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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