Hope 4 Women/Hope 4 Kids Internationl in Uganda

On the third Thursday of each month Hope for Women International holds a conference call with those who are involved or want to become involved in the projects of Hope 4 Women. This past Thursday our conference call included a special treat. Wendy Stokes who is an active promoter of Hope 4 Women is in Uganda for a month with team members traveling with Hope 4 Kids International. She and Pastor Ruth of Uganda were able to call in and update all of us on what they are currently doing in Uganda.

Pastor Ruth gave us an update on the 300 Victory Gardens started by Smile Africa. Each woman who was given seeds & training on growing their gardens is now expected to continue growing each season and will bring 1000 shillings to Smile Africa when she harvests her first crop. That money will be used to start up other women in Gardens. Pastor Ruth tells us the gardens are doing beautifully and we look forward to seeing pictures soon.

She also told us the Bethel Medical Clinic is about finished. They need to hang some doors and finish the flush toilets. The clinic will serve the surrounding community as well as the 420 Karamojong children who come to Smile Africa each day. These children who once roamed the streets hoping to find a rotten potato or something else to eat amongst the trash now receive a nutritious meal daily and are taught the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic. They are taught about God's love and to sing and worship. When you arrive on the property they are always ready to greet you in song.

Good Shepherd Lutheran church in Torrance, California held a seven-day bike tour to raise money for a water tower/system at Smile Africa. Their goal was to raise $10,000 toward this project--I'm not sure of the total amount raised but I do know they exceeded their goal. Dave Peters of Good Shepherd has been instrumental in this fundraiser is currently on the ground in Uganda and has been going over the specs of what is all needed to insure the water tower/system serves this community in the best & most efficient way.


Wendy shared of her witnessing the well dedications and brought us all to tears when she told about visiting the place where children found drinking water before we dug a well. They would find standing water covered with sludge--scrape the scum aside and drink the water beneath. In one village 19 babies died in a few month’s time because they didn't have access to clean water. We who only drink bottled water cannot even imagine the filth involved in the drinking sludge water. Pastor Ruth chimed in and said the children sat at the new well drinking clean water all day long.

The hope 4 kids team did a woman's outreach to a village that has been hit by the recent famine. Pastor Ruth said storms came through and washed away homes, etc. Then the hot sun came and scorched the crops. The pastor of that village said watching the people suffer and not being able to help was breaking his spirit. Our team came in and brought joy to the women by painting their nails, giving them lipstick and washing their feet and declaring God’s love. Pastor Ruth said these women—many for the first time in their lives--felt so special and cared for. The team also distributed desperately needed food to the women and others in the community. The pastor, overwhelmed by the love lavished upon his village declared Hope 4 Kids as "Hope for the hopeless"

A small boy was brought to Pastor Ruth a few months ago--his bladder was not formed properly and extends through his abdominal wall, causing urine to constantly leak from his abdomen. He has to wear a dress because of the leakage. An extremely poor widow has taken this boy and his mother into her humble home and has tried desperately to find help for this child. When she brought him to Pastor Ruth she could not turn him away and solicited funds where ever she could to insure this child will get the medical help he needs. The hope 4 kids team came forward to help and hope 4 women donated funds to start his mother in business as well as the faithful widow who reached out to them.
Pastor Ruth told us that the boy's mother is a widow and often the brothers of the deceased husband come in and say the woman is their "inheritance." This woman has been repeatedly raped and beaten by her husband's brothers. Pastor Ruth got the police involved and asked us to pray for this woman's safety as they strive to get help for her little boy and empower her to stand on her own. Pastor Ruth reminded us that widows are despised by society and need someone to protect them from such brutalities.

Wendy reported that Hope 4 Women was able to purchase 15 treadle sewing machines! Seven will go to the graduates of Smile Africa tailoring program. Once a widow or orphan successfully completes the program she is given her own sewing machine to start her own business. The other eight machines will be distributed to surrounding villages where women will gather and learn to sew. Pastor Ruth said she is sending two of the graduates to teach women in the village where the pastor was so discouraged.

We also discussed the upcoming art show we are holding in the Phoenix area in October. So far we have six artists who have committed to donating their work for this fundraiser for hope 4 women. Pastor Ruth and Wendy will be choosing art created by the women of Uganda as well as a couple of Ugandan artists and Wendy will bring those back to the States for our art show.

Wendy also has been teaching our partners and leaders in Uganda a course called "Mission Character". The response has been tremendous. This course consists of 40 Biblical Principles of: self-government, productivity, management and leadership. You can find all the information for this incredible program at http://www.lared.org

Thank you for your support of Hope 4 Kids/Hope 4 Women. Please keep these dear people in your prayers and continue to seek ways to be involved. It takes all of us working together to make a difference in this world. Hold Pastor Ruth and Wendy up in prayer as they continue to tirelessly work through the remainder of July to make a difference in the lives of women and their children.


Our next call will be August 19th so please mark your calendars and tell your friends! We will be giving you updates on what we are doing in Uganda as well in here in the United States.

If you would like to be included in this call contact Rachel@h4ki.org

Consider booking Rachel Eggum Cinader for your next conference, retreat, club meeting, worship service, women's ministry event, etc. Her mixture of humor and compassion makes for a delightful session as she encourages you to seek God's direction and purpose in their lives. Email Rachel: Rachel@h4ki.org

Use Your Artistic Talent for a Good Cause

In October 2009, Hope 4 Women International will be holding an art show in the Phoenix area. We have several talented artists lined up who are donating their work with all proceeds going Hope 4 Women International. We will also feature art created by the women of Uganda - baskets, necklaces, etc. There will be award quality photos ready to hang in you home or office. We would like to invite YOU to showcase your art at this event!

Let me tell you a little about the great cause you will be assisting. Hope 4 Women International is a division of Hope 4 Kids International—an organization that has been delivering hope to kids around the world for 35 years.

Hope 4 Women helps women who are sick, needy, rejected and voiceless—with no regard to race or religion. God loves these precious ladies and has a specific plan for their lives. We empower women living in poverty by providing job training to develop the skills needed to support themselves and their family.

The funds raised at this event will be used to help provide job training and tools (such as sewing machines, seeds for crops, and plows) these ladies need to start working so they can support their families.

You can read about the activities of Hope 4 Women International at Rachel’s blog http://www.racheleggumcinader.blogspot.com or at www.h4ki.org. Our Hope 4 Women International website is to be launched very soon at www.h4wi.org.

All artists will be given publicity through our websites, Facebook, blogs and news releases. You will also be encouraged to attend the event to meet the attendees face-to-face. However we realize it will not be possible for all artists to attend and will be happy to place your business cards/flyers next to your work.

Participants will be updated on the progress of the art show and will receive a form to fill out with all of your information –including your website address or blog. A tax receipt will also be issued, as your donation is tax deductible.

To find out more about this event, or to donate your paintings, drawings, or other artistic creations to this cause, please contact Rachel at Rachel@h4ki.org

Hope 4 Kids video by Kent Dirks

My Friend Betsy

This is the first in a series about my fabulous friends.

God has blessed me with many great friends. I have friends who support my dreams and projects. Friends who love to get together and brainstorm. Friends who let me be who I am and love me anyway. People I don’t even know have come alongside of me and supported projects in Uganda—they have collected pillowcases, purses, hygiene kits, lipstick, nail polish, money, etc—whenever I present a new project or an idea to empower the women of Uganda wonderful friends, family members and compassionate people pitch in to make a difference. I’m always amazed by it.

My friend Betsy is one of those beautiful people. She drew two prints of widows of Uganda and is working on a third. She donates these limited number prints to Hope 4 Women (500 of each print). We sell them for a suggested donation of $20 each and the total amount goes to our women of Uganda projects.

She spent the last weeks working on this drawing-- Anna and Her Sisters. She is not quite finished but I couldn’t wait to show it to you. Why is she doing this? Because I was having a little trouble focusing on writing my novel. She came over and asked, “What does Anna look like?”

I said, “Well. In my mind she is a combination of three women.”

“Show me.”

I printed off three photos I’d taken of women in Uganda and she drew Anna—(pronounced “Ahhnah”) Isn’t she beautiful?

Now I sit with Anna next to me and write with no hesitation because I now know who Anna is.
I think about Betsy and her labors of love and thank God for placing her in my life. I’m amazed that someone would want me to tell my story so badly that she willingly spent days drawing-- just to inspire me.

She not only inspired me to write but gave me a dream to hold an art show about women to empower women through Hope 4 Women International.

She also inspired my husband who is an artist but has been dormant for a long time. He got out his pencils, sketch pads, etc and is back to drawing!

Looking back over our years of friendship I realize Betsy has always been my champion. She encouraged me to write when I didn’t feel like it. Because of her gentle prodding (sometimes not so gentle) and constant support I was able to come alongside my brother Tom and co-author our book, God, Why Don’t You Hear Their Prayer?

Betsy has something we all want in a friend. She believes in me. She makes me want to be a better friend to you.

My prayer is you have at least one Betsy in your life and that you will be a Betsy to someone.

God, Why Don't You Hear Their Prayer?

A Walker for Martha

Martha, a widow who cannot walk on her own pushes a flimsy, plastic chair from her one room apartment to the community latrine. Making it to the latrine is slow work as she pushes the chair out in front of her and takes two steps, stops, breathes heavily and starts again. She struggles across the broken and often cluttered walkway. The chair leg catches in a large crack; the chair bends and Martha stumbles with a look of fear crossing her face. She manages to regain her balance and pauses briefly before she labors on. When she finally returns to her room she drops to her bed, her arms hang limply and her body sags in relief.

Her days are spent cooped up in her little room behind Smile Africa Minstries where she makes necklaces from paper beads; reads her Bible and prays for those who are suffering. She has a doll named Miracle who keeps her company and her daughter, Pastor Ruth, and her friends drop in throughout the day to chat and bring her food.

On a recent trip to Uganda I carried a walker donated by my friend Mae. When Martha was presented with her walker she raised her hands toward heaven then covered her face with her hands and wept. Her granddaughter and friends shouted and danced around her rejoicing as her tears gave way to a smile that lit up her entire face.

Martha now stands with dignity when she arrives at the door of Smile Africa ministries gripping her walker and beaming at her Ugandan sisters who joyfully welcome her. Her friend Rukia rushes up and embraces her. Martha says, “Rukia, now I can walk across the street to your home. I can see where you live.”

Each afternoon when the women gather at Smile Africa to work on their crafts Martha sits among them, no longer relegated to creating her necklaces alone in her room.

Consider booking Rachel Eggum Cinader for your next conference, retreat, club meeting, worship service, women's ministry event, etc. Her mixture of humor and compassion makes for a delightful session as she encourages women to seek God's direction and purpose in their lives. Email Rachel: Rachel@h4ki.org

Victory Gardens In Uganda!

Hope 4 Women International’s goals are to bring dignity, joy, health, and God’s love to the women of Uganda. In a society where women are so devalued we want them to know that God cherishes them. One method of providing dignity is by teaching them to be self-sufficient and by growing proper food so they and their children can eat and be healthy.

Robert has talked to several of our Ugandan friends about starting victory gardens and has provided them with seeds. The result has been some beautiful gardens but the process has been slow and we wanted to reach more people.

Recently Michelle Obama made victory gardens popular. Robert googled and found many websites featuring victory gardens so he asked me to send Pastor Ruth some of the links.

Pastor Ruth reacted enthusiastically when she saw the websites and called together 200 women to tell them about the victory gardens. Since the Ugandans consider our president their brother, they also deem Michelle as their sister-in-law. Pastor Ruth told the women, “Michelle Obama, our sister-in-law has started planting Victory Gardens and I think we can also take up this activity seriously and help our families eat well.” They all clapped wildly and shouted in agreement.

Hope 4 Women International provided the funds for this project. Smile Africa Ministries taught them to start the seeds by making hotbeds—which are leaves covering the newly planted seeds to protect them from being destroyed. Once the plants grow and are healthy they are transplanted to the gardens. Andrew, an employee of Smile Africa is assigned to checking on the gardens and will spray for bugs as needed.

Our hope is to increase these gardens to many more women throughout Uganda who are in need of food for their families.

We would like to purchase walk behind, motor-driven plows to speed the planting along. The plows cost around $2000.

Would you like to be a part of this project? We need funds to purchase more seeds—currently we are sending money for Smile Africa to purchase the seeds there because it is the planting season and we want them to get started right away. We are looking to purchase at least two plows.

Want to know more? Would you like to book me as a speaker for your next event? Contact me at Rachel@h4ki.org.

Hope 4 Women International is a division of Hope for Kids international www.h4ki.org


Here are a few delighted recipients of seeds for their victory gardens.