Buy items from the Houses of Hope shop at 201 Sparta Road in Belton. All the profits will go toward either building or supporting orphanages for children in Third-World countries. For details, call 254-933-8399 or email info@housesofhope.biz.

Make a tax-deductible donation to Houses of Hope. This can be a one-time donation or part of a normal giving plan with routine contributions.

Your church or organization can agree to construct and support a particular orphanage. Construction costs range from $20,000 to $60,000. Monthly support ranges from $350 to $500 for 10 orphans. All such donations are tax-deductible.

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Thirty bucks doesn’t sound like much, but to some orphans in India, it means a month’s worth of food, clothing, schooling and shelter.

“Just $30 per child,” said Terri Thompson of East Highway Baptist Church in Seaton. “It will give them a place to call home.”

On average, the church supports 10 orphans each month as an outreach ministry.

“It’s something the church members wanted to do,” said Mrs. Thompson, coordinator and wife of Ernest Thompson, pastor of East Highway Baptist Church. “In the four years we’ve been at it, the church has raised $5,000.”

Funds from East Highway Baptist Church go to the Dhanpunji Orphanage in India, a Houses of Hope shelter.

Houses of Hope Inc. is a non-profit agency that raises money for orphanages in poverty-stricken countries. According to www.housesofhope.biz, the agency’s vision is not to be an adoption agency but to raise them in their native culture.

“We want the children to grow up to be productive citizens in their own countries,” reads the Houses of Hope mission statement. “In this manner, we hope to have a positive Christian influence in these countries in the future, changing the World one child at a time.”

All proceeds from retail sales at Belton’s Houses of Hope shop at 201 Sparta Road benefit Third-World orphanages like the one East Highway Baptist Church supports.

“The church recently heard a report about the orphanage,” said member Ellen Trammel. “I didn’t get to hear them present their report, but I did get to read it and see the photos they took. It’s a wonderful project for the church to get behind. It’s something to be proud of.”

Representatives from the India orphanage shared report findings with pastors of East Highway Baptist Church during a recent visit. Report authors included John Joseph, A.W. and S. Tressler, A.Y. Dayal and David Joseph, all from Houses of Hope Inc. and participating churches in India.

At least 30 pages thick, the report includes physical, spiritual and biographical data about each of the orphans. It also compares the children’s state at orphanage entry to their current mood and behavior, offering the members of East Highway Baptist Church an idea of how their involvement and money has helped.

With a positive tone, the report indicates that the church is succeeding in its mission to support as many orphans as it can.

But there are things that are still needed.

Maintaining a reliable source of drinking water is still a challenge, the report said.

“The two wells that we have dug have failed as there is a lot of iron content and muddy water,” reads the report. “Also the well can run dry in the summer. There are two (nearby) village wells from where the kids can bring drinking water. But the villagers sometimes take objection and refuse to give water. The solution lies in digging a huge open well, 10 feet by 50 feet deep. This will cost almost $2,500.”

Supplies to repair a leaky roof are also needed, the report said.

These obstacles do not thwart the spirit of East Highway Baptist Church.

“We plan on helping for as long as we can,” Ms. Thompson said.

--tlunsford@temple-telegram.com