ORPHAN HOPE

Love's Door 4 All Nations - Zambia

2010-09-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

2009-02-16T06:56:00.000-08:00

Orphan Hope has changed it's name
to
Love's Door.

See new blog site at
www.loves-door.blogspot.com

See Dan and Regina's personal thoughts and experiences at
www.danandregina.org

This will be the last post on this site - but we will keep it for the testimony of what God is doing with this world.
Blessings,
Dan and Regina Bumstead

2007-05-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

Monday, May 7, 2007

Above the waving grass, great billowing clouds give way to sunset’s colors, and it’s easy to forget for a moment that we’re in Africa. This is Big Sky Country, and there are many reasons to feel that we’ve stepped into Laura Ingalls Wilder’s world. The prairies (or savannahs) are covered with grass tall enough to get lost in, interspersed with six-foot high stands of yellow-orange Shasta daisy-type flowers.

We are guests of the Peter and Debbie Wilcox family, Australian missionaries living outside of Lichinga in northern Mozambique. We share their cement home. There is no electricity, no refrigeration, no running water. We take “cup showers” with heated water (the weather is cooler here), the toilet is flushed only when really necessary by pouring in a bucket of water. Food is cooked over a gas stove-top or outside over a charcoal fire, dishes are washed in a tub. Mozambican guards double as yard- and household-help, keeping water buckets full drawn by a rope from the well. We can wash our clothes in the cement laundry tub outside, or hire local women to do it for 30 meticais ($1.10 US).

The Wilcox family includes 20-year old twin daughters Annelisa and Antoinette, full partners with their parents in devoting their lives to the people of Mozambique; Elias (11), Miriam (8), Mikaila (6), and Karmelie (3). Also considered family are Violet, a Malawian woman who serves as the Wilcox’s noon cook, her two daughters ages 15 and 21, and five grandchildren ranging in age from 6 to 13, children of her deceased daughters. A renovated out-building serves as their living quarters.

What can you eat when there’s no oven, no refrigeration, lots of mouths and not much money? Actually, one can live quite nicely, and possibly be healthier than at home! Breakfast is always porridge—coarsely-ground white cornmeal. Lunch, the main meal of the day, consists of rice or nshima (fine white cornmeal cooked into a thick mush) topped with a sauce made of chard or cassava leaves and other vegetables, ground peanuts, or pinto beans. The evening meal varies, from boiled sweet potatoes or pumpkin, roasted peanuts, green salad or banana to the occasional fried egg with bread.

Life is simple here, not in terms of labor but regarding modern conveniences. There is a small windmill topping the house which powers a laptop and battery chargers. The Wilcoxes also own a cell phone, and a 1969 LandRover that tops out at 60 km/hour (35 mph) and hauls 8-10 passengers. Life is simple. If you want to talk “primitive”, then you must ride with Peter to a nearby village of people from the Yao tribe.

Take a twenty-minute drive across the rolling hills, turn left at a nondescript corner in the middle of the prairie and you will reach Chinaliwila. Here are dirt roads, 75-100 nicely-built mud homes with heavy thatch roofs—no tin roofs for miles. I can’t imagine when the last time a car other than the LandRover entered here. Peter has been coming by invitation of the chief of the village, to talk about Jesus. Today he has asked Dan to accompany him. After chairs have been brought for the visitors, there is a lot of curious pointing and speculating about Dan’s backpack and what it may hold (even Peter, who speaks fluent Portuguese, needs an interpreter here). When finally a Bible is pulled out, all is hushed as the women and children look with wonder at the beautiful book with markings in it. Pointing to the words, Dan reads a passage from Isaiah. Even though the language is strange, they are spellbound. To think that those black scratchings could communicate! (We’ve been told that the literacy rate is less than 30%). Through an interpreter, Dan teaches from Romans 5: “But God demonstrated his love for us in this--while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

The Yao people have historically been antagonistic to the gospel and to any intrusion by other tribes or cultures. They are known as the tribe that raided other neighboring tribes, stole their people and sold them to the Arabs for the slave market. Because of this they are feared and hated. God is opening a door here that may have never been opened before – an invitation by a Yao chief to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. The people are leery, but the chief and his grandsons are eager. In fact, the grandson who is next in line to be chief has confessed Christ and is coming to the compound here to be taught the Word and learn English, though he has not yet submitted to baptism (the line of no return for these people). The old chief and his wife (he only has one! very unusual for a chief) were here in the compound today. When I introduced Liana and Dawna as my daughters, his wrinkly face lit up in a buck-teeth smile, and he invited us all to come and visit him in his home next week – that should be interesting.

The Wilcoxes have a litany of God-stories, miracles and blessings they have experienced in their two years here. In a world where witchcraft and curses are as common as football games and traffic jams are to us, they are dedicated to bringing freedom, truth and light in the darkness. Construction is underway on a family-style orphanage for 18 girls and a house for their family. Other buildings will follow in time. As visitors, we’ve helped with cement-block construction work, school and Bible teaching, and using the treadle sewing machine to hem fabric into bedsheets.

Annelisa and Antoinette are rare young women, beautiful in features and spirit. They are one in heart and mind, having felt a call to African orphans at the age of six, and they work as a unit. Rolland and Heidi Baker, founders of Iris Ministries, asked these 20-year olds to establish a base at Lichinga. They’ve thrown themselves into the task with single-minded focus. Currently the twins teach school in English to 11 children. They are creative and loving instructors. In spite of limited resources, their students are receiving a quality education. They also handle the ministry’s finances and help with hospitality.

Darkness comes early here on the windswept grasslands. After our evening meal seated on benches around the rough-hewn kitchen table, we carry candles to the bedrooms and children are settled for the night. I step outside for a moment, and I’m sure I’ve never seen stars in a sky like this. There is no trace of martyrdom or complaining in this family—instead, there is joy and a sense of privilege in serving the One they love. From the soft glow in the window comes ethereal music—evening worship has begun. It’s not a formal service, and doesn’t happen every night. This is not religious obligation but soul-refreshment, lovers delighting in the other’s presence. A beautiful wood-burned plaque on the front door proclaims from Hebrews, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.” I go inside to join the others in worship. Here is simplicity, here is beauty, here is rest in loving Jesus. –Regina and Dan

2007-04-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

4-28-07
All Nations - Maputo

We have spent a wonderful weekend with a hilarious South African family of 5, who operate a baby house near Maputo. They have 7 babies at this time - some have AIDS, some have died, one has been adopted, one has been taken back by her prostitute mother, one taken into a dreadful State hospital for children and they believe, intentionally killed because she was "positive" (testing positive for HIV/AIDS - the most negative positive word in the world!). This family and home has been thru a lot. At times they have had nothing to eat, and a miracle happened. Once some of their "volunteer" staff took them to court for not paying them! But now things are better, and it was such a blessing for us to be with them. We loved it. The children have incredible stories. If they live and grow into the men and women of God like this couple is praying for, they will be a tremendous victory of God over the works of Satan. He has redeemed these little ones, and whether they die young of AIDS or die of old age, their lives have been rescued for God's Kingdom.

Here are some of the children's stories, as related by the Boersmas:

"Luis came to live with us in August 2005. When we received him he was a tiny 2-month-old baby, very malnourished and weighed about 1 kg (2.2 lbs). He tested positive for AIDS and malaria. He also had a severe chest infection. His grandmother brought him to us. Being very old and living in an extremely poor rural area, with his mom very sick and dying of AIDS, she knew that she could not take care of him, and asked us for help.

Luis became so ill, that he had to be fed through a feeding tube and eventually ended up in hospital. We thought it was the end and almost made peace with God that He was going to take him home. One of our friends told us: Sometimes you love them to life and sometimes you love them into the arms of Jesus. Even if you make this peace, somewhere deep inside there is always a flame of hope. After 2 months of being in hospital, Luis was released. He gained weight and started on the anti-retroviral medicine for AIDS.

Today Luis is two and a half years old, and there is no sign that he is living with AIDS. Every time we look it him we see the miracle that Jesus has done in his life and we are reminded that God says in His word that faith is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see!!"

"One of our baby workers told us that she heard about a little girl who lived all by herself in a village. The chief of the village told people how he would wake up at night and see this tiny little girl walking through the village crying of hunger and fear, with no clothes on. We sent Luis and Aida to see if they could find this girl. When they found her she was asleep all alone in the house, lying naked on a little torn grass mat. She had not eaten in 4 days. She is about 4, but the size of an 18 – 24 month old. When she saw Aida and Luis she started walking to them. Luis took her into his arms and asked if there are no clothes for her. They found some underwear of her father in the house and tied it to her waist with a safety pin.

Her mother has a new husband, but he is not willing to take care of Aninha, so they abandoned her at the father's, who was not taking care of her either. He left her alone at home for many days; neighbors gave her some food when possible.

After a year, Aninha is doing much better; she has gained weight, laughs and runs around. She does not talk yet because of a lot of trauma that she went through, but she is starting to repeat what you say. She is a joy and is a real little helper. She still needs a lot of healing, but the love of Jesus brings healing and restoration."

Alicia came to the Boersmas' home severely traumatized by neglect and abuse of every kind. She had no name, and her age is uncertain--she is very small but may be three years old. She is such a beautiful child. She was probably abandoned because of her mixed-race heritage, and will certainly experience prejudice in the years to come. Alicia has v-shaped scars on her abdomen, cuts made by the traditional healer. For the first months of her time in the children's home, she spent a lot of time crying or singing a little mournful song and rocking back and forth. She was in a world of her own, and would not interact with other babies or adults. Now she is slowly beginning to emerge from her shell, and will occasionally even crack a smile. Pray for her complete healing from the wounds of her young life.

Dulcy and her five-year old daughter Jessica are staying at the Boersmas' home temporarily. Dulcy is HIV positive, and has been kicked out of the house by her family. AIDS carries such a stigma here--most peoplele don't want to be tested, don't want to know, even though anti-retroviral drugs are available. Dulcy's father is a police chief, but he is no different--he doesn't want the shame of this label connected to his family. There is hope that he can be convinced to reconcile with his daughter and grandchild. Meanwhile, Dulcy helps the staff care for the children, and Jessica has many little playmates.

Chris enjoyed playing not only with the Boersmas' three boys, but also with the children they care for. Little Quiteria, whose mother died during a C-section, was a favorite of his. After playing with her one day he told me, "Mother, if I was older and had a lot of money, I would adopt her." Lord, let this heart be duplicated in all of us--a desire to love like you do.

They are also starting a house church - discipling 4 young guys, and the lady workers they hire. Some of the guys around here have grown up in an amazing orphanage that we have been at before. the problem: when they reach the age of 17 they must leave. So they go back on the street and fend for themselves. And it is ugly. Most of them, though they were great at worship and hype, the depth of discipleship was never worked into their soul. So they returned to the world. Peiter used to work in this large orphanage, so knows the young guys. Now he has found one and is discipling him one on one. He has become his father, is sending him to school, putting him in charge of many details of the home, and giving him a second chance.

2007-04-27T09:52:00.000-07:00

4-25
Maputo

Took a bus into Maputo – really nice busses here! Then got a text that I should meet the Children’s Cup folks at 2001 motel. A kind lady from the bus told me she would arrange it with a taxi for me. I find this all the time – so many people are able to understand enough English, and so many are glad to help, even going out of their way to help with a thought of payment. But she happened to find the most desperate taxi driver. By the sounds of his car he does not charge enough! It was amazing that it rolled down the street. It sounded like the back left wheel lost all it’s grease, lost all it’s ball bearings, and lost plenty of it’s axle! It was grinding and screeching all the way. When he would slow down it would bang and clank. When he took a left turn all the noises joined in at once! It was hilarious.

Children’s Cup is a compassion ministry that is operating in Swazi and Zimbabwe for many years, and for the last 1 ½ years have been doing a Care Point (feeding orphans at least – more depending on staff and resources I think) in Maputo Mozambique. The leadership and most of the staff seem to come from a church in Baton Rouge Lo. Now that church has sent out a couple to plant a church at this location as well, and they sent out a 10 day discipleship school mission team to do the final touches on the church before their grand opening this coming Sunday when they plan on feeding 1000 people who will be invited from the surrounding community. So we joined in for a couple days – painting, sanding doors, putting in an electric well pump to replace the hand pump, putting a large tank on a tall platform and trenching and connecting all the hoses.

Then at 2pm they would feed the children. They would start wandering in at about 1, bowl and spoon in hand, gawking at the foreigners and the things they may have never seen before (I showed one little guy in the bath room which has 6 stalls with flush toilets and two sinks – all brand new. The guy was really checking out the toilet, looking it all over like he was not sure what it was). The grannies are cooking the soup and rice in huge pots outside over a little stick fire for hours. Finally there are about 200 children, a granny gets them to line up – the smallest first – and they start filling their bowls one by one. The kids then sit under the tree and eat. This happens 5 times each week. Their goal is to not only feed them food, but spiritually as well. Eventually they will start telling Bible stories (the discipleship kids did some skits and puppets and crafts and handed out a tee shirt to each one), then they will start a school for the ones that are too poor to go to school, then will be a medical clinic, and so on. As I understand it, the vision for the church, of which this is the Maputo campus, is to reach the lost by serving and ministering to the poor and needy. And from those who are brought to be disciples, God will build a great and mighty church.

The young couple (Isaac and Carol Williams – around 25-30ish) who are pastoring the church have not been married hardly a year. They are Brazilian, so speak Portuguese and English perfectly.

So would anyone want to get in on this opportunity to help out with a new church just getting started in this wonderful community? Portuguese is much like Spanish. isaac.williams@healingplacechurch.org .

2007-04-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

Friday, April 27, 2007

Maputo

It’s just the three of us—Dan, Chris and I, spending a few days in the rustic guest house of the Dutch Reformed Church while we visit with Shula’s family. We had no food, so set off walking to market at 7:30 AM to see what we could find. We bought pao at the bakery, the wonderful Portuguese bread; fresh coconuts for 12 cents each, bananas and salad makings at the open-air market. Protein was difficult—there were huge slabs of beef ribs, fresh prawns, eels and other fish—all at summer’s temperatures with sellers idly waving the flies away. In the dry/canned goods booths of the market we found pilchards—sardines in tomato sauce. We very briefly considered eating them over pasta, but finally settled on eggs (unrefrigerated as in most countries except the US). By this time we were feeling quite conspicuous. Our method of making payment to the market women (who speak Shangani with a smattering of Portuguese) was to fish out a handful of coins, squint at them awhile and finally just invite the seller to take out the correct amount.

We dined on eggs and pao for breakfast, pasta with sautéed vegetables and eggs scrambled throughout for dinner, eggs again for the next morning. Oatmeal was starting to sound really appealing, so the next trip to market we tried asking for cereal. “See-ree-ul,” we pronounced slowly, after nosing around open bags of rice, dried beans and coarse brown sugar. Several neighboring women put their heads together, pointed questioningly at different items and finally directed us a few aisles over where another woman was waving at us. No oats there, however—her table displayed piles of tiny hot chili peppers. After patiently listening to us pronounce “cereal” even more distinctly, we were sent back around to a woman selling fresh peanuts, whole or in pieces. “Por comida,” she said, pretending to eat them. Silly Americans! We bought more eggs and headed home for breakfast.

We enjoyed a delicious meatless spaghetti sauce with pasta that evening, made with a large can of tomato paste, lots of sautéed onions, garlic and peppers, and seasonings. Next day, Shula’s mom Grace drove me to a little shop we had overlooked where I found oats, peanut butter, and refrigerated milk. Life is good!—Regina

2007-04-23T22:19:00.000-07:00

4/23/07

I lost my diary today :( and my best pen. I had just calculated some of the different options of travel for the coming month. It will be expensive. I am disappointed that our young folks have seemed to ditch us. Probably ditched our extra luggage as well.

Last week was better than I hoped.
Working with Heather and Tamsin was good. Going out with them to see their work with the community orphan kids, going to pray with the mother of one of the little ones who died, going to the remotest areas where there are few helpers who come; going to Maria’s house out in the toolies – 2 little round-hovels in a compound of bare dirt, 2 10 year old boys fetching water out of a broken water pipe, Maria is not home, no adult is home – in Joburg. So we load one up and go over the 4x4 type roads to the last place in the hills before you go into Mozambique – a little church building (about 15x30) where they were practicing music. We played soccer outside and soaked in the simple beauty of very simple African life – playing with a soccer ball made of a bunch of plastic bags with a balloon tied around them- it really worked quite nice! The 10 year old boys were not Maria’s brothers, but uncles! And no adults were at home. Something said about an older man staying there – freakie. Then we went to another child’s house to deliver food parcels too. He lived in a compound with one cement block house and about 5 round-hovels. This is African extended family – one set of parents dies of AIDS and the kids are just taken care of by the aunt until she dies of AIDS. Then they go to another aunt, until finally they go to the gogo (grandmother). But these people were so alive and vibrant! We grabbed their little babies and pretended we were trading Chris for them – we all played along. We oooed and ahhhed at all the giant avacodos on the trees until they filled a plastic bag to the brim for us. Then one of the aunts who had drunk a bit too much wild pau pau juice came out dancing with Chris – hugging and kissing and spitting over all. It was hilarious and Chris was such a good sport. We topped off the week with them by going to a weekend camp they have occasionally for just the 50 choir kids. It was great fun in the swimming pool and competitive games and singing and dancing – all the good things of camp. And it was in a game park where I saw 3 rhino, some big deer of the sort that have long 3’ horns twisting like a ice cream cones up to sharp points, a lot of zebra and other deer sort of things. But the best thing is to see these kids: they are orphans, subject to abject poverty, humiliation because association with AIDS, unbelievable trauma from watching parents die - and how God is transforming them into happy, godly, disciplined, worshiping children! This is the badge of this organization's wisdom. Jesus said, "Wisdom is vindicated by her children." This is their testimony to all who might wonder if they are doing something right - "Look at our kids!" We got a chance to see some who have been in the program for many years - they are now 20-26. They are mature, responsible, lovers of God. What a powerful testimony.
I preached Sunday morning about how God is a Father to the fatherless. To some degree most of us are a bit fatherless – none of our dads really gave us all we need. Some gave nothing. It is all to degrees. But God said he is the Father to us when we are in that place of lack. And the Word also says that he is the model of all fatherhood (Eph 3), so we learn what fatherhood is from looking at our Father. The first thing: he says he will never leave us or forsake us. He says this 365 times in the Bible – one for every day of the year, and for every moment of fear or lonliness. That is the essence of fatherhood – to commit to be there. many want to have sex and make a baby, but have no intention of being there. that is not a father. Again scripture says that anyone who does not provide for his own family has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (I Tim 4)! How seriously the Lord takes this matter of fatherhood – because it is near to his heart! And finally as a Father he wants to tell us, like he told his son Jesus, “Ah, you are my son (or daughter) in whom I am wellll pleased!” He is thrilled with us every moment of the day. He cant wait till we wake in the morning to share something with us that will make our day. How often do we forget about him. But he never forgets about us – he is just waiting with bated breath. Then I asked the kids to sing a song that is their favorite – “You are my shepherd…” It was powerful.

Heather and Tamsin are amazing. They are both young unmarried women who are doing such an amazing job at developing a complex program (choir training, spiritual life training for the choir kids, working in their homes to assist in what ever way they need, feeding them, clothing them, counseling them… And besides that, they are working with another 400 orphans or vulnerable kids in a less intense way – after school programs in 8 schools 4 days a week, feeding, clothing, counseling… And many more things) in the middle of a strange land where they drive on the wrong side of the road for pete’s sake! They go to work at 8 am, often come home 7-8 pm; when Regina is around they have dinner prepared, but otherwise they dine while they are doing email and work on the computer till bed time (don’t count on their house being a single party house! We tried to watch a movie one night and people kept dribbling off to bed.). They have a great property with many buildings on it that will soon be transformed into a center – school, boarding rooms, staff and visitor rooms, etc. Clive and Di Babb are an awesome couple and will be moving from beautiful Cape Town to work on this and other projects. Kyle Showalter is probably going to help them for a few weeks after my family return to the US. Any others what to get in on some construction and orphan work this summer? This would be a great place with lots of youth around. If you are interested contact Heather Heather.Lytle@africanchildrenschoir.com or Tamsin tamsin.scurfield@africanchildrenschoir.com .

We are in Maputo today - fellowshiping with a new work starting here with Children's Cup. They are a discipleship school from Lousiana working on building a church - they already feed 200 kids daily and just started church 5 weeks ago. it is an awesome group.

Bye.

2007-04-23T13:32:00.000-07:00

Working with African Children's Choir

I've been part of an enthusiastic audience several times at African Children's Choir performances in the States, but I'm only now realizing that those concerts are just the tip of the iceberg. The choirs' tours in America and Europe are a great vehicle to promote cultural awareness and understanding, but perhaps more importantly, they fund an array of services to additional needy African children who will never see the inside of a tour bus.

4-23-2007

We spent several days last week with Heather Lytle and Tamsin Scurfield, directors of the Tonga Music For Life program in Nkomazi, South Africa, and their seven young-adult team members. This group works with 400 at-risk children weekly through local schools (besides current choir members who live in this area). School officials have selected the 50 most-vulnerable children from among their students. MFL's team divides in half and visits two schools daily to present an after-school program for these children, working with a total of eight schools every week. Besides learning song and dance numbers to perform locally, they also are taught life skills involving teamwork and their value in God's eyes.

The choir itself provides amazing opportunities for a few talented African children. But its influence extends much wider into the community. Music for Life provides clothing and monthly food parcels, as well as linking the sick with medical care. A garden project is benefitting children at a local primary school, and two houses are being built for needy families. Earlier this month MFL held a workshop to train school teachers in dealing with children in emotional trauma.

Music for Life is a relatively new program in Nkomazi, which means that Tamsin and Heather are breaking ground in the community in many ways. During our days with them, we saw that their job does not confine itself neatly to eight-hour days. The genuine spiritual vitality in these two, and also in their young-adult staff members, is refreshing and inspiring to see. There is a heartfelt desire among them to not only draw their strength from God, but to communicate the Way, the Truth and the Life to the children with whom they are working. Pray for these "aunties" and "uncles" as they serve those who are near to God's heart. ---Regina

2007-04-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

GUIDELINES FOR ORPHAN HOPE MICRO-BUSINESS LOANS

We are in process with setting up two banks for micro business loans - one in Nkomazi region of SA, and one near Maputo, Moz. If you are interested here are the details. These pictures are of Lenoria and the 21 orphans she cares for. We lived with her for one week and saw her devotion to them. If we can help her start a business she can support these kids much better.

Deuteronomy 15, 7-11 in the Bible.
"But if there are any poor people in your towns when you arrive in the land the Lord your God is giving to you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards them. Instead be generous and lend them whatever they need. Do not be mean spirited and refuse someone a loan because the year of release is at hand. If you refuse to make the loan and the needy person cries out to the Lord , you will considered guilty of sin. Give freely without begrudging it, and the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do."

Orphan Hope is dedicated to helping raise orphans to the glory of God. Because poverty puts many orphans at risk of various dangers, and because business ownership can be a powerfully positive experience, OH is committed to making small loans to create micro-businesses to benefit orphans.
To start, a church or agency or coalition of concerned people must make application for a new project. We believe in partnership without control or ownership. After approval we equip our partner with start-up funds to form the “bank”, and he or his organization or church will also raise some local funds obviously on a very much lesser scale but we see their material contribution as very valuable and it is a clear sign of ownership, risk sharing and partnership.
The leader who is 'on-site' and now in close relationship with us announces the availability of micro-loans for orphan care. The people are informed that credit is available to lend in small amounts for the one purpose of creating genuine self-employment through micro-industries with the sole goal of making it possible to care for orphans, giving them an opportunity to succeed and learn business, and raise them to the glory of God. This will be incentive for more church people to be foster parents to orphans, thus raising the quality of care they receive.
The “bank” is governed by a local committee of, for example, church elders or care workers, including a primary contact person. They receive verbal applications from orphans or those caring for orphans. The committee or their representative trains the applicants to understand and handle their simple responsibilities.
Applicants for Micro-Business Loans may be:
· orphans
· caregivers who house orphans
· churches or agencies or a coalition of concerned individuals who will operate a business to directly benefit orphans.
The amount of the individual loans will usually be $5 - $50, but may be as much as $200. There will be no interest charged for these loans. The loan has to be repaid over 6, 12 or 24 months in weekly installments out of earnings beginning immediately.
We are glad to welcome men and women who cannot read or write and are only able to sign with an X or by the muddy imprint of their thumbs. We have no papers or contracts, we trust the poor. We do not ask for security. Of course the applicant, however poor, has be a person of known background and integrity as well as being a faithful member of a congregation, well known to his or her pastor, priest or other spiritual leader of high repute. The applications committee will make enquiries.
The following practice is essential, not to do this invites failure of the borrowers:
The applicant must be part of a small number of other applicants in a group for self-help, exchange of money-making ideas, encouragement and for the finding of ways out of difficulty or disaster that an individual might face in the future. The group as a whole must take responsibility for the loans of each individual, which means that if one member of the group fails, then the group takes collective responsibility to help that person recover, or ultimately they take responsibility for the re-payment of the failed individual’s loan.
The verbal application has to include the explanation of a simple business plan, enough to show that the project has been diligently considered and is expected to be feasible. The applicant must show that they have the skills to do the job.
There are 7 things that the applications committee will need to know:
a) WHAT is the proposal - exactly ?
b) WHY will this work? Is there a market for the product or service ?
c) WHO is to be involved - who are the customers, the workers, the supervisors, the advisors ?
d) WHERE - will the business be located - exactly ?
e) WHEN will the project start, and when will it be up and running ?
f) HOW MUCH will it cost to set up the business ?
g) HOW will it happen - first step, the second step and so on ?
If the application receives the favor of the committee then the applicant receives the money and begins to work on his her project under the regular weekly supervision and self-help meeting of the group and under the care of the member of the bank committee who calls to collect the repayments. He is perhaps a businessman or home group leader or elder from the church.
As soon as the installments begin to be paid or the loan is repaid in full, the incoming funds are immediately added to the general fund and go out again as soon as possible into the hands of the next approved applicant. The original beneficiary may apply for a further loan to develop their business.
The loans will generally be given to a group of 4-12 individuals in a church, with a recognized church leader as the primary applicant. This leader will be responsible for the payment on the loan and for instructing and holding accountable all other participants in the loans.

2007-04-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

Thursday, April 12, Cape Town

We flew to Cape Town yesterday, our first visit to this fabled city. A minivan taxi drove us the 50-minute journey from the airport to Fishhoek, a small beach town on the eastern side of the point of Africa. As we traveled southward, the Indian and Atlantic Oceans coming ever closer to merge their warm and cool waters, the terrain became more and more mountainous, towering rocky crags above populated valleys. Perhaps these rugged mountains that become narrower and narrower and finally make one last valiant effort to stand against the sea at the very point—perhaps only this ruggedness could withstand the battering when seas collide.

There is a unique, exotic feel here, like the setting of an Agatha Christie novel, seemingly far-removed from the Africa of orphans, AIDS and poverty. There’s no question why Cape Town with its natural beauty is a favorite of world travelers. And yet we passed mile upon mile of shantytowns coming from the airport, not a blade of grass to be seen—reminded us of Cite du Soleil, Haiti’s vast slums in Port au Prince. These are the homes of those who’ve come to the city looking for work, most of them unsuccessful—a hotbed of broken families, street-wise kids, abuse, poverty, pain. No sign of all that from our balcony overlooking a cozy beach town amid the hills, mist rising from the distant ocean.

This land is full of contradictions, and things that seemed clear at first glance are becoming more and more complex. We see the crying need of orphaned children, we know of many friends at home who want to come and help somehow—the obvious solution is to build homes (we like that better than the institutional feel of an orphanage), staff them with you our friends, and let them fill with kids. Of course there would be issues of child-rearing, language, etc., but we could teach and model strong families based on godly principles, affection and discipline, etc. etc.

We are rethinking this somewhat after observing a number of ministries to orphans. Iris in Maputo houses 500 children in what we would consider pretty spartan conditions. They live in dorms of about 50 children each, receive three meals a day and schooling. There is a constant stream of Western visitors, 30-40 on any given day, who choose a lucky few to go for a Coke or to swim in a nearby pool. The priority for Iris is to reunite children with relatives if possible. If not, at age 18 they are released into the surrounding community. These who have lived a far-more deprived life than we would want for our own children are encountering big-time problems upon being thrust back into Mozambican society. They suddenly have to work hard just to survive, they sometimes no longer remember their families’ dialect. They long for life back at the orphanage. The same place that protected them also holds them back from the reality of life in their own country. (Iris is taking steps to remedy this by implementing a job-training program for 18-yr olds).

The most effective programs seem to locate Mozambican women who are already housing orphans and come alongside of them with resources, business opportunities, etc. Best-case scenario is when these who serve as front-line caregivers are people who desire to learn—more of God, more about child-rearing, with a Western couple overseeing, modeling fathering and mothering, modeling how men relate to women. Unfortunately, local men seem to be mostly absent from this picture.

We’re still observing, still throwing around ideas, but seeing that we with our naïve zeal may need to step back a bit. That’s OK—we’re open to God refining our vision. That’s what this whole trip is about. What an adventure! Thanks for your support in every way—we stand in constant need of all that God offers us. I read yesterday from II Peter—“his divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him.” Everything I need has already been given, everything I need to live life abundantly, to really live and not just exist, and so to bring God glory. Everything I need for godliness, the resources to be patient, selfless, humble, genuine. Thank you for being part of the resources of God to us.

2007-04-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

MUSIK 4 LIFE CAMP - WITH MANDATE TEAM

After staff prayer dedicating this day to the Lord, I tie red ribbons around 42 first-grade wrists. This is my team for the week of Musik 4 Life (Intentionally renamed to avoid problems) camp (part of African Children’s Choir) in Schoemansdal, Nkomazi, South Africa. I begin to rethink my request to work with the younger-aged children, as I realize they know next to no English… With heavy reliance on smiles and touch, we are still able to communicate. In fact, so many hands clamor to stake a claim on these American arms that I am in danger of falling over! A minor fist fight breaks out between two sweet little girls vying for the place of honor beside me. Language proves no barrier to these children who simply want to BE with me.

In the days to come, the Red Team and I enjoy many activities together—sports, dance class, games, music, and crafts. Sixty percent of these children are orphaned, and this camp during school holidays fills some empty hours for them. Eyes open when the parachute play begins. There is a bit of chaos—they simply cannot contain their delight, let go of the edge and run hither and yon under the floating fabric, laughing all the way.

The American group I am here with, in addition to leading teams of children, presents a dramatized Bible story every day after lunch. By week’s end we are both exhausted and enriched. The happy hordes that waited impatiently at the gate every morning now turn homeward. We pray fervently that God’s truth will transcend language and culture, that these 300 new friends will know they are precious in His sight.

2007-04-06T02:37:00.000-07:00

LIFE IN NKOMAZI SOUTH AFRICA

(Click on picture frame to view liberary of online pictures!!)

We had a wonderful intense week in SA working with Musik 4 Life (this is not the real name of the group, but close). The best part of it was living in the community with a wonderful family. We had 10 of us from the States, the mother, her 3 daughters and 2 grandkids, living in 3 bedrooms a living room and kitchen. The mother gave up her bedroom and privacy to allow Regina and Chris and I have her bedroom. The 3 girls slept in the living room floor and the 3 guys on the kitchen floor. We were sooo blessed that this family gave us their best - they kept trying to make it so that we would eat first, then they would do all the clean-up while we sat around. We fought them about this a few times, but usually ended up going with the flow. Of course there were the normal inconveniences of thirld-world poverty living - a few bugs, an uncomfortable potty and shower setting, a bit less privacy than we are used to, the chickens that start crowing at 2am, etc.

This wonderful woman also has 21 orphans who live with her part time (see them in this picture, lined up getting goodies we brought). Actually they have homes nearby, but their existence is pretty miserable, so they spend as much time as they can at Venola’s. She gets bread from Thembelathu to feed them a 2” slab of bread with jam daily so they don’t starve at least. Often she feeds them out of her own meager stores. Some of them live in a home together with no adult, and others live with a granny who resents them being there – making even the 7 or 9 year olds do the cooking and cleaning and firewood gathering. Supposedly they are mistreated and unloved. But Venola loves them and when I asked her about them she cries for them quickly. She plays games with them, teaches them songs and long recitations to perform for visitors, gives them clothes and trinkets. We brought along with us a ton of things to pass out to them and she could not keep a single thing back for another day, but had to give it all away at once – bubbles, bouncy balls, dresses, necklaces, jump ropes, puzzles, little cars, pencils and paper tablets, etc. I wish we had had more room to bring more blankets – I’m sure they all could have used some of them. I walked with a couple – wanting to walk them home to see how they live, but when they got to the crossroad, they would go no further till I went back – they are ashamed of their home and did not want me to see it.

We are going back there in a few weeks and hope we can get more real info about how they live so that we can help them with what they need. I think these may be some of the orphans we have been asking God to lead us to so we can help them. Perhaps we can sponsor some of these orphans or the orphan headed household – I will try to work on this.

I also made preliminary steps to set up another micro business loan bank in this needy area.

Let me tell you about the area – it is in Nkomazi region of SA : near the northern border of Swaziland, and just a couple hours from the Moz border. This area is a melting pot of Swazi, Moz, South African blacks. Many come here to look for work on farms and end up with HIV and living unemployed with a new wife and kids after they have left there family in another country. It is 50% HIV rate; 5-6 dying weekly in a small village; leaving 5-10 orphans; the system of available homes for orphans is already so overtaxed that we are running out of places. There is a need in this place for more orphan homes with loving families to care for them. There is also a need to give micro business loans to encourage stable church families to consider taking in an orphan or two.

So this is what we are offering to a church in this area – find a board of responsible citizens with the pastor as the head of the board, we will give money for a number of small business loans which they will review applications for, give the money, and receive payments as the loans are repaid. Then they will have money to reinvest in more business loans for others. The only requirement is that the business seems feasible, the applicant is an orphan or caring for orphans, and they are in need. We will start small and hopefully if it is successful, we will invest more and more. We are hoping many church people will take in orphans and get freed from poverty.

The family we stayed with will hopefully be the first applicant and loan recipient. She is a hard worker and very godly and responsible.

Just as we were leaving the health and welfare people from the state were there at her house asking her if she could take in another orphan – the girl had been orphaned and went to live with grandparents. Both grandparent were just killed in a car accident. She has nowhere to go. This is the common story of life in this region. Poor Venola – she just looked at me with desperation, knowing she had nothing more to give, but how could she just ignore this poor girl who had nowhere else to go?

We are so blessed with the leadership of Liana in this team. She is able to identify with every difficult element on the team and gently, honestly bring truth to the situation in a way that invites and compels an honest response from the person who is in their trench and determined to fight to the death. Walls are coming down, confession, healing, unity, forgiveness… Jesus is working us over as a team and I am so blessed with the growth that is happening in each member.

4/4

Left off the team at the airport today. We have really grown close. I am lonely today for my family and church at home. I hope this is what we are supposed to do. We could use the time for fun and travel and sights. But we are sent by God to do this work. So hello to all our family and church at home. We love you and miss you.

2007-03-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

New recruits joining in the work

Four young people are preparing themselves to join in the work of caring for orphans.
Orphan Hope is totally voluntary, and we do not at this time have a base of operations in Africa. So we operate at this time like a clearing house to help people get meaningfully involved in the work we are commonly passionate about.
Jordan Shamburg is a young woman from our congregation (just turned 21 a few days ago) who has been to South Africa three times with our Mandate mission team, and has decided that this is the place where her heart is. She had a good job at Starbucks, just got a good raise, a crazy/wonderful family, places she could go… But there seemed something missing or shallow after experiencing the stark realities of life and death in Africa. So she gave notice, raised a few thousand dollars from friends and family and is off to Africa with an open ticket – could be 3 months, 6 or 12! She will stay a few months in Maputo Mozambique with the Kutwanana church and ministry, then see where God leads her.

Kyle Showalter is a young guy who in the past few years has gotten serious about serving and living for God. So he works for his uncle’s pumpkin factory for a few months each fall, then has enough money to live for the rest of the year. So this year he wants to come and serve in Africa. He went with the Mandate School to their Missions Exposure school in Mexico for the month of Feb; then again with them to their mission trip to central Mexico for the month of March; then will join us in southern Africa for April and May, and will find another African opportunity when we leave to take him up to pumpkin harvest in Sept. (Kyle’s brother Caleb has been trying to find an opportunity to spend significant time working with African orphans as well – maybe next year).

Liana Bumstead, my daughter, had two ministry loves: making music and missions. So for two years she gave herself to music – made a CD, toured, grew a fan base, played gigs… She loved it and it just came to her. Then about Nov 2006 it seemed the concerts began slowing down, no new songs were coming, CD sales were not flowing. Then God began to reawaken her desire to serve Him in missions – particularly with the orphans and the poor. Now she is leading our Mandate trip to southern Africa and will stay on with us until the end of May. Then she wants to go home, earn some $ and come back for a year or more.

Donna Jager, my other daughter (almost), just heard the call, submitted it to God, asked if He wanted it to happen she would need the money for a ticket by such a date, and God amazingly provided even as she turned away people who were offering to help her. She will join us in Johannesburg in early April and seek with us the place of fruitful service. She and others may stay longer if God so chooses.

Many other young people have asked at different times about going to Africa to spend time with orphan work. Praise God for the call of the Spirit to his Bride – he is calling many to be his hands and feet of mercy to the poor. Is this not the way the church of the first few centuries grew to such an astounding extent? They were known as the rabble, the slaves, the outcasts, the poor of the earth. But they became great! Onesimus, who was the slave that Paul met in prison and sent back to his master Philemon, became the pastor of one of the largest churches in the Christian world! And so will these orphans become great! When I hear of the debacles of some of these African despots like Mugabe, I pray, “Dear Lord, may an orphan who is raised by loving Christian servants rise up and be the next leader of an African nation to restore the land once again to sanity and morality and godly character.”

2007-03-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

3-16

The guys are working every day on the orphan home, the girls working at the school doing a skit of a bible story, then a craft and a game that matches the story. The home is 4 x 3 meters –about 12’x16’ with 2 rooms – one for sleeping and one for living space. They cook outside over a little fire with sticks the kids pick up around, so they don’t need a kitchen. You can see in the picture the granny and her little reed house – about 12’x12 or so. She is caring for 2 grandkids – a little boy of 8 and a girl of 11. The mother died of AIDS a while ago, and the kids never knew their dads. The other day a man came and took the girl saying that he was the dad. No one could confirm it, so he left with the girl. Supposedly she is coming back soon. This is the way life is here in the poor places – they almost don’t care because it is so costly to care. The granny has AIDS too but has a card that puts her in line to receive ARV’s (Anti-Retroviral drugs) – she calls it “the card of death”. I think she has TB as well, but if a person is faithful with their medicines it can be totally cured.

Work on the house is interesting, and a bit boring. I paid $300 for the main house blocks, all the sand and gravel. Then I bought the blocks for the foundation, the cement and the rebar for another $450. We spent a long time measuring out, putting stakes and strings just like we would on a foundation at home (there was an engineer there who knew “a squared + b squared = c squared” and laid it out precisely. The problem was, he laid it out and left, so when the mason began to lay the brick he did not even try to follow the string. I was in and out so did not notice it till there was lots done, and then I did not want to come and tell him to do it all over again! But it was WAY out of square. I groaned and prayed about it all evening. The next morning the pastor came out to inspect the work and he saw it too and immediately told him to tear out 2 walls and correct them! Thank you Jesus – he is so good to know how to do that delicate kind of thing.) We dug out about 2 blocks deep and 2’ wide around the perimeter and under the middle wall. Then as the masons would carefully lay the blocks just right we would mix the cement on the ground and hand them blocks. There was not much for us to do – mostly sit under a tree and drink water. We had to fetch the water in 5 gal containers and one 40 gal barrel from the church every day. We did this for 4 days – each day blistering hot – I saw the temp gauge several times read 43 degrees Celsius – whatever that is! We are leaving without it complete, so I gave another $400 so the work would not lag when we are gone. They guys doing the work on it are all from the church and are doing it with no talk about wages. I said we should pay them, so the pastor is going to give the mason about $60 and the helpers $20 each for the complete job. I think it will cost around $1500 all told. They will pour a cement floor and a tin roof with 2 windows and 2 doors. There may be enough block left over to dig a good septic pit for her toilet.

3-18

It is sooo hot it is hard to keep going. Some of us have been a bit sick by it – just lazing around in the shade of a tree reading. We are at Iris Ministries now. Iris is a large compound in Maputo, Mozambique, with 500 orphans and a bunch of Bible students and a large staff of radical Christians moving around and doing ministry here, and all over Mozambique. People from all over the world come here and stay at the nice comfortable visitors compound here while they play and love the orphans here and go out to various outreaches that are planned. There is not much to do during the days unless you are one of the lucky ones to be able to go on an outreach. Titus, Evan, Lenna and Katie went with a few others from other teams overnight into the bush of Mozambique. We will see what adventures they have to share tomorrow night when they return. Lenna and Katie and Brandon also went to the dump where many people live. They can write about that adventure. I (Dan) signed up for an outreach that got canceled. There is a mobilizing of forces from Iris to travel up into northern Moz to help with the flood relief – Liana was curious and may look into doing some of that when the team leaves. I am just now believing that money has just come in for Donna for her trip to Africa. Db.

3-19

The team is back from the bush – had a great time. Liana and Jordan went to pray at a hospital this afternoon – quite a few accepted Christ after each one preached in a different ward. It is so nice and cool all day, and down-right cold this evening! I have on a sweatshirt! Amazing. It is threatening to rain the last couple nights. This team is doing wonderful. We had an opportunity to go to Kruger Park to see African wildlife, but most of them prefer to go back to Joburg instead so they can go to a church meeting at Petra. Brandon and Titus are so popular with the orphans here at Iris orphanage. They call Brandon Mr. Bean, and Titus it Tito. Most of the girls have their hair in little braids. Regina is spending her time at the baby house – we recognize some of the babies who were barely surviving 3 years ago when we were here – now they are thriving. One of the Iris Ministry leaders told us their vision of turning Africa from the prevalent spirit of an orphan (begging, depressed, unloved, thieving, violent, self-serving, promiscuous, etc) to the spirit of adoption – knowing that they are adopted into the Family of God : heirs, children of the King of Kings, victorious, privileged, able to do all things, secure, selfless, self-controlled, etc. The kids here at Iris reflect this – with 500 kids in one compound you are asking for trouble – especially when so many had terrible lives. But it is awesome to see these kids worship, pray, minister to one another, play and share things with each other, have good social skills and good self image, and looking fairly happy and secure. They are doing something right here. I wonder what happens to those who turn 18 and must be released into the community. Lord, watch them and care for them.

Does anyone want to go help with refugees from the floods in central Moz? We will be looking into this more in the coming weeks and send info if we do in fact go. Or maybe some of us will go and others stay. Look on the internet news about flooding in Moz and about relief work. Then look at Iris Ministries website to see what is required to come and help. We are here, but finding it hard to get info from onsite here. But rumor has it that there is no formal application process, and anyone who shows up at the Maputo Iris base (that we are at now) will be transported to the emergency zone and put to work. Db.

3-21

Iris has regular outreaches into the city to minister to various elements. I went on one tonight not knowing what I was going to. The Iris team was about 6 15-18 year olds and there were 3 whites. First we went to the city jail. The police took one cell of 12 men and hauled them from their urine stinking cell to a nearby corridor and commanded them to squat while the young folks shared that we wanted to sing and pray and share the word with them. Most were very respectful – desperate might be the right word. All but two of them prayed with us and seemed to be receiving what was being imparted. It was glorious! Why don’t we do that more? Are there desperate people in our society that would be eager for someone to come and share with them? Then we handed out bread – about 2 loves per person.

Next we went to a little meeting hall. No one was there so we went on the street and tried to round up people. It was dark, and the streets are full of litter, poor people digging in garbage, prostitutes, desperate people. By the time we got back to the hall there were about 20 so we were ready to start when suddenly a whole troop of rowdy young people came crashing in, laughing, making a scene, etc. It was ok while we were singing – we could stay as loud as they. But when we tried to pray or preach it was impossible. Unfortunately the young ones came and asked me to preach! Jesus, take over! And he did. He inspired me to wash their feet, which I did randomly thru the crowd, speaking to them personally thru and interpreter as I went. I told them how much Jesus loves them, created them for his glory and family, and wants them to be his kids. There was not a lot I could say. I tried to impress on them that soon some of them will be sick with AIDS, and could meet Jesus sooner than expected – the time is now to find him. Probably about 15-20 came and knelt down at the front and said a prayer to invite Jesus as Lord. Then they brought out the bread and there was about a riot as they were all crowding and hogging as much as they could get. What a pity. There are so few opportunities to make a living here – most will be beggers and live from hand to mouth. A free loaf of bread is a real bonus. Pray for these homeless youth of Maputo. My heart, and our Lord’s, go out to them. Db.

2007-03-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Today was a good day; such a simple statement, but the truth. The guys (Dan, Titus, Brandon, Evan and Chris) left at 7:00 a.m. to go work on the house for orphan Antonino and his sick grandmother. Us girls (Lenna, Liana, Regina, Jordan and I) left for work with the kids at the church at 8:30ish (African time, they say be ready at 8, but it could be 9). When we got to the church we left shortly to visit a family. This family consists of a mom and 5 kids. Four of them are mentally challenged and/or handicapped. All of the kids have a different dad and the mom is not married. How do I describe our visit…? It was heartbreaking. The neediest of the kids is Oswaldo (spelling??). He is 14 years old, but he looks like he is 6, and he weighs about 45 pounds. He has a gaping sore on his neck that constantly oozes puss; flies never leave that sore alone. He cannot walk so he crawls in the sand to get around. The oldest girl Dulce is 19. She is mentally not with it. The mother leaves a lot to take the baby to the hospital, so when the mom leaves a man comes around the house and rapes the oldest daughter. Because of this abuse Dulce receives, she in turn molests her younger sister, Arminda who is 16. They don’t know any better and both have great disabilities and a huge lack of understanding. The 6 or 7 year old Bentu, is the only one without disabilities. The baby is 1 ½ and all he can do is cry, his limbs are limp.
So we went to see them and we brought toys. As soon as we got there we felt ridiculous. Toys??? Toys cannot make their hunger pains go away. Toys cannot cure their illnesses. These kids only get one meal a day, only IF someone remembers to brings them food. We soon left, with the promise that we would return later with food.
After the kids program in the morning we brought them some food. It was so sad to see them eat it so fast, not pausing to swallow or chew, but just cramming it in. All 5 of the kids and the mom sleep in a tiny, one room stick house, with sand floors. I really don’t know what else to say about them… except pray as God leads. Pray the mom can find some work so her kids can eat. Pray the man will stop coming around for Dulce. Pray God heals those kids.
Tonight we got the chance to go to a home group at one of the church members homes. It was awesome to worship, pray and fellowship with our Mozambican brothers and sisters. They would pray in Portuguese and we would pray in English. They would sing a song in Portuguese and then sing a verse in English. We got the chance to pray for the family with the 5 kids that we visited today. One of the main things prayed for was protection over those kids. They are fatherless and we asked God to be the Father for them and to send angels to protect them from harm. There is definitely some spiritual warfare happening with that family.
I could say more, but I am tired and maybe you are tired of reading this… if you made it this far. : )
So goodnight, whatever time it is back at home (it’s probably morning there). Oh, a few minutes ago I was super-gluing an earring back together and I got some glue on my finger, so I got the earring stuck to my finger. Why do things like that only happen to me?? : )

Peace,
katie

2007-03-11T07:57:00.000-07:00

KUTWANANA – Maputo, Mozambique.

What a day or two here! On the ride from the bus, sitting next to Pastor Patrick ___ we were just chit chatting away the ride, when I asked him what brought him to Moz (he is from Zambia). It startled him and it took him a while to really divulge it all. In fact he said that no one had ever asked him before (this amazed me). But he is one of those people whom God calls and gives a vision and passion when he is too young to be taken seriously. His passion was Mozambique and India. One day God spoke to him in a vision that he must go. He told no one, but he quietly prayed and prepared for the open door. When that day came he and his young family (wife and 3 kids) sold all they had and moved to Mozambique. They knew one other missionary from their Brethren Church who lived in Mozambique, but no one else. They did not speak the language at all, so to even get groceries they had to do sign language or read from a dictionary. They were constantly in prayer, hearing the Father’s affirmation that they were on the right track. The first time Patrick felt inclined to preach to some people he still knew so little Portuguese – but he started speaking out, things that he could not even understand, but they did understand. “From then on” he said, “I could speak it freely”. They suffered greatly – without finances, all their brethren from home seemed to disengage from them (they have never yet in 17 years had one visitor from their home place), and falsely accused.

But God has blessed them in their faithful service.
Today they have a growing church of 150 or so (in the 3 hour service today I am sure there were 250 crammed in, but it was inflated because of our presence and it was a special school program that possibly grannies and parents who don’t normally attend were there). The buildings are nice, but unfinished. The people I have seen a bit of seem to have been well discipled. He told me stories of people who came from utter sinfulness who are now holy. He pointed out a woman whose husband and daughter died of AIDS, she then came to Christ. Since then two more daughters died the same way. She has one remaining daughter, a beautiful, godly 13 year old.
They operate a home health organization with numerous care givers trained to minister to AIDS patients (as well as other diseases for the poor), take care of burial arrangements, and care for orphans. We heard numerous stories of people who they met who were at the point of death and thru prayer, care, and ARV’s have recovered, found Christ, and are now living normal transformed lives. One lady gave an emotional testimony today of her recovery and then held up a beautiful 2 year old who is a child of grace – given after her new lease on life. Another man who came for help, nearly dead with AIDS, is now a deacon in their church, and the one he trusts to care for the money of the church.
Part of this home health organization is caring for the orphans. They oversee 250 orphans in theory, but practically only about 80. I’m sure we saw all 250 today! This is one of the most impressive parts of their story. We saw so many orphans and poor kids of the community who after years of involvement with the church, are bright and disciplined and full of life with hope of a future. One is now in college and the church hopes to raise enough to get him thru 3 more years ($1000 per year!). And there are more that have a hope that perhaps they could go to college too! That is a hope that a few years ago would not have even been dreamed of.
They have a Christian school of 50 orphans and 20 community kids that seems to be well run if understaffed.
They have a community water project. A church had a well dug and a pump installed for them, and another church donated a generator and a large tank for the roof. They have several spigots on the side of the church building and every day they sell water to the community. This is a service to them, as they do not need to walk so far; and the money goes to the orphans; and the very sick and orphan homes get it free. The community knows they care.
They had a project of making cement blocks, then installing them as well built outhouses for a minimum cost to home owners in the area. This would be a great service for the community because the normal poorly constructed toilets are a health problem. The project would employ a few workers and some profit given to the orphan work.
They are training foster parents for the orphans. Since the ministry provides food for the orphans it is incentive for people to take a few in. But they must also learn to be good parents to them.
They have a “wood shop” and a “sewing industry” of sorts to try to train a few in trades. This is only helping a few now, but could grow.
OH is talking with them about funding a chicken industry – again employment for a few and some of the proceeds going to orphans.

Pray for us. Tomorrow we start building the orphan home. I bought 500 block, rock and sand yesterday for $300. We will see if $1000 will finish it.

I already found another family I want to build a house for – single mom with 5 kids in a bamboo stick shack 10x15 or so. All but one of the kids are mentally and physically handicapped – one severely. Can a church raise $1500 to build for them? What about a Crispy Kreme sale? We will do it when we get back perhaps.

Love you all. It is getting hot! – 95 and very humid.
Bye. In Him. Dan.

2007-03-08T02:37:00.000-08:00

We have arrived in Africa and God is with us! One bag got lost in the airport, but God did not. That is good news. Actually, we even retrieved the bag.

We miss our two little girls soooo much! Hello McKenna and Charis - I hope you can both see this. And Jake and Dawna too! And Andy and Norma! And so many others.

Here is a small miracle we can thank God for: We were sitting in the Mozambique embassy applying for visas. We have bus tickets reserved for 10pm tonight, so we must get these visas today if we are to get on the bus to Maputo. Suddenly the lady at the desk tells us we must have a letter of invitation from the ministry in Maputo that is inviting us - "no problem, we have it!" - but it must be signed by the representative of the ministry - "well I guess we don't have it!" Perhaps we can get it faxed, but it must be there by noon - "no way - they are in a prayer meeting at that ministry till noon on Thursdays". So, when all else is failing, we all bow our heads, right there in the lobby of the embassy, and start praying. "God, if you want us to go to this place and help your little ones, will you open a door for us?" Not two minutes later another lady comes charging into the room and wonders what is taking us so long. We tell her and she explains that no, they do not need that letter signed for the double entry visa that we want! Now tell me - who sent that lady in there? Yes, God is with us.

Pray for Lenna. Her feet are all swollen up. I will send pictures later, but she looks like she has a young body on grandma legs! And some others of us are having the same problem, but not so bad. God spoke to us that perhaps our feet, that were prophesied over just Sunday - beautiful feet bringing good news on the mountains, feet shod with the preperation of the gospel of peace - these feet were lame because perhaps our hearts were not ready to share the gospel. Were we ready, in season and out of season to give an answer for the hope that is in us? We determined to give our lives to God and be ready for any opportunity to share the gospel. Then we would see how our feet look tonight.

We all are well. Had a fun few hours in Frankfurt Germany strolling the streets. The weather is beautiful here today, after months of intense heat and zero rain, they got a couple cool days and a bit of rain last night - God is with us!

Pray for our coming days - an all night bus trip to Mozambique. Pray for saftey for us and our luggage. Then tomorrow we start building the orphan house. It has been very hot in Maputo - 90+ and humid. This is a picture of the family who we will serve with on our first week in Maputo.

We have been having a great time with Merna and her family and wonderful church in Johannesburg.

2006-06-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

Norma Bumstead, who is apart of the work going on in South Africa
.... here is some of her story..........

It's Norma here, I'm going to tell you what happened when I went on carewalks this week. Lets start on monday when I went with a Lady named Margaret to the town next to ours, Jeppes Reef. I had requested that we visit some of the orphan headed homes so that we could destribute the gifts that were sent with us. So we went to three different homes. The first home we went to had just a 15 year old girl named Beautiful. She has a brother who is 23 but he comes and goes so she is very lonely. She spends a lot of time with her neighbors. While we were visiting her she told us that she would love to go to school but she had fines of about $17 american and so she could not go. So I told her that she must come down to Themba and we would take care of her fines for her. The next home we went to was Beautiful's neighbors. There were 7 children and a mother but they really wanted us to come and sit down and visit for a while. We were sitting and watching the children play with the cobs of corn. So I opened my bag and asked them if they would like something else to play with, they came running as soon as I showed them what they had. In fact one of the little girls immediately dropped her cobs of corn and streched out her hands. Kathy I gave the three little girls the baggies that you gave me, they loved the little dolls. A couple hours later we saw the children playing and they all had the little dolls. One of them even had the little doll wrapped around her the same way the mothers do with their children. The third home we went to that day was a 28 year old with 2 sisters and her own daughter and they needed some blankets but we didn't have them with us so we told them we would come back in a couple of days. So yesterday we went back. They were very appreciative of them, it has rained the last few days and I'm sure they are very happy they have them. We were on our way home yesterday and our careworker Margaret asked us if we would like to go visit one more home. This was not one of her patients or an orphan home but they were in desprate need. They lost their home in the rain. The mothers 5 children were all in the home when it collapsed in the rain. One of the older boys had a bandage on his arm but none were seriously harmed. However now they are homeless. It was the most difficult thing I have ever faced, a mother with 5 little ones to take care of and her home to be wiped out so quickly. Her youngest was about 9 months old. I asked her if I could pray for her and she said yes. I walked over to where she was sitting on her mattress in her yard and as I walked over I felt so humbled but also so useless, like what could I possibly have to offer this lady. So I prayed for her and her children and we cried together asking God to take care of her in this horrible time. I gave her all the money I had on me, which wasn't even $20. Danielle gave her sandwiches to her so they would have something to eat. I had a sick feeling in my stomach last night as it was raining and I was thinking about this little family that had 3 walls standing that were made of cardboard and burlap sacks. We're trying to find a way to help this family, even getting them a tent to live in until Themba can help rebuild their home. This is just one of the experiences we have had here. I pray that God is using us in ways that are touching these people for eternity. We want to make a lasting difference in the lives of the people here and also in our own hearts, that we would leave this place a different people. Thanks for your prayers. We'll see all of you soon and may God Bless You Richly. Andy & Norma Bumstead

2006-04-18T18:07:00.000-07:00

ORPHAN HOPE Here is a letter from Jake who is now in South Africa, in an area with 50% HIV rate rampantly killing the young. He is helping orphans and AIDS victims.
From Jake:

Today is the Lord's and I will rejoice in knowing that I am his! Pray for the children of South Africa as they struggle to survive in a world set against them. Pray that I might have the grace and strength to make a difference in the lives of the children in our home. Pray that Christ would strengthen me to know his love more fully so that I will have something to give to those hungry for the affection and care of a family.

Let me share with you an experience from this morning - Thembalethu has only one orphan home at this time due to lack of financial support, but this one home is making a difference for the lives of 13 children. The orphan home, Goodhope, is just down from where I live and the kids come to play everyday after school and also stay every weekend with us. It is now the Easter Holiday and all the kids are out of school so they are staying with us this week. Raymond, the youngest of the boys, is probably 6 or 7 seven and is a bundle of smiles and laughs. However, he is HIV+ and is continually fighting to stay healthy. He is constantly battling soars which breakout all over his body - his head is covered with open soars and his armpits and genitals are covered with small rash-like soars. When he is able to take antiretroviral drugs (ARV's) we are able to keep the soars contained and he heals quickly, but ARV's are not always available. The local hospital usually supplies ARV's but even they are inconsistent and often run out of antibiotics. This morning I bathed him and applied antibiotics to his soars. But when clothing him, I was hardly able to get his shirt on because of the pain it was causing him to simply pull the shirt over his head. The poor little guy is doing his best to be strong but he faces the same problems every day and for a boy this young and without a family it is difficult. My challange is to be there with him, showing him love, caring for him as best I can, trying to provide the best family I can for someone who has none. My heart is breaking for these kids - so I do what I can to show them the love of a Father they are only begining to know. Thank you for your prayers and support which is making this possible. ~ Jake

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2006-04-13T09:16:00.000-07:00

This is the first post for the new site of ORPHAN HOPE blog spot. I hope that it will help the world to see the tremendous opportunity and responsibility we have in Africa (primarily) in caring for, and raising up, millions of orphans to have a hope and a future. Please join me in the delight of giving of our lives to help some that are truly in need.

Dan