Hope continues to grow
Yesterday the beneficiaries of Family Hope International gathered for the 9th distribution since it began in October last year. This month's gathering was one I didn't want to miss, and have been waiting for; the start of businesses. In the video above, you can hear a woman giving a testimony about how she sold out of the beans, rice and other items she purchased and refilled her stock at least one more time in the week. She rejoiced and thanked FHI for the opportunity to start a business, and that now she can drink milk in her tea; a luxury she once didn't have.
This morning Kossi, Yohanne, the girls and I went to visit the houses that are being built. Last year, we asked Yohane to find the most vulnerable and poor families in the village. We met an elderly woman and her two grandchildren. Their mother had moved to the nearest town, Balaka, to work as a house keeper. The elderly woman had broken her wrist at some point in her life, and it had healed in its broken position, making her unable to use her right hand. She and her grandkids were just scraping by. The grandchildren did odd jobs for those in need of labor, and they ate leaves from a tree nearby with corn meal. During the hunger season, they were lucky if they ate one meal a day.
The moment this family joined Family Hope International, the children's mom, Zione, returned home. Their house crumbled in March this year, but because of God's faithfulness, we have built a new house, which will soon be done. As we rode up to their home, Amayi (Aunty) Zione danced in celebration. She exuded joy over all the life shifts taking place in her life. She couldn't imagine that she would one day live in a home with a tin roof.
Comments