Jean-Paul Osteen

In December 2012 I had the privilege of taking part in a mission trip to Maceió, Brazil. After seeing the level of poverty and absence of opportunity that plagues many of the children of Maceió, I felt an overwhelming burden to do something about it. I can still remember what it felt like as we drove away from the orphanage on the final day of our trip. Trying to fight back the tears and waiving goodbye to the beautiful little girls as they ran beside the car shouting the one phrase they knew in english, “I love you!”

Yes, I remember exactly how I felt. I cried for two weeks after I returned home. I was constantly thinking about the little girl, Luiza, I left behind in Brazil and wishing I could do more to help her. Even now, I can feel the muscles in my chest tightening as I think of what she asked me on my final day there…”Can I be part of your family?”

I met with a close friend of mine who has been doing mission work in Brazil for over 30 years and shared my desire to do something more for this little girl. He told me the best thing I could give that child was a good education because the public school system, as a whole, is very inadequate, to say the least. She already had everything going against her. She was an orphan, she would not have as many opportunities because she was a female, and she was getting a horrible education. I could only change one of those things. I knew what God was calling me to do, and with the help of the Director at the orphanage, I enrolled Luiza in a Christian Private School located close to the orphanage. But I didn’t want to stop there.

I’m happy to say that with the help of some of my dearest friends, we officially launched Love Rescues International on January 1, 2014. Love Rescues is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to reach the poor with the love of Christ, rescue them from poverty, and renew their identity. Our first project is to provide a quality private Christian education for all of the girls in the Lar Batista Marcolina Magalhães orphanage in Maceió, Brazil.

I appreciate your consideration to join our movement to reach, rescue, and renew the lives of these children with the love of Christ. Together, we can bring love and fight poverty in the name of Jesus.

Jean-Paul