We Need Your Help!

So I haven’t been able to update that often but I just want to say thanks for the emails I’ve received. I usually don’t have much time to respond, but they are greatly appreciated and I look forward to hearing from people in the States. I’ve received several emails from people who want to help but up until this point I haven’t been exactly sure what things were needed. After being here for almost 4 weeks, I’ve finally talked to staff and other volunteers to see where needs are and what opportunities I’ll have to meet some of those needs. More than anything, prayers are needed – for the kids, staff, and volunteers here. But if you feel called to meet some of the physical needs that we have, it would be an absolute blessing. The Lord has been faithful to provide thus far and I am confident that He will continue to do so. Thanks for wanting to be a part of what He’s doing at Orphanage Emmanuel. Please don’t feel like you have to send anything or one of everything. I’m learning more and more every single day here that the Lord works in the hearts of His people to provide for various needs. If there is a specific need listed that you feel called to meet, it will be a blessing to many. Your gifts and donations help the staff and volunteers better serve the children here.

If you decide to send some of the needed things – regardless of who they are for – please send everything to the address listed below. If you don’t put my name on it, it goes in the storehouse here and could easily get lost. When I receive boxes, I can personally deliver things where they need to be. So please make sure to put my name on the box. Thanks so much for being willing to serve

Volunteer Leigh Cooper
c/o Orphanage Emmanuel
Dr. Don Reynolds
4611 Hixson Pike
Hixson TN 37343

NEEDS FOR THE KIDS
In a place with over 400 children there are certain items that are always needed. Please send any of the following at any time:
Diapers, baby wipes, socks and underwear for small boys and girls, sturdy shoes for small boys (boots/tennis shoes) and sandals for small girls, also hairbrushes, and deodorant.

As a volunteer, it is up to us to plan and schedule activities with the children during free time – which is after school some days but mostly weekends. We usually try to take them to the cancha (field/court) to play, the casita (craft house), playing in the yards, or taking groups of siblings to the fields to be together. I’d love to do more structured activities with the kids but I don’t have the resources right now.
The kids also have the opportunity to sell their jewelry in art shows each week a group comes. They get a portion of the money and are allowed to save or spend it at the store or somewhere and they’re taught to tithe 10%. Therefore it would be an awesome opportunity to work with them in jewelry making. Here are some items that are really popular with the kids: hemp string, other string, colorful yarn, colorful beads, colorful bandanas for bracelets/necklaces – any jewelry making items are good.
On weekends the volunteers try to take different sibling groups so they get to spend time with each other. We try to take them to play together and spend time away from all the other kids. We try to have a few crackers or cookies to give them so those items would be good. Also it would be cool if we could have some Kool-aid powder to make a little for them. It gets expensive trying to take them all to the store for a drink and chips.
The kids are constantly playing in the yards and could use the following things: soccer balls, Frisbees, kickballs, big jump ropes (for multiple people), marbles/jacks, spinning tops, and a hand-held air pump to inflate the balls.

The following items are also useful for activities with both boys and girls: bottles of tempera paint for face-painting, small paint brushes, simple craft kits (maybe VBS leftovers or something along those lines), fingernail polish and remover, hair accessories, and Spanish and bilingual children’s books.

NEEDS FOR THE VOLUNTEER HOUSE
Right now there are 21 girls living in the girl volunteer house and 7 boys living in the boy volunteer house. I will be living here for the next year and so I have noticed many things that would be really helpful around here. Some of these items are impossible to buy here and others are only available in Tegucigalpa and therefore are difficult to carry by hand on the bus back to the orphanage. These are some common items that are always needed and appreciated:
Small rubber gloves, trash bags (all sizes big and small), bathroom and kitchen cleaners, dish detergent, Ziploc bags (all sizes), aluminum foil, saran wrap, sharp kitchen knives, Tupperware containers, plastic plates and bowls (not disposable but just cheap plastic), flashlights.
Bathroom items: soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, hair spray, etc.
Medicines: Pepto, ibuprofen, calamine lotion, bug spray, sunscreen, antibiotic cream, cotton balls
Peanut butter is a treasured item around here. Any microwavable food is also nice to have – easy mac, individual packets of oatmeal or grits, etc.

I cannot thank you enough for your help and support. If you have questions about anything, feel free to email me at leighcooper.emmanuel@gmail.com or ask my parents. You're a blessing! Love you all.