New recruits joining in the work

Four young people are preparing themselves to join in the work of caring for orphans.
Orphan Hope is totally voluntary, and we do not at this time have a base of operations in Africa. So we operate at this time like a clearing house to help people get meaningfully involved in the work we are commonly passionate about.
Jordan Shamburg is a young woman from our congregation (just turned 21 a few days ago) who has been to South Africa three times with our Mandate mission team, and has decided that this is the place where her heart is. She had a good job at Starbucks, just got a good raise, a crazy/wonderful family, places she could go… But there seemed something missing or shallow after experiencing the stark realities of life and death in Africa. So she gave notice, raised a few thousand dollars from friends and family and is off to Africa with an open ticket – could be 3 months, 6 or 12! She will stay a few months in Maputo Mozambique with the Kutwanana church and ministry, then see where God leads her.

Kyle Showalter is a young guy who in the past few years has gotten serious about serving and living for God. So he works for his uncle’s pumpkin factory for a few months each fall, then has enough money to live for the rest of the year. So this year he wants to come and serve in Africa. He went with the Mandate School to their Missions Exposure school in Mexico for the month of Feb; then again with them to their mission trip to central Mexico for the month of March; then will join us in southern Africa for April and May, and will find another African opportunity when we leave to take him up to pumpkin harvest in Sept. (Kyle’s brother Caleb has been trying to find an opportunity to spend significant time working with African orphans as well – maybe next year).

Liana Bumstead, my daughter, had two ministry loves: making music and missions. So for two years she gave herself to music – made a CD, toured, grew a fan base, played gigs… She loved it and it just came to her. Then about Nov 2006 it seemed the concerts began slowing down, no new songs were coming, CD sales were not flowing. Then God began to reawaken her desire to serve Him in missions – particularly with the orphans and the poor. Now she is leading our Mandate trip to southern Africa and will stay on with us until the end of May. Then she wants to go home, earn some $ and come back for a year or more.

Donna Jager, my other daughter (almost), just heard the call, submitted it to God, asked if He wanted it to happen she would need the money for a ticket by such a date, and God amazingly provided even as she turned away people who were offering to help her. She will join us in Johannesburg in early April and seek with us the place of fruitful service. She and others may stay longer if God so chooses.

Many other young people have asked at different times about going to Africa to spend time with orphan work. Praise God for the call of the Spirit to his Bride – he is calling many to be his hands and feet of mercy to the poor. Is this not the way the church of the first few centuries grew to such an astounding extent? They were known as the rabble, the slaves, the outcasts, the poor of the earth. But they became great! Onesimus, who was the slave that Paul met in prison and sent back to his master Philemon, became the pastor of one of the largest churches in the Christian world! And so will these orphans become great! When I hear of the debacles of some of these African despots like Mugabe, I pray, “Dear Lord, may an orphan who is raised by loving Christian servants rise up and be the next leader of an African nation to restore the land once again to sanity and morality and godly character.”