What follows is a mission update for hosts and sponsors of Dennis Singini on his USA educational and fund raising tour
After visiting friends in Northern New Jersey, Greensboro, North Carolina, and
sharing his passion for drilling deep wells to provide clean water in Malawi, Dennis Singini caught a longer than expected flight from Charlotte to San Diego for the next leg of his 7-week American Adventure.
In San Diego, Dennis shared with three groups about how he through WorldHope Corps has personally drilled or facilitated the drilling over 50 boreholes or village wells since 2006 in Malawi. When a Sunday School class at San Diego First Church of the Nazarene heard how he travels by bicycle to preach at the 12 churches he planted, and by public transportation to rural villages to mobilize for well-drilling, members took up a collection of almost $3,000 for the purchase of a motorcycle to use in his ministry. All totaled, friends he met at First Church pledged over $24,000 toward the work of WorldHope Corps in rural villages (motorbike, 2 village wells, and educational scholarships).
In Los Angeles, at Holman United Methodist Church, Dennis shared his team's desire to distribute "Nothing but Nets" to prevent Malaria in Malawi. The church took a love offering—households at Holman providing nets for households in Malawi. Over $2,000 was collected for Mosquito Nets for WorldHope Malawi to distribute.
In San Francisco, Dennis shared his efforts to work with pastors and congregations dealing with HIV/AIDS in Malawi. In the City, he visited a number of AIDS clinics, counseling centers, and HIV support groups, including: Positive Force, Shanti, and SF AIDS Foundation. After meeting patients and long-term survivors, and after staying with Doug Smith and Peter in Berkeley, Dennis had an idea, perhaps a vision, for creating a community resource center to support people living with HIV/AIDS in Malawi. Ideally such a center would be located near a village well sponsored by WorldHope Corps, and/or near a school. It might also be combined with the need for a WHC Malawi office and distribution center for Nets. We shall see how this all unfolds.
On the Sabbath in Berkeley, Dennis was introduced by his hosts, Maxim Schrogin and Karen Harber, to members of Synagogue Beth El. He brought greetings at the Torah Study and met several interesting people who wanted to help him.
On Sunday, Dennis was introduced by David Ourisman and Doug Smith to the congregation of Epworth Berkeley United Methodist Church. There he spoke at Adult Study to about 20+ people about his Shalom ministry in Malawi. Friends in Berkeley contributed $6,061 to his mission so far, and more may be coming in.
Before he left the Bay Area, Dennis, Doug Smith and Jim Bergdoll had dinner with the residents of the Temiscal Co-housing project in Oakland. There he presented Shalom principles of Asset Based Community Development and learned about ABCD development in Oakland.
Dennis left SF on Tuesday, September 13, for Georgia--the next phase of his journey. On St Simon’s Island, GA, this week, hosted by Josie Dittrich, he will make a presentation to the Lions Club Golden Isles, and then receive expert training from Dr. Millican on how to use the SureSight Vision Screener (valued at $6000) donated by the Lion’s Club. With this new training capability, Dennis will be able to determine the specific eye prescription needed to match one of the 1000+ pairs of used eyes glasses provided by the Lions Club, which are already in Malawi. Then its on to Columbia, SC, Macon, and Atlanta (details of which will be in the next Update)
Dennis Singini and his hosts make me proud, PROUD!
Additional contributions can be made online at www.WorldHopeCorps.org or sent to the WorldHope Corps address below. Thanks, everyone, for doing all you can. Truly a team effort!