FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Happy New Year! What a wonderful year 2017 is going to be. We are so very excited and enthusiastic about all that God is doing at the Little Light House. We have officially been in our new facility for a total of four months, continuing to stand in AWE of God’ s faithfulness and provision. So first, let me say thank you for the part you have played in this ministry and assisting us in fulfilling our mission: To bring glory to God as we improve the quality of life for children with special needs, their families and communities.
As I look forward to all this new year has in store, the scripture that comes to mind is from Isaiah 54:2( KJV) Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations: spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
We have definitely enlarged the place of our“ tent” this year! Our new facility is allowing for growth of all of our programs, and we are seeing our dreams becoming even bigger realities. Not only have we been able to increase enrollment and serve more children, we have also been able to facilitate and expand programs which we had to limit in past years due to space. We are lengthening our cords and strengthening our stakes as we are now able to offer more training opportunities, as follows:
Professional conferences, offering CEU’ s hosted by the LLH have been able to grow in number of attendees, as well as the number of conferences offered. We have held four conferences to date and we have two more already on the schedule focusing on therapy in February and special needs educators in July.
College and Career program: Working with local universities and colleges, we are providing them on-site training in our new second floor observatories. As our founder, Marcia Mitchel, has stated,“ Our LLH classrooms have now become classrooms for the university students”. As well as gaining insight and hands on experience these students are fulfilling college requirements of internships, practicums and observations.
Our Global Impact program, which is funded by designated donations, is seeing rapid growth. For 2017 our staff has already been invited to participate in conferences and / or training opportunities in Haiti, Honduras, Russia, Southern Mexico, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. We have interns coming to train here onsite from Haiti and Indonesia and we are continuing to work with other countries. We have new contacts, using our curriculum and seeking guidance, from India. Technology is allowing us to train these new friends by Skype, face to face, on a regular basis. Global Impact will continue our working relationships with China, Estonia and South Africa. There are many schools around the globe using the LLH as a resource and guide.
Affiliate Program: Our LLH affiliate in Mississippi celebrated their tenth anniversary in 2016. What a blessing this has been to see the LLH successfully replicated. We are always looking to expand our outreach and assist others who are working with special needs children. The affiliate program has been fine-tuned and for those seeking replication we will assist them wherever they are.
Our LLH Resource Website: www. thelittleanchor. org has provided parents, professionals, churches and schools from around the world with resources at their fingertips. This year, we will continue to increase the information, training videos and blogs available on this site, allowing individuals the fundamental and key information they need to help others with disabilities.
Ephesians 3:20 says:“ Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of— infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes”. We are indeed walking in God’ s abundant blessings as we see our BIG dreams being reached and achieved. As we reflect back over our past year, and even the decades, it has been quite amazing to see all that God has done for us, and all He has accomplished through you, our friends and supporters. May He richly bless you for the part you play in making a difference at the Little Light House and around the world.
Jean Winfrey
Executive Director