Celebrating Through Service -- Lifesong Zambia

We invite you to share a word of encouragement to our staff at Lifesong Zambia. To do so, please reply to this email or leave a comment on our Facebook wall and it will be forwarded to our staff. Thank you in advance for your kind words of support!  We are blessed to share this update from Lifesong Zambia from missionary Shane McBride, "Often times Independence Day is celebrated with fireworks, picnics, and apple pies. Well, here in Zambia on October 24th, we are using the holiday as a time of reflection. We are blessed beyond measure and our students know this.   So, how will we celebrate? Through service. Our students will be going into their community and serving the elderly and widows. It will be a week long activity of shoveling, mending roofs, cutting grass (not with a mower, but by hand with a slasher), fetching water from the wells, picking up trash, and volunteering at the two local medical clinics.     It's a celebration of both Zambia's Independence and Christ's provision as He Brings Joy and Hope to these children, and through these children INTO the community.    Also, please remember to pray for our Grade 7 students, from Oct 30 - Nov 2, as they take their BIG GRADE 7 TEST.  We are very thankful that the pre-exams went very well. Able, below, finished #1 out of 300 students taking 7th grade pre-exams! He was even competing with the wealthier kids at other private schools. In fact, 7 of the Top 10 scores were Lifesong kids!"

How Death Brought Life -- One Changed Life

Losing a parent may be one of the most devastating moments a child could possibly experience. Yet, so often in the midst of sorrow and ashes, our Father God delights in shining even brighter amidst the darkness.

Tania was only nine years old when she lost her father.  He had suffered from a long-term kidney disease that finally took his life.

Leaving Tania's mother a widow with six children, it was nearly impossible to make ends meet while trying to feed and educate her children. 

With no where else to turn, Tania's mother made the decision to send Tania and her siblings to Plan Escalon (partner of Lifesong Honduras), who helped those who do not have the means to pay for education.  At Plan Escalon, Tania and her siblings are receiving a quality education while hearing the gospel message of Christ!

Because of those who have invested in her at Plan Escalon, Tania desires to go to college after graduation and continue her studies to be a teacher. Her desire is to provide education classes for children (once like herself) who need to escalate out of poverty and have a future.

Tania...One Changed Life.

"...a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair." Isaiah 61:3

Both Hands: You Make Beautiful Things...

Another Both Hands project....

Dustin and Katie have answered God's call and stepped out in faith to adopt a little boy from South Korea. The Leonard Family and a team of volunteers worked on a widow's home to help raise funds to cover the high cost of adoption!

Since Mrs. Banegas' husband passed away, it's become more difficult for her to keep up with the necessary improvements and repairs to her home. So on April 28th, the Leonards and the team of volunteers worked on her home for the day.

Each volunteer raised sponsorship for their day of work. Since most of the supplies for the repairs on the widow's home are being donated, 100% of the money raised will help bring home this little boy to his forever family! 

Check out their video that won "The Best Christian Media" Award on Vimeo!

Click here to read a local new's article on this project!

Click here to see Dustin and Katie's fundraising page.

"Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." — James 1:27 

Introducing....Lifesong Guatemala!!

We are excited to announce a new orphan care initiative in Guatemala called Village of Hope where Dan & Christi Ucherek and Todd & Amy Block will be serving.

Aldea de la Esperanza (Village of Hope) seeks to minister by providing love and wisdom, for brokenness to be made new. Our prayer is that the hurting would come in and find hope in faith, family, and a future. Village of Hope is caring for special needs orphans in San Lucas, Guatemala by teaching them about the love of Jesus Christ. Village of Hope is also partnered with Manna Worldwide to provide a feeding care center to the children in the San Lucas Community. In addition, we are committed to community outreach.

The vision for Village of Hope was born out the knowledge that God has a heart for the least of these. Scripture reveals a God who is passionate about the sick, the widow, the orphan, the alien, and the poor.

"You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate" (Luke 6:36)

To learn more about Village of Hope/Lifesong Guatemala, visit our website.

Thank you from Both Hands Widow...

Please enjoy this "Thank You" message from Sharon, the widow who was served last month through a Big Build Both Hands project in memory of Ty Osman II.  

Wow...oh....wow!

That is all I can say at the moment, but I must forge through. I am very overwhelmed. I want everyone to know what is in my heart. Thank you so very much for the love and support you showed me in my time of need.

My dear husband died on August 28, 2011 and it was a great loss. Every day I miss him, in small ways as well as major ways. The work you have carried out I can never repay. I really didn't think it was going to be as extensive as it was. I thought to myself that some people would be sitting around picking at their folded hands until it was time to leave. Man! Was I wrong!  I am by myself a lot but I try to do the best I can. I am sure people keep me in their thoughts and are just busy.... but what you've showed was, all were strangers to me, that are now true friends to me, they love the Lord deeply, love people, therefore they love, whether it is through donations, volunteering, or any help. All work... to the glory of the Lord. All the people, the food, the fellowship, the work, photography, the gas that was used, the extra items that were purchased, the hugs, the encouraging words, the moments of concern shown to me on my behalf, the prayers, the news on television, the web site, the newspapers, as well as the children that all of this will help, certainly give the up most glory to the Sovereign Lord God Almighty.

Thanks...for choosing me for your project. Thank you for going the extra miles when you didn't have to. Thank you for helping the widows and children. Thank you for the overwhelming love, encouragement, heartfelt prayers and support that I feel from you, and your organization. Even thanks to the ministries that work with you, that do extra services. You have given me a new lease on life, a new hope, and strength to walk on.....forward.

May Our Father receive the glory in our daily walks with him. To God be the glory.

Sharon P.  

To learn more about Both Hands Foundation, please visit their website.