June 2008

New addition...

Please view our new House of Hope video which we recently added to our website on the "About Us" page

A new place to sleep…

We are joyfully announcing the opening of our kitchen and little girl's dorm on April 22nd with six girls between the ages of 10 and 13 moving in. We have been pressing for the past 2 years to get the dorm open as the need is so great. Cheryl Fredericks from Pennsylvania is the house mother for the little girls. The girls’ dorm is now completely finished with the exception of the bunk beds and mattresses that we still need to purchase. We know that by letting these little girls move in they won't have to go into prostitution like their moms and that there is hope for them. Each girl has a story to tell. For example, we were told that Kenia was 11 years old. She was skin and bones and had not been in school for years. Her 15 year old sister and mom are prostitutes in the Tipitapa area. They told Kenia that she had to work to feed herself because they had many younger children to feed. They painted her face and took her with them to the street corner in the middle of the night. She ran away rather than go with the men that came to seek her services. Her mom beat her and took her back the following night. A woman in our program found out about her and brought her to us. She is happy living in the dorm and going to school. She is learning to sew and make cards and gaining weight. Her behavior needs improvement but she is learning.

Receiving Christ…

God has been moving here. When the team came from New Life in Canton, PA earlier this year a lot of the little children prayed to receive Christ. We also ministered to the women and girls and many of them were touched and delivered during the visit from Harvest Church from Washington, NC. The children and women who have never known the Lord are getting introduced to the Savior. Gloria, 17, received Christ the same day she moved to House of Hope.

Medical clinics...

We are so thankful for the wonderful doctors and nurses who blessed both the residents and the Tuesday morning ladies with medical clinics in February and March. Many of the malnourished children are gaining weight and strength.

A sad loss…

Jema was in her early twenties in January when she came to live at House of Hope. She had been involved with drugs and prostitution for many years and had been in prison. On New Years Eve of this year Jema stayed out partying until the wee hours. She left her newborn baby girl alone the in small room she rented by the market. The baby was taken away from her. This was the wake up call she needed to decide to get her life in order and she moved to House of Hope. Jema excelled at House of Hope. She was a model resident and followed the program to the letter. Her transformation was remarkable. Her love of the Lord and her desire to learn scripture were evident to all. She was the best student in the 6th grade. She was working so hard to get her baby back. In March, she got her first day pass to leave House of Hope and visit her family. She was so happy as she walked down our dirt road on the way to see her mom and sisters. Unfortunately, on the way she ran into her former pimp. Within hours he had her back on drugs and in prostitution again. I never saw her again. One Sunday night in May Jema was brutally stabbed to death by her drug enraged pimp. Her body was hideously mangled. We trust and believe that with her dying breath she cried out to her Lord who she met at House of Hope.

New life…

Elia started labor pains about 3:00. She went to the public hospital and gave birth to Emanuel, her eighth. 13 yr. old Nelmaris stayed home and took care of herself and the six others. Dilon, Elia’s 20 month old cried a lot. Nelmaris had to miss school to comfort him. They are all glad to be living at House of Hope where they get to eat three times every day and do not have to sell themselves in order to have a roof over their heads. Nelmaris likes to go to school and is in the 4th grade. She in particular is happy that her aunt did not sell her to the man on the motorcycle as planned. Elia is happy not to be walking the streets and not to be picking coffee as before. All of them had lice when moving in from the coffee camps. None of them had a change of clothes. They are growing and learning at House of Hope. We hope they stay a long time and grow in the Love of Christ.

I just thank God for what he is doing and what He is going to do. Continue to keep us in your prayers.

Prayer Requests:

1. Pray for Mike as he ministers to university students and officials and the English congregation. Pray that the high humidity levels do not affect his health.
2. Pray for Hope as she starts home school for the 11th grade.
3. Pray for the women and children at House of Hope. Also pray for Cheryl as she cares for the dorm girls.
4. Pray for Oscar, the assistant director and his family as they have been under attack lately.
5. Pray for the purchase of the land adjacent to House of Hope to use to plant beans.
6. Pray for finances as electric and water bills and food prices has increased sharply in the past few months.

Thank you so much for your prayers and faithful support. If you wish to support our ministry with monthly support or with a one-time gift, please send your tax deductible contributions to: