We hope you are all doing well and enjoying this wonderful season. 

Our purpose for writing to you today is to let everyone know that we are sending a container to Tanzania on December 20th, filled with the food that was packaged last year. We’re excited that we will have room for two more pallets in the container and we would like this space to be used to send a box for each child that lives in the Children’s Home in Korogwe.

Many of you know we just returned from another visit to Tanzania. Each time we go, our luggage is filled with things that must have priority. For example first aid takes priority over clothing. That’s why we feel so blessed to have this space in the container. We will also be sending tools and heavier things that we cannot carry over.

For the children, each box will contain a pair of shoes, skirt or pants, shirt or blouse, socks, underwear and some school items as well as shampoo and soaps. None of these items have to be new except the socks and underwear. Although we are asking for the items to be “gently worn” that are donated used.

The extra things that we hope to collect will be boxed up and shared with the children in the villages that live near the Children’s Home. The children that live in the home will be sharing these items personally with their “neighbors”, the children in the villages.

We thank you for considering this opportunity to be a part of this. We also look forward to seeing you again in March 2011 at the University of Redlands for our next Food Packaging Event. There are some amazing things going on with Africa Harvest of Hope and we appreciate each of you who are partnering with us one way or another.

May God richly bless you this Christmas Season and throughout the New Year!

Alan And Shannon Reed

Africa Harvest of Hope
P.O. Box 1494
Redlands, CA 92373
(909) 335-8167

www.africaharvestofhope.org

1 Corinthians 13:3

We will be packaging the children’s boxes on Thursday, December 16 at 10 am.

We will also be taking donations of tools to send.

Below is a list of the children’s names, ages and sizes as well as a list of needs for tools that we accumulated while we were there last month.

The Kids who live at the Children’s Home (in year 2010 for age) and those who care for them.

Name: Jennifer Asukile (F)
Age: 16
Size: 10 skirt / large ladies top
Shoe: 8

Name: Cathryne Mbwana (F)
Age: 14
Size: 8 skirt / med top
Shoe: 9 1/2

Name: Jamila Ally (F)
Age: 13
Size: 8 skirt / med top
Shoe: 9

Name: Judith Yusufu (F)
Age: 12
Size: 10 skirt / large top
Shoe: 9 1/2

Name: Aquilina Alikadi (F)
Age: 9
Size: size 2 skirt / small top
Shoe: 7

Name: Swaumu Sihojo (F)
Age: 11
Size: Size 4 skirt / small top
Shoe: 7

Name: Hasnati Salumu (F)
Age: 13
Size: Size 2 skirt / small top
Shoe: 7

Name: Said Majidi (M)
Age: 13
Size: Shirt Men’s small / small pants Boy’s 14 or very small men’s
Shoe: 10

Name: Abdule Hassein (M)
Age: 9
Size: Boy’s 12 / Youth L t-shirt
Shoe: 9

Name: Ramadhani Athumani (M)
Age: 11
Size: Boy’s 12 / Youth L t-shirt
Shoe: 8

Name: Iddi Shafii (M)
Age: 11
Size: Boy’s size 12 / Youth L t-shirt
Shoe: 9

Name: Janet Alkadi (F)
Age: 11
Size: Girl’s 14
Shoe: 6

Name: Alan Alex (M)
Age: 10
Size: Boy’s 14 / shirt Youth Large t-shirt
Shoe: 9

Name: Mary Dennis (F)
Age: 10
Size: Girls L / 14
Shoe: 7

Name: Olivatus Polivastus (M)
Age: 10
Size: Boy’s 14 / Men’s small t-shirt
Shoe: 10

Name: Langeni Msuya (M)
Age: 10
Size: Boy’s 10 / Youth M
Shoe: 8

Name: Barka Emanuel (M)
Age: 10
Size: Boy’s 12 / Youth L t-shirt
Shoe: 9

Name: Kevin Kilanga (M)
Age: 8
Size: Boy’s 10 / Youth M t-shirt
Shoe: 7

Name: Lightness Isaka (F)
Age: 6
Size: Girls 12
Shoe: 6

Name: Lightness Isaka (F)
Age: 6
Size: Girls 12
Shoe: 6

Name: Leah (F)
Age: 3
Size: Girls small maybe a 6
Shoe: 4?

Name: Abdulatif Mafita (M)
Age: 12
Size: Boy’s 12 / Youth L t-shirt
Shoe: 7

Name: Danie Saitoti (M)
Age: 5
Size: Boy’s 10 / youth t-shirt M
Shoe: 4

Name: Loveness Lomaae (F)
Age: 8
Size: Girls 12
Shoe: 7

Name: Kitaringo Hamisi (M)
Age: 8
Size: Boy’s size 12
Shoe: 6

Name: Musa Mollel (M)
Age: 5
Size: Boy’s 10
Shoe: 5

Name: Hosen Miraji
Age: 8
Size: Boy’s 10
Shoe: 5

Name: Hoseni Miraji
Age: 8
Size: Boy’s size 10
Shoe: 5

Name: Teddy Baltasar
Age: 7
Size: Girls 12
Shoe: 5

Those who live and work at the Children’s Home

House mom
Name: Neema Mdoe
Age: 27
Size: Ladies 8
Shoe: 8

Name: PetroFlora
Age:
Size: Men’s small (Dress shirt and tie)
Shoe: 10

Name: Phillip
Age:
Size: Men’s Large (Dress shirt and tie)
Shoe: 10

Name: Michael (Dress shirt and tie)
Age:
Size: Size Men’s M
Shoe: 10

Name: Herbert Mwaimu (Dress shirt and tie)
Age:
Size: Men’s XL
Shoe: 10

Name: Emily Mwaimu
Age:
Size: Ladies 12 (Skirt)
Shoe: 9

Name: The Cook at the Home
Age: About 50
Size: Small man
Shoe: 9

Ideas:
Underwear
Socks
Girl’s skirts or dress
Tops or blouse
Boy’s kaki or black pants or jeans
Black shoes that mud will clean off easily like a dress shoe (Tennies are OK but harder to take care of)
Deodorant
Toothbrush/toothpaste
Toy: appropriate to gender and age
Book – Age appropriate for young Christian person
Small pillow
Stuffed toy
Doll is girl is young
Toy car for boys
Puzzle
Crafts

These are ides that can go into each child’s box. They do however need the clothing items. Please don’t seal your boxes. Sorry we can’t send food items/gum in the container.

We need to get overalls and aprons as well if you know of anywhere we can get some for the men and ladies.

We could use Head and Shoulders shampoo. It’s cures ringworm and the kids have this problem often.

Tools and things:
220 Volt Generator (someone suggested 5.6 horse power husky)
24 volt Dewalt cordless set
Extra cordless batteries
Radial arm saw
Table saw with router
Cases of nails, all sizes
Socket sets (1/4 in, 3/8 in, 1/2 in with drivers)
Arch Welder 220 volt with rods, leathers and face shields
Heavy duty floor jack for cars etc.
2 x Bottle jacks
Air Compressor with tools
Torque wrenches
Hammers, sludge hammers
Wood clamps
Screw Drivers
Hand saws and other misc. saws
Shovels, picks, axes, maddox
Gloves, ear protection, eye protection
Lights and light stands
Hedge trimmers
Come along with chains
Tarps
Chain Saws
Vice Clamp
Pipe threader and taps
Electrical kits

Household items
Sheets, blankets and pillows
Spray bottles
Hand wipes
Bath towels
Hand towels

Again remember these things do not have to be brand new – But the do need to be clean and in good shape.

November 2010 Trip 

It’s hard to come back and try to describe what a trip is like. From the 20+ hours in the sky to the anticipation of the first step off the plane and onto the tarmac at Kilimanjaro, you almost forget you’re halfway around the world, but at 10:20pm the doors opened for us to depart our flying metal nanny and immediately we are engulfed by a warm wind that was filled with reminders that we are not home. We’re in Tanzania, East Africa.

On Thursday night we stayed in our old stopping grounds of Moshi at a friendly hostel that lays sleepily at the foot of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The familiarity is welcoming and after devotions on Friday morning we are on the road again to Korogwe, about 5 hours east of Moshi. We load up the rented bus and we’re off.

It’s fun to watch the expressions on the faces of those who have not experienced the trip before. We see the team gaze out the window of the bus during our long drive at things everyone has undoubtedly heard about on documentaries but never experienced first hand. From the obvious poverty, to the mama’s working harder than we could ever imagine while a child is wrapped tightly on her back. Then there are the little children with their beaming smiles, franticly waving and shouting “mazungu” (white person) as the bus rolls passed village after village.

I love it. I love the people and the customs and often I believe they are far ‘richer’ then we are.

So, about the trip, we sent out a newsletter asking for prayer and we’d love for you to know how those prayers affected us on this trip.

You prayed:

For good weather…

We had some of the best weather we’ve ever had on any of our trips to Tanzania. We found out though that they desperately needed the rain and we began to pray for rain. It was not until we left each place that it began to rain. God’s consolation was so real we could tangibly feel it. It rained in every area we went, but only when we were on our way to the next place.

For no sickness…

As you heard Anne feel sick the first day but she was fully recovered by Monday. She said she was not upset that she got sick only that she missed the experiences of Saturday and Sunday. We praise God there was no residual effect throughout the rest of the trip. Other than that we thank God we were all well.

For jet lag…

Well who knows if it was jet lag or just excitement and the inability to shut the brain off, but it was obvious that even though we didn’t sleep much it was as much sleep as we needed and we didn’t suffer from the lack. I would surmise that our intake of sugary soda and caffeine helped a bit.

Safe travel…

We were on the road quite a bit and were arrived home safe so we are thanking God, especially because we witness a terrible automobile accident where several people may have died. We have been told and we’ve read about how unsafe it is to travel the roads in the evening and we have been in some serious ‘near misses’ throughout our travels in Africa. However, Herbert sons Franky and Samwelle and great and very cautious drivers and we thank God for their service to Him and to us. May He bless them for their hearts and service to this mission.

To be sensitive to the people God brought into our path –

God did bring people into our path. We had the privilege of meeting a newly elected MP (Member of Parliament) as soon as we arrived in Korogwe. He wanted to hear about our vision and he was very gracious, even excited to hear what Africa harvest of Hope planned to do there in Korogwe. He expressed his gratitude with an open door to whatever Africa Harvest of Hope would be doing for the city and the people in Korogwe. This was a huge blessing that only God could have arranged.

We also met several city officials and the police chief of the area. It was a humbling yet exciting day.

That we would convey God’s love and His Word well –

Only God knows if this was accomplished but we had the opportunity to do so and we did.
Alan taught several times during the trip. Each opportunity was blessed and sometimes quite unexpected.

We were surprised when we arrived late to Moshi, that a group of women had been waiting, as Pastor Zachoria and his wife Redempta had prepared for a women’s seminar to begin that day, so with power of the Holy Spirit and a loaned Kanga (over skirt) from Emily, Shannon gave a message to the women.

Anne had the opportunity to share with the women’s group the next day about her journey with God. It was a blessing to all the women as they shouted and blessed God when she finished.

The next morning Redempta, Anne and Shannon did a short VBS program where several children gave their lives to Christ.

There were also many opportunities during introductions at each new place we visited where we got to shared why we come (Because of the love of God) and Joseph, Jeremy and Anne all had the opportunity to share from their hearts.

Jeremy was placed in a position (on our way back to the airport) to share with a young man who was struggling with drugs and alcohol and you could see that God had spoken to his heart. Herbert shared with him that God loved him so much that he brought someone from America to share his journey from bondage to freedom in Christ. This was also a divine appointment; The brother in law of this young man was the head of the national parks in Tanzania and it is our hope for Africa Harvest of Hope to begin a safari company soon to give opportunity for work and also to raise money for the Korogwe Children Home.

To be sensitive to the needs of the people –

God’s Word has a lot to say about helping widows and orphans and the poor in general. We have asked God to open doors for us to help and He is certainly doing that because this is His heart. We are always limited in the time we are there but we see so many needs one way we have had the opportunity to help is to just be involved with the everyday lives of the people we meet. While we were there we experienced people with needs that you and I will never have to experience. Therefore a lot of our time is spent purchasing things that we may begin helping them with, but again because of time, we trust that they will finish the work that was begun. During this trip we painted, dug a trench for water pipe to come down from the mountain to go into a new water tank at the orphanage, we put up boarders in each of the children’s rooms to brighten them up, We worked on a roof and worked on a church in Junction City. We’ve seen the faithfulness of the people finish jobs like these and many more from past trips and we are humbled because all we can offer really are the funds to help them. The real work happens after we are gone. There’s so much to share because so many things happen each day… Widows were fed, each child in the Children’s home received an examination from the doctor for malaria and HIV. Fortunately and praise God not one was HIV positive but 16 had malaria. They each had a scalp treatment – thank you Nurse Anne. So much to do and we had so much fun doing it. While the water trench was being dug we re-dressed several children who were having fun hanging out with the group. They were teaching Jeremy to count in Swahili and Joseph even killed a black mamba while digging, yikes!

God meets the needs! Sometime He uses you and me to help… We’re grateful He gave us the opportunity.

So, with that said, we thank you. We had a blessed trip and a lot of it had to do with your prayers.

More stories for later…
Bibles in Moshi
Met the coffee broker and brought back 130 lbs. of green coffee. God has a plan.
Witch doctor gave his life to Christ.
Saw Mt. Kilimanjaro clearer than we have ever seen it – Awesome work of God!

It’s October. WOW! I feel like I just put the Christmas decorations away and here it is almost time to get them down from the attic. Life is speeding by at the same rate that PC’s are being updated. Maybe that’s the problem. I don’t care if I ever get a new computer again but I sure wish I could find the time to sit and reflect on what this year was all about before the next one rolls around. Maybe it’s my job to “just do it”.
It has been a busy year, but a good one. We began planning our second food packaging event the first part of the year and sometime between January and April we had 100,000 more meals done and saw the children and families who were benefiting from them with our own eyes, which was pretty incredible. Right now we’re living a re-play of the first of this year. 

October 9th we’ll be at the University of Redlands again packaging 100,000 more meals for Tanzania and then in November we’ll be on our way for another visit to our far away family. It’s been only 6 months since we were there but it seems we’re never there enough. Maybe one day we’ll have the luxury of longer visits to this simpler land and life. God knows! For now we are blessed to be a part of this great adventure, no matter when or for how long. It’s always a great ride.

The “New Things” we are eluding to are great indeed and we are writing to ask you, our brothers and sisters, to please pray with us as we have been offered an opportunity to grow exponentially. We know that it is God who gives and takes away at His perfect discretion and will. We again admit that we are only following His lead from day to day. All four of us, from our mornings and their evenings (Tanzania time) must rest, knowing He is the leader of this expedition He has led us in. We ask Him, as Moses did, that we would not go unless we are sure He goes before us. Our questions seem to continue to come back to; Lord, where, when, how… and He simply shows us as we put one foot in front of the other.

Children need homes, widows need food for their children, the sick and oppressed need deliverance and we need faith and boldness. It’s all very simple and it looks no different over here than it does over there. Seems we should all be asking for an outpouring of wisdom and gifts from the Holy Spirit. Today time ‘feels’ short and it doesn’t matter if we’re here (USA) or there (Tanzania) or wherever, He could come back anytime and I know I’d stand before Him today and be guilty (convicted) of not taking the opportunities that are all around me. The “new things” don’t matter. What matters is that my heart hears Him and obeys the nudging of the Spirit where ever I am. That’s what we all need prayer for.

The food packaging will get done and we’ll be on our way, Thanksgiving and Christmas will come and so will 2011, Lord willing, and what will be different? I pray that souls will be won to Christ and that our faith will grow in the exponential department and if this doesn’t happen I pray that Africa Harvest of Hope doesn’t grow either.
So, there you go. If you can figure out that prayer request then you’ve got us figured out. Well at least for tonight. Blessing and my you sleep well and be given visions and dreams…

Happy October 2010.

Alan and Shannon

Pictures do speak a thousand words, don’t they? 

Check out the pictures of our last trip and you to will see a significant change in the appearance of the children who have receive these meals. The time you give to this one day makes a big difference in the lives of these children. We could not accomplish this on our own. Think of it, four hands verses 1,000 hands. When hundreds of people come together to package these little meals, thousands of lives are changed. The more we do these food packaging events the more lives that are impacted, not only with the food that we are packaging and sending to Tanzania, but it also opens the door for us to share the good news that Jesus Christ loves them. Showing love and building strong relationships is what we believe speaks a love language much louder than our words.

Our next food packaging event is right around the corner so please mark your calendars for Saturday, October 9th and come out to Africa Harvest of Hope’s 3rd Food Packaging Event.
We will be at the University of Redlands, in University Hallfrom 10 am until 4 pm. Anyone interested in helping out for the day as a volunteer leader please contact Alan or Shannon Reed at(909) 335-8167. We have many positions to fill for all day helpers. You can also sign up on line for a shift or an all day slot.
We will do another 100,000 meals. Remember that we will need 500 volunteers, giving an hour or two of their day, to package bulk rice, soy protein, dry vegetables and vitamin base bullion. The packages will be boxed up and sent to Tanzania. Any little bit of time you can work that day will help, so don’t think an hour is not helpful. IT IS! (Watch an event on the tab marked video)
Also, remember these events are all done through the means of donation only. One bag of food cost $1.25. You can share this concept with friends and family who can’t come and ask if they can help by donating even $1.25. Kids can get involved too. Get creative. Take a bag of food (we’ll supply you with bag of food) and show people what you’re doing. People what to help but sometimes they just need to know how. Remember to tell them that 100% of everything donated to Africa Harvest of Hope goes to the project. Nothing is used for administrative purposes. Shipping the container to Tanzania is also part of the cost of this project. The overall cost from start to finish for one food packaging event is about $18,000. Thank you for your support in this project. Kids are eating good nutritious meals today in Tanzania because of you!

Please call to request fliers to hand out to your church, youth groups, service groups, Boy or Girls Scouts or just neighbors and friends.

Thank you all for your support of this project.

God bless you,
Alan and Shannon

Just a quick update on a few things: 

Benefit Variety Show. Don’t forget to come out on Friday evening, May 28th to the Fox Theater in Redlands for an awesome night of seriously great entertainment, and all for only $10.00. We want to thank Val and Lauren Mosher for putting this evening together to benefit Africa Harvest of Hope. Their support has been a blessing to us but you all should come out and be blessed by the talent that we will enjoy that night. I personally can’t wait. I haven’t been on a date in months. Don’t tell Alan I said that.

Our next Food Packaging Event will be October 9, 2010. Please add this date to your calendar and come out for an hour or for the day to help us put another 100,000 meals together.

In April we witnessed the effect of what 500 pair of hands can do. It was a priceless experience and it was good for me personally because these events are not a “cake walk”. I whine for weeks before each event, that I just don’t have enough time or maybe the people won’t come or … Yes, I know, “o me of little faith” but now, I want to do more. I’m not saying we can just yet but you won’t hear me complaining near as much. Plus, I’ve ask God to keep the picture of these children enjoying there KAH (Kids Against Hunger) meals fresh in my mind.

Please go to our Photos Page and click on the ‘April Trip’ to enjoy seeing what your hands helped to accomplish.

Our next trip to Tanzania will be the first two weeks of November in 2010. On this trip we will be enjoying the company of few friends who will be joining us. On the first leg of the trip we will be working at a church that helps the children in their area to excel in school as well as helping preschoolers prepare for school. We’ll be doing some things with the children but we will also be doing a few seminars for adults in the area. We usually have the opportunity to help families who are seriously struggling as well as widows in the area. We always expect the unexpected on these trips so we really never know what God will direct our steps to do. We make a few plans and ask Him to direct us and He always does.
The last week or so of the trip will of course be in the Children’s Home in Korogwe doing whatever might need to be done at that time. We will of course be spending time with the kids doing crafts, and games as well as telling them of the Love of God for them through stories and devotions.

Each year we try to take a group with us on our second trip to Tanzania. If anyone is interested in going on a short term mission trip to Africa and if God has ‘opened the door’ after prayer and searching your heart, to make sure we have the right motives for going, we’d like to extend the opportunity for you to join us. We will begin having our meetings next month to pray and discuss what a trip like this is like. (Not that any trip is the same)

You can call us at (909) 335-8167 or email us at shannon@africaharvestofhope.org for more information.

We have a new way of sending out our Newsletters through Constant Contact. (thank you Debbe Herrero for coaching me through our first one) If you are interested in receiving it via email please let us know and we will add you to our email list.

God bless you!

WE’RE BACK…
It was an incredible trip! Thank you for praying for us. We knew you were! We couldn’t have done some of the things we did had we not had so many people at home praying.
God is Good! 

We’ll just give an overview of the trip but it will be missing many pieces and we’ll try to keep you posted on the latest updates during the month about the following things:

*Purchased a Chlorine Water system.
*Walked the perimeter of the land in Korogwe to see how it may be used for a future compound.
*Plans for the trip in October.
*500 chickens in the chicken project.
*Car situation. (Greatest need at this time)

As for the overview…

Well, we met some great people being with the Medical Mission group from Iowa on our first leg of the trip. We flew in a small MAF plane to Singida from JRO airport. That’s was a great experience. We actually didn’t know how great it was until we took the 10 hour bus ride back to Arusha. While we were in Singida we saw the children’s feeding center that Outreach International built. This is the center we are considering doing if the plans for the land begin to unflod. We then had quite an experience as literally thousands of locals from the Singida area came to be seen by the American doctors and dentists. What a blessing as a medical person to have the ability and wisdom to help so many no matter where you go. Hats off to the team we were with. As we parted after only a few short days we were off to Arusha and then on to Korogwe and up to The Children’s Home. It was good be back at the home and to be able to spend time visiting with the children. Alan and Herbert had a lot of business to take care of and I was just happy to tag along, taking notes and having my camera in tow. We trudged up and down the mountain mostly on foot but that’s a good thing, especially the part that Herbert fondly calls the “short cut” as it humbles us to experience how committed Herbert and Emily are to what God has called them to do up on this mountain. (And then on the fleshly side, it shows us how much we need to get into shape if we’re going to climb Kili) Each visit to Tanzania opens our eyes to new and even more exciting things. Every trip stirs memories, but it excites the adventurer inside both of us as well. We wonder what God is doing in us especially when it obvious that the only thing we can do is pray. Like when we are standing at a bus stop and we can’t help but try to talk to a young man who is obviously possessed as he spews out chantings that the bus we’re traveling on, will for whatever reason, not make it to it’s destination. My heart aches as God reminds me, he’s someones son, so I pray… Feeling helpless causes us to remember in our weakness apart from Him. He is God and there are few times we forget this in Africa. The needed dependence on Him is awesome. I needed to literally draw from His strength several times during this trip, physically as well as emotionally. Juma was one of the reason I needed His grace to be sufficient in my emotional moments. Juma is 6 years old and he has HIV. He’s precious and persistent. He left his new home and friends and with his new back pack on his back, that was a big as he was, he hiked down the mountain with us going back to the village where he lived before he had come to the Children’s Home. His wounds were now to serious to allow him to be exposed to the other children. We prayed… God heard… We’ll expect! Please pray for Juma that he will be healed and return to his home on the mountain. While reading one day I found a specific scripture that became especially personal and applicable to my situation. I’ve read it many times but never applied it personally. It’s Matthew 15:27-28. I’m one of those little puppies eating crumbs from my Masters table and I’m happy (blessed) that He says, “their Masters table”. What do you think would be on the Master, of all the Universes, table? I have no problem with this ‘analogy’ of knowing who He is and who I am in contrast and because of knowing His love for me and Juma and everyone who is His child. He is still the loving, healing Master and I’ll wait for His will to be done on Earth and it is in Heaven.

Well, story after story could be told at the return of each trip but we do realize living it and hearing it are very different and we don’t know when we cross over to boring, so… It’s just that we hope and pray that God might touch at least one heart through what He has allowed us to experience and then share with you. Thank you again for your prayers and support.

God bless you!

In His Love,
Alan and Shannon

PRAISE GOD AND PLEASE PRAY!
Psalm 22:
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
they who seek the LORD will praise him—
may your hearts live forever! 27 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness
to a people yet unborn—
for he has done it. 

We know it was God who accomplished all that was done on Saturday at our second food packaging event. There were 103,000 meals packaged by approximately 400 volunteers. Praise God!

“The poor will eat and be satisfied;” and “those who seek the Lord will praise Him”

April 2010 trip to Tanzania – Prayer Request:

1 Thessalonians 5:
24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
25 Brethren, pray for us.

1) Please pray that the enemy would be bound in the name of Jesus from hindering what God is going to do while Herbert, Emily, Alan and Shannon are together in Tanzania.
2) Please pray for good health for us all and healing for Herbert and Emily. Also, that Alan’s back would be strong throughout the entire trip.
3) Please pray for traveling mercies in the air and on the ground.
4) Please pray that we would all have clarity and God’s anointing as we share God’s word with the people.
5) Please pray that we would express His love to everyone we encounter.
6) Please pray for the people to have understanding and an openness to the Holy Spirit as we share with them; Children groups, church groups, street groups and especially the Muslims in this area (village).
7) Please pray that we would have good interpreters, preferably Godly but that we’d be a light to them if they are not.
Please pray for us to be as organized and time efficient as we can be and not worry when that is not happening. (TIA – This is Africa)
9) Please pray that, as God wills, we will have time in Moshi (where we originally began working in Tanzania) and have time to visit our friends there. Please pray that we will see Teddy, Angela and Nema for a good visit. (Young girls)
10) Please pray that God would use us while we are with the group of doctors and nurses from Iowa. Many are not believers. Pray for their salvation as God exposes them to things they have never been exposed to before. Let them know to call out to God almighty.
11) Please pray that God will give us His favor with the government. (Actually all people there)
12) Please pray that we will have honest, sweet and sharpening (as iron sharpens iron) fellowship with Herbert and Emily and that we would leave Tanzania having greater understanding of cultures and each other.
13) Please pray that we would come home knowing Him better and having a clearer vision of what He has for us to do.
14) Please pray for Herbert and Alan to have a kindred spirit and vision for this ministry. Please pray for absolute unity through the Holy Spirit.
15) Please pray for us to be humble, gracious, understanding and loving in every situation.
16) Strength, boldness, courage, discernment, wisdom… What ever God puts on your heart. He knows better than we do what needs to be lifted up in prayer. We will be praying that He will speak to your hearts on our behalf and also that He will bless you as you pray.
17) Pray for the salvation of many and that they would know Him deeply. Pray for the country of Tanzania to experience revival.
18) Pray for strength, boldness, understanding and wisdom for these children who have come to know Him and that God would use them to be a light in their own country for His glory.
19) Please pray for all the financial needs to be met by His grace.
20) Please pray that God would put it in and on the hearts of those who are to get more involved with Africa Harvest of Hope.

In Jesus Name we pray. Amen!

Thank you and may God bless you!

100,000 meals – done! 

THANK YOU! This could not have been done without you.

It was a great day – As approximately 400 volunteers come together Saturday, March 27 at the University of Redlands from 8 am to 5 pm and packaged 100,000 + meals. You were an encouragement to us and we don’t know how to thank you.

It was an inspiring day – To see so many people standing side by side putting these food packages together. People who don’t know each other sharing their stories as they scooped and packed these life saving little bags.

It was a blessed day – As musician after musician came to share and worship with music, the volunteers were blessed as they worshiped by serving with their hands. Prayer went up for those who came who don’t know the Lord and a spirit of encouragement and love seem to be poured out in that place during the entire day.

It was a long day – For many of the volunteers who were there from before 7am to set up and then running food and supplies to the tables all day, we pray that God blesses your souls and restores your strength. We know this was a long, hard day for many of you.

(Those of you, you know who you are – we can’t begin to express our appreciation and we know God is going to bless you for the effort you put into this work. We have, and will continue to pray for all of you. We especially thank you and we pray that you accept our sincere apology for not having enough help to relieve you during the day. We know how very hard you worked.)

The implications of last Saturday are going to be felt and seen for a long time here and in Africa, and yet we may never know what they are. No matter, because this is not our work, it is His. He said, “…inasmuch as you did it to the least of these My brothers and sisters, you did it to Me. Matthew 25:40.

Thank you and God bless you!

Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 

It is good! It is good, because God said it was good. We need to find out how good this is and park here and become use to this way. This way of unity.

Yes, it can be overwhelming at times, but what in life is not overwhelming at times.

In 1 Corinthians 12:12 Paul says, “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.” Paul continues his illustration in this chapter and says, “…the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

We are in awe of this body. We are humbled, knowing it is the body working as it should that accomplishes His will. It is however sad when we are witness to and even guilty of the body harming itself, remembering what Paul said, “…this is Christ’s body.”

Through this body, united and working together, God accomplishes great things for His glory. The united body is a powerful tool. No one person could accomplish what a strong united body can accomplish. A hand, and eye, an ear, a foot alone can not accomplish much, but together we, by the mercy and grace of God, can change the world.
A most important thought, moving further into chapter 13, Paul writes, we are only a loud, irritating noise if we do all that we do and we don’t have love. Pray that our united body has love! Love for each other, love for strangers we will be standing next to, love for the unlovely and love for the people who will receive this food on the other side of the world. God’s ways are beyond our understanding but when He says, “Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love” then we need to ask ourselves what does my love look like.
This Saturday is not about packing boxes with food, it’s about packingwith love.

Africa Harvest of Hope thanks you for showing the love of Christ in His body.
We are praying for you!

Africa Harvest of Hope Food Packaging Event
The Goal: To package more the 100,000 meals through 500 volunteers in just a few hours
Location: University of Redlands, University Hall, Rm 214
Date: March 27, 2010
Time: 10 am to 5 pm
What do I do: Keep reading to find out 

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. ~AnneFrank

Start changing the world… feed a child.
Africa Harvest of Hope is having a Food Packaging Event right in your neighborhood. This will be my second event and if you are wondering what a food packaging event is, let me tell you.
When you walk into the University Hall, the sites and sounds will transport you to Tanzania. The colors, textures, and patterns will make up the backdrop to the entrance of the event. Take some time to walk around and look at the beautiful faces; so many happy, smiling children. Next, you will register, after you register, the magic begins. Hundreds of strangers will be working around long tables in a well coordinated assembly line. A volunteer will take you to a station and train you on your position.
Starting at the head of the table there are three buckets. One bucket contains white rice, another contains dried soy protein, and the last contains dried vegetables. One cup of each goes into a bag. The bag moves down the table where a vitamin bullion is added. Next the bag is weighed to ensure proper shipping. Then the bag is sealed. When thirty-six bags are sealed, they are boxed up. In one hour, a table can box up hundreds of bags. Each bag contains four to six meals.
Your whole family can help. This is a great way for your children to be involved. It is recommended that the children be 8 years or older. Gather your friends. Call your neighbors. This is also a great way to earn some community service hours, which is needed for most high school athletes. You can work for as little as one hour. Or stay as long as you like.
Throughout the day you will be inspired, lifted up, prayed over. It is a God filled day. God’s children will be fed through your labor of love. But each package of food is so much more than just food.
The food helps support a local orphanage. Africa Harvest of Hope is a school/orphanage in Tanzania. At this school children have found refuge. They learn what God’s love really means. They have found community amongst themselves. They have learned skills to become a contributing member in their own society. They have found acceptance. There are close to thirty school age children currently living at Harvest of Hope orphanage in Korogwe, Tanzania.
Individually, we can do very little to change the world but together we can change the world one child at a time. If you have ever read the statistics about orphans world wide, you may feel helpless. You might say, there are so many children and what can I possibly do to help? Here is your answer. Come see what one person can do and find out for yourself how easy it is to make a difference, together.
“So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.”–James 2:17

IT’S FEBRUARY? Well, Happy New Year anyway. 2009 faded into the past like it was a vapor and I can’t help but think of what Solomon said in Ecclesiastes, “One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever. … That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, “ See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who will come after.
Solomon also wrote in Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.
Well that’s where we are. We would do well to remember that nothing is new and even as we continue planning what we believe is the direction we are to be moving in, we rejoice (big time) in the fact that it is God who directs us.
Africa Harvest of Hope didn’t begin with some well thought out plan. (We’re not being self depricating when we say this) we’re just stating the fact that we were moved in our hearts to do something, and we are thankful that it is God who directs our steps. We have many plans for 2010 but it would be a good idea to lay them out before Him and everyone who will pray with us as we “plan our way”.
First, we ask you, friends and followers of AHOH, to pray for Herbert and Emily and those working at the Children’s Home in Korogwe. They have been incredibly busy this last year as well as fighting off the oppressor’s darts of illness and trials. Please remember them in your prayers. They have worked diligently to prepare to receive new children into the orphanage and that’s not as easy as it may sound. There is extensive red tape they must continually find time to unravel and work through. They also make sure all the children are doing well in their studies and when any of the children are ill they make long treks to the clinics, sometimes in the middle of the night. So many incredible God stories we hear from them (via the phone) we’d love to share…
Second, as you know our first Food Packaging Event was awesome. We’re still in awe of what God did that day. So, with that excitement still motivating us, we have set the date for our second event. Details will be up shortly. BIG thank you to Breann Crain our new blog-ett-er for AHOH.
Third, our trip that is coming up in April. Alan and Shannon will be joining 90+ doctors, nurses, dentist, one mom and a landscaper. Not really only one mom but for sure one landscaper. Alan will be a Fundi (handyman) and Shannon will be a cook/nursery worker. Watch out Tanzania. They may need some Pepto after we leave. After a week in Singida with the Medical Missions Team they will be traveling with Herbert and Emily (AHOH Tanzania Team) to Mbozi in the south of the country. After that they will finish the trip with a week at the Children’s Home in Korogwe visiting with the team there and sharing with the children and the people in the village what God has put on there hearts. Please pray for a safe and productive trip.
Forth, is an exciting fundraising event that Lauren Mosher from Lifehouse Theater will be putting together. From what we understand this will be a night you won’t want to miss. It set for Friday, May 28 at the Fox Theater in Redlands, CA. We’ll be sharing more information as the event unfolds.
One more thing to think about; Many people have inquired about going to Tanzania with AHOH. This needs to be something that has been prayed about and seriously thought through. We by no means want to discourage anyone but it needs to be a desire that flows from deep within your heart. This is the only way you can truly be sure it’s something you should be doing. We will be putting a team together to go in Late October 2010. If going to Africa to serve is a burden you can’t shake let us know. The cost for a two to three week trip is usually about $3,500. We’ll sit down with you and share all that is necessary for the trip and we can help you with sponsor letters as well. We’ve already begun to pray for the team that will be going. If that’s you, please be praying for the team as well. God knows who they are.
We opened hardly believing January had already whooshed past and closed with information about the team trip in October. Lord willing, that leaves November and December wherein we will continue to be ever thankful to and for our Savior and all He has accomplished for us in the year of our Lord 2010. God bless you all!
Prayer reminders:
Herbert and Emily Mwaimu and the AHOH Team in Tnzania (Spiritual warfare)
Food Packaging Event, March 27, 2010 (Enough volunteers to package 100,000 meals)
April Trip to Tanzania (For God to lead Alan and Shannon through a safe and productive trip)
Lauren Mosher and the fund raising event to be held Friday, May 28 at the Fox Theater in Redlands, CA (For God to bless her with all she needs as she gives her time to plan this event)