processed into Betikara. When his information is sent to me I will put it in the next newsletter. Here are the pictures and particulars for the three boys that are already at Betikara:

Angelo

Name: Angelo (no last name)

Age: 7

Date of birth: June 19, 2000

Place of birth: Andranomamy

Father: Disappeared for good

Mother: Voavy Asthierie (deceased)

Lived with his poor grand mother in Antsiranana (Northern tip of the island of Madagascar).

During our trip to this city we were contacted by his relatives and they asked us, if possible, to take him to Betikara. They cited about Yosly. We accepted and the grandmother took the taxibe (long distance transportation in Madagascar) to Antananarivo on a 24 hour trip. They came to our home to finalize the arrangements. Dinand took Angelo to Ambohimarina on August 31, 2007. Angelo is OK and already with the other children.

RAKOTONDRASOA Fanomezana Basile

2- The 2 other children are brothers

a) Name: RAKOTONDRASOA Fanomezana Basile

Age: 9

Date of birth: February 6, 1998

Place of birth: Tsiroanomandidy

Father - deceased

Mother – deceased

RAKOTOZAKA Tafita Martial

b) Name: RAKOTOZAKA Tafita Martial

Age: 5

Date of birth: January 15, 2002

Place of birth: Imeritsiatosika

Father : deceased

Mother: deceased

Basile and Tafita lived with their older sister (22 years) who really does not have a real job, but from time to time works as dressmaker. Very poor. They come from "Atsimondrano" in the region of Antananarivo. Their sister called Vololona (a Christian at the Ambohimarina congregation where the Betikara Orphanage is located) and came with the two boys on September 1, 2007. John and Esther RATOVOHERY drove them to Betikara the same day.

            Anyone that might be interested in sponsoring one of these boys can get in touch with us by phone or e-mail. Our information is always located on the back page of the His Work newsletter that is distributed on a monthly basis. Please pray that these new boys to Betikara will settle in quickly.

Betikara School Progress

            John RATOVOHERY reports that the Betikara School officially opened on September 10, 2007. Presently there are 34 children enrolled and 17 of those children are from Betikara. There are parents that are still bringing their children to the school every day asking for them to be enrolled. Posters were placed around the community announcing the opening day for the school so it may be a while before the final number of students is known.

            John also states that they are very busy right now trying to get all of the needed school supplies for all of the Betikara children. Each year there is a mad rush to purchase the required books and other items once school opens. It would be a whole lot easier if the schools would send out a list of needed items to the continuing students so that the parents could buy some of the supplies ahead of time. However, this is not always possible. Betikara has several children that were in a government school last year and are now enrolled in a private school about a 20 minute walk away from the orphanage.

            Please pray continually for the Betikara Orphanage, the new Betikara School, and the teachers that will educate the children daily.