World Missions Log

IMPRISONED FOR SHARING THE WORD

2009-07-01T07:30:00.004-05:00

Rob Jones

Joyce Meyer Ministries

Shi Weihan is a Chinese citizen. He is a kind, generous man who gives of himself to others in need. After the earthquake in 2008, he worked tirelessly helping those displaced. He also printed Bibles and other Christian literature including some of Joyce's books and gave them out for free. Because he printed these materials, a criminal court in Beijing sentenced him to three years in jail. His wife and sixty-five year old parents were shocked and his two daughters, thirteen and nine were devastated. "The children just can not accept it," says Zhang Jing, Shi's wife. "Their father is their biggest hero. They cried uncontrollably. They couldn't believe their father was convicted like an ordinary criminal." Shi was also fined about $25,000.

Shi's staunch Christian belief and his humanitarian work in the countryside brought him into contact with many other believers, his wife explains, and he discovered that there was a lack of Bibles in rural China. "He saw that we shared the same belief with those poor people," Zhang notes, "and they didn't have access to Bibles." Believers can only buy Bibles in churches approved and watched over by the government. So, together with a group of friends who ran a printing shop in downtown Beijing, Shi began printing and distributing Bibles for free. The government charged him with illegally running a business operation with the purpose of "gaining profits unlawfully". So Shi is in prison.

We share this story to help us realize that not everyone has the freedom we enjoy. Please keep Shi and his family in your prayers that God would miraculously deliver him and protect his family.

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

PARTNERSHIP BRINGS HELP IN A VARIETY OF WAYS

2009-06-24T13:44:00.007-05:00

Bobby & Sherry Burnette

Directors, Love a Child, Inc

We want to thank you so much for the wonderful Joyce Meyer booklets in French! We have distributed many of them and saw that the people brought them back to church with them and held onto them like Bibles. It was so touching.

We are also grateful for your sponsorship of a container of food each month. There aren't enough words to say thank you, especially as we look into the faces of the people when they receive the food.

The clinic is going strong and we are discovering that people are coming from Port au Prince and places even further to receive aid. Recently we found a baby in a village who had a severe burn on his arm. We brought him to the clinic for several treatments and know that he probably wouldn't have survived without medical care.

We know that the partners of Joyce Meyer Ministries would be so blessed to see the fruit of their giving! God is good.

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

Abolishing Injustice in the 21st Century

2009-06-15T08:16:00.010-05:00

David and Shelly Meyer along with some of A21 team members.

David L. Meyer

We have partnered with A21 in Greece for almost 18 months now. Recently we had the privilege to visit them. A21 works to stop the flow of trafficked girls as well as bring restoration to those that escape the system. What happens to these girls is unimaginable. There are over 27 million people worldwide who are being held as slaves against their own will. We also sponsor projects in Ethiopia and India. Please pray that more and more of those held captive will be delivered from this horror.

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

A NEW BEGINNING

2009-06-11T14:47:00.012-05:00

Jawad's story is similar to many of the Iraqis who left Iraq due to threats and persecution. Jawad and his family lived in Iraq in an area where the situation was highly critical. Sounds of bomb explosions rang in their ears as the hands of the clock ticked by the minute. They were terrified and left when threats got closer and more personal. Jawad and his wife Wala’ feared for the lives and safety of their children and took a few pieces of clothing and some food and fled Iraq.

Today, it's a little over three months since they came to Lebanon. Jawad works as a porter where he returns home every day exhausted, yet thankful for the $10 he earns to cover part of their daily living expenses. The house they live in is very cold and is poorly furnished. They are encouraged by Heart for Lebanon’s visits that show them the love and compassion of Christ. Joyce Meyer Ministries supports Heart for Lebanon’s ministry as they reach out to the needy in that country. Thank you Hand of Hope for helping this family.

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

RESCUE IN SOUTH AFRICA

2009-06-04T12:03:00.005-05:00

Ron Martin, JMM South Africa Director

Unconditional Love: Those are the words that come to mind as we witnessed the love being poured out to the kids on the streets of Durban, South Africa. The team from Umthombo, a ministry that Joyce Meyer Ministries supports, is doing a great job of engaging these young kids that society considers useless. These precious children have found themselves on the streets for various reasons and just want to be loved and accepted. Their daily battle is simply one of survival. Through various activities and outreaches we are endeavoring to reach these kids in order to reunite them with their families and get them away from the dangers of the streets. Already this year we have reunited over 140 children with their families, treated more than 330 through our medical outreach and feed over 125 kids every day! What makes this type of ministry effective? Unconditional love!

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

BURKINA FASO OUTREACH

2009-05-27T12:51:00.007-05:00

Shelly Meyer

Burkina Faso is a small country in western Africa. Many in this nation suffer from Malaria, Typhoid Fever and AIDS. There are also times of severe drought that cause famine and malnutrition, leaving many widowed and orphaned.

In 2003, Hand of Hope began supporting missionary Lynn Peters and her organization Burkina Faso Outreach (BFO). The ministry of this outreach has been significant. After a drought late last year, the straw bins which should have been full of millet were empty. The numbers of hungry widows and malnourished children knocking at Lynn’s gate became overwhelming. Hand of Hope quickly responded by sending an additional donation to BFO which was used to purchase grain to bless over 450 families! Families that once had very little hope, lined up at the ministry with their donkey carts to carry the food home.

The vision of BFO is to share the love of Christ through a child sponsorship program and community food and medical assistance, as well as sharing the gospel through educational programs. The very basic need for food, medical care and education will continue. But as the Lord blesses Hand of Hope and organizations like Burkina Faso Outreach, we will continue to see lives transformed and souls added to the Kingdom.

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

SENDING RELIEF TO SRI LANKA

2009-05-20T07:31:00.010-05:00

Shelly Meyer

Reports say that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) forces have been defeated, and that founder and leader Prabhakaran was killed on May 18, 2009. Although the war is officially over, more than two decades of fighting has created a horrible humanitarian crisis.

Recently, we received an urgent request from Convoy of Hope, our long term partners in disaster relief. We work extensively with them to bring relief to many people in desperate situations. The civil war between the government and the Tamils in Sri Lanka has created a horrible humanitarian crisis, with approximately 200,000 internally displaced people in dire need. Many of them who have come out of the northern areas are not being properly cared for by the government due to prejudice and possible ties with the rebel cause. The national church is already involved in this matter.

Thanks to our friends and partners, Joyce Meyer Ministries is assisting Convoy of Hope as they work in helping these people. It is our prayer that these families will soon find permanent shelter and peace will spread throughout the country.

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

CAMBODIA UPDATE

2009-05-13T07:38:00.008-05:00

Today Was Well Worth It...

Ginger Stache

Chief Media Officer

Today was a difficult day. Our Broadcast team spent it shooting in Cambodia's municipal garbage dump where thousands of children work and live. It's heart-breaking to see the conditions the kids live in and you can't help but get a little overwhelmed with it all. What makes it all worthwhile is meeting little boys like Loy. Loy is nine years old and lived here at the dump until just over a year ago. Both of his parents died of AIDS so a neighbor dropped him off here to fend for himself. Eventually a friend heard about one of our Hand of Hope Children's Homes and asked if they had a place for Loy. Thanks to Joyce Meyer Ministry partners the answer was YES!

Now Loy sleeps in a clean bed, goes to school instead of working all day, and has house parents who love him and are teaching him about Jesus. When we saw him he was playing soccer with his friends and dragging around a happy puppy. Quite a contrast to the children we see picking through the trash today. Days like today are hard but well worth it when we think of all the other children like Loy who need our help.

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

SHARING THE GOSPEL IN ARIZONA PRISONS

2009-05-06T08:39:00.004-05:00

Roy Lormis

JMM Prison Ministry Director

The Arizona prison outreach in April was a great success. This trip was indeed a bit unusual as we were able to actually minister to over seventy different nationalities. These prisoners were State, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Federal Marshal Detainees. We truly are taking the gospel to the entire world. These men and women will one day be released and deported. I believe the message they received in the books and the teaching from Joyce on TV or radio, along with the message we shared, will allow them to become ambassadors for Christ in their home countries. (Joyce is on the TBN Second Chance programming inside the prisons, which is provided via satellite receptors installed at these facilities by TBN.)

All total we touched the lives of 12,842 inmates with the Hygiene Gift Bags. We had 1,329 attend the 13 services, resulting in 819 salvations or re-dedications. Each of these offenders has family and friends. I trust the decisions they made will positively impact thousands.

Again thanks so much for sending us. We could not do what we do with out the help of all of our partners, volunteers and the prayers and support of everyone. I cannot begin to tell you how much this means to us. We see firsthand the power of God touching so many lives for all eternity.

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

FEEDING CHILDREN IN LILONGWE, MALAWI

2009-04-29T07:20:00.008-05:00

David L. Meyer

Once again you have entrusted us to make a difference in the lives of these little ones. In April, we visited Israel and then moved on to Lilongwe, Malawi, which is one of the poorest nations in Africa. We have been feeding over 800 children there for over two years with the help of lifetime missionaries Jamie & Lea Peters. Thanks to all who have helped send us. We are humbled and honored!

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

MESSAGE AT ST. LOUIS DREAM CENTER BRINGS HELP

2009-04-24T11:31:00.005-05:00

TESTIMONY

The St. Louis Dream Center is not my home church, but I do visit occasionally. This past Easter Sunday Pastor Jeff Allensworth’s sermon was “What to Do on the Worst Day of Your Life” and I wrote all the steps down. One of the steps was about forgiveness. I asked God to reveal anything that was in my heart that needed to come out and He did. He revealed to me that I had unforgiveness toward my sister. When I got home, I called her up and was able to forgive. I had no idea what my act of obedience would bring me.

You see, every three months for the past six years, I have been going to the hospital so they can drain fluid from around a tumor in my brain. I went on the Monday after Easter and got an MRI. As the doctor was looking at the scans of my brain, she called in another doctor and another doctor until there were six doctors in the room looking at the scans. Not one of them was able to find the tumor. God has healed me!

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

YOUNG WOMAN RECEIVES MEDICAL CARE IN CAMBODIA

2009-04-15T13:02:00.005-05:00

Shelly Meyer

Ms. Khem Sophoan lives in Chheu Teal village in Cambodia with her parents and has suffered with several health problems for quite awhile. Her parents took her to see a doctor at a provincial hospital and were told she had a tumor in her nose. Since the cost to have it removed was high and they didn’t have the money, their only option was to just take her back home.

Recently her parents heard of our Hand of Hope Health Center, which sees patients free of charge, and took her there. Khem is doing better now that she is receiving the treatment she so desperately needed and is also able to go for follow up care free of charge.

Khem Sophoan and her parents would like to say thank you to the Hand of Hope Health Center and its staff for the love and treatment she is receiving. Thanks also to all our partners at JMM for sharing the love of God to the people of Cambodia.

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

HAITI HEARS THE GOOD NEWS THROUGH SOLAR POWERED RADIO

2009-04-07T08:04:00.005-05:00

David L. Meyer

This is a picture of Bobby Burnette, founder of Love a Child Ministry in Haiti, along with some of his team members. He is holding a solar powered radio that is playing Joyce’s program while this photo is being taken. Love a Child buys these radios in the United States for $3.25 each and hands them out all over Haiti. Their Christian station is the only one that plays on these solar powered radios. It plays from 6am to 8pm daily. They are doing this to combat the Voodoo station that plays here continuously.

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

HEALTH CARE WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NEW HEALING CENTER IN HAITI

2009-03-30T08:03:00.008-05:00

Ashley Wilkins

JMM Medical Outreach Coordinator

The last day of clinic was great! We had the largest crowd yet and saw 720 patients today. We also had twenty people give their hearts to the Lord.

A woman with an old broken pair of crutches was given a brand new pair today and she was beside herself with joy when I handed her the new pair!

We have been giving out to patients eyeglasses that were donated from the Hand of Hope's eyeglass campaign. It was really cool to see firsthand the difference they are making around the world. To give someone back their vision is a true gift!

The worst part of my job is at the end of the day when I have to close the doors to the clinic and leave hundreds of people standing outside. But today that was not so difficult because I was able to tell them that they could come back to the Jesus Healing Center and receive good health care after we have gone. The people left happy knowing that quality health care is now available to them.

This has been a great outreach! To God be the glory!

For more information call Hand of Hope.

HAND OF HOPE MEDICAL OUTREACH TOUCHES LIVES IN HAITI

2009-03-27T13:22:00.004-05:00

Ashley Wilkins

JMM Medical Outreach Coordinator

The woman in this picture is pregnant with twins. She had an ultrasound by our OB/GYN today and we discovered one baby is breach, so she will need a c-section. She had never had an ultrasound and would not have known the baby was breach without it. We are taking her to the hospital to have the baby. Without the ultrasound and subsequent c-section, there is a good possibility that she and the babies would not have survived.

We had several emergencies today and had to rush two patients to the hospital. One woman was in heart and kidney failure and could hardly breathe. One of our dental patients had a horribly rotten tooth and as our dentist began to pull it out the infection went into his system and he began to go into shock. We stabilized him and took him to the Emergency Room. He should fully recover. A severely malnourished baby was brought in to the clinic. The baby was then taken to an infant hospital in Port Au Prince that mainly deals with malnutrition.

Update on Silien, the boy with the broken arm: He had an x-ray today and the fracture is through both bones in his arm and right near the elbow. The blood flow is very poor in that arm due to the break. Had he not been taken to the hospital, they would have had to amputate his arm. The boy's father was so thankful that he broke down crying. We were told that Haitian men rarely cry so that was a big deal.

We saw 621 patients today and had 7 people give their lives to the Lord!

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

YOUNG BOY RECEIVES HELP JUST IN TIME

2009-03-25T12:03:00.004-05:00

Debbie Rodriguez

JMM Broadcast

Today we dedicated a beautiful new medical clinic at Love a Child Ministry in Fond Parisien, Haiti. This clinic’s monthly budget will be fully funded by Joyce Meyer Ministries partners. On our second day of the clinic the Hand of Hope team of 25 doctors and nurses saw more than 500 patients. One of the most heartbreaking stories was this twelve year old boy, Silien, who walked all the way to our clinic after hearing it advertised on the radio. Last week, he fell and broke his arm and his parents were unable to get him medical care. Someone in his village wrapped his arm in tree bark as a makeshift splint. We were able to take him to the hospital where he will receive the proper medical care so that he will have the use of his arm. The doctor says the break is very serious and that if he had waited much longer he may have been crippled for life. It has been one week since he broke it. Thanks to Joyce Meyer Ministries partners this brave little boy will be able to regain the use of his arm and will not suffer in pain. Thank you partners!

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

“REMEMBER THEY THAT ARE IN PRISON”

2009-03-18T07:13:00.007-05:00

Testimony from Uganda Prison

I am a prisoner. Jesus met me from prison and I accepted him on 15th July 2003. Since then I have been to the High Court for the hearing of my case and have always been asking myself “Why God Why?” The letter that you sent to us entitled “You are not alone” encourages me a lot. Above all, I was transformed, sanctified and convicted so much by your book entitled “Why God Why?” I found all the answers I needed in it. From the time I read through that book I am not worried about anything anymore because my burden bearer Jesus does not need me to ask Him why! Now I can help counsel my fellow inmates to remain patient for all things work for the good of those that love the Lord.

You are fulfilling the scripture that says “remember they that are in prison”. Spiritually, you contributed a lot through your book to the deliverance of inmates. More than six people that I know were saved. The distribution of toothpaste, bathing soap and other things to the inmates has shown that your heart is with us in our suffering.

For more information visit Hand of Hop e.

IN THE LAND OF THE "SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE"

2009-03-11T08:58:00.006-05:00

David L. Meyer

There are well over 15,000 slums that house millions of people in the city of Mumbai, India. Hand of Hope has been working in many of these slums feeding, educating and sharing the love of Christ for years. Today I am visiting many of the children we care for. Jesus loves these people and so do we. With your help we continue to show that love.

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

GOD LOVES SRI LANKA

2009-03-10T08:37:00.007-05:00

David L. Meyer

Today we had the privilege of visiting two of our three feeding programs here in the beautiful country of Sri Lanka. This country has been challenged by war, a devastating tsunami and the closing of hundreds of businesses due to the worldwide economic woes. With your support we are able to help some of the more destitute, especially the children. We operate a children's home, air our TV program in the Sinhalese language and distribute lots of Joyce's products. God is at work in Sri Lanka!

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

EXCITING NEWS!

2009-03-06T07:41:00.002-06:00

David L. Meyer

Today we are very happy to announce the opening of our brand new hospital in Pursat, Cambodia. It has a one hundred bed capacity and our hope is to specialize in helping children and pregnant women. This has been a journey that started before Hope Cambodia in 2007. Cambodia has one of least developed healthcare systems in Asia. We are thankful to God for using Hand of Hope to help change that.

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

UPDATE FROM CAMBODIA

2009-03-03T11:04:00.005-06:00

David L. Meyer

Yesterday was a very gratifying day. If you recall, in the summer of 2007 our team conducted a large countrywide outreach to Cambodia. During that time we visited a garbage dump where it was heartbreaking to see all the children living there. We left with resolve to help these kids. It took quite a while to develop a plan that would be effective due to the uniqueness of their lives in the dump. Several months ago we felt like we found it when we introduced the feeding buses. Every day two buses roll up into the dump to feed approximately 250 kids per day. In addition, we educate them, teach them about Jesus, provide new clothing when there is a need and have the means available for them to shower. So yesterday for the first time I had the privilege to see this outreach first hand and just let me say, “It is a job well done!" Congratulations to the Southeast Asia team who is making this happen. Also, thank you to everyone who supports Hand of Hope. You are making a difference in Cambodia!

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

EEL BROADCAST TOUCHES LIVES IN IRAN - I Would Have Been a Murderer…..

2009-02-25T12:59:00.018-06:00

“I was very upset and angry. I had invested all my money into a business with a friend but he stole it all and there was no way for me to get any of it back. I hated him and wanted to kill him. I had another friend who had a gun, so I went to his house and asked him if I could borrow it. He looked at me curiously and said he was watching a program on television and we would talk when it was over. I sat there with him and watched the program. The lady on the program was speaking about forgiveness and I could not ignore what she was saying. After the program, my friend asked me to go home, think more about my situation and come back to his house the next day to talk about it more. When I got home I could not stop thinking about the words that lady was speaking. When I got home, my wife, three children and I watched the rerun of the program. When it was over my entire family got down on our knees and gave our hearts to Jesus. I was scared of bankruptcy, poverty, and Joyce's teaching gave me hope. We watch her programs ever since. I am delivered from the spirit of fear and have learned how to trust God. Joyce's beautiful way of teaching saved my soul and my families souls and also our lives. If it was not because of her program, I would have been a murderer and in a corner of a dark and cold cell right now and God knows what would have happened to my family."

Above is one of many testimonies we recently received from Iran. Thanks to the friends and partners of Joyce Meyer Ministries, this man who had lost all hope was able to hear about God’s love and forgiveness, through the Enjoying Everyday Life broadcast.

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

Lamu Island Outreach

2009-02-17T14:10:00.006-06:00

Shelly Meyer

Joyce Meyer Ministries is supporting a feeding program for children on Lamu Island off the southeast coast of Kenya. The children who are fed through this program are from the Orma tribe of northern Kenya. They have been forced to flee from their homes with their families due to tribal conflicts. They arrive on Lamu Island with nothing and are having a hard time just surviving. Steve and Jennifer Thuku, missionaries from Nairobi Lighthouse Church, are working to reach out to them in many ways. They are providing a nursery school where they are taught school lessons and most importantly, they are taught about Jesus. JMM is feeding over 250 children each day through this project.

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

AUSTRALIA WILDFIRES

2009-02-12T11:57:00.003-06:00

In response to the wildfires in Australia, Joyce Meyer Ministries gave immediate financial support to Whittlesea Assembly of God to assist in their efforts to aid the families displaced by this tragedy. Over 180 lives have been lost, millions of animals killed and many homes have been destroyed thus far. Whittlesea AOG has been on the front lines during this catastrophe and has reached out to help the many families whose lives have been shaken.

“You cannot know how much of a blessing this is to us. It allows us to buy items like generators, new water pumps, as well as vouchers, etc. Thank you Joyce Meyer Ministries for your wonderful support,” says Pastor Shane Lepp of Whittlesea AOG.

And thank you, partners of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Because of your faithful support, JMM is able to quickly respond to these needs and help as many hurting people as we possibly can. Please continue to pray for the families that were affected by this disaster.

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

TESTIMONY FROM CHINA

2009-02-10T07:24:00.003-06:00

I study in Hong Middle School. I belong to the Zang or Tibetan people. Two Christian brothers led me to Jesus. They were missionaries supported by Joyce Meyer Ministries. Jesus is very different from the god I used to believe. For years I believed in Buddha. I was not able to pray directly to Buddha. I had to ask the people in charge of the temple to pray for me. The brothers introduced me to Jesus and now I can talk to Him directly, and do not have to ask someone else to pray for me. They told me a lot of things about Jesus and helped me to believe in Him. This is really wonderful. As soon as I believed in the Lord, I changed my religion. My family was opposed to this, and my people abused me, but I was completely changed by this God. I now know that Jesus is the one and only true God. Please continue to pray for me, so that I can have the strength to talk to them about Jesus, so my family and my people will change. I do not want them to go to hell.

Thank you!

For more information, visit Hand of Hope.