IMPRISONED FOR SHARING THE WORD

Rob Jones

Joyce Meyer Ministries

Shi Weihan is a Chinese citizen. He is a kind, generous man who gives of himself to others in need. After the earthquake in 2008, he worked tirelessly helping those displaced. He also printed Bibles and other Christian literature including some of Joyce's books and gave them out for free. Because he printed these materials, a criminal court in Beijing sentenced him to three years in jail. His wife and sixty-five year old parents were shocked and his two daughters, thirteen and nine were devastated. "The children just can not accept it," says Zhang Jing, Shi's wife. "Their father is their biggest hero. They cried uncontrollably. They couldn't believe their father was convicted like an ordinary criminal." Shi was also fined about $25,000.

Shi's staunch Christian belief and his humanitarian work in the countryside brought him into contact with many other believers, his wife explains, and he discovered that there was a lack of Bibles in rural China. "He saw that we shared the same belief with those poor people," Zhang notes, "and they didn't have access to Bibles." Believers can only buy Bibles in churches approved and watched over by the government. So, together with a group of friends who ran a printing shop in downtown Beijing, Shi began printing and distributing Bibles for free. The government charged him with illegally running a business operation with the purpose of "gaining profits unlawfully".  So Shi is in prison.

We share this story to help us realize that not everyone has the freedom we enjoy. Please keep Shi and his family in your prayers that God would miraculously deliver him and protect his family.

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

PARTNERSHIP BRINGS HELP IN A VARIETY OF WAYS

Bobby & Sherry Burnette

Directors, Love a Child, Inc

We want to thank you so much for the wonderful Joyce Meyer booklets in French! We have distributed many of them and saw that the people brought them back to church with them and held onto them like Bibles. It was so touching.  

 

We are also grateful for your sponsorship of a container of food each month. There aren't enough words to say thank you, especially as we look into the faces of the people when they receive the food.

The clinic is going strong and we are discovering that people are coming from Port au Prince and places even further to receive aid. Recently we found a baby in a village who had a severe burn on his arm. We brought him to the clinic for several treatments and know that he probably wouldn't have survived without medical care.

We know that the partners of Joyce Meyer Ministries would be so blessed to see the fruit of their giving! God is good.

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

Abolishing Injustice in the 21st Century

David and Shelly Meyer along with some of A21 team members.

David L. Meyer

We have partnered with A21 in Greece for almost 18 months now. Recently we had the privilege to visit them. A21 works to stop the flow of trafficked girls as well as bring restoration to those that escape the system. What happens to these girls is unimaginable. There are over 27 million people worldwide who are being held as slaves against their own will. We also sponsor projects in Ethiopia and India. Please pray that more and more of those held captive will be delivered from this horror. 

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

A NEW BEGINNING

Jawad's story is similar to many of the Iraqis who left Iraq due to threats and persecution. Jawad and his family lived in Iraq in an area where the situation was highly critical. Sounds of bomb explosions rang in their ears as the hands of the clock ticked by the minute. They were terrified and left when threats got closer and more personal. Jawad and his wife Wala’ feared for the lives and safety of their children and took a few pieces of clothing and some food and fled Iraq.

Today, it's a little over three months since they came to Lebanon. Jawad works as a porter where he returns home every day exhausted, yet thankful for the $10 he earns to cover part of their daily living expenses. The house they live in is very cold and is poorly furnished. They are encouraged by Heart for Lebanon’s visits that show them the love and compassion of Christ. Joyce Meyer Ministries supports Heart for Lebanon’s ministry as they reach out to the needy in that country. Thank you Hand of Hope for helping this family.

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

RESCUE IN SOUTH AFRICA

Ron Martin, JMM South Africa Director

Unconditional Love: Those are the words that come to mind as we witnessed the love being poured out to the kids on the streets of Durban, South Africa. The team from Umthombo, a ministry that Joyce Meyer Ministries supports, is doing a great job of engaging these young kids that society considers useless. These precious children have found themselves on the streets for various reasons and just want to be loved and accepted. Their daily battle is simply one of survival. Through various activities and outreaches we are endeavoring to reach these kids in order to reunite them with their families and get them away from the dangers of the streets. Already this year we have reunited over 140 children with their families, treated more than 330 through our medical outreach and feed over 125 kids every day! What makes this type of ministry effective? Unconditional love!

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

BURKINA FASO OUTREACH

Shelly Meyer

Burkina Faso is a small country in western Africa. Many in this nation suffer from Malaria, Typhoid Fever and AIDS. There are also times of severe drought that cause famine and malnutrition, leaving many widowed and orphaned.

 

In 2003, Hand of Hope began supporting missionary Lynn Peters and her organization Burkina Faso Outreach (BFO). The ministry of this outreach has been significant. After a drought late last year, the straw bins which should have been full of millet were empty. The numbers of hungry widows and malnourished children knocking at Lynn’s gate became overwhelming. Hand of Hope quickly responded by sending an additional donation to BFO which was used to purchase grain to bless over 450 families! Families that once had very little hope, lined up at the ministry with their donkey carts to carry the food home. 

 

The vision of BFO is to share the love of Christ through a child sponsorship program and community food and medical assistance, as well as sharing the gospel through educational programs. The very basic need for food, medical care and education will continue. But as the Lord blesses Hand of Hope and organizations like Burkina Faso Outreach, we will continue to see lives transformed and souls added to the Kingdom.

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

SENDING RELIEF TO SRI LANKA

Shelly Meyer

Reports say that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) forces have been defeated, and that founder and leader Prabhakaran was killed on May 18, 2009. Although the war is officially over, more than two decades of fighting has created a horrible humanitarian crisis.

Recently, we received an urgent request from Convoy of Hope, our long term partners in disaster relief. We work extensively with them to bring relief to many people in desperate situations. The civil war between the government and the Tamils in Sri Lanka has created a horrible humanitarian crisis, with approximately 200,000 internally displaced people in dire need. Many of them who have come out of the northern areas are not being properly cared for by the government due to prejudice and possible ties with the rebel cause. The national church is already involved in this matter.

Thanks to our friends and partners, Joyce Meyer Ministries is assisting Convoy of Hope as they work in helping these people. It is our prayer that these families will soon find permanent shelter and peace will spread throughout the country.

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

CAMBODIA UPDATE

Today Was Well Worth It...

Ginger Stache

Chief Media Officer

Today was a difficult day. Our Broadcast team spent it shooting in Cambodia's municipal garbage dump where thousands of children work and live. It's heart-breaking to see the conditions the kids live in and you can't help but get a little overwhelmed with it all. What makes it all worthwhile is meeting little boys like Loy. Loy is nine years old and lived here at the dump until just over a year ago. Both of his parents died of AIDS so a neighbor dropped him off here to fend for himself. Eventually a friend heard about one of our Hand of Hope Children's Homes and asked if they had a place for Loy. Thanks to Joyce Meyer Ministry partners the answer was YES!

Now Loy sleeps in a clean bed, goes to school instead of working all day, and has house parents who love him and are teaching him about Jesus. When we saw him he was playing soccer with his friends and dragging around a happy puppy. Quite a contrast to the children we see picking through the trash today. Days like today are hard but well worth it when we think of all the other children like Loy who need our help.

Visit our website for information about Hand of Hope.

SHARING THE GOSPEL IN ARIZONA PRISONS

Roy Lormis

JMM Prison Ministry Director

The Arizona prison outreach in April was a great success. This trip was indeed a bit unusual as we were able to actually minister to over seventy different nationalities. These prisoners were State, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Federal Marshal Detainees. We truly are taking the gospel to the entire world. These men and women will one day be released and deported. I believe the message they received in the books and the teaching from Joyce on TV or radio, along with the message we shared, will allow them to become ambassadors for Christ in their home countries. (Joyce is on the TBN Second Chance programming inside the prisons, which is provided via satellite receptors installed at these facilities by TBN.)

All total we touched the lives of 12,842 inmates with the Hygiene Gift Bags. We had 1,329 attend the 13 services, resulting in 819 salvations or re-dedications. Each of these offenders has family and friends. I trust the decisions they made will positively impact thousands.

Again thanks so much for sending us. We could not do what we do with out the help of all of our partners, volunteers and the prayers and support of everyone. I cannot begin to tell you how much this means to us. We see firsthand the power of God touching so many lives for all eternity. 

For more information visit Hand of Hope.

FEEDING CHILDREN IN LILONGWE, MALAWI

David L. Meyer

Once again you have entrusted us to make a difference in the lives of these little ones. In April, we visited Israel and then moved on to Lilongwe, Malawi, which is one of the poorest nations in Africa. We have been feeding over 800 children there for over two years with the help of lifetime missionaries Jamie & Lea Peters. Thanks to all who have helped send us. We are humbled and honored!

For more information visit Hand of Hope.