Current Happenings

June 10



As soon as I step onto the American tarmac, busyness surrounds me like a suffocating blanket. I have left a place where the sun sets at 5:30 and only candles dimly light the necessary rooms until we get tired of fighting off the dark and rest our heads. I have left a place where an hour in the early morning of prayer and listening before my God can be counted on, and little else can. I have left the small world of a missionary family who have given up myspace and music videos and youth conventions long ago - like John the Baptist in the wild. My heart longs for that place again.



Now my family and I are going to churches and interested groups to share our pictures and stories and life lessons. We are touching base with our church family and learning to live outside the parameters of being a "pastor", yet still being a father and a servant. We are learning that God does indeed provide for our needs - the first pledge from a church of regular personal support has brought us to our knees in thanks to our Father.



Here are the current and upcoming happenings of OH:

• A church has donated $1000 to help build the next project at the Lichinga, Mozambique (NW corner of Moz) base for orphans. The building will be an open-air kitchen and cafeteria with a thatch roof. If any would like to help with the construction you can contact us and we will put together a trip for this.


• We are available to share our stories and our vision for what God is doing, at your church or group. Contact us at orphanhope@onlinemac.com . Regina and Dan will be in Manitoba for July and August, then return to Oregon in September, but the younger (and more dynamic) ones will remain in the Oregon area.


• We have approved a $1000 micro-business bank project for the ministry of Kutwanana Ministry in Maputo, Moz. They have 24 trained careworkers who visit and minister to AIDS patients and orphans in thier respective routes. We would like to help each of them get a business started, but at this time we are starting small with about ten of them. As we see the program operating successfully we will increase the bank to help more orphans. The goal of this is that with added income these caring ladies will be able to take an orphan or two into their homes as well as offer more care for the orphans in the community. If anyone would like to help them with these businesses or with extending the orphan care in this area, we have a place for you here.


• Kyle Showalter, who accompanied us on the latter part of our Africa trip, has independently raised $1600 from family and friends and is right now in Maputo helping to build another orphan home with Kutwanana Ministry. Way to go, Kyle. Anyone can do this! OH is not here to get everything running through us - we will get on board and brag and help anyone who wants to help orphans for God's glory.


• Jordan Shamburg is finishing her term as an intern with Kutwanana Ministry. She developed and ran a preschool for them, and is now returning to the States. Thanks, Jordan, for preparing the way for many others.


• There are numerous ministries in southern Africa where we would love to send some equipped and directed interns. Too many young people go for a few months to help out and, because they are not prepared, are not able to accomplish what they thought. And too many African ministries suffer as they receive these well meaning "helpers". OH is attempting to develop a course to take our interns through to evaluate and equip. If you would like to help with this course, please contact me.


• Word is getting out that we are praying for five families to start a base in southern Africa. We are beginning to pray with a number of people whom God is speaking to. We do not want to depend on persuasive words, but on the call of God within willing hearts. It is such an encouraging thing to see God working independent of man's methods! We are tentatively planning on going through the Church Planing eXperience (CPX) in Cape Town, SA in Feb-July 2008. This is with All Nations and Floyd McClung. Anyone wanting to join us for this should look at the website http://www.floydandsally.org/training-programs/ .


• We have a few people wanting to help OH with web and administrative skills. We hope in the coming months to develop a more effective manner of communicating the message of love for the poor that is burning in technicolor in so many hearts. If your heart burns with this same desire and you have some time or skills you would give to this effort we would gladly give you some things to do for us. We are also setting up a new office, so if you have a good computer or something to donate to this we would appreciate it.

Upcoming mission trips:

• Dec 13-Jan 3 trip to Maputo, Moz.


• March 1-31 trip to South Africa and Moz.


• July 2008 trip to northern Moz, Zambia, South Africa.

"This is Africa!"

This diary excerpt from a day in the life of our Africa journeys is a fun way to experience some of the uniqueness of Africa.

Written by Liana Bumstead on May 18

My mother sits upwind from me, knuckles knotted tightly around the rebar frame above our heads. The foreign waft of white woman’s deodorant creeps back to mingle with the heavy musk of Africa that surrounds me. This is no scent to be put on- nothing to be found on the shelves of a shopping center or contained in a dainty flask- but it IS definitely mass produced. Still, it’s a smell I’ve come to love for all that it stands for that I hold dear. It’s something you must be born into, and perhaps appreciation of it must be born into you. If this smell could somehow be bottled and shipped to Oregon I don’t imagine it would go over so well. But to anyone who’s spent a few hours sandwiched between a toothless old gogo and a ripe young man on an African chappa; or who’s clutched their valuables tightly and mumbled the only word they speak of this foreign language over and over in an attempt to convince themselves (and the curious onlookers) that they really could fit in in this African market; or who’s made it through the stifilingly hot four-hour African church service with a sweet sticky stream of sweat finding its way down their chest- partly their own, partly that of the tiny black body asleep in their arms; or who’s danced and worshipped for hours and hours to songs that their mind can’t understand, but that their heart knows very well… yes, to anyone who understands these things, YOU know the smell that I speak of.

It is at the heart of this country, from the very womb of this soil, as deep and rich as the skin from whence it comes; as stubborn and forthright as the personalities that the skin covers. Without apology it comes crowding into my nostrils, like rowdy high-schoolers at a football game, standing room only. There is nothing else to breathe. I inhale deeply and begin to appreciate. This is the smell of Africa.

“This is Africa,” I think to myself, and smile on the inside. This has become our motto; an anthem, perhaps. I myself could not have imagined how frequently we would find ourselves in situations where this phrase- and perhaps this phrase alone- is fitting. Today is one of them.

But there is naught to complain of. We spent our earliest moments winding through tree-covered slopes, inching our way to the top. I think each of us pulled our sweaters a little closer and for the first time I appreciated how tightly we were packed... 28 of us in all, 29 counting the red-colored hen dozing contentedly in my neighbor’s lap. She has been an amiable travel companion. From the get-go she’s proven herself to have enough personality to deserve a name. I picked Henrietta. She’s one minute craning her head interestedly to closer inspect my bag, the next fluttering her eyes in her peaceful, self-confident manner, making her way to chicken dreamland. I’m certain she has not the slightest inkling of what this journey means for her. I fear she is not on her way to visit any relative or friend as she obviously supposes- but today, with every turn of these wheels, Henrietta draws nearer to her final hour.

At last we’re emerging from the valley and 6:30 AM’s sunshine has found our canopy, filling the space with golden light and immediate warmth. Everyone stretches out a little, except for Dawna, who’s still hunched over beside me, teeth chattering in my ear. She’s just informed me that her hindermost parts have gone numb- whether from the cold or the jostling, I’m not sure.

Poor unfortunate.

I do feel that I’ve understepped my bounds by mentioning jostling. In fact, it is much more severe than that. From the very beginning I realized there would be no such thing as pot hole dodging when the road consists more of the pot holes than of the ground that connects them… the driver does the best he can without swerving or shifting out of second gear the whole way up the hill. Brake for the hole. Brake again! Brake. Go! Go! Go! Brake. And so on…

I also use the term “road” quite freely, as this path seems frequented by goats and an occasional bicycle, much more than by any contraption with four wheels and an engine. But we are very grateful for this ride. It carries us back to the home that we love, the people we admire, and the food that is so simple but so good. At this moment sweet potatoes, bananas, and peanuts seems like the best dinner that ever was…

This is the life that I love. Even with all the inconveniences and difficulties that are part of every day here, this life is simple, and our God is faithful. It seems a little easier to see that here. As we jolt along, these beautiful lines play over and over in my head: “Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand has provided, great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! There is no shadow of turning in Thee. Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not! Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!”

Technical difficulties

During our three month trip to Africa, from which we just returned, we were having technical difficulties which sent our blogs to our old blog site. So if you want to see more pics and read more stories please go to www.orphan-hope.blogspot.com

Home again, Home again, didilly dee!

We have returned to our home and our church and family at last. We have been gone now three months - half the life of our first (of many) grand-daughter. How she has changed!





And we have changed as well.

• Our vision for our future is clearer and expanded from what we thought.


• Our love for Jesus is deeper than we have ever known. We are trusting him for all things, and he is so patient and gracious with us.


• We are overwhelmed again with the magnitude of the opportunity for the Church of Jesus to make a difference in this dark and dying world. A. The Spirit wants to give creative insight to some, how to plant and harvest for countless starving grannies and orphans in Maputo. B. The Life found in Jesus will transform orphans more than new clothes and counseling - they need it. They need a "mom and dad" who are Alive with this Life. C. We need to plant churches to spread this Life and retain what is born - there is a desperate lack of real church life. Church planters, arise! D. Many pastors and Christians are walking in constant defeat - they do not know truth and personal transformation. They need fathers to walk with them. E. There are many peoples living in remote areas of this world who have never heard the good news of Jesus. Satan will do everything in his means to keep us from going here. Some spiritual giants are required to lead us into these realms. F. We need a training base for many to become cross-cultural Life-bearers in the world. There is a call to go to all nations - we need to be equipped and go.


• In light of this, we believe God is calling us to invite radically transformed men and women who are called by God to give their lives in long term missions, to join together and begin a base (a "farm") in Southern Africa from which to extend the Kingdom. We are believing for five families (single, married, or with kids, young or old) for long-term commitment. We believe that with such people, God will provide for every need. We are believing He will provide land and houses and vehicles where and when He desires. We also want to send out interns for one-year commitments, and more short-term teams. We only have so long to live in this realm. I figure we might as well make the most of it for eternity.

We may lose all we own - even our own lives. But as has been so well said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." I believe there is an urgency in the Church today - young and old want to be about the Father's business. This world is winding down and soon Jesus will return. Will we be found doing His business? Or shining our own shoes!

If Jesus is calling you to join with us in this bold effort, contact us and we will sit with you and pray with you and discern with you. It may take a year or several before all things are in order to make such a move, but the longest journey begins with the first step.

Contact us at orphanhope@onlinemac.com for more information.

4-28-07
All Nations - Maputo
We have spent a wonderful weekend with a hilarious South African family of five, who operate a baby house near Maputo. They have seven babies at this time - some have AIDS, some have died, one has been adopted, one has been taken back by her prostitute mother, one taken into a dreadful State hospital for children and, they believe, allowed to die because she was "positive" (testing positive for HIV/AIDS - the most negative positive word in the world!). This family and home has been through a lot. At times they have had nothing to eat, and a miracle happened. Once some of their "volunteer" staff took them to court for not paying them! But now things are better, and it was such a blessing for us to be with them. We loved it. The children have incredible stories. If they live and grow into the men and women of God like this couple is praying for, they will be a tremendous victory of God over the works of Satan. He has redeemed these little ones, and whether they die young of AIDS or die of old age, their lives have been rescued for God's Kingdom.
Here are some of the children's stories, as related by the Boersmas:
"Luis came to live with us in August 2005. When we received him he was a tiny two-month-old baby, very malnourished and weighed about one kilogram (2.2 lbs). He tested positive for AIDS and malaria. He also had a severe chest infection. His grandmother brought him to us. Being very old and living in an extremely poor rural area, with his mom very sick and dying of AIDS, she knew that she could not take care of him, and asked us for help. Luis became so ill that he had to be fed through a feeding tube and eventually ended up in hospital. We thought it was the end and almost made peace with God that He was going to take him home. One of our friends told us: Sometimes you love them to life and sometimes you love them into the arms of Jesus. Even if you make this peace, somewhere deep inside there is always a flame of hope. After two months of being in hospital, Luis was released. He gained weight and started on the anti-retroviral medicine for AIDS. Today Luis is two and a half years old, and there is no sign that he is living with AIDS. Every time we look it him we see the miracle that Jesus has done in his life and we are reminded that God says in His word that faith is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see!!"

"One of our baby workers told us that she heard about a little girl who lived all by herself in a village. The chief of the village told people how he would wake up at night and see this tiny little girl walking through the village crying of hunger and fear, with no clothes on. We sent Luis and Aida to see if they could find this girl. When they found her she was asleep all alone in the house, lying naked on a little torn grass mat. She had not eaten in four days. She is about fouryears old, but the size of an 18 – 24 month old. When she saw Aida and Luis she started walking to them. Luis took her into his arms and asked if there are no clothes for her. They found some underwear of her father in the house and tied it to her waist with a safety pin. Her mother has a new husband, but he is not willing to take care of Aninha, so they abandoned her at the father's, who was not taking care of her either. He left her alone at home for many days; neighbors gave her some food when possible. After a year, Aninha is doing much better; she has gained weight, laughs and runs around. She does not talk yet because of a lot of trauma that she went through, but she is starting to repeat what you say. She is a joy and is a real little helper. She still needs a lot of healing, but the love of Jesus brings healing and restoration."

Alicia came to the Boersmas' home severely traumatized by neglect and abuse of every kind. She had no name, and her age is uncertain--she is very small but may be three years old. She is such a beautiful child. She was probably abandoned because of her mixed-race heritage, and will certainly experience prejudice in the years to come. Alicia has V-shaped scars on her abdomen, cuts made by the traditional healer. For the first months of her time in the children's home, she spent a lot of time crying or singing a little mournful song and rocking back and forth. She was in a world of her own, and would not interact with other babies or adults. Now she is slowly beginning to emerge from her shell, and will occasionally even crack a smile. Pray for her complete healing from the wounds of her young life.

Dulcy and her five-year old daughter Jessica are staying at the Boersmas' home temporarily. Dulcy is HIV positive, and has been kicked out of the house by her family. AIDS carries such a stigma here--most people don't want to be tested, don't want to know, even though anti-retroviral drugs are available. Dulcy's father is a police chief, but he is no different--he doesn't want the shame of this label connected to his family. There is hope that he can be convinced to reconcile with his daughter and grandchild. Meanwhile, Dulcy helps the staff care for the children, and Jessica has many little playmates.

Chris enjoyed playing not only with the Boersmas' three boys, but also with the children they care for. Little Quiteria, whose mother died during a C-section, was a favorite of his. After playing with her one day he told me, "Mother, if I was older and had a lot of money, I would adopt her." Lord, let this heart be duplicated in all of us--a desire to love like you do. They are also starting a house church - discipling four young men, and the female workers they hire. Some of the guys around here have grown up in an amazing orphanage that we have visited before. The problem: when they reach the age of 17, they must leave. So they go back on the street and fend for themselves. And it is ugly. Most of them, though they were great at worship and hype, did not have the depth of discipleship worked into their soul. So they returned to the world. Pieter used to work in this large orphanage, so he knows the young men. Now he has found one and is discipling him one-on-one. He has become his father, is sending him to school, putting him in charge of many details of the home, and giving him a second chance.

Monday, May 7, 2007



Above the waving grass, great billowing clouds give way to sunset’s colors, and it’s easy to forget for a moment that we’re in Africa. This is Big Sky Country, and there are many reasons to feel that we’ve stepped into Laura Ingalls Wilder’s world. The prairies (or savannahs) are covered with grass tall enough to get lost in, interspersed with six-foot high stands of yellow-orange Shasta daisy-type flowers.



We are guests of the Peter and Debbie Wilcox family, Australian missionaries living outside of Lichinga in northern Mozambique. We share their cement home. There is no electricity, no refrigeration, no running water. We take “cup showers” with heated water (the weather is cooler here), the toilet is flushed only when really necessary by pouring in a bucket of water. Food is cooked over a gas stove-top or outside over a charcoal fire, dishes are washed in a tub. Mozambican guards double as yard- and household-help, keeping water buckets full drawn by a rope from the well. We can wash our clothes in the cement laundry tub outside, or hire local women to do it for 30 meticais ($1.10 US). The Wilcox family includes 20-year old twin daughters Annelisa and Antoinette, full partners with their parents in devoting their lives to the people of Mozambique; Elias (11), Miriam (8), Mikaila (6), and Karmelie (3). Also considered family are Violet, a Malawian woman who serves as the Wilcox’s noon cook, her two daughters ages 15 and 21, and five grandchildren ranging in age from 6 to 13, children of her deceased daughters. A renovated out-building serves as their living quarters.

What can you eat when there’s no oven, no refrigeration, lots of mouths and not much money? Actually, one can live quite nicely, and possibly be healthier than at home! Breakfast is always porridge—coarsely-ground white cornmeal. Lunch, the main meal of the day, consists of rice or nshima (fine white cornmeal cooked into a thick mush) topped with a sauce made of chard or cassava leaves and other vegetables, ground peanuts, or pinto beans. The evening meal varies, from boiled sweet potatoes or pumpkin, roasted peanuts, green salad or banana to the occasional fried egg with bread.

Life is simple here, not in terms of labor but regarding modern conveniences. There is a small windmill topping the house which powers a laptop and battery chargers. The Wilcoxes also own a cell phone, and a 1969 LandRover that tops out at 60 km/hour (35 mph) and hauls 8-10 passengers.

Life is simple. If you want to talk “primitive”, then you must ride with Peter to a nearby village of people from the Yao tribe. Take a twenty-minute drive across the rolling hills, turn left at a nondescript corner in the middle of the prairie and you will reach Chinaliwila. Here are dirt roads, 75-100 nicely-built mud homes with heavy thatch roofs—no tin roofs for miles. I can’t imagine when the last time a car other than the LandRover entered here. Peter has been coming by invitation of the chief of the village, to talk about Jesus. Today he has asked Dan to accompany him. After chairs have been brought for the visitors, there is a lot of curious pointing and speculating about Dan’s backpack and what it may hold (even Peter, who speaks fluent Portuguese, needs an interpreter here). When finally a Bible is pulled out, all is hushed as the women and children look with wonder at the beautiful book with markings in it. Pointing to the words, Dan reads a passage from Isaiah. Even though the language is strange, they are spellbound. To think that those black scratchings could communicate! (We’ve been told that the literacy rate is less than 30%). Through an interpreter, Dan teaches from Romans 5: “But God demonstrated his love for us in this--while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

The Yao people have historically been antagonistic to the gospel and to any intrusion by other tribes or cultures. They are known as the tribe that raided other neighboring tribes, stole their people and sold them to the Arabs for the slave market. Because of this they are feared and hated. God is opening a door here that may have never been opened before – an invitation by a Yao chief to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. The people are leery, but the chief and his grandsons are eager. In fact, the grandson who is next in line to be chief has confessed Christ and is coming to the compound here to be taught the Word and learn English, though he has not yet submitted to baptism (the line of no return for these people). The old chief and his wife (he only has one! very unusual for a chief) were here in the compound today. When I introduced Liana and Dawna as my daughters, his wrinkly face lit up in a buck-teeth smile, and he invited us all to come and visit him in his home next week – that should be interesting.

The Wilcoxes have a litany of God-stories, miracles and blessings they have experienced in their two years here. In a world where witchcraft and curses are as common as football games and traffic jams are to us, they are dedicated to bringing freedom, truth and light in the darkness. Construction is underway on a family-style orphanage for 18 girls and a house for their family. Other buildings will follow in time. As visitors, we’ve helped with cement-block construction work, school and Bible teaching, and using the treadle sewing machine to hem fabric into bedsheets.

Annelisa and Antoinette are rare young women, beautiful in features and spirit. They are one in heart and mind, having felt a call to African orphans at the age of six, and they work as a unit. Rolland and Heidi Baker, founders of Iris Ministries, asked these 20-year olds to establish a base at Lichinga. They’ve thrown themselves into the task with single-minded focus. Currently the twins teach school in English to 11 children. They are creative and loving instructors. In spite of limited resources, their students are receiving a quality education. They also handle the ministry’s finances and help with hospitality.

Darkness comes early here on the windswept grasslands. After our evening meal seated on benches around the rough-hewn kitchen table, we carry candles to the bedrooms and children are settled for the night. I step outside for a moment, and I’m sure I’ve never seen stars in a sky like this. There is no trace of martyrdom or complaining in this family—instead, there is joy and a sense of privilege in serving the One they love. From the soft glow in the window comes ethereal music—evening worship has begun. It’s not a formal service, and doesn’t happen every night. This is not religious obligation but soul-refreshment, lovers delighting in the other’s presence. A beautiful wood-burned plaque on the front door proclaims from Hebrews, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.” I go inside to join the others in worship. Here is simplicity, here is beauty, here is rest in loving Jesus. –Regina and Dan