Tarry in Jerusalem

Just last month, we celebrated the jolly Easter season and Christ is risen! Upon His resurrection, Jesus told His disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they were endued with power according to Luke 24:49. They were to wait on the Lord to equip them to go out and preach the gospel to the ends of the earth, which they did. In later books of the Bible, we can see the disciples walking in demonstration of power. For us to see all that, they had to wait until the Lord endued them with power and sent them out to different places around the world.

At GHMI, the foster parents and fraternity as a whole have been given the responsibility to equip the little ones before they go out to share what they have received. This home is their Jerusalem, the place of preparation and equipping before they go out into the world to give from the abundance of their hearts. The children are expected to feed on the word of God even as their needs are taken care of. Our Lord Jesus already paid the full price that we may walk in abundance both physically and spiritually.

Our children are already walking in fulfillment of this scripture. They have consistent Bible study patterns and practice what they learn among themselves. The training they are undergoing as disciples of Christ is preparing them for a greater and brighter destiny ahead. The foster parents have taken it upon themselves to teach them and guide them accordingly. Just as other biological parents are commanded to bring up a child in the ways of the Lord in Proverbs 22:6, our foster parents are giving the best training they can while the children are in their Jerusalem phase.

These children have laid down everything in their lives, including their biological families, to tarry in this Jerusalem. We are confident the Lord will endow them with the power to make good disciples for Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God.

 We, the entire team and staff at GHMI rejoice that we are enabled to be acting as a “foster parent” to the children. We have our supplies because God never fails to supply our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. You, our partners and donors are an integral part of the supply in Christ Jesus and therefore, we are so grateful to God for His gift of His Son. We are rejoicing in the blessing each generous action in faith your support has provided Give Hope Ministries International since it started 10 years ago. As we share in our actions to observe the times in the children’s journey by the side of our Lord to learning to be “overcomers”, breaking the cycle of poverty in their lives and bringing this forward to others as living testimonies, we give thanks for the Love of the Holy Father and the gift of the Holy Spirit so we ourselves are not left Orphans as Jesus stated.

We are humbled and grateful. Join us in giving Glory to God for his indescribable gift, in Christ Jesus, birth, and life on earth as Emanuel. Suffering for us, walking in the same challenges we face daily and showing us that HE calms every storm for us. May each of you be as blessed as you are being fully accepted in the beloved.

In Christ Jesus.

 Post-Author is Donna Onjala a Christian Freelance Content Writer

Foster Parenting GOD's Way

Proverbs 22:6 tells us to train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it. Truly, there is no specification placed on the type of child that this applies to. This means that it is possible to train up an orphan in God’s way without them deviating from it. This is a special instruction given to foster parents too, whom the mantle of parenting orphans has been bestowed. It is a beautiful verse to walk by as a foster parent because you are constantly reminded how you ought to raise the foster child/ children God has blessed you with.

At Give Hope Ministries International, a unique strategy is implemented to give each child as much of a normal homely experience as possible through the establishment of households and families within the bigger group. Through this, children in each household relate with their foster parents and fellow adoptive siblings as a child with their biological family would. Of course, the Word of God is esteemed highly throughout their lives and they are introduced to the Gospel from an early age. The structures in place are made to mimic the ideal Christian home, in order to ensure they aren’t lacking whether in experience or understanding of what a believer’s family life ought to look like.

Having stuck to that technique of foster parenting, the orphans have been able to live in model setups that enable them to become better parents in future without feeling underprivileged. They learn by experience, how the family (which is the pillar of the church) ought to function in the Lord although their biological families are absent from the picture.

As we conclude, Luke 6:38 says, give and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be put in your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. Foster parents are some of the most blessed people we have on earth. The riches stored up for them in glory are accumulating with every minute that they sacrifice all they have for others, for this is the very gesture of love that Jesus Christ showed for us to emulate. For even, He says in John 15:13, greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. Just as foster parents have laid down their alternative life options for this noble course, they will receive their reward from God both here on earth and in heaven.

For those “Foster Parents” that are the partners in this ministry, we give Glory to GOD and so much gratitude for all you do in supporting the children and the ministry of Give Hope Ministries International. If you are not a partner of our ministry, please consider joining us by collaborating by volunteering or donating, so that we can continue, “fostering” what Jesus, stated were the least of these. “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.’ Matthew 25:40 (KJV)

 Post-Author is Donna Onjala a Christian Freelance Content Writer