Thank You for All Each Has Given

In Wisdom, GOD, through King Solomon provided Proverbs which is 31 chapters of wisdom. In several of those chapters, it is replete with verses that make it clear God is focused with love for those that are poor and takes offense when His children, we the believers in Christ Jesus, neglect them.

Clearly, wisdom is shared concerning the consequences of ignoring the plight of the poor in Proverbs 21:13 by the statement, “If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry and it will not be heard”.  In keeping with other senses most are blessed to have there is a stronger statement of wisdom from Proverbs 28:27, “He who shuts his eyes [to the poor] receives many curses.

There are other areas where statements or comments appear, like in Genesis 19, where among the many sins pointed out of Sodom it is said her people were "arrogant, overfed, and indifferent; they did not help the poor and the needy.”

Moreover, the New Testament is equally clear on how we are to care for the poor. In one verse, which aptly sums up our expected charity we find in a first of 3 letter from John it states, “If anyone has material goods and sees his brother in need but has no mercy on him, how can the love of God be in him? Ouch! Furthermore, it goes on to state, “Dear children, do not love with words or with tongue, but with deeds and with truth” (1 John 3: 17-18).

Jesus however was prolific in detail as written in Matthew 25: 31-46. These words from Jesus is specific to the Gentiles which precedes the millennial reign of Christ and is often referred to as the “judgment of the nations,” in which those who have gathered before Christ will be divided into two groups: the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. Those on the left will be sent to “eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (verse 41), while those on the right will receive their eternal inheritance (verse 34). Note, however, the language that Jesus uses to address these separate groups. Sheep are called righteous to have taken action to care for the poor, the sick, the incarcerated and the vulnerable. Goats, on the other hand, are to be punished for their lack of concern and action towards those in need. When those that are called Sheep ask Him when they did these things, Jesus responds by saying, "Whatever you have done to one of these least of my brethren, you have done to me.

Remember, one of the reasons we were created is to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us, and those “good works” Christ speaks of in Matthew 25 include caring for the poor and the suffering. In the book of James verse 2:26, says, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead.  We are to take actions. It is a sin to know that we are to do something and yet we ignore to do it for one that does such it is a sin.

Likewise, again in the first letter by John he said, “The man who says, 'I know him,' but not doing as he commands is a liar and the truth is not in him. Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2: 4, 6). These are all calls to action in the life of a believer of Jesus Christ.

Consider the words of Christ himself: "If you love me, you will obey what I command" (John 14:15). The words of Jesus gives us a vision of his heart for the poor and instructions on how to care for them. If we have real faith in Jesus, we must also share his concern for the poor. Jesus commanded us to love one another (John 13: 34-35). Moreover, what better way to demonstrate the love, kindness, and compassion of Jesus Christ than to reach out to the “least of us” the children, the orphans, the hungry, the ones that struggle daily in a community that also struggles and can provide nothing better. In a video voiced by our CEO and founder Willy Ouma, an orphan himself, he speaks of how the poor are trapped in a repeating cycle of Poverty. Willy points out with support, food, some education, some care, and Spiritual values, the least of these can break this cycle of Poverty and teach others the same.  Jesus Christ overcame the world by taking action on the cross. Therefore, when believers in Jesus Christ take action to these needs as is done for GIVE HOPE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL to provide the path to help each one of those children break out of the cycle of poverty. By helping, it is possible the least of these are enabled with personal testimony to share with the poor and needy such that in their own communities they show the way, the truth and the life through Christ Jesus to help them rise out of Poverty.

I think about the truth of Romans 3:23 to remind us that “All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of GOD”, it can be rewritten to state, we have sinned by not doing what we have been commanded and thus we have robbed GOD of Glory.

I do not write all these things to make the reader feel bad or urge giving for this ministry. Instead I write to inform you and challenge you to know that you actions have very far reaching and lasting results to improving the life of these children who will become adults and teach their children as well and over several generations the cycle of Poverty shall be reduced. I would not say it will abolish the poor and needy, Jesus made the statement “You will always have the poor…” I write to challenge you to cause Jesus more work in construction, as he stated: “In my Father’s house there are many mansions, I go there to prepare a place…” Well as you give and help and offer what you can to others especially those that are called the least of these by Christ Jesus himself, you also store up treasures in heaven. Therefore, I challenge you to build up so many treasure that Jesus Christ will just have to prepare more rooms in the mansions in His Father’s house. I assure you He will not mind making this expansion, as He is after all a Carpenter’s son, so He has the Holy Skill set!

We are blessed tremendously to have the provisions and support with new projects like our 3 level building and may awesome past projects posted within our website where there are examples of how your actions are releasing children from the cycle of poverty trap they have faced in the past. Look at the faces of each child, each teacher, our staff, the caregivers, then realize you are showing the word of GOD as coming true. You are what Jesus Christ calls “Sheep” on his right hand. Since you are taking a portion of what GOD has provided you, you are forming in the heavenly places, “Welcome Good and Faithful Servant” in your day of your homecoming. Take a moment and be humbled that your Holy Father in heaven through Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit in you as a believer, is looking upon this earth and He sees the face of His Holy Angels who are looking at the face of the least of these...

The Apostle Paul writes: “We are confident the HE who started a good work in you will keep it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6. What you have done in your support of this ministry will carry on long after you have had your homecoming and walk in the cool of the day with Jesus himself our Lord and Savior one day.

We thank each of you for giving these past years and supporting Give Hope Ministries International, setting each of the least of these on a path that will help them become that good work that was started by your actions of obedience to the command to Love one another, care for the Widows and Orphans.

Glory to GOD, Praise for each of You. In Christ Jesus and with the uttering groans of the prayer of the Holy Spirit as each of us ought to pray the will of GOD. May the Peace of God be known by your heart and keep you humble before GOD.

Realize each person in Christ Jesus through this ministry has contributed a chance of salvation in these good works being the "fruit" or proof, that believers in Christ have provided for them, the little children, the chance of being saved by grace (Ephesians 2: 8-10). Christ will indeed be accompanied by undeniable proof of transformation when the least of these share their own testimonies and share the good news of the Gospel and many will come to Salvation. God after all does desire that ALL come to salvation.

We at GHMI.org give thanks and ask GOD’s face to shine upon you in every good circumstance.

We Love you all in Christ Jesus and again on behalf of the over 400 that you now support, Thank You!

In Christ, Amen and Amen.

Ray E Smith

Board of Directors

All Storms Pass in GOD’s Timing

We at Give Hope Ministries International.org (GHMI.org) rejoice greatly because after many months of the Global storm named COVID-19, it is beginning to pass to a lesser issue. As such in Busia Uganda at our facility, we have been certified this past week to start to fully re-open and get back to full staff and all grade levels of the children, all teachers and caregivers.

So we thank GOD and give Him all the Glory, rejoice with us in this Mercy and His Grace upon the least of these who GOD so Loves. We thank Jesus Christ for letting us know; “Not all of us will have to face physical storms of this kind. But Jesus said that we would all face the storms of life (Matthew 7:25–27). Together we have all to various degrees faced it under the mighty Love of GOD.

We thank the Holy Spirit for guiding us along the best path to keep all the chaos at a minimal level and most of all, provide all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. We also must know that GOD watches out for us all and in the statement found in Zephaniah 3:17, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” 

One of those mighty provisions are our donors and partners who, despite the world COVID-19 storm in all our lives; refused to be distracted hearts from giving and making sure that Give Hope Ministries International’s absolute needs were taken care of as we had need. We are so grateful, so very grateful.

There was some damage from an earthy rain storm at the facility, and it has been repaired just in time for the children to return. Some of our most vulnerable children needed some support such as food and clean water, and it was arranged, even if we had to get permission from the authorities, GOD paved the way in every asking event with a nod to provide. This included supplementing our teachers who would be paid at at partial salary to help and support them as well. Our GOD and some generous partners made sure this was addressed almost before the matter was presented as an issue.

Assets as we have been blessed to have like good teachers for the children are very much a blessing and GOD in his providence made sure they were provided for enough, like GOD’s Grace for us all, enough.

This week we are starting back on the 3 level building project, at phase 2 and we still need to raise the funding to complete it all, but GOD will provide, he knows people! This is a great blessing and once the facility is completed in Phase 3, we will have all the buildings needed to support the finer efforts of maintaining and updating the educational offerings, beyond the core needs we currently offer them. This will give the students the best possible education adding other classes and challenges with more curriculum to their educational toolkit to enhance their opportunities as they go further on in education and in their lives beyond graduation from Proverbs Primary School. We always will make sure that even an Orphan can have the same chance as all other children at the facility, plus their other needs met so they to can grow and thrive.

No one desires to weather a storm, but in this case, the whole of the world had to face it, but like all storms, they don’t last forever. I am thankful Noah had the Faith in GOD to know this as well, though I am sure that 40 days with obvious end in sight was a great testing of the Lord on Noah and his families faithfulness, and Trust in the Lord.

We sincerely pray for all peoples of this world that they have weathered the storm and we are grateful that we had our GOD to make sure that even where there is struggle in poverty, GOD supplied all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. We pray that the others who have not found and accepted Jesus Christ as of Yet as their Savior will see our testimony and see that GOD does keep all His promises. Which are new every morning!

 There are only several weeks left until the end of the year and though we are very grateful that our facility and children’s needs were met, we still need to build up our provision, support our projects and make sure the model of GHMI.org has the fully restored foundation that allows the sustaining model our CEO and Founder Willy Ouma set forth once again to function properly.

We ask You first to be in grateful prayer with us that the storm of COVID-19 has passed and will not return. We ask You to pray with us for all the needs, supplies and financial support that is now needed to get caught up and back on full operation.

We ask You to give as You are able, we know that You, our partners and donors were affected as well. That is why we rejoice in all that You provided by sharing the burden our burdens as You purposed in your hearts.

We have added to the image slides of the children and the facility to see the joyful and smiling faces that now return to fill the classrooms and play in the fields. These Children and the Staff at Give Hope Ministries International are the living result of our Living and Loving GOD.

Check out our homepage to see the images in the slideshow on the completed phase 1 construction and the children returning as permitted.

Praise and every Glory to GOD and Thank You for all You have done in supporting Give Hope Ministries International with Your Prayers, Financial Giving and Gifting support in the midst of our and your Storms of Life.

In closing remember just how Loving our GOD is even in a storm as paraphrased from Isaiah 54:10:  He said, “even if the mountains and the hills decide to get up and walk away from you, even if inanimate objects decide to forsake you and turn their backs on you, I WILL NOT. I am not going anywhere. I am with you. I love you, my child and we are in this together.”

God Bless everyone that reads this and takes it into his or her hearts.