Harare, Zimbabwe

Dear Friends of Home of Hope,

Knock, Knock

No, it’s not one of those jokes, but it’s what we hear nearly every day at our gates, morning, afternoon, and sometimes at night. A person or persons knocking on our gates asking us for help: for food, water, clothes, shoes, medicine; to go to the hospital or clinic; to pay for school fees, rent, or an I.D to get a job; for transportation, soap, a blanket; to learn dressmaking in order to be self-supportive; for someone to talk to. Or most importantly for a Bible to know the Lord and be saved.

It’s an incredible message by example to freely give to their everyday needs. To show them that salvation is all grace, which means for free, without cost, for nothing. That’s what we hope to demonstrate, even though it is sometimes very hard.

Knock, Knock. Please can you help me, I want to go to school.

We have so many children that need and want to go to school, and we can only help a small fraction. We thank God that most of the children who lived on the streets and were coming to us for help are now going to school and have a place to stay. We continue to help by buying food for them, paying their school fees in full and helping with school uniforms. We also buy shoes for them and give them clothes when we can afford to or when someone donates them to us. We’ve noticed that since last year the Lord has been moving these children off the street and into places to stay. Thank you, Lord.

Knock, Knock. We want to know Jesus.

An amazing thing happened – Ria Rock found a place where we could buy soft covered New Testament Bibles at a very good price. She found English Bibles for only one dollar at a Chinese take-out restaurant (of all places) and bought some for us to see. She then went back and bought about twenty more for half the price: fifty cents each. Joan then decided to go buy some more Bibles. She gave Bibles to the people outside our gates that we provide food for. She gave Bibles to anyone that came to our gates asking for help. She gave Bibles to the destitute people begging in the streets. She also gave one to a policeman.

The Shona Bibles here cost $15 to $25 each, so what a huge blessing that the Lord made through the Chinese take-out restaurant. Thanks to Ria and Joan who opened our eyes to this opportunity.

Knock, Knock. Please can you help us, we are sick.

We have so many people coming to ask us for help because they need medicine, need to go to the clinic, or need to go to the hospital. We get a quite a lot of people coming to us with deep cuts on their legs, hands, and heads from either being hit by a car or being mugged. We get many young girls who have been sexually abused or are working as prostitutes and have contracted various forms of STDs. We try to help as much as we can. We buy cough medicine, acetaminophen, diarrhea and toothache medicine, betadine ointment, bandages, and ear and eye drops. We distribute these medicines daily. It costs five dollars to go to the clinic for an examination and fifteen dollars to go to the hospital (which does not include medicine, surgery, or bedding). It’s so hard these days for people to afford medical care.

Knock, Knock. Please help us with an I.D.

We also have people that need money to get an I.D. in order to apply for a job. Unemployment is extremely high here.

Knock, Knock. Ebralie and Bill are here.

We recently welcomed two special people from The Outreach Foundation. Projects Coordinator Ebralie Mwizerwa gave us encouraging news but also let us know that they are battling to raise funds for Home of Hope. Outreach has always given us fantastic support and encouragement, but raising funds has never been an easy task and it’s even harder today when they’re competing with many non-profits for the same dollar. They are concerned not only for us but for the other ministries they support. Please continue helping Home of Hope, and invite your friends and congregations to do the same.

Bill Warlick visited us a week later. He has been a very big blessing to us as well as to many others. He and his wife, Nancy, have helped, supported and encouraged us for many, many years. Bill, who turned eighty this year, is doing very well. He loves to serve the Lord who has given him strength to carry on in his service. We are so thankful to Bill and The Outreach Foundation for facilitating the generous donations in honor of Bill Warlick. We pray that we see Ebralie and Bill next year, God willing, and thank them for their encouraging visits.

Prayer Requests
•   for Anelka, who ran away and is HIV+, to be safe and either go back home and/or for the Lord to place him in a safe place where he will receive medicine and go back to school
•   for Panashe, another boy who ran away, for him to know the Lord and to be safe and go back to school
•   for safety for all street children and help for them to go to school
•   for more Bibles
•   for Home of Hope to continue feeding the hungry, physically and spiritually, and to help the sick
•   for Charles to get a job and for one of our older men, Lazareth, who can’t walk any more
•   for Dave and Ria's safety in South Africa and a safe trip back home

Please let us know if there is anything we can pray for you specifically.

You are in our prayers, many thanks and many blessings.

Craig, Joan and all at Home of Hope

Amount needed in 2015

The Outreach Foundation seeks to raise at least $5,000 per month for Home of Hope. To make a donation, click the Donate Now link in the sidebar.

The Outreach Foundation now offers the option of receiving missionary/project updates, newsletters, and receipts by e-mail. If you would like to sign up to start receiving these communications electronically, please send your name and e-mail address, along with that request, to info@theoutreachfoundation.org or call us at (615) 778-8881.

Home of Hope - June 2015 Update

Harare, Zimbabwe