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

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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

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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 

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Nepal Covid-19 Report

Dear Friends.

Many of you are wondering how our overseas friends are coping with the pandemic crisis. Here is a beautiful report that we received from Nepal that describes how your gifts impact lives in the midst of a very difficult time.

Lance & Christie Thollander

Greetings from Nepal,

We hope and pray you all are doing well. We have been under a complete lockdown for 40 days. The lockdown has shut many businesses and daily laborers are laid off work. During this time, thanks to support we have received, we were able to distribute food rations to 200 families and 150 families in Lalitpur and Pokhara respectively.

Each family received rice, flour, lentils, masala, cooking oil, salt, sugar, beaten rice, and soap. Distributions to the families went really well and we had the full support of the local government authority. We are planning for a second phase of ration distribution and ask you to remember us in your prayers for guidance and provision. Here is a story from one person whose life has been changed through GLOW’s recent help:

Anita

My name is Anita. Let me share a little bit with you of my history. I come from a poor family, it was difficult for us to meet even the basic needs. My mother and father both did daily labor work to raise us. After grade 7 my family could no longer afford to pay for my studies so I quit school and started helping my family by also working as a day laborer.

I got married and we eventually had 2 kids. I no longer could work so my husband worked while I stayed at home. My husband’s income wasn’t enough to raise the kids and provide for their education and other needs. One day I heard from a neighbor about an organization called “GLOW,” God Loves Orphans and Widows, providing free tailoring classes to poor women like myself. I started attending these classes and getting tailoring training from GLOW. After completing my training, I found a shop to work in near my home and have been working there ever since. Due to the training I received from
Glow I have been able to provide the extra needed for my kids.

But now my tailoring shop has been closed due to the pandemic and I do not have another source of income. As my family doesn’t have savings to provide for ourselves during such a crisis we
were in serious trouble. How were we going to provide food for us and our kids?

Then I got a call from GLOW. When I saw GLOW on my phone, I had a glow in my face. They asked me how I was doing and if I needed any help? I told them that I was unable to run my business and it was hard for me and my family to provide for our daily needs. They told me that GLOW was distributing relief packages.

Tears started rolling from my eyes … GLOW had come to my rescue yet again! They helped me in the past by providing me free tailoring training and now they are providing me with relief when I need it the most. I can’t express how thankful I am towards GLOW. When I and others like me were helpless, GLOW came to wipe our tears and lend us a helping hand. When all seemed to be lost GLOW showed me the light. I am forever indebted and grateful. I pray to God to bless GLOW and its efforts to provide relief to those in need.

 

Our mailing address is: Hope Builders International, P O Box 91359 Austin,
TX 78709 USA. When you send gifts, please mention CFO on the memo line.

Thank you and God bless you in Christ.

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A Message of Faith

Click on the image below to download a PDF of this newsletter.


Dear Friends of Manara,

Warm greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, from all of us at Manara Ministries.

We would like to share with you our latest update, kindly find it in the above attachment, as we hold onto our faith and hope in Jesus in the midst of the current situation. Since after writing this report and sending it, Jordan has declared a mandatory curfew started this morning at 7:00AM until further notice.

“But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect – life in its fullness until you overflow!” John 10:10 (TPT)

Thank you for your friendship, prayers and support at such a time as this.

God bless and protect you and your ministries.

In Christ,

Manara Team

Standing In Faith Against the Coronavirus

“A thief has only one thing in mind – he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect – life in its fullness until you overflow!”

–John 10:10

King Abdullah has approved a national defense law to help combat the coronavirus pandemic. The royal decree issued on Tuesday in an effort to curb coronavirus in Jordan. Measures taken in recent days have closed schools and public transport, and prayers have been banned in mosques, while most public and private sector employees have been asked to stay at home.

Jordan announced a lockdown beginning on Wednesday, ordering all citizens to stay in their homes apart from emergencies and banning travel between provinces, to fight the coronavirus outbreak.

Jordan has closed land and sea border crossings with Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and Israel, and suspended all incoming and outgoing flights since Tuesday. Only cargo flights and commercial overland shipments are entering or leaving the country.

The country has quarantined more than 5,000 people who have recently arrived from abroad. Jordan recorded 85 confirmed cases of coronavirus on Friday the 20th of March, 2020.

“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

–Esther 4:14

For Such a Time As This

It’s the time for us to take a stand a gainst the spread of the coronavirus, it’s time for the Church to rise up and cry out to God for mercy; as when Esther went before the king, we stand as the Ekklesia before the King of Glory! Let us stretch out His rod of authority out of Zion and rebuke the Coronavirus in united corporate agreement, believing in faith that the storm will abate, and 2020 will go down as the year of the historic harvest and missions worldwide.

Our Role as Manara

We have a big role to play at this time, starting with sharing a message of hope and encouragement to our brothers and sisters within our circles of ministry and support. Using what we have of resources to help as many people as we can during this turbulent time. As for the Youth Ministry, the various teams are working as planned for 2020 calendar with an eye open on the current local situation and progress. The Lord has been leading us to focus on digital ministry platform to spread The Gospel and extend discipleship to the young generation, in light of the recent developments we are accelerating these platforms. We are currently working on an App that offers opportunities to engage with the Gospel, ask questions, grow and join communities using Manara’s extensive experience with the local communities within Jordan and the region. Keep us in your prayers and support as the Lord guides you. If the Lord put on your hearts to support and contribute in any of what He entrusted us in this nation, kindly contact us at: project@manarainternational.org

“The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.”

–Psalm 33:11

 

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Varun Finds a Home

Dear Friends,

What with the constant barrage of a 24/7 news and media cycle that presents us with less than happy or optimistic news, and our own pressures and challenges, sometimes we miss out on the good things that are happening around us. Here is a brief story we received from one of our overseas partners that will brighten your day.

Greetings in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Many times we face a lot of troubles as we are serving the Lord in our country. But we are
learning to be careful as we carry out our ministry. We thank you for your prayers as we do
that. We have given our whole lives to Christ’s service. For us to live Is to serve Christ and to bring people into the knowledge of salvation. We are very happy as the Word of Lord is being planted into the hearts of the children we serve, young ones who previously did not know how to brush their teeth or take a bath with soap. Now they know how to do these simple things and are teaching other children to do them.

After our Christmas Nativity program, we asked the children if anyone wanted to give a testimony about the change in their lives after receiving Christ. To our surprise there were more than ten children who stood up. One by one each child started to testify about Christ.

Varun, a 12-year boy, stood up and said he never would have thought that one day he would end up here in the Children’s home. His parents are alcohol addicted and spent all their money drinking while the children were left hungry.

To get food, Varun used to steal from the stores and also steal money. Many a times he was beaten when he was caught. Then one day as he was passing by the orphanage, he heard the songs of the children. As he observed us, he could see that the children received good food and care. Afraid to ask us questions, he spent more than ten days watching the children.

Then the day came that he asked me if he could join our home. After hearing his story, we took him in and gave him a place where he could go to school and where he is fed three times a day. Today Varun is not stealing or fighting anymore. Instead, he is praying to God for his parents to change and wants to be an evangelist someday.

Such testimonies are the rewards for our ministry. When I heard the boy speaking, I had no words, but tears of joy rolled from my eyes and I thanked God for giving me this opportunity to serve him.

Dear friends in Christ, it is because of your financial support and prayers that we can continue the ministry even in the hard situations. We believe that God will reward you for the big and small financial support that you are sending to our ministry.

Luke 6:38 says, “Give and it shall be given unto you: Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you give, it will be measured back to you.”

We pray that the Lord supply all your needs and bless you. Here is a picture of the children at prayer this month. Please continue to uplift our ministry and family in your prayers as we work for the Lord.

Our mailing address is: Hope Builders International, P O Box 91359 Austin,
TX 78709 USA. When you send gifts, please mention CFO on the memo line.

Thank you and God bless you in Christ.

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