Milan was listening as his mother asked us to take him into one of our children's homes, just before this picture was taken. His father was paralyzed in an accident. His mother has a badly infected leg, and though a doctor recommended an amputation, she refused to allow it. The family has no income except what the father receives begging and they cannot provide for their child. Milan came to the home the following day, and cried pitifully as his mother left. But his attitude changed at dinner time. He ate as if he had been hungry for a long time, as if he did not know what it was to be full. Sponsor support for the other children had to stretch to include this little boy. Each of the sponsors for this home has a picture of one child who is helped by their support, but each one also made it possible for us to feed Milan that day and to provide a home for one more desperately needy child.

Todd and Shea Foster Missionaries preparing for the field

Todd and Shea are in the very beginning of their ministry with Allow the Children, taking one careful and prayerful step at a time as they wait for the Lord's direction for their lives.

Todd and Shea knew that God was speaking to them during a conference in 2005. It was not the first time they had felt God moving them towards possibly giving up ministry roles they both loved to "something" else that might be unfamiliar or uncomfortable. They remembered a prayer spoken over them and others in the room, who believed God might be changing their calling. "You aren't sure where you are going, but you are sure that you are following Jesus!"

Shea writes: Since those special God moments, we have been praying and asking God to show us where, when, why and who. He has continued to open doors for us to walk through and has given us a love for the Nepali people through opportunities to serve there for three short periods of time. We continue to wait for God to fill in the puzzle pieces. We do not try to figure it out. We long to be servants of God, to be used by Him, and to walk down paths led by Him, wherever that may be, in order that His name may be known! We cling to Philippians 1:6 as our family verse. "Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ." We are just a couple of ordinary people who love serving God. Todd leading people into worship, pouring out his passion so that people can connect with God, and me desiring for people to get connected, really connected, and share that same healing in Christ that I have been given, brings joy in our lives like never before. Now, we lay that, and all of our other gifts, and abilities down for God to use in ways that we can only imagine.

Todd and Shea are actively serving here in the United States, doing all the things that enable the work in the field. They will be making short term trips to Nepal as the Lord leads and provides funding.