Hope....

There are no words to describe how wonderful it is to be here in Tanzania again. We have been able to accomplish so much already.

My time is limited on the internet, but promise to write as much as possible upon my arrival home! We spent a couple days with our villages on Mt. Meru over the weekend. We were able to worship with 200 people, watched 10 children be baptized, attended the church auction after worship, purchased a goat and two "kuku's" We donated the goat to a recent widow who is so poor she cannot afford even one piece of food for her 4 children! This Goat is a female and will produce milk for her family. The chickens were given to 2 families who are also very poor. We met a group of adults from one of the villages where they had formed a "micro finance" co-op. They pool their money to help others in the village who need health care, food, water and other daily needs. Simple Hope donated 50,000tsh ( about $40.00 usd). They currently had less than $2.00 in their cash box! Bringing hope was the best thing we could have accomplished. We spent time learning about each of their needs and it is truly heartbreaking when the same story is repeated by each person yet, they live with love and hope and their faith in God. That is encouraging and enlightening to me.

We learned of an orphanage that needed our help. We are going to be distributing vitamins, shoes and school supplies to them today. We are working on "building a bridge of love between our worlds" This orphanage has no help! The government does not supply a single T shilling nor are there any NGO's supporting. A man and his wife have 30 children they are caring for. They have God in their hearts and know that if they do not help, these children will either die or be left to live on the street! We can connect many dots with this wonderful orphanage filled with love!

Our work will never be done, I just pray for strength and guidance from God above to help us to help as many as we are able. I am ready, willing and able to do this work!

Thank you for praying for me, Simple Hope and those we are serving. I cannot do this work without God and you!

Blessings and peace -

Wrapped in prayers and covered in Grace.

It has been a blessing to be here in Tanzania. We have had a very peaceful time.... We have met with several women's co-ops to see how as a microfinance business they get along and support their families and villages. We have been able to purchase items from them to help "lift them up" and we know that God has a big plan for us of "building a bridge of love between our worlds" We have found peace and comfort in new friendships and we had a very successful "meeting of the minds" to grow Simple Hope forward in our country of Tanzania.

We have traveled to Nairobi Kenya and were able to do Simple Hope along the way.

Tomorrow we will head up Mount Meru to worship with our friends at Shishtoni then deliver God's message through a vacation bible school.

I hope God continues to watch our every step and guide us in the right direction for doing his work.

Thank you for your prayers.

Blessings and peace,

1/2 Way to Tanzania

Had a great flight from Chicago, USA...arrived in Amsterdam for a quick breakfast of croissant and water....next is the flight to Tanzania...see you when I am on the ground and serving the least of the least.

Thank you for your prayers and blessings...I am humbled!

Blessings and peace~

On my way...

I am excited for the upcoming weekend. We have a wonderful community of "Heroes" helping us "pack food" for Tanzania! This Saturday March 19th,, 2011 from 8:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. EVERYONE is invited to help. One hour of your day and you will make a sizable difference in the starvation that the children and adults face in Tanzania. If you haven't signed up yet, please just come..Walk In's are welcome!!! Crosspoint Community Church W380N6931 N Lake Dr Oconomowoc, WI 53066.

Also, Sunday Karen and I will be leaving for Tanzania!! We are excited to continue to "build a bridge of love between our worlds" Please keep us in your prayers as this is the only way we can and will have a successful trip. On April 1st, my oldest daughter Libby will join us along with a very dear friend and Board member of Simple Hope Christina. This will be the first "international" trip for both of them. Please pray they make it to Tanzania safe and without any complications!!

Next blog post will take place from Tanzania!!

Blessings and peace~

MARCH 19th, 2011 Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

Please sign up to help us pack food on Saturday March 19th, 2011 at Crosspoint Community Church in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. The food that is packaged on this day will be shipped to Tanzania Africa (the 3rd poorest country in the world) where we will meet and deliver to our villages in central Tanzania.

You will work with a team of 8 to assemble fortified rice meals which will be packed into boxes and put in a container and received in Tanzania. These meals will feed the Hadzabe Tribe in Central Tanzania as well as a leper community. These are just one of millions that don't eat everyday. YOU will help us to help them!

Please register online at: www.simple-hope.org or email simplehope3@gmail.com. Any questions you may call" 262-569-9919.

Blessings and peace~

What a wonderful weekend!

Simple Hope is entirely blessed! We had a couple wonderful opportunities this weekend to "connect the dots" again. We were honored and humbled to be asked to speak at the "upwards basketball" program in Oconomowoc this weekend. Every "half time" show was an opportunity to open the doors for a community to come together to help us at our "packathon" which will take place on March 19th, 2011 at Crosspoint Church from 8:00a.m. until 1:00p.m. We saw hundreds of people coming to watch their children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters play basketball~ truly a wonderful community.

Today (Sunday) we had another awesome opportunity to teach our "water ministry" at Christ our Savior church in Sussex! Again, we know that this world is not about US...but about how we must all work together to "connect dots" Its through these connections that we can make big things happen...and not for us but on behalf of all those that suffer in this world.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your communities...together we will "build a bridge of love between our worlds"

Blessings and peace ~

This weekend!!

Come and join us at Crosspoint Church in Oconomowoc for Upward Basketball!! Simple Hope will be presenting at the "halftime" show and we will be taking registrations for the "packathon" on Saturday March 19th, 2011. Our goal is to have 1,000 volunteers at our "pack" Please come and meet us and register at the same time!

Sunday we will be at Christ our Savior Church to teach their Sunday School kids about our Clean water systems ~ they have raised enough money to have us take 2 brand new systems with us on our upcoming trip to Tanzania.

What a thrill to be serving God's people both here and abroad.

Blessings and peace~