Hope Africa was created with the goals of educating the congregation of HPPC and the community to the plight of children orphaned by AIDS on the African Continent and to ease their suffering through outreach, communication and monetary donations. Five team members spent over 150 hours facilitating team work. The following was accomplished this year:
Hope Africa Team’s relationship with the SIM/MTW HIV/AIDS in Addis Ababa Ethiopia continues to grow. (www.ethiopiahiv.org) The Home Based Care ministry project addresses the needs of families in an urban slum area where at least one family member was either HIV positive or had AIDS. The Home Based Care Project is a holistic program focused on families and children while providing care for the terminally ill and more importantly providing hope for the future by encouraging and empowering their beneficiaries to look to self sufficiency by providing important opportunities and tools. The ministry strongly emphasizes leading people to Christ through relationships and discipling new believers in their walk with Christ. The ministry originally focused on one of the poorest neighborhoods in Addis (Lideta), and this past year added a second neighborhood to work in (Bole). Hope Africa donated start-up funds for a lab needed to provide better health care to the beneficiaries. The Hope Africa Team members are in communication with the ministry throughout the year.
Hope Africa has sent a short term ministry team to work with the ministry in Addis for the last four years. The 2007 VWAP Ethiopia team consisted of eight members ranging from age 19 to 75. Team members had experience in various occupations (doctors, nurse, economist, consultant, students, etc.). Based on our trip activity planning, each person was able to use his / her gifts and talents very effectively throughout our time in Addis. Eight team members served approximately 90 hours each for a total of 720 volunteer hours on the trip. This is in addition to nine hours each of training meetings. A total of $5,513.63 was spent on trip materials which included medicines, fleece blankets, and children’s clothing.
The Namumu Orphanage Centre
The Namumu Orphanage Centre expanded to include 80 residents. The ministry is now addressing projects for self-sufficiency/sustainability, education/vocational opportunity for the youth and ministry support and expansion. The team sent the NOC $4,000 to build a self-sustaining poultry business and $10,000 to provide a 4 wheel drive vehicle that will be used by the executive director for ministry needs.
Addis Medan/Theological Education
Tim Teusink’s work at the evangelical Theological College continues. SIM has been asked by the Orthodox Church to help develop an AIDS teaching program in the EOC theological institution in Addis Ababa. This is amazing as the evangelical and orthodox churches have not traditionally been known to partner.
Deborah House for Orphaned Girls – SIM Urban Ministries
Communication and support continues for educational resources and materials to enrich public school education that the girls receive. The team applied for 2/3’s Budget Overage funds and received $2,500 to send to the Deborah House
Armstrong 4th Grade Project
Email exchanges continued in Fall 2006 with girls at the Deborah House, facilitated by Hope Africa.
Shoes for Orphan Souls
A $500.00 gift was given to Shoes for Orphan Souls in appreciation for the four years that they have donated much needed shoes to our Ethiopia trip team supplies.
Dear Francis Screening
Hope Africa partnered with the Youth/UpStream in the screening of Dear Francis, a documentary filmed in Swaziland. This film documented the stories of several young adults who taught AIDs prevention to high school students in Swaziland.
Njuthine, Kenya
Hope Africa funded $350 for the purchase of 100 copies of AIDs is in Church and Its Real which was distributed to the elders of the Gaitu Presbytery in Kenya.
