Hope Springs International – Third Annual Benefit Dinner

November 12, 2009, 6:30 PM – College Hills Church of Christ, Lebanon, TN

This years dinner will benefit The Pompomari Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Training Farm. This small farm has become an oasis of God’s love in a barren desert land.  Join us as we praise God in celebration of past accomplishments and share a new vision for this frontier outpost on the edge of the great Sahara Desert to become self-sustaining.

 GUEST SPEAKERS

Our Keynote speaker will be Josiah Tilton, Executive Director of Ghana West Africa Missions in Searcy, Arkansas. Si, as he is known by his friends, will share from his many years of experience as a missionary and his work with GWAM and their Rural Water Development Project and Village of Hope child care programs.

 

Also with us will be Chris Gingles, newly appointed Vice President for Healing Hands International and one of the Shepherds for the Madison Church of Christ in Madison, TN. Chris has just returned from a 5 nation tour of Africa during which he visited with our operations manager, Ebenezer Udofia in Dakar, Senegal. Chris will share with us a video interview with Ebenezer and his personal  impressions of this unique and talented servant of the Lord.

 SPECIAL ENTERTAINMENT BY: ONE WORD

ONE WORD is made up of eight quality voices who love the Lord and love to sing.

Tickets are $12.50 and must be ordered no later than November 6, 2009

For ticket orders or more information call: 615.390.2134

An Abundance of Water Available For All Who Come

Our solar powered well at the Pompomari Farm keeps two 750 gallon tanks filled at all times. This water is used for our drip irrigation farming and the animals we raise. This water supply is also available to anyone from the community at any time through facets on the outside wall that surrounds the farm grounds. Pure clean drinking water is hard to find in this sub-Saharan land. Many women spend much of their day walking to and from a water supply. Hopefully this water supply is a visual reminder of Him who makes living water available here as well for any who desire to drink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The Least of These”

Regina, Ebenezer and Grace top left seated

Twice a month Ebenezer and Regina Udofia and their daughter Grace spend time with the children in an orphanage in Maiduguri. These children are only a few of the millions of orphans in sub-Sahara Africa. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), says, “In 2001, a total of 34 million children in sub-Saharan Africa were orphans, one-third of them due to AIDS. By 2010, the total number of orphans in the region will top 42 million. Twenty million of these children – or almost 6 percent of all children in Africa -will be orphaned due to AIDS.”

With such staggering figures you might have a tendency to turn the page of your mind in despair. Or you could do as Ebenezer and Regina do, reach out and do what you CAN do.

Abagana, a special needs child at the orphanage

EMERGENCY AID DISTRIBUTION

On July 27^th of this year sectarian violence swept through the city of Maiduguri, Nigeria led by radical Islamic sect leader Mohammed Yusuf. In the five days of violence to follow over 1000 people would be killed, leaving behind 1,264 orphans and 392 widows, 26 houses of worship were razed to the ground along with 50 private homes. Yusuf and the majority of his followers would be killed and peace restored.

A call for emergency relief aid was issued by the Wulari Jerusalem Church of Christ to Healing Hands International and Hope Springs International and $5,000 was promptly sent to help in the relief follow up.  The pictures that follow tell the story of the lives touch by the generosity of those who made this gift possible.

The family of Babagana Sumain, a head teacher killed by a stray bullet during the violence. He leaves behind his wife, three children, an aged mother and sisters.

The family of Enoch Dogo receiving assistance. Enoch was killed in cold blood in the presence of his family. He was the Assistant Superintrendent of police. He leaves a wife and 10 children.

Umar Tella, a Muslim and tailor by profession with a large family receive assistance during his hospital stay from gun shot wounds and amputation that followed.

Danjuma Sale, a young Islamic man in his early twenties shot on the first day of violence.

Executive board of the Borno Youth Empowerment Forum, an Islamic group we work closely with in Maiduguri, receiving supplies for distrubution.

Local government officials expressing graditude for relief efforts.

Six churches lost their houses of worship near the Wulari Jerusalem Church and each was provided with 40 plastic chairs.

The value of sharing the Love of Christ in this way may best be expressed in the words of a Muslim man who received assistance. “See, this gift is coming from Christians who we don’t share anything in common; our Muslim brothers don’t know the road to this hospital; may God reward you Christians.”

Ebenezer Udofia who led the distribution closed his recent report by saying, “There is still much that can be done for these victims – As many of them have lost the bread-winner of their family, they need to be cared for, most of those that have now become orphans were in school and would be grateful to continue, many of the victims have lost  their limbs and therefore would appreciate an artificial limbs.  Many people have lost their means of livelihood and would give thanks to God for starting business once again.  Many victims have lost their homes, and would ever remain grateful for rehabilitation.  As you ponder on the needs of these victims, may God grant you the divine privilege to make a golden deed by helping those who are in need.  May God bless you as you accompanied your faith with works.

“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” Matt. 25:40

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Letter of Appreciation From the Wulari Jerusalem Church in Maiduguri, Nigeria

Raymond and Kathren Pagouh and their son Napoleon standing in what was once their home.

The following letter was received today in response to the emergency aid that was sent by Healing Handing International and Hope Springs a few weeks ago. It confirms our faith in how important it is to share the Love of Christ with those who do not know Him.

Beloved brother,

LETTER OF APPRECIATION

Grace, peace and love of God be multiplied to you in the name of our Lord and savior  Jesus Christ.

I write on behalf of the elders and the entire Wulari-Jerusalem church to appreciate your milk of human kindness in responding to the needs of brethren and neighbors in a swift manner. Your quick response has rekindled hope and put smiles in the faces of many people who were affected by the crisis. May God be glorified through your humanitarian services.

We received the sum of Five thousand dollars ($ 5,000.00)

Which you sent. We set up a committee and appropriated the fund as follows: The sum of one thousand dollars was given to the Muslims who were affected during the crisis. This we disbursed through Borno State youth empowerment scheme through brother Ebenezer. We purchased plastic chairs and distributed to our denominational neighbors. This cost us $ 2,000.00 we shared the sum of $1000.00 to brethren who were affected by the crisis. The remaining $1000.00, was used in purchasing food stuff which we distribute to hospitals and military base where the displaced persons are presently taking refuge. Brother Ebenezer will give you full details of our efforts.

Brother, the testimonies received from the recipients of these gifts were so overwhelming. One injured Muslim man said, “see, this gift is coming from Christians who we don’t share anything in common; our Muslim brothers don’t know the road to this hospital; may God reward you Christians”. This is one out of many testimonies.

Brother, may you remain blessed and know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain (I Cor.15:58). We shall appreciate further Aid for onward delivery to these people who are afflicted and need rehabilitation.

Your fellow worker in the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ

Joshua Bindah Hamman, Evangelist

(For the Church of Christ Wulari-Jerusalem, Maiduguri)

We look forward to Ebenezer’s report as soon as he returns from his meeting with Healing Hands personal in Dakar, Senegal.

Thanks for your continued support.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE…ONE AT A TIME

Street children in Maiduguri, Nigeria

Richard Stearns in his book, “The Hole in Our Gospel” says, “Almost one in seven worldwide, 854 million people, do not have enough food to sustain them. This makes hunger/malnutrition the number one risk to health globally, greater than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. About 25,000 people die each day of hunger or related causes—nine million per year.”

While we realize the urgency and the need for food NOW to meet such a crisis, there is also the need to focus on the long term solution to this problem. Teaching people to feed themselves is a part of this long term solution. In many places in our world the only thing standing in the way of people being able to feed themselves is a lack of knowledge. People simply need to be taught the skills that will enable them to feed themselves.

Former Street Children Abdullahi and Yusuf now feed themselves and others who they met while on the streets.

At Hope Springs’ Pompomari Training Farm we have seen young an old alike take the simple skills of drip irrigation farming and totally change their lives. We have seen street children in their early teens learn to feed themselves and their friends. We have also seen families that struggled to find enough food to make it through the long nine month dry season turn a little piece of the desert into a thriving garden.

It is easy to look around and see people taking advantage of the system here in the US and conclude that the solution to poverty is for people to just get a job and go to work. But for the overwhelming majority of those in poverty in the world this is not an option. Millions who are suffering in poverty would gladly work or learn a skill if someone would just teach them.

Mammadu can now feed his family because of the Pompomari Farm and what he has learned.

Changing the statistics concerning hunger and malnutrition will not happen quickly enough for many, but for those you enable us to help through your prayers and gifts; it will make all the difference in the world.

Isa (Jesus) once said, “The poor you will always have with you…” With the poor also comes the responsibility and the opportunity to make a difference.

IT’S CATFISH HARVEST TIME AT THE POMPOMARI TRAINING FARM

A 750 gallon water tank formerly used to store water for our drip irrigation farm was recently turned into a catfish tank. With the addition of our solar powered well constructed in early 2008 we were able to make use of this ideal location to raise catfish from fingerlings to eating size. Water from this tank also adds to the cycle of life at the farm. Once a week 50% of the water is drained from the tank and used to water our crops. This water is a great source of fertilizer.

Now that the fish are ready to be sold they are netted and taken to the market where eager consumers wait to purchase. Funds from the sale of the fish are reinvested into a new crop of fingerlings and the expenses of running the farm. As we are able to expand these kinds of enterprises we come nearer our goal of a totally self-sustaining farm operation. Self-sustainability will mean that we will be able to hold numerous drip irrigation and food preservation workshops, as well as how to raise small animal seminars, all without the need for continuous outside sponsorship. Our workshops are offered free of charge and participants are provided with the tools to immediately go home and begin to put into practice what they have learned.

Neighbors waiting to purchase fish.

Your gifts to Hope Springs enable us to teach people how to fish, not just give them a fish.

DONKEY CART FOR DONO-MANGA

Donkeys and Cart in front of one of the meeting houses in Dono-Manga

Back in July we told you about a report published by Healing Hands International in their newspaper about how a donkey car was being used to haul the large quantities of water needed to supply drip irrigation farming in Niger. That report resulted in a number of people sending donations to Healing Hands for the purchase of more donkey carts to be used wherever there might be a need. Dono-Manga, Chad was provided with funds from these donations to purchase such a donkey cart for there needs. We are thrilled to report that they have been able to purchase not just one donkey, but two and the cart as well.

The purchase of these donkeys and cart could not come at a better time. As soon as roads are repaired into the Dono-Manga from the capitol, Ebenezer will travel here to oversee the repair of these out of service wells in this District of Chad. As we have reported elsewhere only 6 of the 25 wells in Dono-Manga are in service. We have raised enough funds so far to repair 16 of these out of service wells. Only three more to go! Water will soon be flowing again to this area where people are dying for the lack of potable water to drink. Once the water is flowing again we will be able to teach the skills of drip irrigation farming that will enable people from Dono-Manga to raise crops 12 months out of the year and not just the three months of the rainy season. The donkeys and cart will make it possible to service a broader the area.

If you or someone you know would be interested in helping with the repair costs of the remaining three wells drop me a note at hopespringsinternational@yahoo.com. If you are reading this on Facebook, just leave me a comment or internal email.

EMERGENCY APPEAL FROM NORTHERN NIGERIA

We have just received more current information concerning the deadly violence in Maiduguri, Nigeria from Joshua Hamman, minister of the Wulari Jerusalem Church of Christ. Joshua on behalf of the Shepherds of this great church has also issued an emergency appeal for assistance.

Joshua reports, “The violence that lasted for four days saw about twenty six church halls burnt down out of which six are in the same neighborhood with the Wulari Jerusalem Church hall and killing eighteen Christians inside the halls beside four Pastors with their properties. Those that escaped were left with nothing except with what they wore that time. Glory be to God because the Wulari Jerusalem C of C’s hall was spared.”

Members of this congregation, other Christian groups and some of their Muslim neighbors in the area lost everything. Joshua said, “Virtually everyone in the city was affected in the violence as the death figures as now announced by the Red Cross Society is about 800 while about 4000 people were displaced and hundreds hospitalized.”

In order to reach out to all groups that have been affected by this violence the Shepherds of W J C of C are requesting $5,000 to be used in the following ways:

1.$1,000 to meet the most critical needs of the members of the W J C of C. Two families lost their homes and all personal belongings, and one of the brothers was killed leaving behind those that were depending on him for their livelihood.

2. Another $2,000 will be used to help members of the other Christian groups in the immediate area who lost their homes and houses of worship.

3. $1,000 to assist Muslim neighbors who were also victims of this period of violence.

4. Joshua says the final $1,000 will be used, “Meeting the emergency needs of others whom have become orphans, widows as a result of the violence. (In the University of Maiduguri Teaching hospital, 70 victims are on admission while in the Borno Medical Clinic, about 50 were admitted).

We are blessed by this appeal to have the opportunity to become the healing hands of Jesus through our financial gifts to these people in distress and deep need. Any amount would be such a blessing. If you would like to help send your donation to: Hope Springs, Emergence Relief, 118 Wessington Place, Hendersonville, TN 37075. If you need additional information please call me at 615.390.2134, or email me at hopespringsinternational@yahoo.com.