Pastors in Kenya and Tanzania Receive InTouch Messengers

The howFar team gave twelve solar powered digital audio players to our pastors in Kenya and Tanzania.   

Pastor Emmanuel gives Maasai Pastor an InTouch Messenger.

An InTouch Messenger from Dr. Charles Stanley.

The Messenger, from Charles Stanley, allows pastors to listen to sixty sermons, the New Testiment, Psalms and Proverbs in their own language (Maasai and Swahili), so that they can study and prepare for their own church services.  

Kilimanjaro Climb Update

They did it!  Mark, along with howFar board President, Jim Kelly, and a team of friends, completed their goal of reaching the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.  They climbed 19,341 feet, hiking through five different climate zones including rainforest, heath, mooreland, alpine dessert and arctic.

At the "Rooftop of Africa" - the highest point in Africa.

For Mark, this climb was special for many reasons - since 2002, when he first saw Mount Kilimanjaro, Mark dreamed of one day climbing the incredible mountain.  His wish was to be able to look down over the land, into all of the areas where howFar has planted churches and schools, and to pray that God would call many to Himself.

Jim and Mark with their team and guides on Day One

Fast forward to 2016 and this dream became a reality. Mark chose to climb the mountain for an additional reason.  To raise the funding necessary to send all 120 of our orphans at the howFar Orphanage in the Democratic Republic of Congo to school.

After an incredibly challenging week, the team made it to Uhuru Peak, which many call "The rooftop of Africa".

Incredible views from Kilimanjaro.

Mark explained,

"Cimbing Kilimanjaro was one of the most incredible experiences of my life...and one of the hardest things I have ever done.  Without prayer and the drive to accomplish this task for the orphaned children, I don't know that I could have made it through the final seven hour nighttime trek to the top".

"Sunrise on Kilimanjaro was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen."

The final push to the top!

The huge glaciers are awe inspiring.

Through our GoFundMe campaign we raised nearly $5000, which is enough to educate 22 Congolese orphans out of the 120 that are in our care.  This is a tremendous start and we can't wait to see how this will impact the children.

In January when the new school year begins, we will send the 22 oldest children to school so that they are able to catch up, and then eventually help the younger children when they start school.  We plan to leave the GoFundMe campaign live until January in the event that anyone still wants to give to that specific fund.

Our children at the howFar Home in Goma, DR Congo

By giving to this campaign, you are helping us break the cycle of destruction that the Congolese people face.  The UN has stated that the Congo has the largest poverty rate in the world, and through first-hand experience, we at howFar know that there is still serious ongoing warfare and conflict. By taking children off of the street, loving them, and educating them, we are bringing about big changes to the culture - one village at a time.

Thank you for partnering with us!

howFar will you go?

Visit to Lossimingori Church, Tanzania

After their climb up Mount Kilimanjaro, Mark Maynard and his team visited our Lossimingori church.  Lossimingori was the first church that Mark and Renee planted in Tanzania, and was founded in 2007.

Left to right: Pastor Emmanuel, Mark Maynard and Pastor Reuben

While there, two of our pastors were able to meet the team at Lossimingory, and they are pictured above with Mark. Pastor Reuben is Bishop over all of the churches in the howFar ministries network throughout Kenya and Tanzania, and pastored the first church that Mark and Renee ever planet in Africa.  Pastor Emmanuel pastored the first church planted in Tanzania, and oversees all of the Tanzanian churches.

During this visit, the howFar team was able to connect with the Maasai in a time of worship and celebration.

When two cultures are able to come together with one purpose like this, the outcome is always incredibly special and bond-forming.  

Four New Maasai Churches Planted in Tanzania

This year our Tanzania leadership team has planted four new churches. They are Negero Church, Kwakonkji Church, Eunoto Mukulat Church and Kwa Luguru Church.

This brings the total of howFar Maasai churches in Tanzania to twelve.

Pastor Emmanuel worshiping in Lossimingori Church

Kwa Luguru Church

Negero Church

Pastor Emmanuel is the overseer of these new church plants, and cares for all of our churches in Tanzania.  We are excited to see that the reach of howFar is still expanding to new areas and villages of Sub Saharan Africa, and we pray that it doesn't stop there.

howFar Provides Solar Powered Lights to Students in Rwanda

The How Far Foundation, through the leadership of Board Member Rob Boogaard, has forged a strategic partnership with Maurtis Groen's Waka Waka Agents of Light iniative. Waka Waka is a social impact company on a mission to provide universal access to the abundant energy of the sun. (http://us.waka-waka.com)

The initial project provided solar powered lights to students attending howFar's partner school, Crimson Academy, in Kigina, Rwanda. The school was founded, in 2011, by The How Far Foundation and Crimson Foundation to provide an education to marginalized Batwa Pygmy children.

Crimson Academy Students in Rwanda.

Welcome signs from eager students at Crimson Academy. 

Rob, and Waka Waka, sponsored all 450 students of Crimson Academy, giving them something they have never had - light!

howFar Board Member, Rob Boogaard, with Crimson Academy students.

Maurits Groen, CEO of Waka Waka, explaining the device to students.

By 6 pm the village of Kigina, where Crimson Academy is located, is pitch dark, leaving the children with no way to study.  The solar powered lights allow the children to continue their studies after dark, giving them much more time to learn and grow.   

Light shines in a dark classroom filled with students that are excited and eager to learn.

A student continues to study after dark in his home.

About howFar  - The How Far Foundation, Inc., based in Buford, Georgia, is a 501c3 Non-Profit.  The How Far Foundation is an International Humanitarian Aid Agency. We partner with marginalized and in-crisis people groups across sub-Saharan Africa.  Our goal is to provide training and resources that empower individuals and communities to improve their quality of life.