Defend the poor and fatherless, do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Psalm 82:3
www.loving-shepherd.org
Ed Schwartz, LSM Founder
Loving Shepherd Ministries is thankful to celebrate our 20th anniversary with you! Two decades ago, God took the simple desire to help vulnerable children and families and turned it into an international orphan care ministry that is effectively serving children in the U.S., Haiti, and Ethiopia. When I started LSM in 2002, God emphatically placed on my heart the words from Isaiah 40:11. I believe God created LSM so that the name of Jesus Christ, the loving Shepherd, would be shared to those most vulnerable. I am humbled to see how God has worked through our ministry over the last 20 years, impacting so many lives for His glory! He truly is a Father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5). Thanks to each of you who has been part of the last 20 years! Gratefully,
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd He shall gather the lambs with His arms and he shall gently lead those that are with young
Isaiah 40:11
USA - BrickHouse Program begins serving local foster care system
ago we could never have anticipated how God would expand our work to a global scale.
2015
2002
USA - Gospel Project begins sending Gospel Kits to Haiti
2018
.
Haiti - 22nd & 23rd Homes of Hope built with future Homes possible
2019
Ethiopia - Program starts serving at-risk women and children
LSM founded to assist Christian couples adopting
We are humbled that He has called us to walk alongside children and families in the U.S., Haiti and Ethiopia. The Spirit of God is moving, as He transforms lives, empowers people, and raises up a new generation of passionate Christ-followers through LSM!
2020
2007
Ethiopia - Successful program expands to second location
Haiti - First 2 Homes of Hope open for orphaned children
In this booklet, we want to celebrate what God has done in these past twenty years! Below are some milestones for our ministry. As the work has grown, God has used LSM to impact the lives of more and more vulnerable children, along with their communities and churches.
2012
Haiti - Cancer Redemption Project funds 6 new Homes of Hope
2009
Haiti - Businesses launch to sustain ministry funding
Haiti - First students arrive at LSM Tech Campus
2022
Who are the vulnerable?
LSM's mission is to help the world's most vulnerable children reach their God-given potential. But who are the vulnerable? Vulnerable children are those who have been orphaned, abandoned, neglected, abused or forced into child slavery. The impact of being vulnerable is devastating. Imagine a child who is unloved, who is malnourished, who has never heard the Gospel, who has no education, and who has experienced deep trauma. This is the story of those who are vulnerable. But when a vulnerable child is given hope, the fog of devastation begins to clear. When they are introduced to the everlasting love of God, they begin to see beyond their circumstance to a real hope - abundant life in Jesus. And when their heart is full of Jesus, they share the Good News with those around them. This is LSM's mission come full circle. Throughout this booklet, we want to share the heartbeat of our ministry, represented by stories of hope in Jesus, lives transformed, generational cycles of poverty broken, and disciples in the making!
Haiti
LSM is committed to empowering vulnerable children in Haiti. We accomplish this through: Homes of Hope – Stable Christian families caring for vulnerable children Quality Education – Christ-centered schools and teaching along with supplemental resources LSM Tech – A residential education campus where future leaders are developed Nouvelle Aube – LSM’s for-profit division operating a block and aggregate business and ice business These key components allow us to empower vulnerable children in Haiti to be country-changers for Christ!
Haitians with sustainable employment in ministry and business
276
200 +
Home of hope Children Equipped to be Godly leaders
Although he was once a scared little boy who could easily have became a child slave, James is now a strong young man shining a light for Jesus in his community.
At that moment, James' life began a transformation. He was seeing hope for the first time! He began attending church, started school, and felt safe and loved in his new family. As he grew, he began to be a role model to others and to excel in school.
God's rescue from slavery [Haiti]
Today, James attends LSM Tech where he is learning valuable life skills and is being discipled. He hopes to one day continue his studies to become an engineer. He continues to be a role model on campus as a small group leader to new students. He also leads a Disciple Youth Group each Sunday.
In 2008, a 3-year old little boy was starving and timid. He was extremely at-risk of being sent to a nearby village to become a restavek, or child slave. By the grace of God, a local pastor heard about this boy and contacted LSM to help. James soon came to live with his new Home of Hope family.
Fourteen years later, James graduated from high school at just 17 years old - a rare accomplishment in Haiti! Not only did he graduate, he was the top Home of Hope student, achieving the highest score on his final exam.
God's healing [Haiti]
Roseline, 7 years old
Today, Roseline is 20 years old with plans to study diplomacy and law. Her heart's desire is to bring peace, healing, and the Gospel to Haiti. After seeing the poverty and desperation of so many, she wants to be a part of helping to restore and heal Haiti!
Roseline, 20 years old
But thanks to God, Roseline joined her Home of Hope family and began to heal. She felt safe, cared for and loved by her new parents. She began attending school and church. The more she learned about Jesus, the more hope she had for a better future. When she was 12 years old, she gave her heart to Jesus. She radiated a joy and peace only found from God's amazing grace!
We believe Haiti will succeed when its own people rise from within to fulfill their God-given calling. Roseline's passion will make her a country-changer for Christ!
In a remote Haitian village, a little girl was left all alone after the tragic death of her parents. A concerned neighbor brought her to LSM for help. When our staff met her for the first time, they saw a 7-year old girl who was sick and malnourished - physically, emotionally and spiritually.
As her physical and emotional pain healed and her spiritual life grew, Roseline also advanced intellectually. She was soon excelling at school, ranking at the top of her class each school year. She especially loved to learn about different cultures, with a desire to make an impact in her own country.
Children Equipped to be Godly leaders
Ethiopia
95
LSM is committed to strengthening and preserving the families of single mothers in Ethiopia, who struggle to escape poverty and care for their children. We achieve this through: High-quality business training and loans to single mothers Educational support for the children Counseling for both the mother and children to heal from past trauma Christian discipleship that spurs evangelism and strong faith These program aspects are working together to raise up a new generation for Christ in Ethiopia!
175
Single mothers empowered in Christ
When Alem's baby girl was born in a rural village in Ethiopia, things looked bleak. A few months earlier, Alem had been devastated to hear of her husband’s tragic death. Alone and scared, this young mom was desperate to provide for her daughter. But with no income or support, there was little chance she would escape the inevitable cycle of poverty that plagues single mothers in Ethiopia. But that's when God intervened and used LSM to bring hope to this family! After joining our program, Alem began to feel confident and hopeful. She completed business training and began providing for her daughter by selling spices at the local market. She also attends weekly Bible studies at her church. Now empowered by God, she is equipped to share her faith with others! Alem shares, "My biggest blessing is knowing and receiving Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and being a mother to my beautiful daughter. She is still young, but I pray she will be filled with God's love and mercy!"
God's intervention [Ethiopia]
Being forced by her father to drop out of 7th grade and marry a man of his choosing was not the life Nira had envisioned. After several years of marriage, she had two children whom she deeply loved, but she still felt empty and depressed. Until one day Nira was introduced to Jesus by a local church. The amazing love of Jesus captivated Nira’s heart, and she immediately placed her faith in Him. Tragically, due to her newfound faith, her Muslim husband abandoned her and the children.
The burden to be the sole provider weighed heavily on Nira’s shoulders. She worked tirelessly as a maid but never had enough food for her children. She began questioning if God really cared for her family. LSM staff heard about Nira and welcomed her family into our program.
As a result, her children see their mother following Jesus, working hard to provide, and sharing her faith with others. Nira testifies, "I know God deeply cares for my family because in my time of great need He sent LSM!" By the grace of God, Nira's son and daughter are on their way to becoming adults who will impact their community for Christ.
Restored faith [Ethiopia]
Through LSM's business training program, she learned new skills and gained confidence to start her own business of selling injera (Ethiopian flatbread). Her training also equipped her to expand her business, and start a savings account.
Most importantly, LSM’s intervention helped restore Nira’s faith by showing her that God did, in fact, care about her children.
LSM is committed to equipping adoptive and foster care families in the United States. Since our founding in 2002, we have provided free adoption resources to make the adoption journey easier. In addition, our BrickHouse program also equips local foster and adoptive families through: Free Christian counseling to children, couples, and families involved in adoption and foster care Structured foster care homes for hard-to-place teens. Each area of our U.S. ministry leverages the power of Christian families to impact our local community for Christ!
1,800
Adoptive & Foster Care Families Served
9,000+
hours
U.S.A
OF counseling to equip children & families
Evan grew up in an abusive home, never feeling safe once he entered his house. One day when he came home from school, he found his mother lying on the floor. His father was a suspect in taking her life and Evan's life spiraled further out of control. He was sent to live with a relative who forced him to participate in his drug business. Ultimately, he ran away to live on the streets.
Not forgotten [USA]
Everything he had experienced left Evan with anger and trauma. His future looked bleak as he continued down the path of repeating his family's generational cycle of poverty, abuse and drugs.
Eventually, Evan entered the foster care system. Over the next several years he was in and out of countless foster care homes. He was labeled as "hard to place." Ultimately, God opened the door for Evan to enter our BrickHouse program where he received Christian counseling and mentoring. Our BrickHouse counseling provided a safe place for Evan to begin healing from his past trauma and see himself through God's eyes. It wasn't a quick process, but he began finding the wisdom needed to make a better life for himself. He is now equipped with the necessary tools to continue on his healing journey. Evan no longer feels unwanted and worthless from years of instability. He realizes that those who hurt him when he was a child do not define the man he can be. He also sees God's loving hand guiding him on a path toward forgiveness and redemption and away from the dysfunction that he thought was his fate.
Years of instability and being bounced from one home to another left Beth full of hurt and disappointment. She was defiant and didn't trust others. She learned to depend only on herself. Coming to an adoptive home with loving parents who wanted her to succeed caused her anxiety. Instead of feeling safe, she pushed them away. She misbehaved, was in trouble at school and felt the world was constantly against her. She expected to be abandoned again. But the adoptive family sought out LSM's BrickHouse program for help.
As Beth's walls slowly came down through our Christian counseling, the real Beth slowly emerged. Underneath all her anger, she was a scared little girl who loved music and animals. Like many from foster care, she had a traumatic past and felt no one wanted her. She had begun to believe that she was forgotten and that she was a lost cause. But our BrickHouse counseling helped reset Beth's thinking to realize that she was loved and chosen by God. We praise Him that she is now healing and reaching her full potential in Christ!
Chosen [USA]
Doug Isch, LSM President
We are grateful for each of you who has come alongside LSM as we care for orphaned and vulnerable children - all to God's glory. These past 20 years have been made possible because of you, the Body of Christ, going above and beyond to reach the least, lost and lonely. Your prayers, advocacy, and financial giving have rippled out beyond simply impacting the lives of vulnerable children to entire families and whole communities. As God continues His work of redemption among the vulnerable, we are prayerfully committed more than ever to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the world. We can't wait to see what God does in the next 20 years! Thanks for journeying with us. For the Children,
