WE BELIEVED GOD HAD GIVEN US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD A HOME FOR ORPHANED CHILDREN. A place where some forty or so children who had no home could call ‘Home’ but more importantly there would be forty children who would hear of the love that God has for them. A place to be nurtured and care for by people who loved them. Our vision is to see these children grow up and go out into their communities and share what they have experienced and that God would use them to bring many souls into the Kingdom of God. When we first visited Korogwe, a small rural city in Tanzania, we believed God had directed us there to build this home. There was a small, mud and wood, church about 100 feet away from the location where we would begin the building project. As the orphanage took shape the little church lost its shape as it was blown over by the wind. Now that the orphanage is done the workmen have begun to build a new church building on the hill that will accommodate the children and villagers who live close by. What we were not expecting to come out of all this was that we have been given a parcel of land in the city of Korogwe at the base of the mountain. The property is located just off the main highway on the same road that we take up the mountain to the orphanage. God is amazing! When we were first told about the property we were somewhat shocked that the District Commissioner, without knowing us, would allow us to come into their city and build a church and a school which was what we intended to do if everything went according to plan. But…
God always does immeasurably more than we could ever have imagined. While we were in Tanzania for the dedication of the new children’s home the District Commissioner traveled up the slippery rain soaked road to the dedication that day. After meeting her and some of her staff, we were invited to visit her at her office the following day. We were treated graciously and even with her busy schedule she spent an hour answering questions and asking us a few of her own. We left excited about our experience. And soon after returning to the US, Pastor Herbert Mwaimu called saying that had decided not to give us the ten acres, instead they were giving us thirty acres. God does do things immeasurably more than we could ever imagine. He had granted us favor and we are blessed and humbled by it.
OUR BUILDING PROJECT now includes plans for a hospital, a hostel, two trade schools, another orphanage, and a large church that will seat 1,000 people. We believe that this is His work and that we are His workmanship. We will continue to do the work He sets before us and go through the doors He opens and pray that we will stay in His will. Please pray with us that we will not go before him. As Moses said, “I will not go unless you go with us” and as Nehemiah, “would not take of the governors provisions because it put a burden on the people”. We desire and will attempt that our model, with Africa Harvest of Hope, be the Word of God, and that we act only after looking at what His Word says. He will accomplish and we are to stand and keep our peace. (Exodus 14:13)
We will be working on both sides of the globe to follow His lead. Herbert and the workmen there have the hard, physical labor as well as the tedious ‘red-tape’ they must get through and we here in the states need to continue to raise awareness of this project and the funds to finish these projects. We have a lot to do and as we look at Nehemiah again we see that he didn’t sit back and wait for God to hand him or the people anything on a silver platter. He prayed and organized the people, he carried out his responsibilities after God showed him what He wanted him to do and he did it with diligence. So must we do and we will with excitement and anticipation, and like Nehemiah we will run into those people who will ‘chide us’ and maybe say, “even if a fox jumps onto the wall it will fall” to try to discourage us, but God is working and we know how the story ends. We have great expectations of God and we pray for His will, so no matter the outcome we look forward to this journey. Pray for us here and our brothers and sisters in Korogwe. Pray for us to hear Him and be dedicated to what we have been led to do. Many people and organizations go to Africa and quickly leave because of disappointments that are faced there. Many projects are abandoned or never finished. May that never be so for AHOH. We will continue to update on our blog with progress reports of what is taking place.
In Christ alone my hope is found, He is my light, my strength, my song. This corner stone, this solid ground, firm through the fieriest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are still, when strivings cease, my comforter, my all in all, here in the love of Christ I’ll stand…
