Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Country Updates”
Hope Story is proud to announce a brand-new partnership with New Hope Fellowship Church in Thunder Bay. New Hope was established 20 years ago to serve as a spiritual refuge for First Nations youth in a city that is a hub for education and healthcare for tiny reserve communities in Northern Ontario.
Despite the persecution the church has experienced, pastor Tej’s commitment to bringing people together in Christian outreach is having an impact. A local member of parliament spoke at the event sharing that in the 21st century, people should be free to choose the religion they want. The previous chief of police told Tej that it was his first time learning about Christmas.
Hope Story ended 2019 with an ambitious objective – to support 400 vulnerable children in Zambia. Much in response to the support we received at the banquet in the fall, we are pleased to report that we have begun supporting 356 children with school fees!
Creation of Hope continues to reach out to children outside of the home, keeping children with local guardians wherever possible. To that end, 168 families received food distributions during three distribution periods, impacting many children, while 25 families in greater need received distributions on a monthly basis.
The kids were not in school. Then, their mother found employment as a cook for the food program through Hope Story’s partner Tiempo de Paz. The employment opportunity was a big deal for the whole family.
At the Amani School, the teachers continue to pour their hearts into the children’s education. As we spoke with Sarah Isaak, the school’s administrator (photographed below), at 5 p.m. on a Wednesday (before the virus began), a teacher was still working with grade 5 students in the background, giving the children extra support beyond the already long school day.
We are happy to report the expansion of the food program to middle-school students in grades 6 to 9. There is little more rewarding than seeing a hungry belly filled, and I hope the photos here bring warmth to your heart. We continue to need ongoing support for this increased food program and seek monthly program sponsors, also known as Community Builders, to sustain this work.
