Hope For Life October 2012 Update

A note from our volunteer: Torey

Generously supported by my family in California and Colorado, I’ve made my way to Rwanda to work with Hilliary for the next four months. Along with general administrative tasks, my main focus will be empowering the families of those being reintegrated. To help with this task, five interns from my alma mater business school at CU Boulder are partnering with us. They will be researching income-generating projects for the boys and their families along with potential partnerships with other NGO’s in the area. We’ll keep you posted on the progress!

With sustainability in mind, Stuart and I have spent much of our time with the boys farming at the home.  With a new plan in place we hope to save $100 USD every three months by growing our greatest food expenses! It’s quite a scene with the older boys hard at work breaking up the solid dirt, the younger boys climbing the trees to avoid their morning chore, and the whole neighborhood gathering to point and laugh as three, white “muzungus” are out farming alongside everyone. With the language barrier extremely visible, it’s been a great way to bond over our task at hand. Stuart and I are so excited to be here and grateful to be apart of God’s plan for HFLM!

Our two volunteers: Torey and Stuart

We have witnessed God’s faithfulness in guiding HFLM the last four years and believe that the new season we are entering is the next step in continuing to follow His direction. The Rwandan government is in the process of reintegrating all children from institutes into families. In compliance, we are working to do what is best for the boys by intentionally reconnecting them with their immediate families, extended families, and church sponsors. We are confident that this new direction of partnering with Rwandan families will offer our children an improved loving and supportive environment.  Our goal is to take a holistic approach to place each of our boys into loving families by December 2013.

In the year ahead we are working to prepare the boys for returning to their families, empowering the families to receive their children, and equipping them with the skills to provide for their children. In preparation to accomplish these goals, we have recruited two interns, Torey and Stuart, who are counseling the boys and preparing the families.

One of our strategies in this process has been developing a network of families through a newly started mentorship program. In joint venture with the local church, we have paired each boy with a participating family. This program works to help our boys have a godly male role model, experience a healthy family setting, and begin to dissolve the negative stereotype towards Rwandan street kids.

This past Sunday, Simeon’s mentor who is the Pastor at the boys’ church, took him overnight to join in with a family party.  Simeon was thrilled to report that he got to drink Fanta, eat plantains and cassava, and played with other kids. Paul’s mentor declared, “Paul is now my son, and if he ever doesn’t have somewhere to go, he can come in my house as a son.” We are so blessed to see how God is alive in the hearts of our community.

Claude seeing his sister and grandmother for the first time!

One of the boys who we were worried it would be difficult to reintegrate was little Claude. After a year long search for any living family of little Claude’s, we finally made contact with his grandmother who had lost all hope that Claude was alive. Claude’s excitement at visiting his grandmother could be seen in the bounce in his walk, his energetic demeanor, and a smile that would not leave his face. When we took Claude to visit her, it was indeed a joyous reunion and they eagerly took Claude into their home. The grandmother was overjoyed to see her grandson again and Claude couldn’t stop hugging his sister. We are so grateful that we were able to reunite Claude with a loving family, and we feel confident that he will prosper in his new home.

With all of the children being reintegrated, we are looking at options for the future of HFLM.  We would like to continue running HFLM as a family centered home for street children and are searching for someone to come alongside of Hilliary to help carry the torch. In the meantime, we are continuing to work with government officials to verify homes like ours will indeed be allowed to remain open after 2014. Please be praying for us in these three powerful ways: 1) for God to give us clear direction and wisdom with the reintegration plan, 2) for a torch bearer, and 3) for the future functions of the home. Thank you again for all of your encouragement and continued support!

Hope For Life September 2012 Update

These past few months have been a very fruitful time with so many blessings that fill us with gratitude.  We have witnessed continued spiritual development, prepared for reconciliation, welcomed visitors and interns, and even built a composting toilet.

The boys had a craft day and made masks out of materials Andy brought

Two visitors came from America to volunteer at HFLM this last month. Andy Frank came with a suitcase full of soccer balls, games, crafts, and snacks! The boys had been begging almost every day for soccer balls and were absolutely thrilled to receive 3 new balls. Elizabeth Primus spent 2 weeks at HFLM helping with various activities, the largest project being building a composting toilet. Yes, a toilet that composts human waste and safely turns it into compost that can be used as fertilizer.  Although we have not yet built the shelter around the toilet, several boys excitedly reported that they have already used the toilet.

Elizabeth teaching the boys to make the composting toilet

We will be reconciling eight boys with their families this December, and a handful of boys were worried about going home because they don’t have a toilet. We are grateful for this new skill of building eco-friendly toilets that was taught by Elizabeth, so that our boys and their families can benefit from having a toilet.

Elizabeth also brought funds with her that were raised in the USA to treat our boys to an outing. We took them to a local hotel to swim for the afternoon.  Even Veterne, who has limited use of his legs, was able to join and swim for the first time in his life. Although he was a bit terrified, he was thrilled to be taking part with the rest of the boys and by the end was swimming by himself with a life vest.

Veterne swimming for the first time in his life

We have been proud of our boys in their continued spiritual development. They have been leading Saturday morning devotions, encouraging each other in their faith, eagerly participating in prayer times at their church and are excited to share their faith with others. We shared in Daniel’s joy this last month, because after completing three months of Bible courses, he publicly proclaimed his faith by being baptized.  

Daniel being baptized

This last month we were sad to say goodbye to Gwen, our intern from Moody Bible Institute. The boys and staff will miss her dearly, but the mark she left on the ministry will not be forgotten. On the other hand, we are excited to welcome two more interns, Torey Rozario and Stuart Cornutt, who will be spending the next 4 months serving at HFLM. Torey will be heading up our self-sustainability projects, primarily focusing on training the boys in self-sustainability skills and passing those skills on to their families as a means of income generation. Stuart, who just completed his Masters in Counseling Psychology, will be aiding in counseling the boys and developing a more thorough counseling program at HFLM.

Please keep in your prayers the boys at HFLM as several of them are preparing for the transition of returning to their families. Also, please be praying for Stuart and Torey, and the rest of the staff, as they will be instrumental in the successful reconciliation of these eight boys in December. Thank you so much for your support and prayers. 

August Update

             (Twizerimana before and after the streets)

Last July, HFLM took in 14-year-old Twizerimana (meaning “believe God”) who initially had a countenance of grief due to a deeply wounded life. His life dramatically changed a year ago when his father died from AIDS, and weeks later, his mother passed away from malaria. He had nowhere to go after his mother died, so he began living on the streets and not even his relatives were willing to bring him into their home. After some time, Twizerimana was arrested and put into prison simply for living on the streets. He was released in April, and after attending HFLM’s outreach program in May, he gave his life to Christ. He says that, “…after coming to know Christ I changed my life and I stopped smoking cigarettes.” It is amazing to see how God began a work in Twizerimana’s life, brought him to HFLM, and has transformed his countenance to joyful smiling and laughing.

It is exciting to see the boys’ maturation in Christ as they have found joy in reading the Bible and applying its truth to their lives. Every Saturday morning the boys lead devotions at HFLM. 17-year-old Baby shared from Isaiah 54:17 which says, “no weapon formed against you shall succeed.” He confessed that anyone who looked at him before could tell he had many problems. He described the painful situation in his family that has been burdening him; “The last time I visited my mother it was so evident that she is dying that when we [he and his mother] looked at each other, we began crying and praying to God.” Baby then broke down in tears as he pleaded with us to pray for his mother. Baby shared that he’s also been struggling in school and has received bad grades. However, he explained, “I have felt happy since reading Isaiah 54:17. It is impossible for humans to be happy all the time, but I can find joy through reading the Word of God. He is for us and not against us.” A transformation in his attitude towards life has been unmistakable to everyone. Fellow HFLM member, David, shared an encouraging word to Baby and the rest of the boys saying, “I want to tell you the difference between dying and perishing. Us believers, we will die and have eternal life, but those who don’t know Christ will perish. Although we may think we are poor, we are richer than the richest person in the world because we know Christ. Most of our families don’t know Jesus, and we need to share this treasure with them.” As staff, we are proud and humbled to be a part of such momentous moments such as these.

During the month of August, the kids will be on their vacation. During this break, some boys will get the chance to go home to visit their families for a week. Several boys are eager to go home and share with their family how Christ has changed their lives and their hearts. Two of the boys, Veterne and Daniel, are going home to see their sister get baptized. They are both so excited and exclaimed they never thought they would see the day when their sister would accept Christ and be baptized. We are so excited that they have the opportunity to share in the joy of attending their sister’s baptism, as well as the opportunity to watch their sister grow in Christ. 

Hilliary also had the opportunity to share on TBN what God is doing in HFLM. Watch here.

Thank-you all for joining in this life transforming work and making it possible for these children and young men to have hope and a future.

God bless you,

Executive Director

 

July Update

Hope For Life July 2012 Update

Praise the Lord! Hilliary and Gwen, our intern from Moody Bible Institute, arrived safely in Rwanda. They are enjoying living at the home with the boys, showing God’s love to them, and teaching them how to play baseball!

 

Paul tried to translate the baseball rules to the boys, but they only seemed to catch the gist of it. After the first inning, only one child remained in the outfield and everyone else wanted to bat. Eight-year-old Simeon, and a few of the other younger boys, ran around the bases, purposefully stalling so that Hilliary had to chase after them to tag them with the ball. They would giggle as she ran after them, trying to show off how much faster they had gotten in the last six months. The most hysterical sight was seeing six- year-old Claude at bat. Mid swing, Claude would switch the bat to his other hand and circle around, trying to hit the ball. To his delight, his batting technique somehow worked and got him on base once!

God is continuing to bless and grow this ministry. Our Wednesday outreach program has grown to 20 boys. The devotion this week was led by Gwen, who talked to the boys about how God is always there with them and for them. She asked the kids if they have ever felt like nobody cared for them, and several sad faces nodded their heads in acknowledgement. They were joyful to hear of God’s love and care for them, even when it feels like no one else does.

On a sad note, after much discussion and prayer, HFLM staff have decided it best to send nine-year-old Nsabiri back to his home and mom. He has been negatively influencing the other children and even posed as a threat to them. We are saddened that other disciplinary action did not change Nsabiri’s attitude and that this resulted in his departure from our program. However, we are committed to following up with him at home. Please join us in praying for a heart change and for his safety at home with his mom.

In the coming season, HFLM is focusing our efforts on internal development. Our Executive Director, Hilliary, is looking forward to implementing a new structure at the home that will increase supervision and unity. We believe that it is essential to equip our Rwandan leaders to run the home and we are excited to focus on this. Hilliary hopes to impact our leader’s characters and deepen their relationships with Christ through intense staff training, theological training, and discipleship courses. We pray that this will aid in transforming our staff from the inside out.

Your prayers and gifts make all the difference to our children in Rwanda and your ongoing partnership allows us to meet our goals and continue transforming their lives. Thank you for joining us in showing God’s love to Rwandan street boys!

God bless you,

June Update 2012

Thank you all for your prayers for the Cooper family! As they completed their time serving in Rwanda and were preparing to leave, Corban caught a 24 hour flu and had to be hospitalized. Thanks to the grace of God, Corban was able to leave the hospital just in time for his family to catch their flight back to Seattle. Their family feels blessed to be back at home and commented, “We feel we are now living in a Four Seasons Hotel compared to where we had been living so we’re really enjoying that.”

Hilliary will be heading back to Rwanda this month to spend the next year living and serving in Rwanda. She is very excited because Gwen, an intern from Moody Bible Institute, will be serving alongside her for two months in order to serve the boys and assist with daily needs. If you are interested in interning or volunteering with HFLM either in the States or in Rwanda, please visit our website for more information: www.hopeforlifeministry.org.

HFLM has been blessed to be able to accept another child named Patrick who is 13 years old. Although his siblings, Nsabiri and Baby, have been living at HFLM for the past three years, Patrick was living at another street center. When this center shut down last fall, he went to live with his mother off and on. But due to his mother's abuse of alcohol and the severe poverty, Patrick spent most of his time on the streets.

HFLM staff found Patrick on the streets, and he begged to be allowed to come and live at HFLM with his brothers. HFLM staff searched for his mother to obtain permission and found her, skin clinging to her bones, collecting garbage for dinner. When asked if she would be fine with Patrick living at HFLM, she agreed without hesitation. Patrick was absolutely elated, and his joy overflowed as the staff brought him to his new home. He literally ran, pulling the staff to the bus station. Patrick was so overcome with anticipation of his life changing for the better that he would have run the whole 12 miles. He has transitioned extremely well to his new family, and it seems like he has always lived there.

It is through partnerships with you that HFLM is able to continue providing a safe home to Patrick and many others like him. With continued support, HFLM hopes to offer a safe home to even more boys. Thank you for so faithfully and generously giving your prayers, resources, and time to this ministry!

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GARAGE SALE ITEMS NEEDED!

A garage sale will be held this July to benefit HFLM. If you have items to donate or would like to help coordinate this fundraiser, please contact Megan at swansonhfl@gmail.com

May 2012 Update

We are excited to share a few stories of transformation from Hope For Life with you this month!

Each week, approximately 10 to 14 local street boys in our community participate in our Outreach Program by sharing a meal at Hope For Life, bathing, washing their clothes, receiving counsel, and sharing in a devotion. At one of these meetings, HFLM staff led a discussion on the impact of drugs and alcohol on our bodies and brains, and how much money these boys could save by not using these substances. This new concept of budgeting led the children to begin evaluating how they spend the little money they earn each day through begging and performing odd jobs. A few weeks later, three boys attended the outreach program wearing clean clothes. Curious about their transformation, our staff prodded and discovered that these specific boys had cut back on their drug purchases, saved their money and were now off the streets and renting a small apartment together. It is so encouraging to us to see these results! 

Theft is a common act of survival that most of our boys used to engage in during their life on the streets. Two such boys were Paul and Bosco. When Paul came to HFLM, he came to know the Lord and his entire life was changed as he gave up his former habits of theft, drugs, and violence. Bosco, however, continued to struggle with stealing and lying and because of his behavior, was kicked out of the boarding school he had been attending. Upon his return to HFLM where he is now residing full-time, Bosco began noticing how entirely transformed Paul was from the boy who he used to know on the streets. Bosco questioned Paul, “Why don’t you steal anymore? Why did you change?” Paul was able to start an ongoing conversation with Bosco detailing how his relationship with Jesus changed his life. Soon after, Bosco decided that he too wanted to dedicate his life to Jesus. This past week, Bosco was baptized in our local church and we couldn’t be more proud of him and of Paul for so boldly sharing his faith. 


We continue to progress in our long term goal of making HFLM self-sustaining. In service of that sustainability, HFLM is engaged in an agricultural project growing produce and also raising rabbits and goats. While it has been a challenge to make the project profitable, our game plan evolves as we learn. Our primary goal is to grow crops that will reduce our food costs to almost zero. The secondary goal is to use our land to generate profit; we are considering options that include growing moringa trees. As we strive to reach our first goal, our staff have been attending farm training that has been very informative and revolutionary in understanding traditional Rwandan farming practices. However, we need your help in the form of both ideas and knowledge of how to manage a profitable self-sustaining project. If you are skilled in this area, please contact us!

It is only with your partnership and prayers that transformations such as these are possible. We hope you are encouraged and will continue to join us in this important work for the glory of God!

Hope For Life April 2012 Update

Tear drops hit the red dust near a little boy’s bare feet. His bloated yet empty stomach protrudes under tattered overalls that hang loosely from his shoulders. His bed is the protective walls of the street gutters where sewage freely oozes through, and his scarce meals are bartered from the coins given by a rare passerby that tosses him their sympathy. Although only 5 years old at the time, Nsabiri lived on the streets, had no home, and no one was looking after him. Sobbing he cried out, “Please, don’t leave me here. I don’t want to sleep in the street gutters anymore!” Six months later Nsabiri’s cries were answered when HFLM officially opened on March 14^th, 2009.

This last week, Hilliary was able to share Nsabiri’s story and the stories of so many others with similar plights who shared Nsabiri’s hunger for a different life. Standing in front of 700 middle school and high school students at Cedar Park Christian School (CPCS), she was able to touch the hearts of the students and provide hope for them to do something for others less fortunate. Many of the students were inspired by the transformation underway at HFLM. Each student had a picture of one of the boys under their seats and was challenged to take that picture and pray for that boy. The students excitedly went around the sanctuary, snatching up any leftover pictures. One girl shared that she had taken over 16 pictures, taped them to her mirror as a call to prayer for the boys. She also engaged her mother who has joined in the prayer for the boys. It was touching to see the response of the student body at CPCS and their hearts for the vulnerable children in Rwanda that are their age.

Every child has a right to be fed, clothed, educated, receive shelter, and have their medical needs treated. It costs approximately $98 a month to do this for each of the boys at HFLM. Please consider investing in one of the boys at HFLM and sponsor him to receive these basic human needs so they can continue to open their hearts to Jesus. We currently have 17 boys who need sponsors. If you are interested in serving as a sponsor, or even partially sponsoring a child, please email Hilliary at andersonhfl@gmail.com.

Meanwhile, in Rwanda another trimester of school has been completed at HFLM and the boys are on break. We are excited to welcome home Veterne and Claude who are attending boarding school. Veterne was excited to come home and share his knowledge of sign language and the other skills he has learned at his specialized boarding school. He continues his physical therapy learning how to walk, and more and more takes part in those games and activities that involve walking and running. When the whole family is home, we have the opportunity to further invest in their lives as we put on special events along with the times of prayer. We cherish these times of break and they stand as markers of the growth and development of all at HFLM.

Thanks to the Hovde Foundation, HFLM now has three computers providing the opportunity for the boys to learn computer skills. Most people in Rwanda never have the chance to own a computer, learn to type, or use computer programs. This training will further enable and train our boys to succeed in future careers. We are so grateful for the continuing support of the Hovde Foundation.

We are all so very thankful for how well the boys are doing and the consistency they have had in their lives through being at HFLM. Your support makes this possible and we can’t begin to tell you how much it means to us and more importantly to the boys. Thank You!

Hope For Life March 2012 Update

“This is one of the most fun things I have done in my life!” exclaimed several boys as they swam for their first time in a pool. Corban and Laura Cooper treated the boys and HFLM staff to a swimming day and lunch at a nearby hotel. The boys were thrilled to have the opportunity to go swimming and show off their dog paddling skills. Staff member Gustave grew up near a lake and could be seen with a huge smile doing back flips into the pool. The boys followed his lead and one by one without pause leaped into the pool, literally jumping on top of each other. The Coopers had to quickly grab the boys and explain the need for safety precautions. Thankfully all the boys made it home without injuries, bringing ecstatic smiles with them! It was touching to see the “tough” boys have the opportunity to let go and just be boys.

Another exciting innovation is that HFLM has begun an outreach program for the local street children. Every week we welcome them to the HFL home and provide for their various needs. Thirteen boys originally participated and the program has continued to grow. The street boys who attend have the chance to bathe, wash their clothes, eat lunch, socialize, and join in a devotion to hear the gospel. When these children were asked what it meant to be a Christian they responded with remarks such as: being a good person, going to church, and even one said speaking in tongues. Corban shared that even though good deeds are a fruit of being a Christian, we cannot earn our way to heaven through good works. It is through faith in Christ and faith alone that we are saved.

We are thankful for the development of the staff and the impact on the boys’ lives. We pray that God continues to draw them to know Him more. Please join us in prayer for staff unity; for the well being of all of our boys; and for the continued success of the outreach program. AndMurakoze cyane (thank you so much) for your support and prayers.

February Update 2012

This last month, the boys and staff at Hope for Life have experienced tremendous growth and maturity in Christ. We have been blessed to have Corban and Laura Cooper serving as the Assistant Directors. They have been leading bible studies with the staff that has brought everyone together in unity. Having heart to heart conversations with individual boys to encourage them in their relationship with Christ, the Coopers have become influential role models in the boys' and staff’s lives. And of course, their two daughters love their new play mates!

Paul has been at HFLM for 3 yearsOne of the boys who continues to be positively impacted by those at HFLM is Paul. We asked him if he would help write our newsletter this month and he decided to share his testimony. Paul was born into, as he would say, "a miserable life." His family slept on dirt floors under a patched tin roof, and would go several days at a time without food. As a young boy, Paul was hired out by his family to work on farms as an animal caretaker, and he gave his meager earnings to help his family survive. Working away from his family, he was introduced to destructive behavior. Eventually, this course of behavior led him to leave his family and move to the capital city, Kigali.

"Life was not easy in Kigali. I started spending the night on the streets and taking up bad habits such as cigarettes, alcohol and drugs. I even began stealing. During that time, I wondered what would become of my life, but I couldn't find the answer."

Veterne playing with Petra CooperIt was when Paul met Hilliary, Chantal and Megan that his life changed. "They were the people God used to speak into my miserable life." Paul was one of the original street boys taken in by Hope for Life. He explains that his life slowly began to change as he was introduced to prayer, studying, and good behavior. "My life changed completely when I made the decision to receive Jesus Christ." Paul was able to break his old habits and he began going back to school, where he is now preparing for the National exams. Paul credited prayer as the intervention God used to free him from his addiction to cocaine saying, “I felt God clean my mind.” He is enthusiastic about his studies and especially relishes the opportunity to learn English. Every cent he earns, he saves to one day buy a radio and listen to English stations. Although education is important to him, he told us that "the most important thing I know is to obey God because out of all things I know and will know, they all are in Him."

Paul asked for us to share this verse with you, because it changed his life. Psalms 1: 1-2 "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night”.

This verse sets the tone for this month's update. While we continue to be grateful for what God has been doing in Hope for Life, we still face many challenges and ask you to join us in prayer. Please pray for the Coopers in this ministry and for their daughter Petra whose health is struggling, for the boys’ continued transformation as they grow deeper in their relationships with Jesus, and for them to understand true forgiveness and repentance. Additionally, we have been able to reconcile three of our boys with their families: Obed, Jackson, and John Hagenimana. We will be financially sponsoring these boys so that they can live with their families. If you would like to sponsor one of these boys, please email Hilliary at andersonhfl@gmail.com. Furthermore, we ask for prayer that our farming endeavor will be profitable and sustainable. Thank you for continual love and support.

New Year Update 2012

Hope For Life wishes you a Happy New Year! Thank you to everyone who donated money so that our boys could have a Christmas celebration. A Rwandan organization also contributed, taking the boys to play soccer and share a meal with many other vulnerable children. The boys had the opportunity to hear a motivating testimony of a former street boy who has now grown up and leads a successful life.

In Rwanda, most people celebrate their birthday on New Years. This big birthday party was an incredibly exciting day for the boys and the staff at HFLM. Spurts of giggling and singing filled the home and every face was lit up with a smile. Each boy received a birthday cake with candles and everyone sang happy birthday as the candles were blown out. Claude, who had never celebrated a birthday before, eyed the other boys and quickly blew out his candles as well. Not knowing what a birthday candle was, he proceeded to eat it. He was quite surprised to discover it was wax and not edible! Afterwards, two guests, Erin and Karen, taught the boys various crafts and games. Even the oldest boys Paul and David had a blast. They all made lions out of paper plates, glue and pens.

Thanks to the Hovde Family’s donation, three bleating goats have made their home at HFLM! The boys, most notably Berco, have learned to shepherd and care for the goats. We will be raising and breeding goats to help with the self-sustainability of the home.

This last month we lost two of our HFLM staff, Gakuru and Jean Baptist. The overturn of staff is always a difficult adjustment for the boys. Please join us in praying for stability in the boys’ lives and for God to continue to mold their hearts. Similarly, we are grieving the loss of Yves, Habimana, Donath, and Muhawe. These boys left for the third time and therefore lose their option to return to HFLM. Even though they are no longer at HFLM, we love them and know they are not a lost cause to God. We pray that God will work in their hearts and turn their lives around.

Thank you all for reading our update and joining us in prayer. Your encouragement and generous support are essential to this ministry.