howFar Ministries, Inc and The How Far Foundation, Inc.
Serving in Haiti, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Thailand
Pastor John frequently schedules outreach events within the surrounding villages. Recently, he organized a crusade at a church in Goma, DR Congo. He thanked everyone for their continued prayers, and was excited to say that in the midst of the rainy season, the weather was clear for the duration of the crusade. The crusade had a few hundred in attendance, and Pastor John reported that ten people came to know Christ as their Savior on that day!
Crusade at howFar's Bethsaid Church
Some of those who were baptized after the crusade
Please continue to pray for these communities in the Congo. To support our pastors and the work they are doing, click the link on the left of the page to donate!
Written by: Hillary Mackay, howFar Social Media and Marketing Specialist
We are excited for Diane Moffi, howFar Board Member and Director for Haiti, and her team of five, as they prepare for an upcoming trip to Haiti. One of the orphanages they will visit on this trip is Foyer de Notre Dame de Fatima Orphanage, which houses 35-40 children.
One of the Children at Foyer de Notre Dame de Fatima Orphanage
To donate to our humanitarian work in Haiti, click here:
At this orphanage, they will paint, replace screen doors that will keep animals out of the kitchen, rework water pipes to create a better system and make plans for future plumbing work. The team is also excited to be able to providing lunches each day for the orphans, which is a rarity for these children.
The kitchen at the orphanage - they will add screen doors to keep animals out
The dates of this trip are April 23-30, 2016. Please pray for the Haiti team, as they work hard to support the people of Haiti, love on orphaned children, and share the gospel.
It is because of your support that this work is done. Thank you for your prayers and donations.
Written by: Hillary Mackay, howFar Social Media and Marketing Specialist
We recently shared with you an update about our howFar Abused Women's Centers and Widows Centers in the Congo. Shortly after posting that update, TIME Magazine released an article titled, "The Secret War Crime" (linked below), discussing the issue of rape in war-torn African countries. One of the countries discussed is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is where much of our current work is being done.
A woman and her baby sit outside a howFar Women's Center in DR Congo
Though this article is difficult to read, we feel that it is important to be informed about what is happening to the people of the Congo, and what we can do to change the vicious cycle.
Often times in Africa, the women do not have a voice - historically, there has been no punishment for rape, so when there are wars, the soldiers take advantage of the villages that they come into, knowing that they will have no consequences for their atrocious actions. The TIME article says, "rape in war is as old as war itself." The article continues, with one of the women saying,
"At least with a bullet, you die. But if you have been raped, you appear to the community like someone who is cursed. After rape, no one will talk to you; no man will see you. It’s a living death.”
The U.N. reports that 200,000 Congolese women and children have been raped during Congo’s long-simmering conflict. Not only are the women suffering from this injustice, but the children are too. The children in our howFar orphanage in the Congo are there because of the constant warfare that has been present in the country for years. Most of these children have witnessed their parents being killed right in front of their innocent eyes. The solution to this brutal and disturbing problem begins with you and me. The way to bring about change, is to educate and care for the people of Africa. If we can raise all 120 of the children in our orphanage, especially the young men, to understand that women are important, and that all people deserve respect - imagine what those 120 children will accomplish for their country as they grow! If we continue to care for the abused women, and the widows, by providing counseling and medical help at our clinic, they will be able to face another day and help other victims. Please take the time to read the article below, make yourself aware of the devastation in the Congo, and learn about how you can help us change lives in the Congo! TIME article:http://time.com/war-and-rape/?xid=time_socialflow_facebook
Click the DONATE button on our page to support our Women's and Orphans Programs.
Written by: Hillary Mackay, howFar Social Media and Marketing Specialist
At this orphanage, they will paint, replace screen doors that will keep animals out of the kitchen, rework water pipes to create a better system and make plans for future plumbing work. The team is also excited to be able to providing lunches each day for the orphans, which is a rarity for these children.
