To the supporting community of Beautiful Gate Lesotho,
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…
- Proverbs 3:5
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
- James 1:17
As a predominantly donor-funded non-profit organization, it truly is only the will of God that has allowed Beautiful Gate Lesotho to be able to operate and function for almost 17 years. Over the course of that time, though we have never been in financial debt, we have walked through a number of dry seasons. We’ve endured periods in which we were unsure if we would be able to purchase food for the children the following week, or pay the staff that month. Always we’ve looked back on those times as God teaching us to trust in Him alone for our daily bread. We do not often have more than we need, but God has always been faithful to provide what we need, when we need it. He has proven Himself faithful.
Hindsight is 20/20, though. It is easy to look back on a difficult time after it has passed, when you already know full well that God has brought you through it. It is easy to quote Proverbs 3:5 when things are going smoothly. Trusting God is never really an issue…until you actually have nothing left to go on but that trust.
We wanted to take an opportunity to humbly share that Beautiful Gate Lesotho is experiencing another one of these financially dry seasons. We are so incredibly grateful for the countless individuals, families, churches, businesses, schools, and more who have generously given over the years to help make Beautiful Gate what it is today. Despite how wide spread the knowledge of what God is doing at Beautiful Gate is and the faithful financial contributions of our donor base, the difficult reality is that the need is ongoing. Without continued funding we cannot continue to provide quality care for the children God has entrusted to us or to pay our local staff, who work tirelessly to provide that quality care.
We think most of our supporters probably believe we are doing fine financially, so we want to be transparent in making our needs known. Our current greatest financial need is simply money for our general fund. This fund pays for all of the day-to-day basic needs including food, water, clothing, electricity, general maintenance, staff salaries, etc. While we thoroughly appreciate all the people who have aligned their hearts and passions with specific projects we have underway, we have seen a decline in financial support for these most basic needs.
In addition to being transparent with our supporters, we also want this post to be a call to action. The first and foremost action we are calling you to is prayer. Join us in continuing to set Beautiful Gate before the Father’s throne. Pray that we will endure this trial, faithfully trusting in the God who is the source of every good and perfect gift. As James says, He does not change like shifting shadows. He has been faithful to provide for our every need in the past, and we believe He will be faithful to continue doing so in the future.
Secondly, as you pray for and with us, we ask that you might humbly search your heart to discern whether you could contribute financially to Beautiful Gate. Through a one time or recurring financial gift you are investing in the lives of real people with real stories. You are helping to provide a hope for a better future for our children. You are helping to provide an income and a livelihood for our staff and their families. You are making a real difference. For those who already partner with us in a financial capacity, we thank you from the bottoms of our hearts. We pray that you will continue to feel called to give, but also that God might stir it in your hearts to encourage others in your spheres of influence to start giving as well.
Our goal in sharing our present reality, again is to be transparent with you, and to be faithful to do our part in openly sharing our needs. Having made the opportunity known, we step back and allow God to do what He does best. We now actively practice the trust that is so imperative in walking in God’s will.
Thank you for your continued support, financial and otherwise. We look forward to seeing how God will work through you to help us continue bringing hope to children and families in Lesotho and around the world.
If you have any questions about donating or anything else, please feel free to contact our Operations Director (opsdirector@beautifulgatelesotho.org) or our Volunteer Coordinator & International Fundraising Officer (bglvolunteercoordinator@gmail.com).
Molimo a le hlohonolofatse (God bless you),
The Beautiful Gate Lesotho Family
