WorldHope Corps

Friends of Mzuzu: This is a simple, straight-forward, no-fluff, and no apologies appeal for funds to help save the lives of 100 orphaned and vulnerable children in Mzuzu, Malawi, in 2010.  We are suggesting an individual donation of $100 or an organizational contribution of $500 or more at this time. Your response within the next few days, as well as what you may have already given to date in 2009, will determine what we budget for this new year.  Please read the posts below for descriptions and updates on WorldHope Corps three core programs in Malawi: HOPE HOMES for 60 children HOPE SCHOLARSHIPS for 20 youth HOPE TAILORING Training for 12 women Plus our Community Development Projects:   20 Village Wells in rural northern Malawi  You can view a new video clip on WorldHope Corps at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI6TvVGf_xM Charitable donations can be made online at our website: www.worldhopecorps.org Or a check can be sent...

Mike Bond of Basking Ridge, NJ. showing Hope Home children in Mzuzu their imags during WorldHope Corps Mission Trip to Malawi in May 2009. Hope Home Report We are now caring for over 100 OVC even though only 60 children are registered in the program.  Food provisions were spread over the months since you had graciously warned me to prepare for a hard dry patch.  We, however, made efforts to raise an addtional $158 to suppliment your efforts among us, and we still were able to have three church picnics. The goal of Hope Hope Program is to help Orphan and Vulnerable Children and Youth survive and realize at least 5 hopes of every child for: nutrition health safety security education Hope Home Children receive new clothes made by women  enrolled in Hope Tailoring School which started this year . Hope Scholarship Report: All our children and youth year for aid toward school fees, though it will not be easy for us to provide for everyo...

Three New Village Wells Completed in 2009 Summary: Three new village wells were installed in 2009 for a total of ten deep water wells in Malawi since 2007.  These were funded and facilitated by WorldHope Corps in collaboration with Central Church of Africa, Presbyterian, United Methodist Church Mzuzu Circuit, and CitiHope International. Two additional wells have been sponsored for installation in Spring 2010. The next WorldHope Corps assessment trip is scheduled for July 2010 to monitor all sponsored wells and implement a maintenance program for sustainability.  Village wells now in operation and in need of maintenance are listed as follows: 1.       Zowe (3 hours outside of Mzuzu) is a remote preaching point of the Mzuzu United Methodist Church Circuit, requested by Pastor Copeland Nkhata, senior pastor. Number of users: 1,000.  Project sponsored and funded by Mike Rose, Barry Emen and Chris Grant in July, 2007.  Additionally, one...

 Photo of Well at Zowe village by Robert Schwaneberg  Here's what one newspaper reporter had to say about WorldHope Corps village well project in Malawi: http://www.healthreformwatch.com/2009/06/12/new-jersey-based-group-digs-wells-to-fight-disease-and-malnutrition-in-malawi/  Photo of Well at Kanyama village by Robert Schwaneberg

A few of the 60+ HopeHome Program recipients of food aid and educational scholarships sponored by WorldHopeCorps.    Program operated by Mzuzu United Methodist Church and Mzuzu ShalomZone. As African Orphanages Spread, Advocates Propose a Better Way the front page of yesterday’s the New York Times, the headline read. The article made a comparison between institutional orphanages, like the one where Madonna adopted a boy, and the extended family approach to orphan care, like the Mzuzu HopeHome orphan care project in Malawi. Researchers reviewing hundreds of studies concluded that “orphanages are not the best solution but are needed when families could not or would not care for children.”  Strongly endorsed were community centers that provide cash and food aid to the poorest families caring for orphaned and vulnerable children who are not their own.  See the online version of the article here:   INTERNATIONAL / AFRICA   | December 06, 2009 Ai...

Roissy en France is a pretty and prosperous traditional French village 13 miles from the center of Paris and 3 miles or so from Charles de Gaulle Airport.  What are we doing here tonight at Hotel  Campanile  in Roissy? We got up early this morning to catch our flight from Madrid to Newark via Paris.  You can imagine how sad it was for Rebecca, Rachel and I to leave Megan by herself in the hotel room in Madrid to find her way back to her host family home in Tres Cantos today, but we did, grateful for the four days we got to spend together in the city. (Thank goodness for global phones these days to stay in touch). After boarding the plane, the the flight was delayed, and we missed our connection in Paris by 10 minutes.   AirFrance put us up overnight at a nearby hotel with meal vouchers for dinner and tomorrow's breakfast.  So here we are at an airport hotel discussing whether to take a metro into the city to dine on the Left Bank, or stay in our...

Two days in the city that never sleeps.   Here are some some sights we visited from 10am to late in the night on Friday and Saturday:  Royal Palace, tour of old city, downtown Madrid at midnight, Hotel on Puerto del Sol, visiting Tres Cantos, outside of Madrid, where Megan is living for the year. From our hotel balony

We are now staying at the Europa Hotel at Puerto del Sol, downtown Madrid.  The view from our balacony is splendid, and we love it here.  Toured the immediate neighborhood and enjoyed he market.  Planning to see a the Flamenco Show tonight at Torres Bermejas, and a walking tour of the old city tomorrow morning  with a knowledegable guide. Here are some photos (not all my own) but will post more later:

After 5 days in Holland , we are spending Thanksgiving weekend in Tres Canto , Spain —about 20 minutes outside of Madrid .  Our daughter, Megan, is here for 10 months on a High School Rotary Exchange Program, and we are glad to see her after four months away from home.   Rachel was able to join us from San Diego , and we had a wonderful dinner with Megan´s host family tonight.   Tomorrow we will have Thanksgiving with other American Rotary students in Spain , and are indeed thankful for our good life.   We wish everyone a fabulous Day of Gratitude for all God´s blessings... Megan´s host parents: Pelar and Migel Thanksgiving in Tres Cantos Tres Cantos Water Tower Sierras at Tres Cantos The view from Tres Cantos

Traveled by train friom Rotterdam to Alkmaar to have lunch with Jim and Nancy Forest What fun it was to visit our friend Jim Forrest in Alkmaar--an wonderfully old city known for making cheese, about an hour from Amsterdam.  Both Jim and  his wife are  American journalists who have lived in the Netherlands for over 25 years.

Rebecca and I (along with our daughter Rachel from San Diego who was able to join us for Thankgiving break from college) are in Holland for five days.  Invited and hosted by Laurent Nouwwen (Henri´s brother) to give the address at the Henri Nouwen Stichting (Foundation) annual event in Utrecht, we are enjoying our time in old Europe. About  250 people attended the event which included a reception, vesper service and classical concert pieces on piano and trumphet. We were asked to speak about our personal mission in the world, and how to live it from the heart, as Henri Nouwen inspired us to do. What follows are my notes for the evening, which may be helpful to others who are tying to discern their mission in this season of life. Notes for Annual Henri Nouwen Stichting Talk, Utrecht   21 November 2009 By  Michael  J. Christensen Vocation: that unique mission in the world each believer is called to live and fulfill. But what is my personal mission? ...

Uterecht flower market outside church where Nouwen Event Takes Place. Rebecca remembers Henri in the church before she lectures on "Living Your Mission" Laurent Nouwen and son Raphael prepare arrangement of Sun Flowers for Annual Event (One of Henri's favorite paintings was Van Gogh's "Sun Flowers")

Rotterdam:  Here for a week in Holland, then Spain to spend Thanksgiving with our daughter Megan,  Rebecca and I along with our oldest daughter, Rachel, are being hosted by Laurent Nouwen (Henri´s brother) at his house in Rotterdam. Laurent, who looks a lot like Henri, is a marvelous host.  He loves classical music, modern art, good wine, old cheese, a roaring fire, and honest conversation.  I find in him a compelling man of practical wisdom, with keen insight and stimulating ideas.  We certainly have gained a friend this week. Laurent, at 65, is energetic and passionate about his mission in Ukraine which his brother suggested before he died in 1996.   He retired from his 30 year law practice to run the Henri Nouwen Foundation which supports a number of projects in Ukraine and South Africa.   It also hosts an annual lecture event to which we have been invited to speak on Saturday night in Utrecht. We also plan to visit  the church w...

With monthly support from individual sponsors, a total of 19 students (orphaned or vulnerable children and youth) received Hope Scholarships from WorldHope Corps this year, to stay in secondary school or go on to college to continue their education.      Youth like Noel Daire Kumwenda, Lusayo Mhango and Johnathan Jere...    It cost approximately $400  per year to send a kid to secondary school (High School), or $1200/year to send a youth to college through our Hope Scholarship program, now in its third year of educational sponsorship.    If you are interested in sponsoring a youth in 2010, please contact Dr. Michael Christensen at info@worldhopecorps.com For additional information on WorldHope Corps, please visit our website:   www.worldhopecorps.com What follows is Pastor Copeland's Report for November:    Your Email reached us all and aroused excessive exciting and joy of immeasurab...