Christmas Blessings in Ferguson

by Ginger Stache, Chief Media Officer for Joyce Meyer Ministries

Imagine you are a child living in Ferguson, Missouri, experiencing shocking turmoil in your neighborhood with little or no understanding of what is happening around you. 

These little ones are the literal neighbors of Joyce Meyer Ministries, which is based in St. Louis. Ferguson is a neighborhood in this city that we love. 

Through our inner city outreach, the St. Louis Dream Center, and together with local churches and businesses we were able to give these kids a reminder that they are loved and valued, and to help their families as well. Every child at Koch Elementary received Christmas gifts and a food pantry based right in the school that is providing food for their families. 

The children were so excited. They talked to us about the "craziness," as they called it, they've seen around them and how their lives have been impacted. But they also said how happy they were for this day of presents. 

Thank you for allowing us to bring a little joy to our own city, as well as places in need all around the world! 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Reaching Inmates in Bulgaria

by Jack Elledge, Joyce Meyer Ministries United Kingdom Director

For 11 days in November, we had the privilege of reaching out to approximately 9,500 inmates in the country of Bulgaria, which is located in Eastern Europe. Bulgaria was once ruled primarily by communism until the early 1990s. It’s a beautiful country surrounded by mountains, but at the same time struggling with poverty on many levels. 

For many of the inmates, this outreach was the first time anyone had reached out to them while incarcerated. While they were grateful for the gift bags, they were more thankful for the love and concern that was shown to them. In every prison we heard the same thing over and over again - gratitude for Joyce Meyer Ministries showing concern for the inmates. Through the support of our partners we were able to reach out and show love and support as well as a tangible gift to approximately 9,500 inmates. 

One of the main highlights for me was a discussion that I had with Dean, a 28-year-old inmate. Eight years ago Dean lost his grandmother, who was one of the only people who showed him love. When Dean lost his grandmother he became very angry with God, blaming Him for her death. As a result, Dean turned his back on God and began to get in trouble with the law. But over the last year, Dean has come back to the Lord and told me that it was in part due to Joyce’s books. 

As Dean puts it, "I'm thankful for coming to this place because being in prison I have come back to the Lord.” Dean has six more years to serve before his release but those years will be easier to serve because of his recommitment to Jesus. 

Overall, this prison outreach to Bulgaria was a fantastic success; we had open doors at every turn as well as the support from each prison. The inmates were very thankful for our visit and support. Our prayer is that their lives will never be the same, and that as they read Joyce’s books, the Holy Spirit will confront them with the truth and they will turn to Jesus as their Saviour.

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Pirates, Addicts, Prisons and God’s Love

by Brad Senekal, African Outreach Director

Earlier this year we had the privilege of reaching out to 738 prisoners in the Seychelles, a group of islands off the eastern coast of Africa. Set in the midst of truly spectacular beauty and relative stability, one may not recognize the pain and suffering experienced by many. 

For many of the inmates their lives, until that point (before incarceration), had been more of a taste of hell than of the paradise tourists experience. Seychelles has one of the highest intravenous drug usage per capita globally, falls within a piracy as well as drug/human/weapons trafficking shipping route, and faces growing break-down of the family unit. 

The Seychelles prison system recognizes the issues and are committed to rehabilitate not just punish inmates. I was so impressed by their openness to our visit and the commitment to transformation by the chaplain and other leadership. 

Through the support of our partners, we got to tell Somalian pirates that God loves them and give them Joyce’s books in Somali. We also were able to talk to heroin addicts about healing and restoration…and with women about how God restored Joyce after sexual abuse and how He can do the same for them! 

But we aren’t stopping with this one trip… in addition to the hygiene gift bags and books, we’ll be putting Joyce on their prison radio, and providing flash drives so they can receive her TV program. Our hope is to spread the Gospel and turn the tide against the works of the enemy. 

Please pray for the inmates, and the officials, God is doing something special there. 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Sharing the Love of Christ in the Middle East

We recently received an update on behalf of one of our partners on the ground responding to the crisis in Iraq: 

He visited an area where most of the Christians who fled from Qarakosh and Mousel are taking refuge. It was heart breaking seeing thousands upon thousands of displaced Iraqis. 

The churches have opened their doors and every empty building is a place of refuge. All the schools have been used to host the refugees. There is a huge problem as schools are filled with displaced families and this means that children can't go back to school. Some of these families are living in tents with a temperature hitting nearly 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). He couldn’t stay more than 10 minutes in one of the tents because of the heat. 

What touched his heart were children with smiles and laughter in the midst of pain. It's amazing how even in the midst of tragedy, joy can still be found among these children. 

The area where refugees have fled is receiving humanitarian aid for the Christians from NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) as it is still a relatively safe place to be for now. But still the need is huge. 
However, the area where the majority of Yazidis are, and the surrounding areas, are not receiving aid from humanitarian agencies as it is relatively dangerous to go to these areas. Our ministry partner went there with the protection of an army general and met with Yazidis families. They are living in horrific circumstances. Some have no tents, no water and no aid! What we gave was able to help some but there are more than 200,000 families in great need. 

Keep praying for: 

• Protection and the mercies of God on the displaced families
• The hope of the Gospel to go out and reach thousands. We were able to give out Bibles to many of the families.
• Jesus to reveal Himself in a powerful way to everyone taking refuge
• Dreams and revelations in the midst of pain and suffering 

Let us believe it, not just in words, but also in our prayers. He is above and more powerful than anyone or anything!  

The need is overwhelming and great. Thanks for your generosity, as we were able to feed 600 families for one week with basic dry food. The local supermarket was surprised that we came all the way from the West with support to help their people that he donated 70 meals on top of what we bought. 

Thank you for your support that helps us reach these families. Please continue to pray with us for this devastating situation.

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Finding Freedom at the Genesis Men’s Home

“Something in me that night decided to pray to God,” Dakota recalls. For Dakota Rodick, a former drug addict, this was the beginning of a new journey, and it all started with a simple prayer. 

Dakota grew up in a home where both parents battled alcohol and drugs, and it wasn’t long before he developed a curiosity, which was satisfied when his father introduced him to methamphetamine as a teenager. For a year and a half after that pivotal moment, Dakota shot heroin and became addicted to meth. 

At fourteen, Dakota started working and by seventeen, still a child but living like an adult, he had a house and a truck and was about to be married. But since being introduced to the needle, his addiction took over. He lost everything and was soon surviving from one homeless shelter to another. 

“I had reached a point of desperation where I could not do anything for myself right…” says Dakota. Staying at a homeless shelter in Kansas City, Missouri, he realized he couldn’t figure things out on his own, so he desperately prayed, begging for God’s help. Within days, a complete stranger staying in the same shelter bought him a bus ticket and he was soon on his way to St. Louis, Missouri, to begin a new life. 

Shortly after arriving in St. Louis, Dakota went to the St. Louis Dream Center, an inner-city outreach of Joyce Meyer Ministries, where he met Pastor Kendrick and immediately felt a sense of peace. As director of the Genesis Men’s Home, a residential twelve-month discipleship program, Pastor Kendrick accepted Dakota as a resident on the spot. Soon after, for the very first time, Dakota publically acknowledged Jesus as His Lord and Savior. He was even able to reach out to his dad, the one who had introduced him to drugs in the first place. 

Seeing Dakota free from his addiction sparked something in his dad—he, too, wanted to be free. Now, both men are part of the Genesis Men’s Home, and Dakota and his dad are pursuing God together having discovered life free from drugs and alcohol. Dakota says, “I believe that without loving others and helping others – I am nothing.” 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Sharing God’s Heart with Namibia

by Jon Essen, Staff Writer

Flying into the beautiful African nation of Namibia, my heart was expectant that God had great things in store for us in the days ahead. 

Namibia is located on the Southwest part of Africa, and is one of the least densely populated countries in the world, with a population of a little over two million people. 

Through the generous support of the friends and partners of Joyce Meyer Ministries, the ministry put on a two-day Festival of Life event to unite the churches and Christians of Namibia, while sharing the Gospel with those who had never heard it before. 

Worship was led each evening by Hillsong South Africa, and it was incredible to watch the people enjoy God’s presence during the event. 

I met a woman, who shared that she had been praying for 10 years that God would send Joyce Meyer to the nation of Namibia, in order to unite and bring a heart of revival to the Christians there. 

Joyce was absolutely in her element, and passionately shared with the people that God didn’t want them to live in complacency, and that His heart for them was to change their thinking by letting go of past pains and disappointments, and to take hold of a whole new way of living. 

There was a special time of prayer where Joyce felt led to bring out and hold up the nation’s flag, and prayed for God to reveal His heart of love to the people of Namibia. 

As I prepared on the last night to leave the outdoor stadium where the event was held, I realized something: 

I’m not the only one who has been expecting God to do great things in the nation of Namibia…and there’s so much more in store for this country. 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Safety for Street Children

Recently we had the honor of dedicating the new Hope Center in Madagascar. In the capital city of Antananarivo there are thousands of street children who are in desperate need of safety, food and love. The Hope Center will be able to provide that for some of them. 

The Hope Center dedication was simply amazing and full of joy. Dave and Joyce were welcomed by hundreds of children thundering loud with excitement. 

Centrally located in perhaps the poorest area of Antananarivo, Madagascar, the new center will provide hot meals, access to showers and protection from those who would want to harm them. Many of the children we met will be able to sleep with a pillow and blanket for the very first time. 

Many of the children, who are living on the streets through no fault of their own, have faced sexual abuse and the constant fear of human trafficking. Many are even fighting disease and malnutrition due to a lack of basic life necessities. 

Now, hundreds of children will be able to find solace from the dangers of the streets, and the care they desperately need. We know we can’t help every single child, but we are honored to be able to help as many as we possibly can. 

Thank you for partnering with us to change these children’s futures…one safe night at a time. 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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A Night in Madagascar

Ginger Stache, Chief Media Officer for Joyce Meyer Ministries 

Our first night in Antananarivo, Madagascar, I met a mother who lives on the streets with her six children. They showed me how they wait until long after dark each night to find a spot on the street so that they won't be forced to move. They lay out cardboard for their beds and build makeshift tents out of plastic they find in the trash to protect themselves from the weather. 

They take turns sleeping to protect one another from violence and the children from being picked up and trafficked. The children were filthy, hungry and absolutely beautiful. My heart broke into many pieces as I sat on the street with them and they shared their life with me. 

Yesterday we brought those children and tens of thousands of Madagascar's street kids together for a day of their very own. A day free of fear and hunger and we told them they were loved and had value. They danced, sang and laughed. 

It was a great day - one I'll never forget and hopefully they won't either. Thanks for making this day possible and for sending these children your love from around the world. 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Bringing Hope to Thousands in Tulsa

Erin Cluley, Staff Writer 

At first glance, it appeared to be a dreary, soggy day. But as you got closer to the OneOK Field in Tulsa, Oklahoma, it was indisputable that something special was about to take place. Thousands of people lined up outside the baseball field, excited for what was about to happen. 

On Friday, June 6, Hand of Hope and several other churches and organizations partnered with GUTS Church for their Friday Groceries with Joyce event. In a city where so many in the community are struggling, this day was designed to meet practical needs, and most importantly, share the hope found in Christ. 

Every person who came through the gates of the stadium received a hot lunch, free groceries to last their family for a week, and the opportunity to get free haircuts, medical and dental screenings, diapers, kids shoes, and legal advice. 1,000 bikes were also given away to some very excited kids. 

Donna Mobley, who lives on a fixed income, has 7 grandchildren, 3 of whom live with her. She arrived at 9:30 pm Thursday evening to assure she would get bikes for her grandkids, despite the storms that moved through the night while she waited. Donna said this event was one of the coolest things she’s ever seen take place in the community, primarily because an event like this “gives the children hope.” 

Before the giveaway began, Joyce shared a message of hope to the attendees, encouraging them to keep going and expect something good to happen to them and through them each day. 

Partners, you are the reason events like this can happen. You are why so many families have food this week, and why kids who would have never had a new bike, road home on their new wheels with a huge smile that day. Thank you for sharing hope. 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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A Spring of Hope in the Amazon Jungle

Chad Trafton, Staff Writer 

Nestled in the Peruvian jungle, Zungaro Cocha is one of hundreds of villages you may not find on a map but populate much of the Amazon River coastline. 

Although it’s Autumn, it feels a lot like Summer, with temps in the 90s bolstered by high humidity from frequent showers. Makeshift wood and cement houses with simple metal roofs line the muddy roads of this community. 

Most families have little more than a table and a few chairs, along with a wood-burning stove and a place to sleep. Many don’t even have this. And until recently, no one had access to clean water. Dirty water from the Amazon and its tributaries regularly makes them sick, bringing parasites and other diseases into the community. 

Thanks to you, Joyce Meyer Ministries’ Hand of Hope recently built a church and installed a fresh-water well in Zungaro Cocha, bringing physical and spiritual help to thousands. 

Gilberto Ahuanari pastors the church. For the past three years, they held services in a dilapidated house, not even able to keep out the rain. They prayed for an answer, and the Lord gave them Zechariah 6:15: “And those who are far off shall come and help build the Temple of the Lord.” 

“I didn’t know where it would come from,” says Pastor Ahuanari. “But its you. It’s a gift from God.” 

“Since I was a kid, I saw suffering from water,” says church member Ester Yahuarcani. People had a lot of disease…now they don’t. Now God has blessed us.” 

Over and over, the people we meet tell us, “You are the answer to our prayers.” Friends and partners, you are here in the Peruvian jungle, bringing hope and God’s love to so many along the Amazon River. 

Thank you for being a part of the answer. 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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His Love Knows No Bounds

Kim Schmied, Hand of Hope 

After spending a week in the remote jungles of Peru on a Hand of Hope medical/dental missions outreach, I am reminded yet again that God’s love truly knows no bounds.  

It is a truth that has been well established in my soul for many years, yet every time I experience God on the mission field, it manages to catch me off guard as if I am discovering it for the very first time. I am reminded that there is no heart His love cannot reach, no soul beyond His grasp, no individual outside his line of vision. 

In each corner of the world, the needs of the people look different. In some places, like Ethiopia, they are glaringly obvious and visually devastating. While in others, like the jungle village of Mazan, Peru, you have to look a little more closely to see them. You may not see belly after belly distended in malnourishment or bodies riddled with disease. But you will see severe tooth infections and open wounds that when left untreated could easily become just as life threatening. You will see babies covered from head to toe in scabies and mommas hoping and praying that their children find some relief. 

The heartache of a mother watching her child suffer is the same regardless of geographic location or the severity of the physical condition. But just as the heartache is the same, so too is the joy and hope they experience when offered a solution. 

Whether that solution is a tooth extraction or medicine or the sound of her child’s carefree laughter as they blow bubbles and get sufficiently tickled while waiting in line, each person that comes through our clinic is touched and changed. Each one is reminded that they haven’t been forgotten and that there is a God in Heaven who not only loves them, but who will go to great lengths to reveal Himself to them. 

During our five days of clinic in Mazan, we were able to treat 2,541 patients, extract 304 teeth, dispense 8,651 prescriptions and lead 593 people to the Lord. The fact that God has chosen to partner with us, His children, to fulfill His purposes in the Earth is a humbling realization. And then to experience that partnership firsthand is nothing short of a divine privilege. 

With every medical outreach we do, we have a unique opportunity to meet people in their time of need. And through that need, we have an even more unique opportunity to introduce them to the God who sent us, shower them with His love, and give them a hope for the future that will last long after the medications are gone.

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Praising God In the Storm

Looking out their window, Robert and Judy could see the tornado forming near their home in Mayflower, Arkansas. They sought safety in their safe room…the only thing from their home that was left standing when the dust settled. 

“I give God all the praise and glory because it was Him who kept us safe. And I’m thankful for the sweet people who He sent to be an extension of Himself and thankful for the ministry who supports all this.” 

Those sweet people God sent were from the Arkansas Dream Center, who we’ve partnered with to bring relief to those in Mayflower who were devastated in the F4 tornado. We also partnered with North Little Rock First Assembly to help those in Vilonia, a nearby town that was also hit hard. 

Because of the financial donations of the friends and partners of Joyce Meyer Ministries, we’ve been able to provide food, cleanup and basic necessities following the storm. 

We love the opportunity to help those in need, and are so thankful to everyone who helps make outreaches like this possible. 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Backpacks in the Jungle

Ginger Stache, Chief Media Officer of Joyce Meyer Ministries

Nine-year-old Jarumy hurried straight home after school and broke out her new colored pencils. She and 500 smiling kids in the jungle of Peru received a gift today of backpacks and school supplies. Jarumy's Vice Principal said it was like Christmas for these students and their teachers. And the parents were in tears. 

Joyce Meyer Ministries Hand of Hope may have handed out these backpacks but our partners are the heart that made it possible. Thanks for giving so many of us a great day and for allowing us to show Christ's love in such a fun way.  

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Prison Outreach Update: South Carolina

Roy Lormis, Prison Outreach Supervisor

We just returned from our prison outreach to South Carolina. At the first facility we visited we handed out the gifts to the offenders and then scheduled to return in the evening for a service. The service was not previously scheduled; however, meeting the warden and giving him the box of gifts for him and the box of gifts for the staff opened the door. 

At this facility a young man had given his soap to another inmate who needed some. He had told his mom about this a couple of days before our arrival. She had told him to pray. He had asked his brother if he could help him with some money to get soap from the prison store, a request his brother denied. His need was filled though when we showed up and gave everyone soap, shampoo and Joyce Meyer books. He was blown away that God would answer his prayer in a way he never even thought possible! 

We continued to see God work and move in men’s hearts. In a maximum security unit, where we had to put protective gear on just to hand out the gifts, we saw a lot of men in total disbelief that someone would come to where they are to give them something without expecting anything in return. 

At the Broad River Correctional Institution we were allowed to have a service with 69 men in attendance. This was a maximum security prison and they don’t let a great number of guys out at a time. The good news was that the service was piped throughout the prison and recorded so it could be replayed over and over. I know God uses the gifts as a tool to open the hearts of the men and women we visit. 

On this trip we handed out 11,370 gift bags, held five services and had 104 come to Christ. Of the 13 prisons we visited, two were on medical lock-down. They had a flu epidemic and under quarantine. Some of the offenders will get the books (“Be Healed in Jesus’ Name) we left for them when they come off of lock-down 

Blessings,
Roy Lormis  

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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How One Goat Changed The Life Of This Mother And Her Baby

by Laura Matheny, R.N. – HOH Medical Outreach Coordinator

In February, I had the privilege of leading a Hand of Hope medical missions team into Niger in Central West Africa. Niger is a place of great need, both spiritually and physically. Our medical/dental clinic was an incredible open door for the people to experience God’s love and hear the message of salvation. It was truly an honor to serve them. 

The highlight of our trip was one of the last patients we saw. Her name was Fatisima. She was about 1 month old and weighed a little under 6 pounds. 

This baby came to us very malnourished because her mother wasn't able to produce enough milk to feed the baby. In fact, this woman had lost 5 babies already due to the inability to provide enough milk for them. Fatisima was her sixth child, and was quickly heading down the same path. But her mother had heard about our clinic and came to us with hopes that we could help her. 

Unfortunately, there was nothing we could do about her milk supply...so we bought her a goat instead. There is a "goat milk" program in Niger that involves feeding malnourished children. It has had high success rates and so we asked the mother if she had a goat. She did not...and was not able to afford to buy one. So, for $60, we bought her a goat to take home with her and use the milk to feed her baby.  

When we told her about the goat, she was so happy! Finally, she has hope that one of her children will live! 

What a privilege it was to be a part of such an awesome act of love. While we were driving out of the clinic, our last sight was this mother and her child leaving with a goat...and a new hope for a better future. 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Meet Pastor Alex from our St. Louis Dream Center

My name is Alex Bryant, and I am the new director of the St. Louis Dream Center. In July of last year my wife, Angela, and I (along with our 5 kids) moved here from sunny Southwest Florida. We did this for one reason: we believe that people want to be a part of something bigger than they are! And what is happening at the St. Louis Dream Center is definitely bigger than all of us. 

My family is from the Midwest, and my mother has been a student of Joyce’s teaching for many years, so, I was familiar with the DC. I knew that the staff and volunteers had been meeting the needs of inner city kids and adults for a number of years. Great things have been happening for a while – long before I arrived. So, when the opportunity arose for us to come and be a part of what’s going on, we jumped at the chance! 

Having grown up in the housing projects in a town just north of St. Louis, I know what it’s like to be poor and needy. I have eaten the government cheese and peanut butter. I have gone to school with clothes that were worn out and didn’t fit. But, God had His hand on my life the whole time. 

I made it out of the ‘hood’ through education! Educating my heart with the knowledge that Christ is real and has a plan for my life. Educating my mind, through college, developing the tools necessary to fulfill this plan. I feel like God has been preparing me for this all my life!

God has given us an even bigger vision for the ministry here at the Dream Center and the surrounding community, the 21st Ward. We want to see more people move from where they are (perhaps homeless or in extreme poverty) to become productive members of society. We want to help them get GEDs and higher education that will help them get better jobs to support their families. We want to help them develop life skills (e.g. personal finance, parenting, and social acumen) that will help them feel more confident about accomplishing their dreams and goals. We want to teach them God’s Word so they will know His values and His expectations for their life. And then we want to release them into the community with the mandate to help us fulfill the Great Commission!

I made it out and now I want to help as many people as possible make it out too. If I can do it, so can they! Pray for us as we continue to grow the scope and reach of the St. Louis Dream Center. If we all work together we can achieve more.

THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Pastor Alex 
Executive Director of the SLDC

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Medical/Dental Missions in El Salvador

In January, Wade Hosseini, Medical Outreach Coordinator for Joyce Meyer Ministries, led a team of medical and dental volunteers into El Salvador to provide care for people in need. Here’s what Wade and his team experienced there: 

Thanks to God, our team had a phenomenal experience in El Salvador. Many people were treated medically/dentally and more importantly, lives were touched eternally. Lives were transformed right before our eyes through the simple gift of vitamins and medications that we were able to provide. Patients were heard saying, “no one has ever given me anything.” The extension of Christ’s love made a lasting impact to over 3,500 people! I can’t say enough good things about the El Salvadorians, such humility, generosity, and compassion was shown toward our team. 

Among the 3,537 people treated through our week of clinics there, 373 came to know Jesus Christ as their savior. Our team has many stories of how God worked through our mission in El Salvador, but these two stand out: 

• Our team was able to change the life of a young boy. Having been born with a speech issue due to underdeveloped oral tissue underneath his tongue, his speech had always been slurred. With the medical supplies our team had on hand, a small procedure was done, freeing his tongue to move. Eventually this will help with his annunciation of words. Catching this early on in his life, will enable him to one day speak perfectly clearly.  

• A frantic mother brought a baby in with a severe fever. As she was unable to afford the necessary emergent care, we treated the child and we were able to bring the fever down and prevent the child form having seizures as a complication, which had happened in the past the mother said. Happy we were there to help! 

Medically, these are really simple treatments and procedures, the kind we might take for granted. But to these people, our work there literally changed the course of their lives! And of course, the best part about it is that God was glorified in this work. Thanks to our Partners and all the medical/dental volunteers who make these outreaches possible 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Muffins For Missions

Recently, Hand of Hope, the world missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries, received this letter from a 9 year-old little girl in Florida. Like Joyce, medical issues in her own family opened up her heart for those who are in need around the world. 

Dear Hand of Hope, 

I am nine years old and I live in St. Augustine, Florida. This past summer my dad had to have heart surgery. He had an aortic aneurism and a bad valve. He was able to get help at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. I thank God that my dad still lives today. 

My mom told me about Hand of Hope and about people who need help in other countries. I’m not innocent. I forget about them too. I am very thankful that my dad was able to get medical help but also sad for the people who couldn’t. That’s when I decided to have a bake sale to raise money for medical missions. I made invitations and put them all over my neighborhood and sent some to friends. 

Many people came, and we raised $176. Please use this money for medical missions. We prayed over the bake sale a lot and we thank God for the amount we raised. 

With love, 
G.J.  

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Finding Home in Serving Others

Sarah Foster, St. Louis Dream Center Assistant

Queen of the hill, she had everything at her fingertips. She was the star of her college’s women’s basketball team. A career in the WNBA seemed all but certain. She was on top of the world, and nothing was going to bring her down. But sometimes life has a way of knocking us to our knees…that’s what the rape did to her. That’s what two basketball-related injuries did to her. She gave up, she let go. She succumbed to the humbling blows that came her way. 

Fast forward to today – past the years she spent as a drug dealer, past the years of depression, past the moment when she was asked to leave her sister’s house because she couldn’t kick her drug habit. Today, you’ll find the former queen of the hill serving others at the St. Louis Dream Center as a volunteer in the food pantry. “Good morning!” she says cheerfully as the next client walks past the desk with a grocery cart. She carefully gathers the food items and hands them over with a friendly smile. When watching her, it’s almost as if she were born for this. 

In fact, she was in the grocery business for eleven years, much of that time managing stores throughout the southeast. This is her “niche.” It’s apparent this isn’t just a woman fresh off the streets, working hard to leave the drugs in her past; you see her as something more. You begin to see her as God sees her: A woman with hope and a future. A woman with a smile. A woman with joy. A woman who has found a family and a home. 

Meet Kasha Doomes. Right now she may be “homeless,” bouncing from friend’s house to friend’s house as she diligently works to get her life back in order, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a home. When asked to describe the Dream Center in one word, “inspirational” is what immediately comes from her mouth. 

“This place feels like family, it feels like home. Sometimes I don’t want to leave at the end of the day, but I know I have to.” She hopes to one day open a home or facility that will help women who have experienced similar difficult situations in their lives. She wants to take the inspiration she has received from the Dream Center and pass it along to others in need. She would also like to write a book. 

What would she say to someone that is considering volunteering at the Dream Center? “It’s a good environment. Being here will not only teach you a lot about other people; it will teach you about yourself. It will help you to see who you really are if you don’t already know.” 

Kasha needed something positive, a better place to be. She needed somewhere to invest her time, a good environment. When it seemed like her life couldn’t get any darker, a friend introduced her to the Dream Center and volunteering. She was in search of doing something good with her time. In turn, she found inspiration. She found hope. She found a family. She found home. 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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