Hope Lives!

ChildReach Ministries- Treasure Hunters!!

2008-08-22T09:34:00.003-05:00

Wow! I have just picked up a couple of new books to read. One of them is called "Hope Lives" by Amber Van Schooneveld. I have just started reading it today. Here is a summary of what God revealed to me this morning...

Let's go treasure hunting!!

A couple of weeks ago while I was on vacation (while Andrew was napping), I remember watching a short documentary about a sunken treasure ship (sorry, but I don't remember the name) and how a group of people have spent years and their life searching for this treasure....and they have found some treasure spread across and beneath the ocean floor. They have found gold chains, coins, etc. The documentary followed some people that spend their vacation every year and they go diving for treasure. After a week of dives (getting wet and dirty by digging on the ocean floor) they are lucky to find a gold coin or a small token of their efforts.

The author today stated that there are nearly 1.2 billion people in the world living in extreme poverty on less than a dollar a day. Out of that there are thousands of children that are stricken by disease, poverty, abuse, and even abandoned. Each one a little treasure, knit together, inch by inch by God. Each one is a diamond that God has crafted to catch and reflect his light just so, but as I write this now....they have been kicked in the dirt, muddied, unrecognized, and abandoned.

Hope Lives!!
"Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. BUT TAKE HEART, (HOPE LIVES), because I have overcome the world." John 16:33

My prayer today is "God, please use me and ChildReach to not be afraid to get dirty and go searching for your beautiful diamonds (children), to rescue them, care for them, and love them, and raise them up to shine for you!"

Hannah's Hope (Lives)!!- What a fitting name. One day soon it will be filled with treasures.

Thank You for all of those that are a part of ChildReach! Let's continue to hunt for treasure! Will you continue to go with us?

What treasures does God have waiting for us and for Him to restore?

It's been awhile!

2008-08-21T14:14:00.003-05:00

Hey! I know. I know. It has been a while since I have posted anything for a long time. I am going to do a better job of posting things that are happening in my life and the life of ChildReach...

143 Million Orphans

2008-01-17T15:07:00.000-06:00

It is estimated that there are 143 million orphans worldwide. That number is staggering each time I hear it. What is God's plan?

Thank You Father for your provision for Hannah's Hope (Esperanza De Hannah) that when it is completed it will be able to house and recieve 40-50 children that are Fatherless. There are so many people that God is using to build Hannah's Hope. So what is Gods plan?

The photo below is what was accomplished during the past couple of weeks. We have another team arriving in a few short days that will continue work on the building.

Will you prayerfully consider joining us on an upcoming project to help us finish? What is Gods plan?

YOU ARE GODS PLAN FOR THE ORPHAN!

Hannah's Hope Orphanage- Under construction!

HELP IS ON THE WAY!

2008-01-08T19:31:00.000-06:00

"I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." Psalm 121:1-2

Monday was a difficult morning. We arrived in "Lomas De Marchan" which is a community just a few minutes from Hannah's Home. We were to go around the community and pass out VBS flyers and tell everyone about VBS later in the afternoon. As I was walking our group came across two little girls that were alone laying behind a concrete stone. They had such a lonely look about them and it was apparent that they were in need. Much more than the other children in the community. I approached them and through a translator they told me their names and their ages. The oldest girl (Maria) was 4 years old and Viviana (pictured above) was around 2 years old. I kneeled down in the dusty dirt and began holding their hand and trying to communicate to them. I immediately sensed that God wanted to pour His love through me and touch them. Dirt covered their faces and a sense of hopelessness was in their eyes. The only other time that I have seen such hopelessness has been in the children that live at the dump in Quito, Ecuador. It is an expressionless, glazed look about them that never changes. Tony Kay and I picked them up and began searching for their mom and dad. The neighborhood began telling us where they lived and that there mom and dad left them. More than that, they are telling us that they leave them all the time for hours at a time. My heart began to weep and immediately thought of my own children who are about the same age. I couldn't comprehend how someone could leave them on the street with no one responsible for taking care of them. I immediately knew that God ultimately watches over his children.
We went to their home which is a very small one room thatched hut where 4 children and two adults live. There is one bed lying on the dirt floor which has the bed springs exposed (photo to be added later because it Tony Kay took it). We immediately went and got water and some crackers. I could go even longer and tell what happened. But, long story short is that our group took the girls over to Hogar De Ninos and gave them a bath, a hot lunch, and some clean clothes. Maria now has a smile and has come with us to VBS the last two days. There is a different look about her. Today, I held Viviana (the youngest) during VBS as she slept in my lap. She was so tired.....as if she has endured so much in such a short life and needed to catch up on some sleep. It was such a blessing to hold her and pray blessings over her life.

Why am I sharing this with you? It hit me more than ever before today that there are lots of children that have the same hopelessness.....and it is real! I saw it and held it today. They are the fatherless. It is for them that Hannah's Hope (Esperanza De Hannah) is being constructed. All I can say is that HELP IS ON THE WAY!

I love you all!

2008-01-07T16:58:00.000-06:00

Monday, January 7th- Today the group started to lay the floor on the second floor! It is a slow process but it looks great!

The first wall to go up on the second floor!

2008-01-05T19:45:00.000-06:00

Running pipe from the newly dug well to both Hannah's Home and Hannah's Hope Orphanage!

2008-01-05T17:14:00.000-06:00

What are all the teams doing each day?

Team going down to Chincha for 4 days for earthquake relief (2 hours away)

Teams building Hannah's Hope

Teams digging out a row of trees for the side wall of the property

Teams digging and installing septic systems for Hannah's Home and Hope

Teams doing evangelism and VBS each day in the community

Team working on Hannah's Home bathroom

There is so much going on and a lot of work being accomplished by 70 plus people. It is truly amazing how God is working and given each person skills to accomplish what is needed! The body of Christ working together for a common purpose!

2008-01-05T17:12:00.000-06:00

Bathrooms being installed at Hannah's Home! One of the last steps before we open.

2008-01-05T17:06:00.000-06:00

Septic system being installed for Hannah's Home!

2008-01-05T17:02:00.000-06:00

One of the teams today made 43 Metal frame stud walls. Great Job! Watch as they go up next week!

2008-01-03T19:56:00.000-06:00

The View of the valley of Chilca from the top of a hill

2008-01-03T19:44:00.000-06:00

The Ceiling for the first floor and the floor for the second story that will go up.

2008-01-03T19:40:00.000-06:00

Photo of all the work- Thursday, January 3rd, 2008!

2008-01-03T19:35:00.000-06:00

Here is a photo of the floor beams going up on Hannah's Hope Orphanage

Christmas at Hogar!

2007-12-21T10:30:00.000-06:00

Natalie- Always making us laugh! What a perfect gift!

Brandon with his new toy!

Christmas Tree and gifts at Hogar De Ninos

Jennifer recieving a huge hug from Natalie!

2007-12-21T10:23:00.000-06:00

Rachel and Sarah working at Hannah's Home (Pulling weeds) Great Job Girls!!

Andrew with his Christmas gift from Santa (Peru Soccer Ball)

CHRISTMAS PARTY!!

2007-12-20T16:41:00.000-06:00

Christmas Present for all the kids at Hogar De Nino's

Luz Mery at Christmas Dinner!

Jesus

Jose with Papa Noel!

Hannah's Hope Orphanage Photos

2007-12-20T16:34:00.001-06:00

Classrooms on the bottom floor and bedrooms on the second floor (To be built)

This is where the Cafeteria and Kitchen will be at the orphanage!

Our family standing in Hannah's Hope Orphanage!

2007-12-20T16:23:00.000-06:00

The Well is Complete!!

FRESH WATER FROM HANNAH"S WELL! PRAISE THE LORD!

The new cabinets under the sink!

The new stove, grill, and counter in the kitchen at Hannah's Home!!

2007-12-20T16:04:00.000-06:00

Rachel and Natalie

Andrew and Felix (Director of Hogar De Ninos)

Rachel and Allison

Here is a photo of Rachel and Sarah with their new FRIENDS! What a blessing to watch them play together!

Christmas in Peru!!

2007-12-20T14:59:00.001-06:00

CHRISTMAS IN PERU!!

It finally happened. Our entire family was able to go to Peru together. What a blessing it was to celebrate Christmas together with our friends in Peru. This was the first trip to Peru for my wife Jennifer and the kids (Rachel, Sarah, and Andrew). Here we are together standing in front of the newly dug well for Hannah's Home and Hannah's Hope. What a joy it was to visibly see it complete and to touch the coolness of the water coming out of the pipe! Thank you all that helped raise funds for Hannah's Hike!!

During the week we purchased Christmas gifts for the kids at Hogar De Ninos. We purchased a group gift for everyone which was a TV and DVD player to hang in the multi purpose room. We also went shopping in Lima and bought each child a personal toy. We invited Felix and Erika to dinner and had them help us wrap them. My kids enjoyed Christmas shopping and also helping wrap the gifts. We had Christmas dinner on Thursday night for everyone at Hannah's Home which consisted of over 50 people and then "Santa Clause" showed up over at Hogar De Nino's to hand out the presents for everyone! What a joy to see each child recieving their gift and the smiles as they opened it up.

We also spent time working around Hannah's Home. While in Lima we purchased a new refrigerator, stove, microwave, microwave cart, and counters for the kitchen. It is so cool to see the kitchen filled with appliances. We really are getting close to being open. The Christmas dinner that I told you about in the previous paragraph was cooked on our new stove! We had roast, potatoes, carrots and so much more.

So much has been done to Hannah's Hope Orphanage since my last visit. The foundation has been poured, the back wall of the building has been built, and also the columns that will support the second story. All is ready for the team from Penn State to come and build it. They will arrive on December 30th and depart on January 12th. The total team from Penn State, those from MO and OH, along with translators will be over 70 people during the two weeks. I can't wait to keep you all informed about the progress of the orphanage. Keep your eyes peeled for updates and photos while I am there.

Well, I want to add some more photos from the trip. I will write a short caption for each one. Thank you for those that helped contribute for our family to travel to Peru. We had a great time and we were truly blessed. Thank you to all of our supporters! We love you very much!

Jeff, Jennifer, Rachel, Sarah, and Andrew