MANARA INTERNATIONAL | RELIEF PROGRAM – PASTA FOOD PARCELS DISTRIBUTION 2024

We are very happy with the high-quality pasta that we have accumulated from many shipments from dear partners. 

We would like to prepare parcels built around the pasta, to enable families to provide good meals for their household members during 2024. 

We would like to prepare and distribute 1000 parcels monthly that contain 7 items as follows:

ITEM

UNIT COST

TOTAL AMOUNT

Pasta (from our inventory)

——-

Tomato paste

$0.92

$920.00

Salt

$0.35

$350.00

Chicken bouillon

$2.88

$2,880.00

Corned Beef

$3.17

$3,170.00

Cooking oil (1Litre)

$2.82

$2,820.00

Dry Onions (1Kg)

$0.85

$850.00

Transportation & Distribution

$1,000.00

$1,000.00

TOTAL

$10.99

$11,990.00

We would like to make these distributions throughout the year, starting in February.

Distribution will be through churches and individuals to underprivileged and vulnerable families. 

A New Update from Jordan

Dear Friends,

We received this message from our ministry partners in Jordan today.

In this terribly troubled time, and with Christmas just around the corner, our friends are seeking to minister to as many physically and spiritually hungry people as they can.

This includes providing some help to hundreds and hundreds of refugees who are reachable by their ministry teams.

Here are their two projects for the Christmas season:

A. Food parcels for 200 needy Christian families. Each parcel cost is $30. This lasts a family of 2 for 2 weeks; a family of 4 for 1 week. Each parcel contains these usual basics: dried foods (pasta and legumes; tea, sugar, some canned food)

B. Christmas tubs for 1000 needy children in villages in the south of Jordan. Each reusable storage tub includes booklets with the story of Jesus, hygiene items, books, simple toys and snacks. Each tub costs $10.

Thank you, friends for your prayers and help in these times when the love and message of the Gospel is so desperately needed.

With love in Christ,

Lance & Christie Thollander – On behalf of the Manara Ministry Team

March, 2022 – Update from Ukraine

Dear Friends,

We are so grateful for the support that has come in for those suffering under the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

For over 15 years I served on the Board of Christian Educators Outreach which supported educational work and teacher funding for schools in Ukraine and other countries of Eastern Europe as well as reaching out to orphans and street kids in Kiev and its environs.

This ministry goes on today finding itself in a very strategic position to help both Ukrainians seeking safety and thousands of refugees who are streaming West to find shelter there.

The camp which they bought and have supported for 20 years, Stream of Love, outside of Vinnytsia has become a place of shelter and supply for many in need.

Your gifts are going directly to help in that effort as our partners provide food, medical supplies, Christian literature, and blankets to displaced Ukrainians fleeing the violence.

The situation remains very dire with air raid sirens going off almost every hour as Russian bombing and air attacks continue on throughout the country. Your prayers and support are helping to sustain and show the love of God to many in this desperate time.

 

Thank you!

Lance & Christie Thollander

For Hope Builders International

Catastrophic News pours in from around the world

Dear Friends,

The tragic events in Afghanistan and Haiti are deeply saddening to us all. In Haiti. one of Pastor Cebien’s main churches in Jeremie in southwest Haiti, was leveled and there is much destruction all around the area. So far they’ve identified three parishioners who have died. Many are still missing. A landmark mountain range in the area collapsed in on itself engulfing entire neighborhoods while citizens were still in their homes. The aunt of one of Cebien’s assistants also lost her home in the earthquake. We are still gathering details regarding those affected and the amount of damage sustained. Thankfully, the locations in Port Au Prince, central Haiti, and North Haiti were not affected. HBI is sending funds to help with such items such as water, food, shelter, and miscellaneous costs including funeral expenses for those who have perished.

The news from Afghanistan is catastrophic. Besides the overall dangers facing the Afghan population,
believers, including Afghan pastors and leaders are being targeted for retribution by Islamic forces. While we cannot give specific details regarding those affected, we have several contacts who are involved in rescue activities centered on Afghan believers and their families. Prayer and specific strategic help are the main avenues we have to help with those suffering and we continue to call out to the Lord for miraculous deliverance for his people and the suffering Afghani land.

If you would like to help in our efforts in either place, please click on the donation icon and enter your gift there.

Calling out with you to our Merciful Lord,

Lance & Christie Thollander

India Slammed by Covid

Dear Friends,

India is now taking the brunt of the Covid pandemic’s force as thousands are dying every day in the current spike in cases there. The government reports that over 3000 new deaths are being reported every day, a number that our ministry contacts say is greatly underreported. Leaders that we know well have seen Covid hit their own families and close friends. Many predict that India will soon become the world’s leader in Covid fatalities.

Pastors and their wives hit hard by virus

In a phone conversation with the ministry leader on Monday, we learned that nine of their pastors and two of their wives have passed away in just the last few days. These are men and women in their 40’s and 50’s who leave families and loved ones without any means of support. According to the leader, some of them were at the training we held in October of 2019 at their Navapur Bible School. Several of those in the attached photo are now with Jesus. These were vibrant believers who had already given much for the Kingdom of God.

Since most of the pastors serve in remote village areas of India, they do not have access to hospital care or the needed medical supplies that would help them fight off the Covid virus. And with the churches already shut down because of the virus, pastors were already hard pressed to make ends meet. Of course, India with its vast population of almost 1.4 billion is facing shortages of needed medical equipment all over the country as well as an insufficient supply of vaccines to take care of its projected needs. All of this is working together to create a disaster of epic proportions.

Our ministry partners are seeking to raise $2000 each for the families have died to try and help them get through this tragedy. With an anti-Christian government pressuring them from one side and the full force of Covid now sweeping upon them from another, believers in India need our prayers and support more than ever.

To help us in this effort, please visit our contribution page or send your gift to Hope Builders International, PO Box 91359, Austin, TX 78709.

Looking with you to Jesus on their behalf,

Lance & Christie Thollander

A Back to School in Nepal Update

News from God Loves Orphans and Widows

Warm greetings to you from Nepal and the GLOW family,

We all are doing well and pray that you are also in good health. The COVID19 pandemic lockdown has caused a lot of problems in our country.  The lockdown has left many without jobs and made daily living and even survival for many difficult. We are near the beginning of the school calendar here in Nepal. The financial situation of the families of the children we had been supporting with school supplies and educational materials is even worse due to the lockdown. Due to that the children are in greater need of the school supplies and stationery support than ever. We are planning to distribute educational materials and school supplies to 80 to 100 students varying from grade one to twelve.

The parents of the students receiving the supplies work as daily laborers either on construction sites or in other types of manual work. Most of them have been out of work since the Covid19 lockdown started. Your support will allow students to continue their studies despite their families financial situation. Here is a story about one of our supported students:

I am studying in grade seven. Here is a picture of me receiving supplies last year from GLOW. I have gotten school support from GLOW for several years. My parents work in construction as daily laborers. Their income is barely enough for us to survive, let alone sending us to school. This annual package of school supplies support has helped me continue and perform well at school. Thank you for all your help to me and the other students. We want to make a difference in our country.

The cost breakdown for the students we want to help is as follows:

  •  Students in junior school:  $50/student Total of 50 students: $2500
  •  Students in middle school: $80/student Total of 30 students: $2400
  •  Students in high school: $100/student Total of 20 students: $2000

We urge you to partner with us in providing this much needed material support. Here is a picture of our team presenting school supplies.   

With love in Christ,

The Glow Staff