THANK U FOR GIVING US FOOD

Recently we received this touching letter from the village for Lossimingori, Tanzania.

THANK U FOR GIVING US FOOD.

"Dear Mark, I greet u in the name of our Jesus Christ! Its our hope that u're fine and ur mission. The main reason for writing this letter is just to thank u for food provision. To be honest the maize u gave us has been a blessing to us. U served [saved] our life. As u have seen the photos, we expected 100 people but they came more than 400. That shows how big the hungry people.

Also Mark, I want to ask u that don't forget us because we still need u. Right now people are starving. Pray for us."

Shuaka Oltimelogi
Village Elder

Still little rain has come to the Tanzanian savannah...and our friends are still hungry and malnourished.



This Christmas, give them the gift of life sustaining maize.

To help click the DONATE button to the left....and give!

howFar will you go?

howFar Thankful For Donations For Famine Relief

No Rain Has Eliminated All Grass For Livestock

On this Thanksgiving Day howFar Ministries and The How Far Foundation are tremendously thankful for our supporters who have responded to the call for donations to send relief to our partner villages in East Africa. Although the worst reports of suffering are coming out of Sudan and Northern Kenya, eastern Kenya and northern Tanzania are also enduring severe drought conditions.




Women Gather And Wait On The Dry Savannah Waiting For Help

To date, howFar has sent nearly 8,000 pounds of maze to two of our hardest hit villages in Tanzania and Kenya.


The Food Distribution Will Feed A Large Family For 3 Weeks

To help feed the hungry in our partner villages in Eastern Africa make your tax deductible donate online or send your donation to;

The How Far Foundation, Inc.
4295 Suwanee Mill Drive
Buford, Georgia 30518

This Thanksgiving Day let us remember those who are not able to feast as we are...but are still thankful for the our Lord's provision.

Mark Maynard
Founder, howFar

Drummers of Burundi at 2011 Mission Fest

Many of you will remember that we invited the Drummers of Burundi to the 2010 howFar Celebration Banquet. We were so impressed with there moving and powerful performance that we invited them to join us at Cross Pointe Church, our home chruch in Duluth, Georgia, for this years Mission Emphasis.

Watch this unique and awesome rendition of Amazing Grace!



"And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation." Revelation 5:9, ESV

Horn of Africa Drought

The worst drought in 60 years has hit eastern Africa. In June, USAID reported that over 10 million people in the region require humanitarian assistance to stay alive. Since then the situation was deteriorated.


Included in the affected areas are our churches along the Kenya/Tanzania border. Our church members, primarily Maasai, depend on their cattle for survival. Because of the drought the remaining Maasai herds, now emaciated and depleted by nearly 50%, have been moved to areas far from the village to find water and grass.

Our friends are living in famine conditions. That means there is no meat, no milk for the children, and little food in the villages. They are now suffering from acute malnutrition. In response, we have sent all of our reserve funds to help feed the families in our churches.


Please pray about sending an additional gift, above your regular donation to support this ministry, for our churches in East Africa. This is a situation that demands a response. These are not strangers seen on the news in some far away land. They are our friends. They are the people who have heard and accepted the gospel because you sent us to them. They are desperate people who cannot help themselves.

You can help! howFar will you go?

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'
And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'
Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?'
Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'"
Jesus Christ (Matthew 25, ESV)

Send your relief donation to:
Place a note with your gift directing your donation to "Africa Relief".

The How Far Foundation, Inc.
4295 Suwanee Mill Drive
Buford, Georgia 30518

Celebration Banquet Cancelled: The famine at our churches in East Africa requires that all of our resources be reallocated to humanitarian aid. We simply cannot justify the cost of this year’s banquet when so many of our friends and fellow saints are suffering so terribly.

2011 Celebration Banquet

EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO AFRICA DROUGHT.

Are you curios about what God has done through howFar this year? Come and see!


This years Celebration Banquet will feature several powerful presentations about our work in Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The evening will include an encore performance by the dynamic Drummers of Burundi and an Africa dinner buffet.

You won't want to miss this exciting family event.

Charity tickets go on sale September 5th!

I am saddened to share with you that Maurice Abuto Amadi, my right hand in our work in Africa, has died. Maurice, not yet 30 years old, went to be with the Lord Tuesday after a two month stay in the hospital. It is not immediately clear what took his life. I know that Maurice suffered from reoccurring bouts of Malaria and Cholera, among other diseases. As with so many of my friends and acquaintances, since I first visited Kenya in 2002, it is God's will that he was taken by Africa.

(Lillian & Maurice Amadi-Far Right)

Maurice served me as driver, assistant, aid, interpreter, guard and nurse since 2005. More than that he was my friend, brother in Christ and my African son. We traveled together, across East and Central Africa, at least 20 times proclaiming the powerful gospel of Jesus Christ.

Please pray for his wife, Lillian and for his family. Maurice and Lillian were never able to have biological children but "adopted" several over the years - taking them in, caring for them and paying for their education.

Maurice leaves a void in our ministry that can never be filled.

Budget Crisis

Last month we shared with you our ongoing operating budget shortfall. Over the past several months donations to howFar have steadily fallen off. At the close of June we are 27% short of meeting our budgeted obligations.

As a faith based non-profit, howFar Ministries and The How Far Foundation depend on gifts and donations to cover all of our expenses including salary, operations, and travel.

To continue on with the work that we are doing - sharing the gospel with those who have not heard, making disciples and helping the poor through humanitarian aid projects - we must add new financial partners.

Please pray with us that God will provide and that His will is done at howFar Ministries and The How Far Foundation.


howFar is a 501c3 Public Charity. All donations are tax deductible.

2012 Mission Trips

Africa Teams Forming Now!

We are currently praying about and actively recruiting for our Summer 2012 Mission teams.

June 2012 - East Africa Vision and Encouragement Tour
Visit our Massai church plants and school in Kenya and Tanzania while seeing some of God's incredible creation.
10 days - $3,600 per person.

July 2012 - Central Africa Medical and Evangelism Mission
A combined medical, dental and vision team will serve Batwa Pygmies in Rwanda and Burundi while a discipleship team witnesses to and teaches those who came.
10 days - $3,600 per person.

Contact us at mark@howfar.org for more information.

howFar will you go?

HowFar Awarded Water Grant

On June 28 howFar was awarded a $4500 grant from Pure Water, Pure Love.

The grant wil be used to supply water to the village of Kagina, Rwanda. It will also supply the Crimson Academy and howFar Ministries compound.

Kagina is a large village comprised of Batwa Pygmies relocated from their ancestral mountain top lands. It’s inhabitants, approximately 20 %, Christian, 30% Muslim and 50 % Animists, live on tiny plots of land, many as squatters, working land belonging to others and making crude pottery to survive.

We first engaged the Batwa of Kagina in December of 2008 with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Although we were told to leave the village and to never return, we persevered and within only seven months God had called many to Himself. A thriving and growing Evangelical Baptist Church was born. Since the first day the work in Kagina has miraculously advanced.

On January 14, we dedicated a new building that is the home to Kagina Baptist Church and Crimson Academy. The growing church of approximately 100 meets in the building. The school, four classrooms, is educating 150 Batwa Pygmy children in Primary 1 through 4. For the Twa, this was a monumental moment. They have had only several children from their entire village of over 1500 ever attend primary school and there are only two known Batwa in the region who have made it to secondary school.

Currently the Batwa, mainly children and women, walk about one mile down an incredibly steep hillside to a pool of water in a deep ravine. Then they carry the 30 to 40 pound jerry cans, filled with water, up the hill to their homes. It is an arduous chore, repeated daily, which takes hours. And, it is a reason that the parents use to keep their children from attending school. “Who will do their work if they are not here?”, one man asked.


Our plan is to run a water pipe down the hill to the natural spring water source. A gas generator will power a high velocity water pump to draw water up the hill. Water will be stored in a 15,000 liter water tank for community use and refilled once each day or as necessary.

The introduction of clean, easily accessible, free water to the Kagina Batwa Pygmy Village will be an incredible evangelism tool. As the villagers - Christian, irreligious, Muslim and Animists - draw water from the new tank, they will hear the life-saving message of the “Living Water”.

Pure Water, Pure Love is a ministry of Woman's Missionary Union and provides clean drinking water to missionaries and the people they serve at no cost to them.

You Buy - We Train!

howFar is now an affiliate of Monergism Books - one of the best Christian on-line book stores available.

When you purchase through howFar we receive an 8% commission used toward the purchase of books for training- and sending -to our pastors in sub-Sahara Africa.



Click through and take a look!

Team to Speed Summer at Crimson Academy, Rwanda

A team of 3 college students from north Georgia departed May 30 to spend 9 weeks working at our partner school for marginilazed Batwa pygmy students located at Kagina, Rwanda. Pictured (l-r) Massa Hoff (US based Program and Logistics Coordinator - (Georgia Gwinnett College), Jared Williams (Truett McConnell), Diana (Georgia Gwinnett College), Phillip Haynes (Crimson Academy for Education Founder), Tiana Farmer (Georgia Gwinnett College).

All The Way To Africa...Golf Tournament Update

Golfers from around the country gathered at Bear's Best Country Club in Suwanee, Georgia, for the 1st Annual howFar Golf Fundraiser.


Why? To raise funds to purchase a heavy-duty 4 wheel drive vehicle for our work in sub-Saharan Africa. As howFar co-founder, Mark Maynard said, "We cannot share the Word of God with people we cannot get to".


The day began with a $10 split-the-pot putting contest. Greg Craft (L) and Andrew Higgins (R) both sank a big breaking 40 footer on their first try. But the contest went to Andrew on a one try 60 foot closet to the hole attempt. The pot was donated to howFar.

Sixty-four golfers spent the afternoon on the beautiful course.


At the end of the day the top three places went to:

1st Place with a score of 57


Frank Hines, Matt Piland, (Eli Beverly), Mark Beverly, Matt Beverly

2nd Place with a score of 59


Joe Toth, Andy Higgins, Patti Higgins, Andrew Higgins

3rd Place with a score of 60


Jim Ritcher, Bob Jones, Jeff Bostic, Jim Kelly

Yep, sometimes it's about the money! To-date, the tournament has raised $4,500 toward our goal of $15,000.

We'll keep working until the goal is met. You can donate to this important project on this page.


Bob Jolly, Bill McIver (howFar Chairman) and Bill Woolery enjoyed the day.

A huge "Thank You" to our tournament sponsors, Dole Packaged Foods, Bil-Jac Dog Food & Ryder Systems and to all of our tournament donors.


To view the entire photo gallery CLICK HERE.

The tournament ended with a terrific barbecue dinner buffet and short message from Mark Maynard.

Mark encouraged the group to get involved with the work of howFar by join in as we go into the world obeying the great commands of Jesus Christ.

"YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." Luke 10:27

The days activities ended with a raffle and door prizes for everyone.



On May 2nd...howFar did our drives go?


Thank you to everyone who made the day a huge success. It was a beautiful day, on a terrific course...for a tremendous cause!

howFar will you go?

New Ride for Africa?

One of the most critical needs we have in Africa is to be able to get to remote areas. These are places where there are no improved roads. Many times they are just dirt or mud trails.


We could ask, "If we can't get to where the greatest needs are, spiritual and physical, how can we help?"


We have decided to sell our small Toyota Wagon, currently in Kenya, and use the funds toward the purchase of a more durable vehicle. It has been a tremendous blessing and has saved us thousands of dollars in not having to rent vehicles. We've logged tens of thousands of kilometers on it as we've moved around Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi sharing the gospel.


A rebuilt Toyota F70 Land Cruiser is exactly what we need. The F70, sometimes known as a Troopy, is used by all international ministries and humanitarian aid agencies including US AID, World Vision and Samaritans Purse. It can carry up to 10 passengers and a large amount of luggage and equipment over the most difficult terrain.

To donate to the purchase of this need contact mark@howfar.org

Come to Africa...we'll let you drive it! howFar will you go?

Ground Breaking at Murumvya, Burundi

We first shared the gospel with the Batwa people in the village of Murumvya, Burundi in August 2008. On that day several people left behind a life of Animism and came to Christ. Since that time the church has grown. Today there are approximately 60 Batwa members of our church plant at Muramvya led by a Batwa pastor.

Our plan has been to help the church acquire land and to build their own building. In 2009 the governor of the sector gave land for howFar to build a school and a church on. However, the plan has been thwarted by continual stipulations and requirements imposed by local government officials.


In late 2009 howFar Ministries decided to return the land to the government and purchase land that would be completely under our control. That transaction was finally completed when Renee and I, along with our friends and partners Phillip and Judah Haynes of the Crimson Foundation for Education, visited Murumvya in January.


On January 18 we gathered on the newly acquired land to preach, to pray and to dedicate it to God.

After I preached from John 14:1-6 and 1 Peter 1:4-6 three people came forward to receive the gifts of faith, grace and salvation. There was no alter call. They simply responded to the hearing of the Word.

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, I would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:1-6 ESV

"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you."

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials." 1 Peter 1:1-6

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8,9 ESV

Pastor Renovant shared his vision for the church and charged the people to contribute to the project by working hard.



Church members gathered several days later to begin clearing the land and to lay out the foundation. Soon we will purchase materials and construction will begin. Once the structure is completed the church members will be able to worship together even during the prolonged rainy season.






According to The Joshua Project only 7% of the 313,000 Batwa Pygmies are Christian. There are only 7 known Batwa churches in all of Rwanda, Burundi and The Democratic Republic of the Congo. By God’s grace, five of them have been planted by howFar Ministries.

howFar Focus Countries Top 2010 Global Hunger Index

Two of howFar Ministries and The How Far Foundations focus countries, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, rate among the worlds highest Global Hunger Index scores.

Simply put, these two countries have some of the highest rates of malnutrition in the entire world. To further simplify the situation we could say that they go to bed hungry more often than 95% of the worlds population. (See GHI methodology below.)

"As the world approaches the 2015 deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which include a goal of reducing the proportion of hungry people by half – the 2010 Global Hunger Index (GHI) offers a useful and multidimensional overview of global hunger. The 2010 GHI shows some improvement over the 1990 GHI, falling by almost one-quarter. Nonetheless, the index for hunger in the world remains at a level characterized as “serious.”

The result is unsurprising given that the overall number of hungry people surpassed 1 billion in 2009, even though it decreased to 925 million in 2010, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.-nine countries still have levels of hunger that are “extremely alarming” or “alarming.”

The countries with “extremely alarming” 2010 GHI scores – Burundi, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Eritrea – are in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Most of the countries with “alarming” GHI scores are in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The largest deterioration in GHI scores was seen in the Democratic Republic of Congo, largely because of conflict and political instability." (Source: Deutsche Welthungerhilfe (German AgroAction); International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI); Concern Worldwide - 2010)



The GHI is a multidimensional approach to measuring hunger. It combines three equally weighted indicators:

1. the proportion of undernourished as a percentage of the population (reflecting the share of the population with insufficient dietary energy intake);
2. the prevalence of underweight in children under the age of five (indicating the proportion of children suffering from weight
loss); and
3. the mortality rate of children under the age of five (partially reflecting the fatal synergy between inadequate dietary intake and unhealthy environments).

This multidimensional approach to calculating the GHI offers several advantages. It captures various aspects of hunger in one index number, thereby presenting a quick overview of a complex issue. It takes account of the nutrition situation not only of the population as a whole, but also of a physiologically vulnerable group – children – for whom a lack of nutrients creates a high risk 10.0–19.9 serious of illness, poor physical and cognitive growth, and death. In addition, by combining independently measured indicators, it reduces the effects of random measurement errors.

The index ranks countries on a 100-point scale, with 0 being the best score (no hunger) and 100 being the worst, though neither of these extremes is achieved in practice. Values less than 4.9 reflect low hunger, values between five and 9.9 reflect moderate hunger, values between ten and 19.9 indicate a serious problem, values between 20 and 29.9 are alarming, and values of 30 or higher are extremely alarming. (Source: 2009 Global Hunger Index)

howFar Ministries and The How Far Foundation are currently seeking partnerships with hunger and nutrition focused NGO's to make measurable progress towards improvement in Global Hunger Index scores in Burundi and the DR Congo.

"Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.'"
Matthew 25:41-43

Bible Conferences at Gihara/Kigina, Rwanda

The primary work of howFar will always be the teaching of God's Word. Our desire is to see Bible-believing churches planted, the lost redeemed and the flock feasting on the Word of God, growing and maturing.

"You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." 2 Peter 3:17,18

On Saturday, January 15, two Bible Conferences were held on the howFar Ministries / Crimson Academy Campus.

Renee Maynard led a women's conference entitled, "What Every Christian Woman Needs to Know". She taught the women about what it means to be a Godly woman, wife and mother.

A few days after the conference Pastor Augustine's' wife, Betty, told Renee that one of the women who attended the conference was not a believer. "The mother was so moved by the teaching that she came to church the following Sunday with her five children on tow!"

In another classroom on the campus Mark Maynard led a men's conference. The topic, from Luke chapter 6, was "What is True Christian Character?"


Pastor Vinesti, who is the primary pastor at the Kigina/Gihara Church, is very enthusiastic about what God is doing in the village of 250 families. "People are changing", he said. They are leaving witchcraft, they don't get drunk anymore. They are coming to church and it is growing".

Kigina, the location of the church and school, is in the Gihara Sector of Rwanda. Population is measured by homes, or family units. The 250 homes can be multiplied by an average of 6 to arrive at a total population of approximately 1,500 Batwa. The inhabitants fall into one of three categories: Animists, cultural Christian (Catholic), and cultural Muslim. Only a small percentage of the Batwa attend any organized church or assembly.

But, according to Pastor Venesti, "That is changing. People are hearing the Word of God. The new school, Crimson Academy, is drawing people into the church because of the Bible teaching that their children are getting". A regular part of the curriculum is memory work through Scripture Union.

"After you came and did the conferences and preached in January thirteen people accepted Christ and joined the church", said Pastor Augustin. Pastor Augustin Niyonsenga is Overseer of the four howFar Ministries churches in Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo.

"But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, 'LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD'". 1 Corinthians 1:30,31

Meet the Staff @ Crimson Academy - Kagina, Rwanda

Henry Ngolobe - Head Master

Family Background
I was born January, 26th, 1985 in Jinja District, Uganda. My mother's name is Anyango Topister and my father's name is Egesa Christopher, who passed away in 2007. My family and I are Christians.

My Plans for the School
Produce productive, disciplined, God fearing children.
Provide guidance and counseling to teachers and children
Promote and instill leadership skills within the children
Conduct continuous professional development studies for teachers
Promote environmental conservation activities


Scovia Mukamutara - Teacher/Faith

Family Background
I was born in 1988 at Uganelo in a Christian family and I have 6 brothers and sisters; 3 boys and 3 girls in Umutara, the eastern province. My father died in 2004 and life has been difficult without him, but God is greater and He has become our father caring for each of us.

My Plans for the Children
I will teach the children to follow God with all their hearts. I will also educate and advise them in all areas of learning. I will encourage each child to be respectful and honest. In addition, I will teach them about the world and the possibilities they have.


Nsabimana Jean De Dieu - Teacher/Sports

My Family Background
My name is Nsabimana Jean De Dieu and I was born in 1984 in the Gasabo District Rwanda. My career objective is to be honest, sincere, pro-active and promote professional value that foster team work.

My Plans for the Students
I will teach mathematics Primary 3 and 4
I will teach science Primary 3 and 4
I will coach the Soccer Team
I will teach them good morals


Nalule Jesca - Teacher/Discipline

My Family Background
My name is Nalule Jesca and I am a born again Christian and single. I was born in Uganda in Mukono District, 1988 June 23rd. We are 8 in our family, four girls and four boys. My parents are all alive and well.

My Plans for the Students
I will teach mathematics
I will teach science
I will teach them English
I will teach them good morals


Benon Muhwezi - Teacher/Music

My Family Background
My name is Benon, I am 25 years old and I was born in 1985 in Uganda. My father's name is Paul Mbonigaba and my mother's name is Belina. My parents have a total of three children; 1 girl whose name is Joy and 2 boys including myself and Steven.

My Plans for the Students
I will teach them to know the word of God.
I will teach them about Rwandan culture.
I will teach them to study and work hard in school.
I will teach them great social skills.
I will teach them to be responsible.


Guy Claude Mugunga - Treasurer

My Family Background
I was born in September 28th 1990 in a family of 7 children; 3 brothers and 3 sisters in the Democratic Republic of Congo. My father and mother were both Rwandans but they were in Congo as refugees because of ethnic conflict which was in Rwanda during the year 1959-1994. We come back in Rwanda after the genocide.
.
My Plans for the Students
Promotion independence and self efficacy within each child.
Promotion solution and practice based education methods that will help the children retain course material.
Instill within each child good time management skills.