WorldHope Corps

“Severe Flooding in Karonga, Malawi”, according to Action by Churches Together International (ACT)—an information network serving the humanitarian community. Twenty African villages near where CitiHope delivers food and medicine, have been washed away by the January floods. Here’s the story: Geneva, 26 January 2007 - Flash floods have left thousands of people homeless and crops washed away in the Karonga district, about 300 km north of the capital Lilongwe, Malawi. According to KarongaDistrict Commissioner, more than 20 villages have been completely flattened by the floods. In Karonga-Nyungwe, an area where ACT member Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP)Development Department of Synod of Livingstonia is present, more than 400 mm to 500 mm of rain fell for 10 hours non-stop from 22 to 23 January. Rains started at around 9a.m. from the eastern side to 1p.m. on 22 January. This was followed by a second phase of heavy downfall from the western side of the area, the Nyika highlan...

Hopegivers International's second mission team--consisting of Michael Glenn, Executive Director of Hopegivers (pictured above with Rev. Copeland and his extended family), Steve Green, Senior pastor, and 20 members of Osborne Baptist Church--completed their 8-day mission trip hosted by CitiHope. This their streaming video report: http://www.osbornebaptist.com/index.php?ption=com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=62 Hopegivers International and Osborne Baptist Church are major ministry partners of CitiHope International, and together we provide food and medicine to over 10,000 people in 40 community-based organizations. CitiHope's next Mission Trip is March 4-15, 2007. When we are in Malawi, our tasks will include: setting up a second Hope Home with Rev. Copeland, choosing a village for a community well project, and conducting a PACCT conference for Pastors's Wives and other women in leadership roles in church and community. Stay tuned for daily Travel Blogs

Day 6 Team A started at the prison today and it was a powerful trip indeed. They have fewer inmates there now than last time, only about 150 total. It was still overwhelming, moving, and powerful to be there. Pastor Steve gave a wonderful sermon to the inmates. I prepped him before we spoke on MJC’s/Munthali’s opinion that as many as 40% or more are innocent and he preached right on target. Added to the mix this time was that there were little children there – two or three who were no more than toddlers. Their mothers had none to care for them outside of jail, and the orphanages are so overfull, the mothers are raising them in jail. It was hard to see. Next we went to Mzuzu Central Hospital and gentlemen…it has been a while since I have been in a situation like this one. First off – the Taiwan Medical Mission, Dr. Joseph and all of them are simply amazing. Not only did they provide lunch for us, this day, but will be hosting all 17 Mzuzu team members for dinner on Wednesday...

Day 4 Well, power has been off and on and after two days with no internet. I am sorry there have been no reports. According to the teams, today went very well. I was with group A to here Pastor Steve preach in church – it was anointed indeed! I had lunch with Dr. Gaston and his family, and also met with Vivian, a member of PACCT committee and a mother with AIDS. She begged me to help her finish building her orphanage and for CHI to fund her ministry… It was hard to look her in the eyes and tell her we could not do so, but better that than making promises we can’t keep. Day 5 Today was a banner day as I prayed it would be. Team A visited FOMCO and it was a big time experience for them. As always, Violet [the director] was a tremendous blessing. She had the women singing, dancing, and the kids were a treat. They spent the whole day there and Pastor Steve and Michael Glenn had many ideas about how they could help. Team B went to Rev. Mumba’s Kutemwa Orphan Care facility. We helped make so...

This was a tough day folks… The team almost mutinied when they got to the guest lodge… I checked it out and the rooms seemed fine (same place the pastors stayed for PACCT). I explained that it was a cost to benefit thing and that they were saving close to 2,500 bucks this way, but that it was their decision to make. So, tonight, after their last assignment, the team decided to go back to the hotel. With the long days, power outages today and the thunderstorms – it has been a difficult trip so far. Team B was really happy with the events of the day. There was weeping and singing, hugs and kisses, and high fives all over the place. Team A did not have a good day today. Apparently there is too much “talking to us about the same things” rather than letting them ‘do something’ and ‘getting a lot done’. So, everyone is tired and frustrated. At our last stop, I thought two-thirds of the group would pass out from the boredom of having to hear one more time how bad AIDS is in Malawi an...

Hopegivers Mission Trip Day 2 The mission group from NC is an amazing group of "dare-saints", as my father would say. They haven't blinked even though Malaria is breaking out here and the road to Livingstonia is apparently "more treacherous than ever" due to all the rain. Sometimes I forget how incredibly good our teams are, here and around the world, at crafting such incredible programs. I have coined a new phrase now, "Sobol-esque" - it means the program is flowing so smoothly, it is as though Mikhail Sobol [CitiHope’s Country Representative in Belarus] is running the tour. I am doing my best to exhibit that same spirit with me as I help our 22 guests feel at home here in Malawi. I have even used some of his famous jokes to get people on and off the busses on time! So things are going very well here! Still, we do have some sad news, Gabriel has come down with Malaria and his sister's husband recently died. Rev. Munthali just got out of the hospit...

Hopegivers International is one of CitiHope's major ministry partners and sponsors of the missionin Malawi. Last year they helped us deliver emergency food to 10,000 people and start the first HopeHome. This year, they hope to do more. Earlier this week a 22-member delegation of Hopegivers departed for Malawi for a 10-day mission trip to assist CitiHope in carrying out its food distribution and medical aid programs in Mzuzu and Livingstonia. Facilitated by WorldHope Corps, the mission team is sponsored by Hopegivers International and Osborne Baptist Church in NC as part of their on-going support of the CitiHope Malawi mission to orphans and abandoned children at risk for AIDS. Paul Moore, II, Senior Vice President of CitiHope International, is leading the team in their various ministry assignments, and is filing daily email reports from the field. Here’s his first: Emails from the Field: Greetings from our wonderful mission center here in downtown Mzuzu. Wow, how different the rai...

Applications are now being accepted to participate in a WorldHope Corps Mission Trip to Malawi, Africa (March 4-14, 2007) Sponsored by: CitiHope International and WorldHope Corps Led by: Dr. Michael J. Christensen, Africa Regional Director, CitiHope International DATES: Depart JFK on Sunday, March 4 for Johannesburg to arrive in Lilongwe, Malawi, on March 5; Return on Wednesday, March 14, and arrive JFK early on March 15 (11 days). Optional 2-day extension in South Africa (March 15-17) Destination: Malawi, a small land-locked, developing country of 12 million people bordering Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique, is particularly vulnerable to famine and disease, and suffers from extreme poverty and AIDS. The Trip in March will carry out its mission in and around Mzuzu City and Livingstonia in Northern Malawi, where CitiHope Malawi operates its relief and development programs. The CitiHope Malawi Mission Center is located in the heart of Mzuzu City. Mission: CitiHope Internationa...

The Isle of Bermuda is a fine place to be between Christmas and New Year’s. It is a plesant 68 degrees outside, the water in the Bay is blue and clear, the sand at the beach pink and clean. We're stayaing in a wonderful condominium on loan to us from friends for some rest and relaxation. Our family of four has enjoyed leisurely mornings to read, afternoons to walk and explore, and evenings to watch old movies on a wide DVD screen. And lots of down time for shared meals and conversation. Tonight, we reviewed our busy year of too much travel, and identified some highs and lows. Though it sounds exhausting, as I’m sure it was, the year 2006 was filled with fabulous moments of meaningful ministry and family fun. For the record, since I'm a blogger, here’s a re-cap of the year: We began 2006 in Times Square on the roof of the Lamb’s Church watching the ball drop and confetti fall on the masses below. The next week Rebecca traveled to sunny Florida to start the course work for ...