Ten Together
A project of Forgotten Voices International.
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Merry Christmas! The Hope of the world has come.
I never stop being struck by how incredible it was that Jesus was born and placed in a manger. The simplicity of it speaks volumes for the greatest story ever told. In that spirit, Forgotten Voices has been sharing simple reflections on unexpected hope in unexpected places. We have been sharing them all month long here on the blog, as well as in print. We believe in the reflections of the heart and telling the simple stories that should be shared.As you gather with family and friends, know there are Forgotten Voices volunteers, staff, Board members and partners in Africa giving thanks to God for you.
On behalf of the children and churches we serve in Zimbabwe and Zambia, thank you and have a very Merry Christmas.
Ryan Keith, President
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Discover stories of hope all advent long right here. Read 3 stories of unexpected hope in unexpected places by reading our Christmas 2011 Mailing. For many people the end of a year marks an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned. Today’s blog post is one of those for me.
This year, in some ways, I feel like I’m limping into the Christmas season, tired, weary, and emotionally empty, yet hopeful and exptectantat at Christmas. This has been a very hard year for me and many of us at Forgotten Voices. Children that we know, such Vuyani, passed away far too early in life. Dear friends in Africa lost loved ones and those losses impacted me profoundly. Dear friends in the USA experienced traumatic situations from loss of jobs to divorces to death. This year I got to experience, more than ever before, the reality that our ministry serves our supporters, just as much as it serves the chidlren and churches I love to serve in Africa. After nearly 8 years of leading our ministry, I’ve now sat bedside next to 100s of people dying of AIDS related illnesses, who either died soon there after or fought their way through to health for a short season more.All of this adds up. One of the piercing realities of those bedside exchanges is the look in the eye of someone who is about to pass away. For most of the children and adults I have witnessed going through this in Africa, I am always struck by the look of regret — dying too young, decisions they wish they could do over, or simply wanting more time.
This Christmas I have been thinking about the manger scene a little differently. Like many I see the shepherds who were watching their sheep by night, traveling across the fields to find a baby lying in the manger. I am imagining that they haven’t showered in awhile like you and I do (probably too often). There wasn’t time or they didn’t take it to prepare themselves to see the baby, cleaning up properly. They came expectantly, as they are, to see their King lying in a manger.I think of the wise men, cloaked in royal cloth, also having traveled from afar. Imagine the smell when they arrived? While some of their gifts were likely pleasant in odor, I think I would rather have stood next to any sheep who happened to be there than the wise men. Even Joseph, for who knows how long he’d been near the feeding trough. Let’s be honest. Barnyard animals don’t smell that great.
But here’s the thing. They all came as they were to see their King. As we make final preparations for Christmas, my prayer through this advent has been that we don’t get lost in making ourselves and our world so decorated and wrapped and covered nicely that we forget to come before our God, just as we are.
This Christmas, may we come as we are. Pain and all. May we just come and worship our King.
God knows who we are and what is stirring deep within us, beneath the glow of our commercialized Christmas. In fact, he knows us so well that this precious baby Jesus was sent to take on our sins and offer us the free gift of eternal life by sacrificing himself (perfection on earth) so that we may have life and have it to the full.
Later in Jesus’ ministry, he tells his disciples, “let the children come” and to his followers they should have faith like a child. He wants us to just come. My daughter, Avery, often comes to me with snot running down her face, tears in her eyes. She just comes.The thing I’m learning and the hope I’ve found in all the pain I’ve experienced in 2011 is that this is not for me to restore or fix. I certainly should ask for less suffering for the children we serve, but my heart yearning should really be to open myself to more God. We should pray for more God, both directly from Him and His use of us to be salt & light for our hurting world.
At Forgotten Voices we have an opportunity to help children today, children who don’t have the luxury of pretending things in their lives are fine. Their worlds have crashed down around them. Men and women in their communities, through theologically-sound local churches, know who these children are and what they need. The children are coming, just as they are to the footsteps of the church, expecting to be helped. Churches help orphans, for there is often no where else for them to go. Consider offering them a gift of a place to be, a hope to be found in their darkness. In doing so I believe you may discover hope of your own, as you watch God do more when you feel like you can do no more yourself.
Merry Christmas.
-Ryan Keith, President
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I meant to write this later today, but at 3am I was wide awake. At first I was really frustrated. When I went to bed last night, I went to bed thinking “it’s been one of those weeks”, I was exhausted, and I was going to be able to “sleep in” until 6am before an early morning meeting. Having a child has changed my notion of “sleeping in” from my college days of going to bed at 3am and sleeping in until noon.I was trying to diagnose why I was up this morning at 3am!! I started to regret eating about half a pizza and some dairy queen right before bed. Perhaps that unwise move was the culprit. Then I started thinking about leadership things, like this little reflection I wrote at 4:10: “leadership is about living fully in the unknown, being ok with that when others aren’t, then leading boldly to where we must go.” I love how deep thoughts can come in waves, especially in the middle of the night (at least for me).
Then, probably like many of you who have had unexpected awake moments (hours), I started thinking about my long to do list for the day and what I could accomplish if I started to work NOW while everyone else was sleeping. How productive I could be!!
But finally, when I tried to calm my mind down and breath deeply, I got to experience rest anew. While I never managed to go back to sleep, I was thankful for God’s gift to me: experiencing my world at rest. My child breathing peacefully, a light sound I could hear after my mind quieted. No cars driving by my house. No ESPN playing in the background, repeating the news over and over. So I just tried to rest and enjoy a glimpse of peace in the midst of this chaotic Christmas world we have created.
Now as I write this, I think of what it would have been like to be just delighting in God’s presence, watching a baby, lying in a manger. Perhaps I would have been watching my sheep at night, enjoying the sky, when a star appeared, proclaiming the location of the King my people were waiting for — waiting for so long.
This morning’s wake up call started out with me blaming my choices, then me trying to figure out how I could do more with the new time I had found to work in the middle of the night, but then it happened. My gift from God. I found rest and peace while awake at 3am. Rest in seeing a glmpse of what God craves for us this Christmas season. Hope and peace through Him.
Enjoy your day. May you find rest today.
-Ryan
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Every month, before the 10th of the month, TEN TOGETHER posts a Bible Study lesson on www.TENTOGETHER.org. This helps groups remain united in God’s Word, grow together, and grow independently. To view more studies, visit the campaign website.
Bible Study Lesson 6: How has the TEN TOGETHER campaign encouraged you to be united?
Roots: Together, read Ephesians 4:1-5:
Unity in the Body of Christ
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
Trunk: “God sightings” – How have you seen unity work in your group? In your community? Are there times where people in your group have felt the presence of God, the Holy Spirit, in their daily lives? How are we united in Christ?
Limbs: Encourage everyone to attend a Christian celebration event. Decide how your group will celebrate Christmas. How can you be united around the greatest story ever told??
Leaves: How has TEN TOGETHER encouraged you? What have you learned?
Video update: Send in your personal video testimonies to info@forgottenvoices.org or drop us a blog post at the same. If you would rather us not share your name in the post, just say so and we’ll just share the lesson with others. Thank you!
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Anyone who knows me at all knows that I LOVE talking, or rather listening, to strangers in all sorts of places, particularly when I’m traveling. I’m not an in your face talker to strangers, but rather an observer of people who may need to chat, then asking how they are doing. That’s why I love meeting people in airports, on trains, etc because you are next to people going somewhere or coming from something significant…they generally have a lot on their mind and often don’t have anyone to listen.
One of my best friends in the whole world loves to ask people how they are doing when we are together, get little response, then watch me ask the same person the same thing, then me receiving a profound or personal insight in return. I’m not bragging here, because often those moments lead to tough conversations, heavy burdens to pray for, and deep insights into the hearts of people who are looking for someone to listen to them. But I am really thankful people keep talking and I’m listening.
playing with kids in southern Zimbabwe
This year, more than ever before, people have been talking to me about 2 themes: 1) I’m searching for meaning in life; and 2) My family is struggling in this market.
In the last 2 weeks, several people have cried telling me they can’t give to our ministry any more. People are writing asking me to pray for job losses, pay cuts, or pending layoffs as Christmas approaches. I feel for people and am hyper sensitive to the realities facing our supporters in the USA and the children/churches we love to serve in Africa. Both are real and traumatic.
So, why do I keep asking for $$$ in this down market? There are 3 primary reasons.
1) God has given us a clear vision for equipping local churches in Africa to stand in the gap for children who have lost their parents and are extremely vulnerable. AIDS is complicated. I believe our model of partnering with community leaders & pastors from solid, theologically sound seminaries in Africa is the best return on investment for orphan care. I believe we are extremely good at what we do. I’ve been fortunate to study with some of the best minds and change agents solving the world’s most difficult problems. What we are doing goes toe to toe with the best ideas out there. I believe it in my soul. At times like this, we all need something to believe in. I believe in Forgotten Voices, not because I helped start it, but because I’m wholly dedicated to something that’s actually working for children and for those who give.
2) God calls us to look after orphans. I recently had the chance to talk with a woman in Zambia caring for 8 kids alone and just took in several more children orphaned by AIDS. This lady has nothing by the world’s standards. When I ask her how I can have a heart like hers, she says, “Hug the children, love your God and trust that He knows your needs. That’s it.”
3) I see that our ministry’s requests for funding helps others experience love anew. This year especially, through giving to Forgotten Voices, God has provided soooo many opportunities for people to rediscover priorities they had forgotten, restore marriages that were broken, spend more time with their children, watch less TV, and even some cases of choosing to not inflict pain on themselves any more after reading stories of unexpected hope through our ministry.
I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t believe in it. I love people too much. I keep asking for money because we need it to bring hope for children who need a champion. The more times I ask the more people get to experience the deep love that comes from watching hope stir deep within the darkness, growing and growing to bring light and life to children. I started giving to save Africa. But our ministry, through your gifts and the children we serve, has saved me.
When I ask I know I will get a lot of nos. But even in my ask, like now, I pray that the way we ask shows we are listening to the unspoken yearnings & realities we all share as people. Merry Christmas.
You can give to Forgotten Voices online or by mailing a check to Forgotten Voices, 1215 Gettysburg Pike, Dillsburg, PA 17019.
-Ryan
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This Thanksgiving my heart was full knowing Forgotten Voices was in good hands while my family celebrated a holiday not celebrated in southern Africa. Today, I want to give thanks to God for an amazing man in Africa who daily provides leadership on the ground. Please join me in praying for Remmy. -Ryan
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Remmy Hamapande, Africa/Zambia Director, Forgotten VoicesRemmy Hamapande is a highly respected servant leader among the many communities to which his ministry extends.
Originally from Livingstone, Remmy gained valuable business experience working for Barclay’s Bank, before moving to Ndola to pursue God’s calling towards theological education. He is a 2007 graduate of the Theological College of Central Africa (TCCA).
Remmy joined Forgotten Voices International as the Zambian Program Director in 2008. He communicates with and visits church-lead projects throughout Zambia which are in partnership with Forgotten Voices to care for children orphaned by AIDS. With his business skills, Remmy helps our partners create sustainable solutions within their individual community. His unique combination of business savvy and a pastor’s heart enable him to serve as an ally and advisor to Zambian churches, and a representative of these churches to the broader Forgotten Voices family. In 2011, Remmy became Africa Director, overseeing our operations in Africa.
In his own community, Remmy serves as Associate Pastor of Children’s Ministry at his local congregation. He also recently served as Chair of Christian Education for Zambia by the Zambia Brethren in Christ conference.
Remmy is the proud husband of Irene (also a TCCA graduate) and uncle to Giney, whom he and Irene are raising. Amongst all his other responsibilities, Remmy is also the chief cook in his family, making sure a good meal is waiting on the table when the busy women in his family return from work and school each day!
Reflecting on a visit to see a church distributing school supplies and fees, Remmy writes,
“There is nothing that satisfies my heart [more] than seeing these little ones smile again and look into the future through an education you are helping them receive because of your help. Remember, God will never ‘..forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them’ Hebrews 6: 10.”
Watch a video about Remmy from Ryan, President of Forgotten Voices.
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My tea party buddy, Avery, age 1
On an evening earlier this week, my 1 year old daughter, Avery, and I were playing in our living room. I had just returned home from a painful and overwhelming day at work, immediately on the heels of a long series of travel to tell the story of Forgotten Voices. For some reason Avery and I were not connecting. Though I had my tea cup and I was serving tea to a host of invited stuffed animals, I think she knew I was still traveling in my mind. Thinking about the children who were suffering that night because we lacked money. Thinking about the challenges faced by supporters losing jobs or suffering from pay cuts. Thinking about a whole number of things not related to tea parties with Avery and her stuffed friends.
Then a burst of joy hit me in the heart. I looked at the loving way Avery was serving tea to her pink pig, occassionally lifting the spoon to offer me some. So generous. So patient. She knew I wasn’t there, but still offering more. “Tea. Dadda. Tea. More.”
God is kinda like Avery. Or rather through Avery, I often get to see a glimpse of God. Infinitely patient with us, offering us more of Himself when the cold shoulder is more of what the world has to offer.
As I took another sip of Avery’s fake tea, I experienced real joy and the delight of our God. I started laughing, as I felt the embrace of my God. Avery, seeing a change in me, flopped down on my stomach, giggling too. As she slobbered all over me, giving me kisses and her cute little hugs over and over, I was thankful in a profound way for all the little ways God pours out love on us.
In our busy and preoccupied world, it is sometimes hard for us to be still… to give thanks. I know our partners in Africa and my daughter Avery continue to teach me the value of being still to see and experience unexpected hope in unexpected places.
Know that on behalf of our partners in Africa and the children we love to serve, I’m thankful for your investment in our mission. Today and tomorrow on Thanksgiving may you experience the love of our God. May you find rest and joy in His embrace. Be still and give thanks.
I love you and am thankful for you.
-Ryan
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This month at TEN TOGETHER, a campaign to support Forgotten Voices, we are focusing on clarity in the midst of chaos. Through the monthly video, a church volunteer named Desire challenges us to create God-centered environments to make sure the team is functioning clearly to share God’s love and service. How does this happen? Explore this month’s study to learn how.
Lesson 5: How can you serve with a God-centered spirit?
- Roots: Read Romans 7:6. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. (NIV)
- Trunk: You are empowered to serve others by the Holy Spirit. Our actions must first come from God, poured out through us, as we allow ourselves to be used. The impetus for our actions is not us trying to be good Christians, but instead driven from a quiet peace from God and His desire to work through us. If we merely follow rules of the church of society to do good, without the love of God at the center, are we just nice people?
- Limbs: List some ideas about new locations to serve and how you can be more involved in the community. In that service, what are some ways you can work together to keep a God centered environment for your team and the people you interact with in your service?
- Leaves: Explore why do you serve? What motivates you to help others?
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The sun was soaking, but the 35 peasant farmers braved the heat to gain some knowledge on Foundations For Farming methods of growing crops. It is yet again corn planting season in the southern African region. Corn, or maize as commonly called here, is the region’s staple food. For the first time, Zambia’s Forgotten Voices partners were this morning and afternoon exposed to better methods of farming. The facilitator,Pastor Hamweenda, a Theological College of Central Africa (TCCA) graduate himself, took the participants through the stages of realizing most probably an exciting yield of their lifetime. He spoke with persuasion as he related the method with God’s original desire to maintaining the natural vegetation of the land the way it was created.
It has always been a desire of Forgotten Voices International to see how the local church’s initiatives in the area of food security can be supported. It is a common thing for most households to eat one meal a day because they lack enough food for every family member. However, with such training, three meals a day is no longer a dream but a reality. We are so passionate about this because, more often than not, an orphan may receive school needs, but walk to school on an empty stomach. We are committed to coming along the local church’s ministry in meeting the physical and social needs of the orphans under their care. And the answer lies in agriculture; yes, growing more food by maximizing the potential of any given plot of land, be it small.
From the training, I could see that initial effort is very important. Nevertheless, once everything is in place, the following years become a routine. This routine eventually reduces work load for children attending school so that they do not miss class unnecessarily; the yields have been proved to increase and in some cases reaching 300% mark; food security is enhanced and eventually enough is left for sale. As our new president always says “more money in people’s pockets”. This translates into better and quality lives for all in the family. The dignity of a family is restored as they can not only feed themselves, but also pay school fees for some of their children and orphans they look after. Ultimately, good health in a family translates into a healthy community.
At the end of the training, all the nine partners represented received
some seed for a 10m x 10m (one Lima) trial portion for this years farming season. This will be enough to challenge the traditional way of farming come harvest time next year in May. Our prayer is that this training will truly enhance lives in the long run.Well, when God initiated farming in the garden of Eden, it was not meant to be a hassle, but a privilege to be part of His workmanship in fulfilling our divine mandate of stewardship. As Forgotten Voices partners with local churches in initiatives such as farming, we call upon you to join help realize household food security by donating to this cause. Be rest assured that your donation will help one more child realize a dream of eating three meals a day.
Your fellow servant in God’s ministry,
Remmy Hamapande (Africa/Zambia Programe Director)
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Dear friends, I hope this finds you well. Ellen, my father and I are on our way back to the USA. Earlier today in Ndola, Zambia we said our goodbyes to Fibion (Zimbabwe Director), Remmy (Africa/Zambia Director) and Beki (a pastor partner from Zimbabwe who traveled with us this week). Fibion & Beki also left Zambia today for Bulawayo by bus. Ellen, my dad and I are now in Johannesburg, South Africa preparing to board a 19 hour flight home (8 hrs 50 min to Senegal and then 9+ hr flight to Washington DC, with an hour layover. What a journey this always is for the passengers. You can really get to know people – for good and for bad.
Though we are sad to leave, we are obviously excited about being reunited with our families. We are thrilled to see our children and spouses. But this sad goodbye and joy that awaits us reminds me anew that our work goes on when we leave. That is the beauty of our model. While we travel and are rammed into a crowded plane, pastors are sitting bedside with those who will soon lose their lives. Pastors and caregivers are hugging children who have just lost their parents. Teachers are pushing children to dream and see life anew again after their tragic loss. All of this will happen while we soar above the clouds. I’m thankful that we are mere story tellers of what God’s church is doing to stand in the gap for the voiceless. I love that God is using His Church – His Plan A and that there is no Plan B.
I am deeply thankful for you.
Many of you have given sacrificially to the MATCH campaign while we traveled in Africa. We are thankful! I honestly don’t know where it stands, as our internet and communication access has been lagging. But I do understand we haven’t reached the $22,000 match yet. If you haven’t given yet, please consider doing so before the end of the day October 11.
The local pastors who are serving are so thankful for your investment and our ministry together with them for children who do not have a voice. When we return, we have videos and audio filled with incredible testimony to the value of our work. The internet isn’t fast enough to post those now, but please look for those as soon as we get settled back in in 2 days.
We are so thankful for you. We are thankful for your prayers, your investment, and your love. Thanks for sharing about the MATCH campaign and the on-going ways you and yours can support this ministry my life is dedicated to fully. I’m forever thankful for you.
About to board,
Pray on,
Ryan
