World Missions Log

The Heart Behind What We Do

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 22:22:00 +0000

As CEO of Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions, I continually travel around the world to check on our ministry outreaches and look for ways to develop new ones. As I do, I witness firsthand the truly amazing things that you, our friends and partners, are making possible.

To help convey the impact you are making, I want to share with you a familiar passage from Matthew chapter 25. These verses have always been the backbone for everything we do through Hand of Hope...

Jesus says in Matthew 25, For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me. ...I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me! (Verses 25:35-36,40 NLT).

Through your support, I can honestly say that together we are helping to fulfill this scripture in so many ways all around the world. Right now, I want to give you a glimpse of how you are helping heal “the least of these” through short-term medical/dental outreaches.

"For I was hungry and you fed me."

Right now, your support makes it possible for Hand of Hope to partner with organizations worldwide to feed more than 80,000 children on a regular basis at 767 sites around the world! For many, these meals are the only food they receive.

One of the things I’m most excited about is how we’re able to spiritually impact these children and their families for Jesus Christ. More than 90 percent of our feeding programs have a spiritual component.

One way we accomplish this is through our partnership with One Hope to supply many of our feeding centers with a program called “17 Stories.”

“17 Stories” consists of a big sheet of cards including Bible stories ranging from Genesis to The Great Commission. Teachers at our sites discuss each story with the children and follow it up with fun activities to reinforce the lessons.

At the end of the sixteenth story, the children flip the card over to complete a puzzle forming the seventeenth and final story. It focuses on what God has done for us and His good plan for our lives. It also includes a tear-off card they can take home and share with their families and those in their communities. The feedback and positive stories have been tremendous...

For instance, young Niritosa began attending one of our feeding centers in Madagascar. She lives alone with her mother who is divorced. Suffering from malnutrition, Niritosa used to have trouble keeping food down, and she was plagued with a persistent cough.

Not long after she began attending our program, Niritosa started to get physically stronger. She also began a new relationship with Jesus Christ. Today, she is happy, healthy, and no longer has a cough. But that’s not all: Niritosa’s new life has also influenced her mother. Now, each week they attend a local church together!

When you support these programs, it’s so much more than simply putting food on a plate. You are changing these children’s lives and the lives of those around them.

I love what Niritosa said when our staff asked her about the future. She said, “I want to be a specialized teacher who helps kids who live in difficult family situations.”

So, are we making a difference? I think this says it all.

"I was sick, and you cared for me."

Our medical outreaches were birthed out of something that happened to my mom several years ago. She was dealing with tremendous pain from an abscessed tooth, and the Lord caused her to have such compassion for people who are not able to see a doctor when they’re sick. She wondered, What must it be like to have pain and never get relief?

As a result, about nine years ago we began holding short-term medical and dental clinics in remote areas of the world, places where the need is the greatest. In these locations, most of the time it’s the small, seemingly insignificant things that cause sickness and death—dehydration, diarrhea, or small scratches that get infected.

Our volunteer doctors and nurses, who serve with our teams at their own expense, diagnose and treat these precious people, dramatically improving their quality of life.

To date, we have:

Treated more than 245,000 people
Dispensed 793,000 free medications
Prayed with more than 86,000 people to receive Christ

Each year, we also treat tens of thousands of others through our ongoing hospitals and clinics in places like Ethiopia, India, Cambodia and Haiti.

For instance, our hospital in Chandrakal, a remote village in India, offers free medical care to thousands of locals who have neither the transportation or the money to pay for a doctor. This facility includes in-patient services, a maternity ward, eye clinic, pharmacy and many other services you normally wouldn’t find in rural areas of India. Each year, over 20,000 people are treated at this hospital alone!

Thanks to you, these efforts are multiplied many times over through our other hospitals and clinics. You are helping save people’s lives—both physically and spiritually.

To date, through our short-term and long-term outreaches, you’ve helped us offer free medical and dental care to more than 1.9 million people.

"I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink"

I don’t know if there is an outreach that provides more of an immediate impact than providing fresh water. You may have seen the statistic that says over 2.2 million people die every year from parasites and other waterborne illnesses. Water is something most people take for granted; however, it’s a vital necessity we can’t live without!

The good news is that by the end of this year, we will have partnered with organizations worldwide to install more than 875 freshwater wells to date. Not only that, but in many places, we also build an adjacent church or school.

People come for the water, then stay for the weekly service or to receive prayer. Providing fresh water is such a great demonstration of God’s love, and it opens their hearts to want to know more about Jesus Christ.

We have witnessed firsthand what a difference your support is making in remote villages all around the world. Children who were once thin and sickly from diseased water are now visibly healthier and have the energy to focus on their school work and just being a kid. We also hear story after story of entire villages coming to Christ and enjoying new freedom.

And it all began with offering something as simple as fresh water.

"I was in prison, and you visited me."

For years, our team has been delivering special gift packages to inmates around the world containing hygiene items and one of Joyce’s books. In fact, in 2016, we were able to reach our 3 millionth inmate. Over the years, our teams have shared these gifts with inmates in all 50 U.S. states and in over 50 countries around the world. You + Me + God = Anything Is Possible

Simply put, we can’t do any of this without you, our ministry partners, the ones who are supporting these outreaches and making it all possible. On our own, we can do some things. But together, our success multiplies exponentially!

First Corinthians chapter 12 says we are all parts of the same body, but we each have our own distinct and vital role to play. In the same way, your part in these outreaches—supporting this ministry through your gifts and prayers—is just as important as my part or my mom and dad’s part.

When we each do what God is asking us to do, He gets right in the middle of our efforts and allows us to change the world.
Friends, we can never thank you enough. Please know that everything you do is affecting lives every single day. Together (you...and me...and God), we are able to reach “the least of these” in so many wonderful ways. God bless you!

- David L. Meyer

*This article was published in Fall, 2016.

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Seneca Is Choosing Joy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 22:00:00 +0000

Her car and home are flooded but Seneca is still choosing to serve her community!

"I've been affected by the flood but the flood is not gonna affect me. I'm just trusting and believing that the Holy Spirit is still my comforter. I've been through some things before and I have overcome them just like I will overcome this. I will not allow a flood to steal my joy!"

Even though Seneca herself is in need, she has chosen to come and serve others in her community through Bethany Church. Hand of Hope is honored to partner with local churches like Bethany Church to help bring relief where it's needed.

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Counting on God's Strength During Disaster - Mike's Story

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 21:52:00 +0000

"God doesn't promise that as believers everything will be good but He does promise that He will give us strength through it...and that's what we count on."

Mike lost everything, including his home, in the flood waters. He lives in Denham Springs where 90% of the homes have been flooded. It's a devastating reality for so many in Louisiana but Hand of Hope is helping to bring relief through local churches in the area. Thank you to our partners for allowing us to bring relief here and around the World!

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Finding Relief After the Storm

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 22:09:00 +0000

Rachael Athearn, Staff Writer

By the time Angie Nahlik realized her Eureka, Missouri, home and automotive shop were threatened by impending floodwaters, it was practically too late. “The sandbags were gone. Everything was gone,” Angie says.

Her family gathered up some volunteers to make their own sandbags, but it was too little, too late. So they shifted gears and removed as many of their belongings as they could. But they were unable to save everything.

The 4 feet of river water that slopped through their shop tipped a motor-oil drum, covering everything that was left behind with thick oil.

“So we’ve got a chemical hazardous-waste issue inside, and then it’s just uninhabitable,” Angie says. “None of our equipment is working right…everything has to be gutted, and so it’s hard.”

Angie says one of her biggest needs has been cleaning supplies. That’s one of the reasons she stopped by for a flood-relief event put on recently by Convoy of Hope in partnership with Joyce Meyer Ministries, Hand of Hope.

At the event, hundreds of people like Angie who were affected by the recent Missouri flooding turned out to receive bottled water, food and cleaning supplies.

The event, Angie says, brought her a bit of hope. “It’s just nice that people go out of their way to help somebody they don’t know,” she says. “Every little bit helps.”

Thank you so much for helping us support these much-needed relief efforts in our own back yard…and all around the world.

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Classrooms of Hope

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 20:10:00 +0000

Rachael Athearn, Staff Writer

Without access to quality education, many children born into poverty may remain trapped in that desperate cycle for their whole lives. But Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions is working to make a good education more accessible to the children who need it most.

As one of the poorest provinces in South Africa, the Eastern Cape is home to many families living in impoverished conditions. Due to the lack of education and opportunities, it’s extremely difficult to secure a different future.

But in the midst of the struggle, there is hope thanks to the local church and concerned members of the community.

After seeing that children in the neighborhoods were being left unsupervised during the day while their parents worked, some women in the community started small preschools to help look after them. Using what little resources they have, they are now preparing the children for school so they have a better chance of completing their education and breaking free from the grasp of poverty.

Hand of Hope has been working in the Eastern Cape for the past three years. Through forging a strategic partnership with a non-governmental organization and a local church, thousands of children in this remote area have been receiving a nutritional meal on a regular basis. In many cases, it’s the only food the child will receive that day. Teachers are also being trained in spiritual instruction to enable them to share the message of Christ more effectively.

Through these programs, we are seeing children improve in their overall health and in their ability to learn. They are more joyful and have hope for the future.

Many of the buildings where these programs take place are unsafe, however, and don’t offer protection from the elements. But Hand of Hope has launched a project to meet that crucial need.

Through the Classrooms of Hope project, kids in the Eastern Cape will have a safe, warm and clean environment to be nurtured in. The project will replace the inadequate classroom structures with more suitable ones geared toward early childhood development. Where possible, existing structures will be repaired or improved, and some funds will even be allocated for needed educational and development equipment at the schools.

Over the next two years, our hope is for at least 20 new classrooms to be completed. Each of the new classrooms will become a conversation point—a light for the life-changing message of Christ—for the surrounding communities and villages. We are already seeing village chiefs make a decision to follow Christ because these precious children are being loved and cared for.

Thank you so much for helping us give these children the tools they need to break free from poverty. Because of your support, they will have the opportunity to grow up knowing they are valuable to God and that He has an amazing purpose for their lives.

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When Dreams Come True

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Sep 2015 13:50:00 +0000

Amy Christensen, Medical/Dental Volunteer

Four years ago on a missions trip, I had a knowing in my heart that one day I would be baptized in Africa.

I was thrilled at the thought and eager to see how God would make that dream happen. As the years stretched on, I tried at times to force the issue…but God always closed the door. Ultimately, I learned to trust Him for perfect timing.

This year, I decided to join the Hand of Hope medical/dental team headed to rural areas of Zambia. It was my ninth trip as a volunteer with the ministry. On the second day of clinics, I felt the Lord’s leading that this was the trip to rededicate my life and be baptized.

After getting the details worked out, a boat took us to a nearby clear-water tributary that connected to the Zambezi River. Dr. Raj Patel, one of the volunteer dentists, led the group in prayer, reaffirmed my faith and then baptized me.

As the water rushed over me, I felt the cleansing and healing power of God flood my soul. I am so thankful to the Lord for allowing me to serve on these trips and for enabling me to have the most awesome baptism experience.

After all, it was being a part of the Hand of Hope medical/dental missions team that inspired me to get my license as a dental assistant. I saw the great need people had for medical and dental care, and I wanted to be more effective while on the mission field.

It’s so rewarding to be able to use that training to help relieve people’s pain. During those five days of clinics in Zambia, our team saw 1,744 patients…and at least 1,500 of them found new life in Christ through the outreach. I couldn’t imagine life any other way!

If you’re a medical/dental professional, we’d love for you to join with us on an upcoming trip.

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Now She Can See

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 17:59:00 +0000

Rachael Athearn, Staff Writer

When Saiamma’s eyes started to water continually, she knew something wasn’t right. Living alone in a rural part of India, she still had to work and take care of her home. But as time went on, even the most basic tasks—like washing her face—became extremely difficult.

Concerned about her fading eyesight, Saiamma rode a bus along dirt roads to the Chandrakal Hospital, funded by Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions, hoping to find an answer.

Because of your generous support, doctors at the full-service medical facility made it possible for her to receive the life-changing care she needed…a cataract operation and a pair of glasses, all for free.

Saiamma is grateful for the help she’s received and is relieved she can return to her daily life with clear vision.

“Thank you very much,” she says. “For a time, I was not able to work because I couldn’t see. Since I can see now clearly, I am very happy.”

Hand of Hope has had the opportunity to provide medical care to more than 12,700 people like Saiamma so far this year at the Chandrakal Hospital. The facility includes inpatient services, meals, a maternity ward, eye clinic, pharmacy and many other services that you won’t normally find in rural areas of India.

Thank you for bringing practical help and God’s love to people in India and all around the world.

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Volunteer Finds Healing in Peru

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Rachel Milbey served as a volunteer nurse during our 2014 outreach in Peru.

When my husband passed away, I was in shock…it was so final. Initially, I kept myself busy to stay distracted. But later, I started feeling depressed. Not long after, I looked on Joyce’s website and saw a medical missions volunteer ad. I felt inadequate, but something compelled me to apply, and they accepted me within two days!

I was scared. But I took that step…and it changed my life. At this medical outreach, I was a part of something so much bigger than myself. It was hard, but it didn’t matter. I realized that giving to others is just such an awesome experience—there’s an energy that lifted me up and propelled me.

This is my purpose, and I love it. And I’m going to do it until I can’t do it anymore.

If you’re a medical/dental professional, we’d love for you to join with us on an upcoming trip.

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A Boy & His Sneakers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Ashley Wilkins, R.N., Medical Outreach Director

I hadn’t noticed ten-year-old Rothtim and his mother until after he had been treated by the doctors and was leaving our Hand of Hope clinic. Then again, once you saw him walk, it was hard not to notice him.

Rothtim was obviously very small for his age, but also crippled. With each stride, the tops of his bare, calloused feet would scrape against the concrete. He had walked this way his entire life. I can still hear that sound in my ears. Moved with compassion, I ran and picked Rothtim up in my arms.

Desperately Searching for Shoes

Sitting him down on a nearby bench, I asked his mother if they would be willing to wait while I got him a pair of shoes. She excitedly replied that they would.

I made a tracing of his feet to get the correct size. I wanted to be absolutely sure that these shoes ¬fit him. With the outline of Rothtim’s calloused little feet in my hand, I headed to the market.

Finding a new pair of shoes in a developing nation is not an easy task. I located a shop on a street corner and began looking through the limited choices of new shoes. The majority of the shoes were either for girls or grown men, and most were covered in dust from the dirty street. But after some searching, I found two good, clean pairs of shoes in his size. I immediately gave thanks to the Lord because I had found Rothtim’s shoes. I picked out a few pairs of socks and quickly paid the clerk.

Taking That First Step

When I got back to the clinic, little Rothtim and his mom were sitting on the bench, waiting patiently, exactly where I left them. We washed his dirty feet, put the socks on and slid them into Rothtim’s new pair of shoes. He sprang up and began walking about. Amazingly, the shoes actually acted as a corrective device, which allowed him to walk almost normally!

Most Cambodians, like Rothtim and his mother, live on just one U.S. dollar per day, making the simple luxury of owning a pair of shoes impossible. For just $10 USD, we were able to purchase Rothtim clean socks and two new pairs of shoes.

In an instant, with something as seemingly insignificant as a pair of shoes, Rothtim experienced the love of Christ. The smile that stretched across his face was indescribable. And I could not help but smile in return as he and his mother repeatedly bowed to me in thanks.

If you’re a medical/dental professional, we’d love for you to join with us on an upcoming trip.

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Fifteen Days Ago She Began to Go Blind...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Chad Trafton, Staff Writer

The village of Mazan sits deep in the heart of Peru. It’s one of hundreds of small communities lining the Amazon River.

By 8 am, our medical/dental team has transformed a local grade school into a fully functional clinic—complete with several examining rooms and a pharmacy—and is ready to see their first patients…and there will be no shortage.

Just outside the main gates, more than a hundred people from Mazan and other villages wait in line, most sitting on wood bleachers. Some have traveled more than four hours by boat. Many have even spent the night in one of the classrooms, determined not to miss their opportunity for free medical/dental care.

Celmira sits in the middle of the crowd, patiently waiting like all the others. Her grandson, Maximo, waits with her. She looks concerned, and we soon find out why. Fifteen days ago, she began going blind in one eye. For her, this clinic is a godsend. She waits…and hopes someone up ahead has an answer.

She gets checked in and sits down with Dr. Budi Bahureksa, one of our volunteer physicians. It doesn’t take long for him to pinpoint the problem—her blood sugar registers 511, at least 300 points above normal.

“You’re too sweet,” Dr. Bahureksa says, his bedside manner eliciting a smile. “Your blindness is from the diabetes, so we’re going to give you some good medicine. You need to be on this medication all of the time.”

He gives Celmira a prescription, which she fills at our pharmacy, two doors down. Thankfully, her blindness can be reversed…they caught it just in time.

The pharmacy is filled with others just like her…a steady stream of people eager to trade their prescriptions for medicines. Volunteer Nurse Kelly Johnston helps keep the operation running smoothly. It’s her fifth medical trip with Hand of Hope, and she thrills at another chance to see the faces of relieved mothers and children.

“We give them a little bit of hope,” she says. ““It’s a little thing for us, but it’s not little to them. Here they have no options.”

Texas-native Nurse Mickey Brown agrees: “We’re amazed at how God touches their lives. It’s so fun to be able to do all this…it’s like Christmas.”

And it looks like Christmas. Heaping piles of antibiotics are all neatly stacked and organized on long tables, ready to be dispensed. The team has come prepared, knowing for the most part what illnesses to expect.

Here in Mazan, more times than not, they simply learn to live with the pain. But today they don’t have to.

If you’re a medical/dental professional, we’d love for you to join with us on an upcoming trip.

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My Brother & An Abandoned Baby in Kenya

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Jun 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Laura Matheny, R.N., Medical Outreach Coordinator

Nairobi, Kenya. I had this trip circled on my calendar.

Every year, Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions conducts free medical/dental clinics around the world. And as one of their medical outreach coordinators, I’ve gotten a chance to travel far and wide…and watch God work miracles in the lives of people who desperately need help.

But for me, this outreach was going to be special.

You see, Nairobi is my hometown. Well, actually, my family is from Louisiana. But from the time I was young, my parents—Don and Amy Matheny—have been independent missionaries in Kenya. In fact, about twenty-five years ago, they founded Nairobi Lighthouse Church.

The oldest of six children, I returned to the United States when I was 18 to attend Bible school…then eventually nursing school. My heart’s desire was to someday come back to Nairobi with a skill and serve the people there like my parents have for so many years.

Through a series of events, I stayed in the U.S. and began volunteering for Joyce Meyer Ministries’ medical outreaches. That is where I found my calling. One thing led to another, and today I am privileged to work on these medical outreaches full time. And in the summer of 2013, my work led me back to a place very close to my heart…

The Day We Met Moses

My dream of being a nurse in Kenya was fulfilled in a way I could have never imagined. Here I was leading a Hand of Hope medical team, working in partnership with my family and Nairobi Lighthouse Church to help so many people in need.

For five days, we treated more than 5,000 patients in Nairobi’s Huruma Slums. On the fourth day of this outreach, something happened that I will never forget…

One of our first patients was a two-week-old Kenyan baby. A woman found him abandoned in a nearby field. She appropriately named him Moses…then brought him to us because she had run out of diapers and baby formula.

Other than a slight eye infection, Moses was healthy and strong. The woman wanted to continue caring for him, so we connected her with a clinic in the area that will follow up on them. We also introduced her to an orphanage affiliated with Nairobi Lighthouse Church—just in case her situation becomes unmanageable.

But Moses really struck a chord with me…

Eighteen years ago, a German family attended my parents’ church. They held in their arms a baby who was abandoned in these Nairobi slums. They loved and cared for him, but they were returning to Germany and, without the appropriate papers, they couldn’t take the child with them.

That day, my parents made a decision that would affect all of our lives forever. They accepted responsibility for the 7-week-old baby—the child who would eventually become my adopted brother, David.

The day Moses came to the clinic, I ran out to find David and said, “You have got to see this!” David was so touched, and he immediately went out to buy Moses some diapers and formula…then sat and held him in his arms while he fed him.

As his sister, it was such a precious moment. It was like stepping back in time and seeing David rescued all over again. That day we prayed for Moses and spoke blessings over his life. It is something I will always treasure.

If you’re a medical/dental professional, we’d love for you to join with us on an upcoming trip.

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Pediatrician Washes Feet in Madagascar

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 May 2015 12:00:00 +0000

As a girl, she knew in her heart God was calling her to someday be a doctor. And this knowledge gave her the determination to become a pediatrician. Medical school is not an easy prospect for anyone, but the fact that she was a young, single mom with a baby put her trust in God to the test.

If you ask her today, Dr. Lori Buffa will say that she ultimately succeeded because of God’s grace. With an astonished grin, she says, “I know it was God, because there were people in school who were smarter than me that didn’t make it. I know I never could have made it on my own.”

For Lori, taking care of children has been a ministry, not a career. So when she had the chance to join Joyce Meyer Ministries’ Hand of Hope medical/dental missions team on their trip to Madagascar, she was determined to go.

It was clear this mission would take her out of her comfort zone. Madagascar is a struggling country due to intense poverty, inadequate health care services, lack of food and clean water, and violent crimes that are common in areas where desperate people live. But the anticipation in Lori’s heart about God’s mission for her on foreign soil kept her excitement and expectation high.

From the beginning, she was touched by the gracious, thankful attitudes of the people as they waited patiently to receive care. Many needed basic treatment due to poor hygiene; a main source of bathing is a trash-infested lake and skin infections are common. The wound care team treated many pus-filled sores with worms in them. Infected teeth were also abundant, and the dental team pulled multiple teeth, bringing instant relief to people who had been living with constant pain.

The team spent one whole day washing children’s feet and treating wounds with antibiotics and clean dressings. A generous donation allowed the Hand of Hope team to purchase socks and shoes, so many children walked away with clean, protected feet. Lori, who is a mother of two, shared that it was a humbling privilege to wash feet of children who had never had a decent bath before. That’s a tragic situation for any parent to have to experience.

As a medical volunteer, Lori invested her money, time and heart to share Christ and love people half the world away from her home. And she’s praying about when she can go on her next God-appointed mission, which is inspiring and admirable, but not completely selfless determined that God sent me on this trip for ME, not so much for Madagascar,” she says.”

If you’re a medical/dental professional, we’d love for you to join with us on an upcoming trip.

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He’d Saved for Years to Build Their Home – Nepal Earthquake

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 May 2015 17:00:00 +0000

Tuicha, a truck contractor, has worked hard all his life to provide for his family. He’s in his early 70s, but has had to continue working to care for his son, who is differently-abled.

Though life has not been easy, he had recently saved up enough to start building his own home. Though it would be small, they were very happy.

But when the earthquake hit Nepal on April 25, all of that happiness crumbled right alongside his home.

Heartbroken, they wondered how they would go about rebuilding their shattered lives. As rescue teams and aid started to trickle into Lalithpur district, Tuicha felt a stirring of hope.

Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions, has been able to reach out to many people and among them was Tuicha. As they handed out food supplies, blankets and first aid, Tuicha’s wife was thrilled. She now had the supplies she needed to cook her family a proper meal!

Because of your generosity and the kindness of our team in Nepal, Tuicha and his wife are filled with hope about the future and believe they will be able to rebuild their home again very soon!

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Water Filters Bring Hope to a Community – Nepal Earthquake

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 May 2015 15:45:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, they were living happy, normal lives. Today, they stare at their water supply, fearful to drink even a sip because of broken pipes and contamination from the sewage lines.

After an earthquake rocked Nepal on April 25, many went to live in makeshift shelters, and had to look to each other for food, supplies, blankets, tents and first-aid. Even as help started pouring in to the nation, Bhulbari, a small town had not received aid and its people were beginning to wonder if help would ever come.

Our team observed this, and not only brought them food and supplies, but also a few clean water filters.

Working together as a community, the people made sure that each person would receive their share of clean drinking water. With each filter proving to be of use to several families, the people of Bhulbari now have a reason to hope that with time, things will get better.

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Emergency Relief & Medical Care Reaches Families in Nepal

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 May 2015 13:58:00 +0000

Last week, our Hand of Hope Asia team visited Kolkana, one of the areas that has suffered the most devastation from the 7.8 earthquake in Nepal.

Families are desperately trying to salvage their belongings from the rubble. And with many homes partially or completely destroyed, they are left to sleep out in the open, where it is raining and temperatures can drop to 14 degrees Celsius (57 degrees Fahrenheit).

Our team was able to provide 75 of these families with emergency provisions of rice, noodles, pulses (legumes) and sugar. They also provided blankets and tents to those living without shelter.

Helping Pastor Samuel

We’ve met with Pastor Samuel, our Hand of Hope coordinator in Nepal, who is living in a tent at the church grounds, along with his family and other families from his church.

We also worked with him to pass out essential relief items to 30 families at his feeding center in Lalitpur, including food, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and blankets.

First Aid Medical Care

Our medical volunteers have partnered with the Red Cross to set up an emergency First Aid clinic right in the middle of the inhabited area, so the people are able to easily access it.

They found many people didn’t seek medical attention right away and tried to care for themselves, tying rags and pieces of cloths around muscle tears, sprains and wounds. The medical team was able to assess the people (many of them elderly) and provide medical care to treat their wounds.

Future Plans

Work in Nepal has only just begun and our team will continue to assess needs in areas like Dolkha and Sindhupalchowk to provide assistance to villages that haven’t yet been reached. They are also looking at long-term options to rebuild homes and churches destroyed in the earthquake.

Thank you so much for partnering with us to reach out in disasters like this. It’s because of your donations that we are able to be on the ground immediately providing relief.

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Disaster Relief Efforts Underway in Nepal

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 20:02:00 +0000

This past Saturday, April 25, a 7.8 earthquake struck outside of Lamjung, Nepal, killing thousands and leaving many homeless, injured and crying for help. Damage has been reported throughout much of Nepal, as well as areas of India, China and Bangladesh.

Our Joyce Meyer Ministries, Hand of Hope coordinator in Kathmandu, Pastor Samuel, who also lost his home and church in the quake, is already distributing 4,500 blankets to those sleeping on the streets. We have a team flying into this area to assess future needs for all those impacted. They’re also taking as many medical supplies as the airlines will allow and will begin providing immediate relief.

Another team is driving into Kathmandu, bringing with them medicine, food and other supplies. This team is made up of Nepali volunteers (mostly medical) and will provide relief, including tents, blankets, rice, dal (a dried lentil, pea or bean), salt and water.

Please pray for everyone affected by this devastating disaster and that our team would reach as many in need as possible!

You can help provide relief for disasters like this one. Donate today!

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Offering Hope to Society’s Outcasts in India

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 15:57:00 +0000

Rachael Athearn, Staff Writer

Most people probably think of leprosy as an ancient disease that’s mentioned only in Bible stories and age-old folklore.

But the painful bacterial disease is very much a reality today for people like Marimuthu, who we met recently in India, as well as many others around the world.

In leprosy’s early stages, small areas of the body become numb and prone to injury and secondary infection. Instead of part of the body falling off—like many myths have portrayed—a person with leprosy suffers through a long process of injury, infection, pain and amputation.

But what’s even more devastating is dealing with the incredibly harsh stigma associated with the disease because it’s so misunderstood.

People are afraid that if they have any contact with a person who has leprosy they’ll catch it—even though most people have a natural immunity to the disease. And in India, to contract leprosy means you’ve almost instantly become one of society’s outcasts.

That’s why it touches them so much when someone is willing to reach out and offer them hope. And tucked at the base of a pristine tropical mountain range in Coimbatore, India, we partner with Embrace a Village to do just that.

That’s where we met Marimuthu, who came from a nearby leper colony to receive medical care for his hands and feet. Because of their condition, both he and his wife made a living begging on the streets.

Two years ago, his wife went into the city to beg and never returned. Sadly, he has no idea what happened to her.

This sweet man with a radiant smile now comes to Embrace a Village to receive medical care, as well as rice for himself and his son.

Marimuthu is just one of almost 3,500 leprosy patients who are being cared for weekly as we clean their wounds, feed them, provide care for their children during the day and even bury them when they pass away.

And all along, we are sharing the Gospel with them and seeing many lives transformed by His unconditional love.

Thank you so much for helping us share Christ and love these beautiful people in India.

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Providing Relief as Ebola Continues to Spread

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 14:03:00 +0000

We recently received a report from Convoy of Hope about relief efforts in West Africa and Liberia. We partnered with them to provide medical supplies to help those in need. Here’s a portion of their report:

Confirmed cases of the Ebola virus continue to rise in West Africa through unknown chains of transmission. More than 100 new cases were reported in early March. While Liberia has seen a decline in reported cases, the disease continues to spread in Sierra Leone and Guinea.

As of March 1, the first wave of 23 containers filled with food, medical supplies and water filtration systems have been distributed or are en route to West Africa. An additional 7 containers are slated for the coming weeks.

In Liberia, through a network of churches and the Christian Health Association (CHAL), food and medical supplies are being distributed at hospitals, ETUs (Ebola Treatment Units) and churches.

Convoy of Hope is helping through various avenues. Thank you to our friends and partners for enabling us to partner with them to provide medical supplies, including syringes, bandages, cotton balls, masks, swabs, cleaning wash, splints, hygiene kits, medicines, linens, blankets and soaps.

Please continue to pray for those affected throughout these regions, especially the children. Also pray for Convoy of Hope as they continue to bring relief and the love of Christ to those in needed.

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18-Year-Old Gives His Life to Save Hundreds

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 13:24:00 +0000

Two bomb blasts in the Pakistani city of Lahore killed 22 martyrs and seriously injured 23 others. Hand of Hope has reached out to financially help these families. Family members haven’t been able to work due to the deaths and injuries, so the assistance was a huge relief to many.

One of the families we were able to help are the parents of a young man who embraced martyrdom and saved hundreds more from dying.

At the Catholic Church a suicide bomber approached, injuring nearby policemen on duty. As he rushed toward the church, 18-year-old Akash blocked the suicide bomber and grabbed him. A witness says the bomber told him he had a bomb and to let him go.

Young Akash replied, “No matter what happens, I will give my life but I won’t let you enter the Church.” About 1000 young and old were inside worshipping. The bomber tried his best to enter but Akash held him tight and started pulling him away. It was then that the bomb went off and Akash gave his life to save so many.

There are many other heroes from that day who gave their lives because of their faith in Christ. Thank you so much to our friends and partners for allowing us to bring a little bit of healing to these beautiful families who are grieving the loss of their loved ones.

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Full Bellies & Big Smiles in Cuba

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 21:33:00 +0000

In Cuba, having meat with your meal is a really big deal. Some Cubans can afford some meat (usually pork) once a week, but many don’t get it at all.

But at the 18 feeding programs we support in Cuba, through a partnership with Global Messenger, every meal contains healthy meats as well as other nutritious foods.

Many of the 250 children we are able to feed aren’t guaranteed a meal at home. With hungry bellies, they beg their parents to come to the small groups where the meals are served. Here we are able to meet their physical needs, but also share the Gospel with them as well.

At the Sunday service, Global Messenger is able to feed all the children that attend the service, providing eggs, beans, meat, rice and other food staples.

“Feeding the people is our way of love in action. We are able to help in ways that really does make their lives better,” said Steve Smith from Global Messenger.

Thank you for helping us meet such a vital need in Cuba, as well as for more than 70,000 children all around the world.

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When the Waters Rise in Macedonia

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 15:30:00 +0000

Earlier this month in Macedonia, heavy rainfall and melting snow caused severe flooding in and around Skopje and Shtip. Many areas have been evacuated, including nearby small towns, villages and vital farmlands.

Hand of Hope has partnered with Oasis Christian Church to provide Aid Packs: water, flour, sugar, oil, milk, rice, beans, lentils, salt, pasta, canned fish, cheese, laundry detergent, toilet powder, cleaners and shampoo. Each person also received a copy of Joyce’s book, A New Way of Living.

Thank you to our partners for helping us reach out in this disaster—providing vital necessities as well as the love of Christ. You are bringing hope to people during a very difficult time.

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Reaching Incarcerated Teenagers in Russia

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 14:51:00 +0000

by Yura Ruls, Joyce Meyer Ministries Russia

In January our prison team visited two prisons in Russia – reaching more than 300 incarcerated teenagers with Joyce’s book Battlefield of the Mind for Teens.

We first visited Mozhayskaya Educational Colony for Children in Mozhaisk. The teenagers range in age from 14 to 18 years, and are there for serious offenses like theft, murder and organized crime. The 270 inmates attend school, as well as organized labor training.

We also visited 79 juvenile offenders at the Temporary Isolation Center (TIC) in Moscow. These children are sent here for vagrancy and petty offenses by the court, but not more than for 30 days.

In addition to distributing the books, we also held two services and 29 teenagers gave their lives to the Lord! Thank you so much to our friends and partners for giving us this incredible opportunity to reach out with the love of Christ to these teenagers.

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The Beautiful Life of a Girl with HIV

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 18:11:00 +0000

by Ginger Stache, Chief Media Officer for Joyce Meyer Ministries

I first met Roja in 2008 in tiny Chandrakal, India, where we had just opened a hospital. She was a sweet, yet sad, nine-year-old girl who had recently lost both of her parents. We spent time together strolling around the hospital grounds and blowing bubbles. Because of Roja’s HIV status the villagers were afraid and no one was willing to take her in.

Roja became the inspiration for Home of Hope, the Hand of Hope Children’s Home in Chandrakal for children who are HIV positive.

Today, Home of Hope cares for 50 children, and Roja is the vibrant 16-year-old leader of the pack. I spent time with her once again recently, and it was an absolute gift. Of course I could never forget Roja, and as we became reacquainted she told me that she vividly remembered our time together down to the spot where we first met. She is bright, inquisitive and now in college studying to be a doctor. She wants to help others the way she was helped.

Roja is a wonderful reminder to me that each time we reach out to help someone in need, we are also blessed in immeasurable ways. Our partners have provided years of provision and love to all of the children in Chandrakal and today their futures are bright. What an amazing thing to be a part of!

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"The Worst Floods in Malawi's History"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 27 Jan 2015 15:40:00 +0000

by Brad Senekal, African Outreach Director

Tens of thousands have had their homes destroyed or severely damaged in what many are calling “the worst floods in Malawi’s history,” after extended, severe storms earlier this month. Much of the population has already been living with chronic food insecurity (Malawi is the eighth poorest nation in the world), and a disaster like this can be crippling, if not deadly, for many households.

In areas where Hand of Hope has been working for years—caring for children and providing water relief—we are distributing emergency relief packs to those most affected. These packs include much-needed food supplies, household items and repair kits. They are being distributed through our local church partner, Trinity Church, who is reminding people that God is with them even in times of tragedy.

Our ability to respond at times of disaster is made possible by the support of our friends and partners, so thank you! We will continue to do what we can. Please continue to pray for Malawian families and the long road of recovery ahead.

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Christmas Blessings in Ferguson

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 20:45:00 +0000

by Ginger Stache, Chief Media Officer for Joyce Meyer Ministries

Imagine you are a child living in Ferguson, Missouri, experiencing shocking turmoil in your neighborhood with little or no understanding of what is happening around you.

These little ones are the literal neighbors of Joyce Meyer Ministries, which is based in St. Louis. Ferguson is a neighborhood in this city that we love.

Through our inner city outreach, the St. Louis Dream Center, and together with local churches and businesses we were able to give these kids a reminder that they are loved and valued, and to help their families as well. Every child at Koch Elementary received Christmas gifts and a food pantry based right in the school that is providing food for their families.

The children were so excited. They talked to us about the "craziness," as they called it, they've seen around them and how their lives have been impacted. But they also said how happy they were for this day of presents.

Thank you for allowing us to bring a little joy to our own city, as well as places in need all around the world!

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