Changing Zambia One Child at a Time

“sowing life into today for a greater future tomorrow”

Because we love and care for vulnerable and orphan children, we are making every effort to gather resources to help them. We are currently targeting the country of Zambia, in South Africa. There we find a country that has proclaimed itself as a Christian nation but because of extreme poverty and disease, has struggled to get on its feet. But things are changing. Though the country is filled with children who have been abandoned and left parent-less by hunger and disease, deprived of basic education and forced to spend their days barely surviving looking for hope, we are there making a difference. We believe the nation has a great potential to be a prototype for all of Africa. We know the change starts with investing in the children. We are helping establish communities where the children who are dispossessed are receiving the basics they need for today and the training they will need for tomorrow. And there is nothing as essential as food, education and care. This last year we have helped proved over 24,000 meals among 6 community schools in Zambia and we see clearly how the children are being impacted. The children we serve are not just receiving a handout, but they are being kept alive while being educated and cared for. We are helping them get their feet on the ground because they will be the leaders and the future of Zambia. We believe and know that many of these children will arise to lead their families and their country into prosperity and success. This always happens where the gospel is planted; its fruit is the most powerful force for change on the earth. This is why our passion is to impact Africa through the gospel while feeding, providing clean water, educating, and nurturing the children. We want to fill bellies, feed hungry minds, and bring children the ultimate message of hope! It’s not just about meeting the needs of a current problem, but sowing life into today for a greater hope for tomorrow. It’s about changing lives and enabling the emerging of a new Zambia, one that is lead by people who have been transformed by the values of the gospel and an expectation of good. We see a new Zambia that serves the Lord; one that is prosperous and filled with justice. We believe Zambia will manifest kingdom culture and be a leaven for all of Africa.

Contact Us:
1.800.873.1753
2385 Virginia Vista Drive
Reno, NV 89521
info@fhafrica.org

 

Education and Child Labor – it really makes a difference!

Around the world today there is said to be some 200 million children worldwide still involved in child labor (ILO: Facts on Child Labor), and some 115 million at least, are subject to its worst forms. That is hundreds of millions of children living under oppression, without hope for the future!
The more we here at Father’s Heart have learned about the facts on child labor, the more our hearts have been moved to do something about it.  Though the facts are sad and disheartening, there is an excitement in learning that the things we are currently doing are already making a difference!
Did you know that one of the best tools for eliminating child labor is education? It makes a vast difference! Our Education Fact Sheet puts it like this:

“Children who are forced out of school and into labor to help their families make ends meet are denied the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed for gainful future, thereby perpetuating the cycle of poverty and child labor…For every child that is subject to labor today is another uneducated adult or parent for the generations of tomorrow…Educating children helps reduce poverty. Education will give the next generation the tools to fight poverty and conquer disease. Educating a girl dramatically reduces the chance that her child will die before age five.  Furthermore, educated girls are likely to marry later and have fewer children, who in turn will be more likely to survive and be better nourished and educated.”

One of the most heartbreaking facts about child labor is how it reinforces the cycles of poverty and disease, stripping both children and nations of a hopeful future. No one should have to live with that, no person should start their life with their future already taken away from them! Education helps give it back. Education helps break the cycle, and creates a new one: one of empowerment and of hope, as it provides the knowledge and skills needed for the gainful future that each child deserves!

Join us today, and be a part of the movement towards ending child labor! If education is the key, let’s put that tool into the hands of as many children as possible!

Donate towards our education programs today >>

Want to read more? Check out our fact pages on Child Labor and on Education!

 

A look into the next chapter of FHA!

As we strike into a new year, Father’s Heart is excited to be launching forward with some new momentum! We’ve had a couple of things up our sleeves these last few months, and we are excited to see them begin to unfold. Our heart and our goal have always been for growth – not for our own benefit, but for the benefit of the beautiful people of Africa! And so our team has been brainstorming about expansion; not just in quantity, but in quality. We want to create an impact that reaches past our own generation, and into the hearts and lives of tomorrow’s generation! We wanted to see our reach widen and more done for God’s kingdom, for the hurting and lost, than we ever thought possible.
And so we decided it was time to do a little re-vamping! We are pleased to announce that in the coming weeks we will be launching a brand new website, and begin the transformation of a whole new look. This is going to be an exciting time! We also will be featuring a brand new logo, which highlights an acacia tree.
For us, we wanted a symbol that was our own, and decided it was time to move away from generic and over-used imagery. The acacia tree is a widely recognizable symbol that one would imagine when picturing the African plains. It has deep roots, and survives through drought, dryness and famine. It is a strong tree which provides shelter for wild animals from the soaring heat of the sun and it also provides food and nourishment. Since biblical times, the acacia tree has been a symbol of stability and resilience, and longevity.
In addition to a new logo, we also created some new goals for our website that helped us re-shape its look. We wanted it to be clean, easy to navigate, and be a better representation of the caliber of work we are doing in Zambia. But more importantly we wanted to begin to capture the hearts of a new generation, for there is no tomorrow without them! When we looked at the website, we wanted to see it change and grow the point where it felt more suitable for the future.
And so we are in the final stages of putting everything together, so be looking to hear from us soon with an announcement that it will be launching! We sure are excited, and hope you will be too. And what can we say? With growth comes expansion! We’re ready for change – how about you?

Here’s a snippet:

 

Heart Condition Healed!

This video shares the story of Ernest Sitali – a Father’s Heart child sponsorship administrator – who was healed of a very serious and life threatening heart condition. Our team ministered to him last August while we were in Lusaka doing a youth conference.

 

Our Work: Clean Water Wells

Clean water is a basic need that no one should live without, and yet around the world today some 894 million are being deprived of this necessity for life. That’s more than one in six people! Perhaps the greatest tragedy is the disease that is ravaging many in Africa for a reason that is easily reversed. Did you know that every 20 seconds a child dies as a result of poor sanitation? That’s 1.5 million preventable deaths each year!
The more we have gotten involved with Africa’s beautiful people, the more we have seen how this issues has wrecked havoc on their communities. Many draw their daily water, used for cooking, cleaning, and drinking, from dirty and polluted sources, resulting in much unnecessary pain and disease. But together we can make a difference! With our Clean Water Programs we are taking every opportunity we can to dig new wells and install pumps, so entire communities can have access to clean, safe, water, and avoid countless diseases and deaths with this one basic effort!

Join Us Today! >>

 

Ministry Update

Upcoming Event
An Exciting Opportunity

For over 15 years the Father’s Heart team and president Tom Griner have gathered thousands in football fields and even trash dumps to proclaim the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible says to go into all the world and preach the gospel - this is what we have done, and never without a harvest! More than 250,000 souls have streamed forward in these great outdoor meetings. They have come hungry and ready to give themselves to Jesus, the Lord of the Harvest.  Now, the Father’s Heart team is going to be a voice once again this November to the city of Mazabuka, Zambia. This village city of more than 50,000 people, the sugar cane capitol of Zambia, is about to receive the sweetest message it has ever heard, the message of Jesus…in word and in deed.

And you can be a voice, too.

Through prayer and financial giving your voice will be heard.  You can give a one-time gift, or become a Partner by committing to give on a monthly basis. In so doing you can come along side us in the harvest fields of Africa! Together, we can make a difference – thanks for being a voice!

Sincerely in Christ,
Tom Griner

 

FHA 2011 Youth Trip – An Awesome Journey

How fast time seems to fly! Seems like we were just preparing our team to go, and they are already back! If you want to check out some photos from the trip, visit the the page here.

It was such an exciting pleasure to follow this trip – I enjoyed getting up every morning to scout for new photos and updates from the team. One thing that was particularly exciting was the impact they had on the local youth leaders during their leadership conference. The theme of the conference was called Back To The Presence, and was about just that – getting back to being in God’s presence. They also shared about how God is good, and how He wants a loving relationship and wants to interact with you now. He wants to show kindness and hear your heart and “talk” to you. They shared their hearts about how our walk with God is not about rules and regulations, but about climbing onto the Fathers lap and being His child, and that the Father is a God who is gentle and caring, not one thats hard and afar off!! This is very different from a standard “Christian” message that is often taught in Zambia – one that is usually rigid and religious.
At first they did not seem to get the message, as it seemed so outside of the box for them. But after a few days of hearing the Word, and just enjoying God’s presence, this wonderful message began to sink in. I really believe God is doing something new among this beautiful people, and it is exciting to see it unfolding!
After the team returned we received a couple of comments from the African leaders who were there…

“Thanks for your ministry the past week here in Lusaka. It was awesome. I had debriefing with the team which came from the Southend and their feedback is very encouraging for the future of this ministry. The impact BACK TO THE PRESENCE left is visible, though invisible. ‘Thanks for letting us get soaked in His presence,’ Said one young man. Another added: ‘I went loaded and heavy, but I came back offloaded and light!’ Thanks team. You are awesome!”
- Elemon Sakala

“Thank you Lord for your presence, and the Back to the Presence team – I will never be the same again!”
- Mwape Jacob Shawa

Thank you again for all you prayers and support, and for partnering with us to make a difference!

For Africa,

Lacy Timpano
Communications Director
Father’s Heart Africa
www.fhafrica.org