Connect with Hope

Hundreds of kids eating meals that were made in Iowa.

by Eric Hanson
Hope member and TV reporter

My work at KCCI has taken me to tornado-damaged cities minutes after they were clobbered, Third-World countries weeks after a natural disaster and previously-joyful homes shortly after a member of the military delivered devastating news.

But landing in South Africa in late January was a different experience.

I knew I was being sent 9,000 miles from Des Moines to show Iowans the incredible amount of need in small towns at the end of washboard roads. Places where unemployment can top 80 percent and you can find more HIV positive people than negative. I also knew it was not going to feel like driving up to a story in Adel or Norwalk. What I didn’t expect was the wide variety of sometimes small signs that Iowa is having a huge effect  on that region.

Eric Hanson spent time in South Africa, reporting on the effect Iowans (including some Hope members) are having in Africa.

Limpopo Province is the northernmost region of the South Africa. The population is mostly black, mostly poor and mostly struggling. But that area is where Dr. Jim Blessman has been planting Iowa’s roots. The former head of Mercy’s pain center spent a quarter century healing Iowans of their pains. Now he and his wife, Beth, are trying to do the same thing in Africa during their retirement.

They started Blessman Ministries (www.blessmanministries.org) a decade ago with the idea that doctors on a two-week medical mission trip can prescribe penicillin but those physicians who immerse themselves in a culture can cure its problems. And Iowans have been buying into his diagnosis.

Jim & Beth Blessman built a home on a game-farm outside Mokopane three years ago. Since then, they’ve hosted 150 Iowans a year, including scores of Hope members. Two weeks in Africa turn strangers visiting their house into lifelong friends who become just as passionate about the mission as their relocated hosts.

They’ve convinced Meals from the Heartland to increase their shipment to 2 million meals this year. They’ve convinced Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse organization to ship 100,000 shoeboxes filled with gifts for children. And when locals see the Blessmans rolling into their community in their white Toyota SUV, they know help is on the way. But even more importantly, the relocated Iowans have convinced South Africans in need of so much that they have the power to change their situation.

Dr. Jim Blessman and his wife run Blessman Ministries, a Hope missions partner.

The gifts from Iowa will help anyone facing dire hunger, but long-term help is targeted to daycares, schools and drop-in centers who feed more than just stomachs. They need to feed hearts and minds with the message of Jesus Christ to qualify for ongoing help. It’s not a way to coerce locals to accept Christianity for food. Instead, it’s a realization that rice packets fill short-term needs that will only change if people do. It’s the same reason the Iowans are teaching locals how to raise corn like Iowans do. It’s also why they’re starting micro-enterprises in areas such as sewing and construction so locals can have an income by learning a trade.

Limpopo is a province where you can find kids playing with a red soccer ball that reads “Kum and Go” and you can find thousands of cardboard boxes of meals stamped “Packed in Des Moines, September 2011″. But nearby, you’ll find thousands of children who are eating because of the generosity of Iowa congregations. You’ll find dozens of families who are being housed because of the back-breaking work of Iowan construction workers. And you’ll find countless Africans benefiting from Iowans living out Christ’s instructions to help “the least of these.”

And Iowa’s impact is only a few years old.

Editor’s Note: Mission Robin’s Nest is a Hope mission partner. Here’s a wonderful Hope Story from Byron and Marcene Culbertson on their recent experience serving at this children’s home in Montego Bay in Jamaica.

We have returned from Robin’s Nest, a Christian children’s home on a mountaintop outside Montego Bay in Jamaica. Although words will be a poor substitute for the real thing, we’d like to share our experience with you. We want to encourage you to step out and do what God whispers to you; because we now know He does just that with all of us.

We were assigned a bunch of pretty simple tasks, and we finished most of them with fun and teamwork. Painting, building, organizing, fixing, cleaning, and carrying 440 concrete blocks. Part of the way through, we realized these tasks were needed, but not the big reason we were welcomed there. Helping the kids with homework, playing, swimming, doing Bible studies, pushing them on swings, reading books with them; all really good stuff, but still not the big reason we were invited in. The big reason we all went and were so openly received is to share God’s love and be loved by 30 kids and about 17 staff and 9 fellow missionaries (our team). The way those kids, who were abused and/or abandoned, loved us, trusted us, treated us so special, and asked us to simply be with them was truly inspiring.

They are joyfully unaware of how little they have, and they made us joyful because we could learn so much from them. Their bright eyes and huge smiles and enthusiastic playfulness are something we carried back with us. When you are there, they make direct eye contact, sit as close as possible with you if not on you, take you by the hand to share their time, hug you with all of themselves, ask you to read with them, and touch your hair and face and hands and in my case, belly, until you just laugh. It will always stick with us how kids with so little and such painful pasts can be so happy. God is so obviously in the midst, and we have a new and much deeper faith.

Marcene was loved on by all of them, and especially 9-year-old Prince, infant Joanna, toddlers Ayesha and Aliya. We were both touched by all of them and especially Abby, Jerome, Sun, Cisco, and Sue. Byron made special contact with Damien, Demani and Obrian. My birthday was on Thursday, and all the kids took me outside like I was Gulliver and they were the Lilliputians, pushing, pulling and giggling all the way. Once outside, being blasted with flour from head to toe surprised me. It’s their way of “marking the birthday person so they all know.” Then Joyel, the co-director of Robin’s Nest, made a beautiful cake with candles and everybody sang Happy Birthday. Think I wasn’t blown away?

Jamaica is a place where the average Jamaican makes $80/week, milk costs $10 a gallon. Resorts are luxurious and provide most of the revenue to run the society. If Jamaicans have running water, showers have no hot water. Clothes are mostly hand-me-downs. Education is a privilege. Roads and infrastructure are Third World status. The geography is mountainous anywhere away from the coastline. The weather is gorgeous and the scenery is unbelievably pretty. Most vacationers never get to see the real Jamaica because it’s just too difficult. We were treated to the “real Jamaica” and some “real Jamaican love”.

Byron’s takeaways: I actually saw what I only previously heard in the abstract. An ordinary person doing extraordinary things is the reality of God’s work when we let God be the boss. He doesn’t ask us to give up what we have or to have less. He does ask us to share what He so generously gives us because all of it comes from Him through others. And we can be the others to someone else who has so much less. Not through huge, grandiose gestures, it doesn’t require a mission trip to far-off places. Just through everyday generosity and kindness and willingness to do as He says in the Bible. What I hope I left there is the knowledge that the staff and the kids are loved and that even people they don’t see all the time value them. I taught them the deaf hand sign for “I LOVE YOU”; they really liked learning it, flashing it to us when we parted. Being abandoned and abused and treated like throw-always, these kids offer such a treasure to someone who will adopt them. I pray every kid there gets to be part of a loving, Christian family.

Marcene’s takeaways: When I arrived at the Robin’s Nest, I was excited to get the projects started and completed. Give us a list of tasks and let us go. During the first day I realized it wasn’t all about completing the task, it was so much more. It was the joy of being present, seeing God at work in others and me. What I realized this week was about developing long-lasting relationships, seeing the joy in the children, working together joyfully and taking time to be still. The overall feeling of joy and appreciation and gratitude was truly amazing. I, too, pray every child gets to be part of a Christian family. I am so thankful the children have a safe place to live. What I hope I left behind is that each child knows they are loved. And know they are each loved by God. The question I was asked most by the children is “who is your boss?” My answer was GOD.  They would nod their little heads and smile. I pray that I will start living my life as I learned; putting all of my trust in GOD. I am so excited to see what he has in store for us next.

A big “thank you” to all of you who provided the great donations. What we found out talking to Matt Riley (one of the co-directors): it takes $23,000 monthly to keep Robin’s Nest going, that is in addition to the donations. All of the team members had additional luggage filled with your donations, it is a much better way than shipping, due to the import fees and cost of supplies in Jamaica. If God has put in your heart to help Robin’s Nest, Matt says service teams bringing items is the best way. If that isn’t possible, cash donations can be given through the web site.

In closing, telling you about it doesn’t even touch how this trip affected their and our lives. Please enjoy our pictures.

God is good. God bless every one of you.

by Merv Thompson
Teaching pastor

An excerpt from a recent Pastor’s Update

Just about one year ago, our daughter, Deanna, and our son, Noel, sat down with my wife, Jackie, and me and made an exciting proposal.

Next summer, they said, both of you will be turning 70 years young. As a family, we think it would be great if we could celebrate these milestone birthdays with you by visiting a national park.

When we were growing up, you used to take us to one national park after another during the summertime, you instilled in us a love for nature and for the parks in particular, which we are now passing on to our children.

So we think it would be a perfect way to honor these birthdays by all of us gathering together at a national park, preferably one we have not previously visited.  If this is agreeable to you, then you choose the park.

Well, it did not take us long to accept the proposal – about 2 seconds – for it just could not get any better than this, our two children, their spouses, our five grandchildren ages 15 to 8.  So Jackie and I began immediately to do the research, trying to determine where would be the best location to gather during the summer of 2011.

Actually it did not take us very long to make a decision – drum roll here – and so we chose the most northwestern corner of the most northwestern state in the Union, namely Washington.  And the national park that we chose was Olympic National Park. This was our favorite kind of park, including mountains, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, ocean shoreline, forests, and exquisite scenery and challenging hiking. We knew little about the area, but we were able to learn a great deal online and from people who had been there.

We had one incredible experience after another, but easily the most spectacular moment came when we made our way to the top of a mountain. There is something about a mountain. There is something about a mountain that inspires, lifts up, transforms.

Just outside of Port Angeles, Washington, the small town where we stayed, there is a 35- to 45-minute drive up the mountain to a place called Hurricane Ridge. How many of you have driven this road? The reason it is called Hurricane is because of the violent storms that blow through each year, winds of 70 miles an hour or more, dropping hundreds of inches of moisture. The only trees on the top of the mountain are twisted and gnarled by the winds.

But the day we stood on the top the weather was clear and calm, temperature about 50 degrees at 5,200 feet elevation. As we stood on the mountain and faced south, we could see this huge band of Olympic Mountains, this year covered by a huge canopy of snow as well as the glaciers.

It literally takes your breath away to be there.

There is something about a mountain, such a breathtaking view. Our cameras were working overtime. I was almost tempted to break into song, “I’m on the Top of the World,” but thought the grandchildren might think I was losing it. All of us who stood on the summit of the mountain agreed that this was equal to the spectacular drives we took in Glacier Park, Going-To-The-Sun Highway, and in Rocky Mountain National Park, Trail Ridge Road, two of our favorites.

There is something about a mountain.  If you have ever climbed a mountain or driven to the top of a mountain, you can readily understand how the term “mountain-top experience” came to be. And of course, “mountain-top experience” was quickly turned into a spiritual metaphor, it was no longer just climbing a mountain, but it was having some kind of life-changing, transforming, inspiring, exhilarating experience. Soon faith itself became described as a “mountain-top experience.”

In fact, this kind of language goes directly to the Bible. Did you know that?  This is where the idea of the “mountain top experience” originated. Think of the Old Testament and how the mountain becomes so important. It was on a mountain top where Noah’s ark landed after the flood; it is on the mountain that Moses was given the Ten Commandments; it is commonplace in the Psalms to refer to God as dwelling on Mount Zion. There is something about a mountain, something that connects with God and with the faith of the people.

Consider the words from Isaiah 52 for a moment:

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion:  Your God reigns.”

This is a passage that has been read at countless ordinations of pastors for centuries, but is also read these days at installations of lay leaders as well. How beautiful on the mountains are those who bring good news to others. The mountain has become a metaphor for someone who has been to the top of the mountain, who has caught a glimpse of the light.

By Ken Fuson
Hope member

In the waning moments of his life, Dean Schuck repeated the same phrase, at least five times:

“I have faith.”

“I have faith.”

“I have faith.”

“I have faith.”

“I have faith.”

It was Oct. 11, 2010 – exactly one year ago Tuesday. He had been in the hospital for 52 straight days. It was the end of a journey that had begun five years earlier, with a diagnosis of multiple myeloma, a blood cancer.

“Dean had a lot of great qualities,” says his wife, Sherrie. “He was quiet and gentle, yet strong and faith-filled. He was also a practical joker.”

The Schucks (pronounced shook) joined Lutheran Church of Hope 11 years ago, after their son, Justin, attended PowerLife, Hope’s confirmation program, with a friend and urged his parents to attend the church.

“We haven’t stopped coming since,” Sherrie says.

Or serving. Justin, 23, a senior at Iowa State University in Ames, has worked on Hope’s production team. Sherrie has volunteered on the wedding team. She and Dean helped out for eight years at Vacation Bible School.

“That was such a passion for Dean,” she says. “He looked forward to it so much.”

When Dean died, the consensus was unanimous: Memorial contributions should be directed to Hope’s Vacation Bible School.

A year later, the Schuck family wanted to do something else to honor Dean’s memory. They decided at the last minute to participate in the Light the Night Walk, held Saturday night by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

“He would want us to continue this fight against cancer, to help others beat this, so we decided to do this walk to raise money for others,” Sherrie says.

She and Justin designed black T-shirts for everyone to wear.

The front says, “We Walk in Memory of Your…Faith and Strength…Dean Schuck…10-11-10…Walk As If Your Life Depends On It!”

The letter “t” in the word “Faith” and the first “t” in the word “Strength” are designed like crosses, encased in a footprint.

“The footprints on the shirt represent the journey we are on,” Sherrie says, “and the crosses in them are a reminder of the price paid for our sins. We can’t get through any of this without Christ and His grace for us.”

The back of the T-shirt says TEAM SCHUCK, followed by Isaiah 40:29-31: He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

“The scripture on the back reminds us that if we put our trust in the Lord, He will give us the strength we need for our journey,” Sherrie says.

A total of 67 friends, family members, Hope members, neighbors and colleagues joined Sherrie and Justin at Saturday’s night walk. Afterward, they gathered at the Schuck home, and someone said, “We should wear these to church tomorrow.”

What better place?

“It’s the Hope family, truly, that got us through this,” Sherrie says. “Those last 52 days in the hospital, the caring team was there daily, if not twice a day. Someone was there praying with us constantly. And the pastors were there. You just can’t say enough good about Hope. They are so there for you when you need them.”

Don’t be surprised if you see a Team Schuck T-shirt in other locations.

“Our prayer is that, as we wear these shirts, whether in line at the store, at a game, on campus, or wherever, it’s one small way to share God’s word and just maybe someone will ask a question about our God and we can share what He’s done for us,” Sherrie says.

You see, Dean Schuck’s final words to his wife and son were not, “I have faith.”

They were, “Do you have faith?”

“He knew that we did, but he just wanted that reassurance,” Sherrie says. “What a gift that was for us.”

One year after his death, their answer remains unchanged.

Here’s a Summer of Love story shared by Krisanne Myers about how her family is reaching out to share God’s love.

She writes:

“We have had an awesome summer so far. Our family went on Mission Navajo for the second time this year and had a great time reconnecting with friends we made down there.  We helped put on a roof, built a fire pit, built a playground, and put on VBS at the churches. It was awesome to see all the kids who would not even stand up to sing on the first day of VBS dancing and singing to God at the front of church on the last day of VBS.

Back here in Iowa we have provided lunches for the kids at Freedom for Youth. We participated in the teen fair they had there and look forward to getting more involved in that ministry.

I had a great time being a shepherd at VBS and my husband and I  had a great time driving the Hopemobiles around for Taste of Hope! We are going to volunteer to do that more because it was just fun driving those little cars around.

We are so excited to be able to do all these things and share the experiences with our kids, teaching them that it is all about helping others.  We are so happy to
be involved in a church that is reaching out locally and around the world,  it is wonderful to be a part of spreading and sharing God’s love.

Debris remains after after a tornado struck Joplin, Mo., seven weeks ago, but not the massive piles in the wake of the destruction.

By Eric Hanson
Hope member and KCCI Channel 8 reporter

Eric’s first blog post on Joplin, Missouri, and what it was like to be there covering the news is here. He returned recently and his story aired on July 15. You can watch that here.

He shares his experiences of the trip:

That late-May trip home from Joplin, Missouri, I was in awe. In the hours after our neighbors were kicked in the teeth by an EF-5 tornado, I was assigned to tell stories of the magnitude of the storm that killed more than 150 people.

I had seen tornado damage before plenty of times, but I’d never seen anything like the beast that had carved its
way through Joplin. Little did I know, I was selling the storm short. You see, seven weeks later, when I was assigned to return to Joplin and show Iowans how those neighbors were recovering, I was overwhelmed.

This time, streets were clear, and we could move anywhere we needed t o… up and down miles of city streets wiped clean that we hadn’t seen before. Block after block, the devastation left me searching for words. The debris was still scattered in plenty of places, but other properties had been wiped clean by bulldozers. Those plots, formerly filled with fully-grown trees and two-story homes, were now barren like a new subdivision. The size of the debris field was almost too big to comprehend.

The first of our two days of recovery coverage filled me with a sense of awe and amazement. Driving back into the tornado’s path the second day weighed so heavily on me, I couldn’t wait to go home. That’s when I realized this flattened wasteland is home for thousands of tornado victims.

There, in the midst of all the destruction, thousands of people from across America were cleaning up what the storm ripped apart. Church groups were paired with non-believers. Teenagers were hauling lumber 50-somethings had hacked apart with chain saws.

When I asked Bill Ehlinger from Sheffield, Iowa why he drove more than six hours to sweat in 95 degree heat, he
answered, “It’s part of the mission that God has given us, to go out and help those that are less fortunate than we are.”

Those first seven weeks after the tornado, 40,000 volunteers like Bill gave 261,000 hours of help to the recovery effort. Volunteer coordinators from Iowa moved into the fellowship hall of a Joplin church those first days and
they’re still there.

Pictures don’t do the tornado’s damage justice. They can’t capture the enormity of the response either. But standing
in the midst of so much damage and so many people living out, as Bill said, “the mission that God has given us,” it’s easy to find yourself lost in a city of awe.

Here is a poem written by a Hopester, Joseph William Connell.

“Sweet Jesus”

Not a whisper to be heard,
Shepherds tending to their herd,
A star shone bright,
With all its light,
Would lead the wise men
To the site
Of the twelve-month-old king,
For the angels would sing,
For the gift God would bring,
Sweet Jesus.
He sees us,
He loves us,
With all his heart,
Of no bad part,
And thirty-three years after,
All the cheering and laughter,
That
A Messiah,
A Savior,
A Guardian,
A Protector,
Would come,
The one dark night,
Upon a cross,
He gave his life,
To release us,
From the darkness,
And the success,
Was a saving grace,
To all of God’s race,
For any sin,
Was forgiven.