Meeting Wisdom in Sierra Leone

As I look back on my recent trip to Sierra Leone I must go back to my first trip in 2009. It was on that trip that I first encountered a young girl with the saddest eyes I had ever seen. We had split up into groups to share the gospel with the children and this young girl was in my group. Like the other children in the group she spoke little English so I needed an interpreter to communicate with her. That night as I lay in my bed reflecting on the day I could not get her out of my mind. So I asked God to show me how to reach out to her. The next time I saw her, I taught her how to say I love you in American Sign Language. From that time on whenever I saw her I would sign “I love you” and each time the hint of a smile would appear on her face. After returning home I emailed Pastor Rogers and shared my experience with him. He wrote back and told me her story which explained the sadness I saw. Over the course of the year I corresponded with “my girl” through Pastor Rogers. Then when I returned in 2010 for the dedication of the Karen Baird Children’s Home I was excited to find a different little girl. The sad eyes I saw the previous year now reflected joy. Flash forward to January 2013 when I returned to Sierra Leone for the first time in three years. How she has grown! My heart filled with such joy when Pastor Rogers told me he has given her the name “Wisdom” because she works hard in school and is very smart. Sometimes I wonder why I have remained single with no children of my own but then I think of my kids in Sierra Leone and I realize that God had other plans for me. He saw a woman with no children and two kids needing a mum and brought them together. He is amazing!

God is doing wonderful things through the Sierra Leone project. It was exciting to see the addition of a second building and with that the increased number of children whose lives are being changed. The children are healthy and happy. They know they are loved by people they may never meet and they are very thankful for them. Children who once had no hope for the future now think about where God will take them.

My life has changed tremendously since that first trip in 2009. I thank God for taking me out of my comfort zone and blessing me in ways I could never imagine.

Written by Lorraine Wood

A New Water Well

You probably have never considered water usage as a critical part of medical care. In western culture such an issue would never cross our minds. However, in developing countries water and water-related needs are a part of every facet of life. Due to the expansion of our medical facility in Arusha, Tanzania, the number of patients treated daily continues to grow and we have developed a very acute water shortage. Clean water is critical to hygiene and quality care at a medical facility and a lack of adequate municipal water was threatening our ability to handle the daily patient load. The need was so critical that the government had considered limiting the number of patients we could see, despite the pressing medical needs that abound in that community. This summer one of our visiting team members heard of this plight and immediately offered to pay the entire cost of having a well dug for the clinic. Wells are expensive and this was a very generous ands totally unexpected offer. We are happy to report that on the very first day of drilling we found an ample supply of clean safe water! Our visiting team members often provide the catalyst for future growth. We are thankful for the success of this project and for the donors who made it happen.

Blessing Baby Bren This Christmas

Three years ago a precious baby girl was left at the gate of our New Hope Initiative Center in the Kibera slum of Nairobi, Kenya. We knew literally nothing about her. In the 36 months that have passed, there have been many challenges, however little Bren with her radiant smile and charming personality is a favorite among our local friends as well as our visiting teams members. Every year we have a special New Hope Initiative Christmas Project that blesses amazing little children like Bren in Kenya and around the world. Would you consider blessing little Bren this Christmas by hosting one of our Christmas parties in your home? This is a proven model for New Hope. We will equip you with all the information and ideas you need in order to host a simple fundraising gathering at your home that will make the difference in a child’s life, like Bren, this Christmas and into 2014. Every dollar given, that’s right, 100% of what you raise through this party will go directly to the children we serve. If you would like more information about blessing baby Bren this Christmas please begin a dialogue with Karen Baird at k.baird@newhopeinitiative.org.

Esther's Miracle

This story begins with the incredible life of a young Masai man by the name of Luka. Luka moved to Arusha, Tanzania and came under the influence of our partners Vernon and Mary Smith. It was here where Luka became a passionate follower of Jesus Christ. A few years ago, his new found faith was severely challenged when he found out his traditional Masai father was going to sell his 12-year old sister to a 40-year old chief with four wives. In an incredible act of grace, Luka and his wife decided to buy his baby sister from his own father and allow her to live with them. What an incredible act of selfless love! Luka and his wife also have a six-year old daughter named Esther. She was terribly burned on her legs in a fire five weeks ago. Our medical director Dr. Byemba has been skillfully and consistently treating her since she was burned, but the condition was getting more complicated. Noticed that she was developing scar tissue that would impair her ability to walk naturally. Doctor Byemba was willing to try a skin graft on Esther, however he has never done this particular procedure before and was a bit uncertain of his ability.

The story now takes an amazing turn. We had a team join us this week from Campbell St. UMC in Springfield, Mo. We did not know anything very specific about this team of young people and their four adult leaders. On the second day after their arrival I casually asked one of the ladies what she did for a living and found out that Carla was a veteran doctor. Upon further conversation we learned that Carla was an experienced plastic surgeon. Esther and her serious need immediately came to my mind. I think you can anticipate the beautiful climax of this story.

Upon arrival in Arusha, Carla and Dr Byemba conferred and after examining Esther they agreed that a skin graft was needed. On Saturday, July 13 Dr Carla performed the three-hour operation with Dr Byemba assisting. I am happy to report that Esther is doing great and that Dr. Byemba feels confident that he could perform the procedure on his own for future needs. What are the odds of a random traveler also being a skilled plastic surgeon just in our hour of need? This is an amazing story of a miracle for Luka, Esther, and his family. Thank you Dr. Carla for being the answer to our prayers and for an amazing story of God's incredible providence and faithfulness to Luka and his family.

Zainab's Story

My name is Zainab Precious Umara and I am a Sierra Leonean.  I was born in a village called Morkaba to a very poor family.  I was the first born and the only child to live here.  We moved to another village where my parents would be able to farm.  It was here that my brothers were born.  We stayed there for quite a long time. One day when my youngest brother was about three months old my mother felt very sick.  My father took her to a nearby village to see the local witch doctor.  He treated her but she grew continually worse.  On one early morning she jumped on the bed that she was laying in, screamed out of her mind and gave up her last breath.  Our father died three months later and life became more difficult.

My grandmother took us in and we lived with her for three good years.  When I was nine one of grandmother’s nephews came and took me to Freetown, our capital city.  He left me with a woman who took me in and loved me as her own.  She took great care of me and everything was good and the future looked bright. I began attending school in Freetown at the age of 10 and I was put into grade 2 and sat for the national exam at the end of the year.  I scored the highest out of all of the children.  My teachers grew to love me for my hard work and effort.

However, for some unknown reason the woman I lived with grew to resent  me.  She stopped sending me to school with lunch and I went to bed with an empty stomach on most nights.  Life became dismal living with her.  I don’t know what caused her sudden hatred.

I grew stubborn and began sleeping on the streets and doing anything to get some food.  One day the woman took me back to my grandmother’s village.  My grandmother was forced to take me in, even though she was unable to care for both my brother and I.  At that time I was 14 and in grade 5.  It was here that I first met Pastor Francis Rogers.  He enlisted my brother and I into his feeding program and planned to move us into an orphanage he was building.  God had other plans for us and allowed a fierce storm to destroy the orphanage building and delayed any consistent care.

In 2008 I was in grade 6.  We had nothing or very little to eat.  My grandmother loved us, but had no good means of taking care of us.  I began hanging out with the wrong group of people.  I attended church only to get some food or financial assistance from the congregation.  My outlook on life was poor and I chose to sleep with a boy just for money.  I know God allowed me to get to this point in my life to bring me to my senses so that I would commit myself to following Him.

Ephesians 6:13 says “Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.”

James 2:26 says “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead.

James 1:6 says “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he that doubts is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”

Luke 15:17 says “And when he came to himself, he said, “How many hired servants of my father have bread enough to spare and I perish with hunger.”

When I read these four scriptures I repented of my sins and asked Jesus to be my Lord and Savior.  I am thankful to the Lord for making me who I am today through all of the struggles I faced. Since then my story has drastically changed.  I am now a new woman according to 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”  I grew spiritually each day and began serving the Lord.  God brought David Tanner, Phil d’Entremont, and Karen and Sandy Baird into our lives.  These individuals set us in a direction that God ordained.  Two children’s homes have been built, a fresh-water well has been installed, communication with Christians in America has been established and relationships are growing and giving us further hope.  We all attend school and we receive medical care.  All of this has been done and accomplished through the love of Christ and to the glory of God.  The Sierra Leone Project of New Hope Initiative has become a beacon of light in our dark country.  This project has led many to Christ and is a witness to all of His love.

I thank Pastor Rogers for all he does for me and all the children in the home and in the surrounding villages.  He has become my mentor, given me the name Precious, and is training me to be the future orphanage director.  When my grandmother passed away, he wept with me for days.  I also thank New Hope Initiative and all those contributing to our life through finances and prayers.  We would not be where we are without you following God’s will.  May God bless you all.

By Zainab Umara