Joy In Sierra Leone

I arrived in Sierra Leone with some expectations since some friends had gone a couple of years before, but nothing can prepare you for what you see when you arrive. The kids and staff were all outside waiting for us and singing “Welcome … we love you in Jesus’ name”. They had spelled out “Welcome” in white painted rocks in front of their humble home. It’s an emotional first glimpse into the lives of these orphans. This is not my first orphanage experience. I arrived at an orphanage in Fuling China in July of 2005 to hold babies and give the nannies a much needed break, and I returned in March of 2006 to pick up a 9 year old boy who we adopted. God sometimes has plans that are different than ours.

This trip to Sierra Leone pulled at my heart strings just as much, only these children have the blessing of growing up with Pastor Rogers, the orphanage director, as their surrogate father. I was drawn to the spiritual maturity of the children and spent a great deal of time getting to know them and listening to their stories. Several teenage girls took me aside and asked me to be their mum. My teenage daughter was on the trip with me so my heart just broke for these girls. As much as they are loved and cared for in this home, they know that life will be very difficult for them as they grow older.

Something that made a lasting impact on me is an experience we had with all of the teenage girls and Mrs. Rogers. We gathered in a circle and asked questions of one another. One question that was posed to them was to tell us something they like about themselves and then something they like about the person next to them. They really felt uncomfortable talking about themselves, but loved saying nice things about their “sisters”. In Sierra Leone, they don’t have electronics and stuff to fill their lives with. So they take the time to pray and worship and read. They are poor financially but rich in spiritual values. I so want to be like them in that way!!! I vowed to change my ways when I returned home but our culture sucks you in like a vacuum. Some of the girls made bracelets for me and I have them on my dresser to remind me to live a rich spiritual life, like they do.

When I heard a team was returning in January, I had to write letters to my “kids” and let them know how much I love them. I received so many letter back as they expressed their appreciation for Americans and how we help them. They appreciate the water well they have and the pigs and their home and they know many people sacrificed so they could have these essentials. Giving towards this project makes a very broad positive impact.

I look forward to my return next year along with my daughter who went last year and another daughter who wants to meet all these wonderful children. Pastor Rogers, his staff, and New Hope Initiative are changing a corner of the world one orphan at a time and needs the support of people like us. Will you consider being a part of that change?

By Joy Nobilini

Amazing India

We want to invite you to be a part of an amazing experience as New Hope Initiative travels to India this coming September. You will have an opportunity to serve as a volunteer in our special needs orphanage as well as experiencing of of the worlds most distinctive and unique cultures. The trip dates are still a bit tentative however we are planning on departing Saturday September 27 and returning around Monday October 6. The cost cannot be finalized until we have the airfare booked however we estimate the cost of this all inclusive experience to be between $2200 and $2500 dollars.

The major focus of this trip will be to spend time and help with the developmental issues of our special needs children who live in our orphanage near Hyderabad India in the center of this amazing country. Even if you have no experience with special needs children we can train and prepare you to have a part in this mission. We will also, depending on the skill set of our team, spend some time working on the physical buildings, and possibly doing some training of the staff.

We want to have our team finalized by late May so that we can get the best prices on lodging and airfare so if you are interested please communicate with our director Sandy Baird at s.baird@newhopeintiative.org. Sandy is planning on personally taking part in this trip. He will put you in contact with our India project and team trip directors Miguel and Katrina Bustos. This promises to be an incredible experience, we would love to have you join us!

Letter from Pastor Rogers

Dear All, We are grateful to God for your self-sacrifices in making our once hopeless children now bounce with hope.  We are grateful to you for making this project a wonder in our small village and its environs.  If not for the love of Christ in your hearts, these children would not have become what they are today.  Our children want to be in touch with their sponsors very often, but Internet is a luxury in our village.  I have been trying everyday for a week to find a strong enough signal to send this message.  Cell communication is also poor in our remote setting.

Everyone here is healthy and kicking.  Prayer for you, our sponsors, is a must in our daily devotions.  The kids are curious to see those who have never seen them but love them so much.  This is because we let the children know who is sacrificing so much to give them a future. 

The love of Christ is vividly shown to our community through this project and to some extent, makes evangelism easy to the lost.  This would not have been possible without you.  God could have chosen to use another person, but He chose you and that makes your sacrifice for these kids very significant. Especially since this is the first project of its kind in our entire district!

Once more, we are grateful for your great love for us.  We assure you that your donations are raising a mighty army for the Lord.  He will richly bless you.  We love you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

For and on behalf of the kids, Pastor Francis Rogers - Home Director

Hearing Im(re)paired

As we focus on the ministry of New Hope Initiative we primarily report on the progress at our individual projects. These reports general give updates on the progress of our works as a whole. However it is extremely important to remember that it is individual people with names, faces, and personal needs that are ultimately the ones benefited by our work. We haven't reported recently on our special needs orphanage in India and the progress for that center, as a whole, is very encouraging but I want to focus today on one very encouraging story. Thirteen your old Malik came to our special needs orphanage outside of Hyderabad India one year ago. He was brought by his frantic mother who could not afford to raise him nor did she have any ability to cope with his hearing disability. Malik's father had abandoned the entire family because in his misguided religious belief he considered Malik's hearing loss to be a curse on his family from the gods. Malik had never had anyone work with him to help him overcome his challenges. He could not speak, he could not do sign language, he had little formal education, and only communicated with self taught rudimentary gestures.

Our staff at the orphanage instantly recognized the extraordinary ability that this young man possessed and began to work with his academic and social skills. The Indian government has a correspondence course for hearing impaired children and Malik immediately began to fly through the regiments. He finished entire grades in the matter of weeks and immediately proved through technology to be an academically gifted young man.

In September, New Hope Initiative traveled to India along with a team from Sagemont Church in Houston TX. Our team was immediately impressed by the amazing personality and obvious ability of this now 14 year old young man. One of our team members had read about the large number of children in India who were categorized as non hearing that actually had never been properly tested, so immediately we began to make plans to take Malik to a hearing center. He was excited and a bit nervous to travel into the big city of Hyderabad to be properly tested at a center. Our team was amazed to learn after a few short tests that Malik had some hearing in BOTH ears and would greatly benefit from hearing devices. Can you imagine a young man living his entire life robbed of the joy of sound because he never had access to the few hundred dollars it would take to have his hearing tested and corrected?

The truth is that even though our team was able to pool their funds and easily pay for this procedure, it was such a significant amount of money in Malik's world, that it would have forever relegated Malik to a soundless world if it had not been for New Hope Initiative and our supporters.

Malik's journey will still be a challenge. He has no experience with sound or any ability to process the noises he is now hearing for the first time after 14 years of life. However we are very confident in his ability and in his passion to overcome his challenges and we believe that Malik's journey to a productive fulfilling life is just beginning. Behind every school, clinic, orphanage, or other project that NHI operates please remember there are scores of Maliks whose lives are being impacted and futures dramatically altered because you care.

Sierra Leone Update

The Sierra Leone Project is moving forward all in God’s timing. Praise the Lord! Although some of the children recently contracted chicken pox, they are all happy and excited with the positive changes in their lives. The introduction of sewing machines and Garcia tie dying should assist in developing new skills. The children just completed their inter-house sports meet with the blue team coming out on top. Between school and sports the children help by doing chores around the orphanage including laundry, cleaning, cooking, and dishes. Everyone also pitched in and cleared two acres of land for the planting of cassava (a staple in their diet). The children are eager to help with projects that will improve their diet. A small pig farm is high on the prayer list at the home.

Please pray for the children and workers at the Karen Baird’s Children’s Home. Please pray for their safety and health, for funding for a pig farm, and an increase in the monthly support that is raised for the home. May all the honor and glory from this project be given to God and that the Gospel of Christ continues to be proclaimed in Sierra Leone. God Bless and Thank you!

By Phil d’Entremont