I was so excited to get back to the place that had stolen my heart the summer before.

While I remember coming into Korah last summer with kids running beside the bus, jumping up and down, bursting with excitement…this drive into Korah was a bit different.  

It was quiet.  Most of the older kids off at boarding school, and the Bright Hope kids in school that day, we were greeted by some of the Hope for Korah families and the leaders of Korah. 

I love this image (below) with the leaders and some of the Guest House guys on the right.  It’s like they are having their morning hudle.  Getting ready for the day.  I can’t tell you enough about these guys.  About the heart that they have.  

Before we went off to home visits that day we got a chance to all hudle in one of their meeting rooms (the door you see) and hear about project 61  and pray together.  Pastor of the great hope church in Korah prayed, and we prayed for them.  

God simply revealed to me something new: a passion for supporting the leaders of Korah.  The group of guys that although all in their mid-20s lead this church and community.  a group of guys who like the kids they serve, grew up on the trash dump.

these guys.
this is the trash dump – that THEY grew up on.  Most of them for over 10 years.  Not able to finish school, but living on the dump to help provide for their families, to make money, to find food to eat.

Yesmachu, Goshu, Pastor, Berhanu, Mirad & Sammie (in the blue shirts).  These guys are the LEADERS of Korah & of the Great Hope Church.

They all found the Lord, turned their lives around & now are giving it BACK to these kids that are now in a situation like they were in.  Berhanu told me in our home visit that they didn’t have anyone to look up to, to help them, no one like who they are to the kids now. “we were hopeless” he said.  But they found JESUS, found hope and are now literally giving their LIVES to be His hands and feet in their community.  It wasn’t even a question.  They all know it’s what the Lord has called them to do.

Will you pray with me for this group of guys?  That the Lord will continue to use them, to empower them, to give them strength to do HIS will.

2 Thessalonians 1:3-4

“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing.  Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.”