notes: Tornado Relief in the St. Louis Area by Hand of Hope - posted April 25, 2011 Our prayers and support are with those in St. Louis, Missouri, as they recover from an F4 tornado that struck on Good Friday, April 22. Hand of Hope has partnered with Service International (http://serviceinternational.org/home/calendar.shtml)to provide cleanup relief for the affected communities in and around Bridgeton, Maryland Heights and Ferguson. Homes, Churches and Schools Severely Damaged Churches in the area, including Gateway Central Church of the Nazarene and First Baptist Church Ferguson, had just finished their Good Friday services when the weather took a turn for the worse. Although most had cleared the buildings, stragglers were sent running for cover as both churches were hit hard by the tornado—educational wings were severely damaged and roofs torn off. Many would return home to the same fate. According to St. Louis County Emergency Operations, a total of 1,627 homes were reported damaged and 788 were considered at least partially condemned. But even amidst the devastating damage, God was clearly working. In the middle of what is considered the strongest tornado to hit St. Louis in 40 years, no one died and only a few received minor injuries. How You Can Help * Continue to pray with us for those affected. Pray that they would see God moving in this difficult situation. Pray for cleanup efforts as bad weather continues to be an issue. * If you live in the St. Louis area, Service International is accepting volunteers to help with cleanup. * Donate today! Your support helps us continue to support disaster relief efforts like this. ---- Providing Aid to Victims of Tornado Devastation by Hand of Hope - posted April 19, 2011 Our thoughts, prayers and support are with the people in the southeast United States as destructive storms and tornadoes devastated numerous communities. Sadly, 45 people have reportedly been killed by these storms; over 20 of them are from North Carolina. Because of the ongoing support of our friends and partners, Hand of Hope is able to respond to the needs of those affected by the tornadoes and destructive storms that ravaged Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia and North Carolina over the weekend. Hand of Hope is partnering with C3 Church (Cleveland Community Church) in Clayton, NC, and Manna Church in Fayetteville, NC, to provide relief for these affected areas respectively. C3 Church will be assessing the damage and needs of the people in the area, and they will provide much-needed disaster relief to bring hope, restoration and the love of Christ. Manna Church is providing meals to victims and relief workers at local shelters, bottled water and snacks to visitors and workers, as well as distributing ice to those without power. How You Can Help As victims in the southeast U.S. try to rebuild and restore what was lost, we hope you will join us in praying for quick restoration, comfort for families who lost loved ones and for the safety of those who are working on-site to provide assistance. We encourage you to donate today and help with disaster relief efforts just like this one. It's because of your prayers and support that we're able to assist when unexpected disasters occur. ---- elief Efforts Reaching the Japanese by Hand of Hope - posted April 05, 2011 As Japan continues to recover from the aftermath of the 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck on March 11, we continue to pray for those affected. But we can't stop there. Immediately after the earthquake, Hand of Hope began partnering with ministry partners Convoy of Hope, YWAM and Crash Japan to assist those in need through local churches in the affected areas. We have been able to provide bicycles to the regions most severely affected by the disaster. The bicycles are also being used by the aid workers and pastors to distribute supplies. Additionally, tire repair kits have been provided to work on the bikes as needed. Five thousand hygiene kits including soap, towels, tooth brushes and tooth paste have been packed and shipped. And another 15,000 kits with long underwear, ladies underwear, feminine hygiene items and protective masks are being prepared. Radiation Has Slowed Relief Efforts Although some support has been able to reach the people, much is still left to do since radiation leaks have slowed many of the outreach efforts in the country. In fact, continued threats to the stability of the nuclear plants, fear of radiation poisoning, loss of electricity, mandatory evacuations and more have left the people searching for relief. Pray With Us So please join us in prayer for those who have lost loved ones, have been injured or have been impacted by this disaster in any way. Here are a few specific requests: * Pray that all six nuclear power plants in Fukushima will be fully contained and God’s protection and guidance for those working to restore them. * Pray that God will protect those who live close to the forced evacuation area. * Pray for God’s intervention to dissipate the radiation and cleanse the air, the ocean and waters, and the soil. * Pray for the teams distributing relief. * Pray for the people who have lost everything and are living in shelters. Thank you for your prayers and support on behalf of the Japanese people. Please consider making a donation to disaster relief efforts today and your support can help us continue to reach out to the people of Japan and other countries affected by natural disasters. --- Torrential Rainfall Submerges Parts of Australia: How You Can Help by Hand of Hope - posted March 15, 2011 When we first heard about the flooding in Australia, we knew we needed to help in any way possible. We enlisted our friends and partners to join with us in prayer for those affected and sent funds to provide immediate support. 20,000 Homes Affected It was a perfect storm of sorts. A major rainstorm, which has been called an "Inland Tsunami," and powerful king tides (powerful ocean tides that cause large amounts of water to flow into the river) intersected in Brisbane, Australia, this week. With large amounts of fast moving water, nearly 20,000 homes are expected to have been impacted—many of which have been completed submerged. Working with Citipointe Church, we were able to mobilize volunteers to fill sandbags and assist in evacuating families from areas not yet hit. We've also set up four carepoints at strategic locations in the worst affected areas. Each carepoint, manned by at least 50 volunteers each, is providing food, clothing, blankets and other vital supplies as needed. Loaves and Fishes graciously offered their cooking facilities for us to use, as well many of the supplies being passed out at the carepoints. How You Can Help Unfortunately for the people of Brisbane, this disaster has yet to fully unfold. That's why it's so important that you help us reach as many people affected as possible. We encourage you to donate today and you can help with disaster relief efforts just like this one. Thank you for your continued prayers and support for the people of Australia. --- Mudslides in Rio de Janeiro by Hand of Hope - posted January 18, 2011 Rio de Janeiro has recently experienced brutal rains and flooding, resulting in massive mudslides. To date, the death toll from this disaster is over 650 people and continues to rise. Large areas of the region are completely inaccessible as major roadways have been washed out and are now difficult to reach. This is the worst natural disaster in Brazilian history. Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions, is partnering with Light to the Nations, Bello Ministries and El Eliom Group to assist those in need—providing water, personal hygiene items, food and clothing. Please join us in prayer for those who have lost loved ones, have been injured or have been impacted by this disaster in any way. Also, if you make a donation today, you can help us continue to provide disaster relief in the U.S. and all around the world. Thank you for your continued prayers and support for the people of Brazil. --- Haiti: One Year Later by Hand of Hope - posted January 12, 2011 You've seen it on the news. Things seem to be getting worse in Haiti. After the earthquake, the people were hit hard by Hurricane Tomas. After that, cholera began killing thousands and then recent political struggles have caused violence and demonstrations. But there's a story that's not being told on the news. Inside of all that appears to be hopeless, God is working miracles in the lives of many Haitians. And Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions is honored to be part of that story. Supporting Haiti Before the Earthquake and After Over the past year, we've been working with Love A Child, our ministry partner in Haiti, to provide earthquake relief, aid, medical care, meals and 100 new homes for earthquake survivors. "They have a great capability to reach the people and they do everything with excellence, so I knew we wanted to continue working with them after the earthquake," shared David L. Meyer, CEO of Hand of Hope, on a trip to Haiti in August 2010. What Your Support Has Accomplished This Year Here's a rundown of what the partners of Joyce Meyer Ministries have made possible over the last year in Haiti. * January 12 – The earthquake strikes Haiti at 4:53 p.m. * January 13 – We hear from Love A Child, who was already bringing people from Port-au-Prince to the Jesus Healing Center to be treated. Another team we partner with, Convoy of Hope, already had people on the ground assessing the damage and providing supplies. * January 14 – Love A Child requests a list of medical items needed. We listed them on our website and you responded in a big way. * January 20 – We send three surgeons, one ER physician, a portable X-ray machine and 904 pounds of medical supplies to Love A Child. * January and February – Supplies continue to flood into Haiti, including the monthly feeding distribution Hand of Hope helps support. * February 19 – David L. Meyer reports on our partnership with Pat Bradley, founder of International Crisis Aid. We helped partially support the rebuilding of an orphanage in Leogane. * February 25 – Families are bused in from Port-au-Prince to a special feeding distribution to receive meals. More than 1,700 families were reached—many of whom had not eaten a full meal since the earthquake. * May 24 – Love A Child founders Bobby and Sherry Burnette announce a plan to build homes for the 380 families living on their land after they lost their homes in the earthquake. Hand of Hope quickly announces they will sponsor the first 50 homes of the project for amputees or those severely injured. * August 11 – Fracimene, a widow and mother of eight, gets a sneak peek at her new home. She will be the first recipient of one of the 416 square foot homes. After seeing the quality of the new homes, Hand of Hope commits to 50 more homes. * November 5 – David and Shelly Meyer dedicate the first phase of homes—50 homes for approximately 250 people. * December 20 – Phase two—the next 50 houses—is underway. * January 12, 2011 – With phase two nearly completed, 100 families are about to have a brand new home—one that will last them for the rest of their lives. Although the year has been very hard for the Haitians, God has worked miracles in this new village—appropriately named Miracle Village. Thanks to your support, we've been able to reach out to Haitians before the earthquake, during those devastating months following it, and for years to come. If you'd like to continue to support outreaches like the ones made possible this year in Haiti, we encourage you to make a donation today. Not only are you able to reach Haiti, you're also supporting Hand of Hope outreaches worldwide. --- Contact Information http://www.joycemeyer.org/AboutUs/contact.aspx INTERNATIONAL - Australia Canada England Germany India Russia South Africa -> Tornado Relief in the St. Louis Area by Hand of Hope - posted April 25, 2011 Our prayers and support are with those in St. Louis, Missouri, as they recover from an F4 tornado that struck on Good Friday, April 22. Hand of Hope has partnered with Service International (http://serviceinternational.org/home/calendar.shtml) to provide cleanup relief for the affected communities in and around Bridgeton, Maryland Heights and Ferguson. Homes, Churches and Schools Severely Damaged Churches in the area, including Gateway Central Church of the Nazarene and First Baptist Church Ferguson, had just finished their Good Friday services when the weather took a turn for the worse. Although most had cleared the buildings, stragglers were sent running for cover as both churches were hit hard by the tornado—educational wings were severely damaged and roofs torn off. Many would return home to the same fate. According to St. Louis County Emergency Operations, a total of 1,627 homes were reported damaged and 788 were considered at least partially condemned. But even amidst the devastating damage, God was clearly working. In the middle of what is considered the strongest tornado to hit St. Louis in 40 years, no one died and only a few received minor injuries. How You Can Help * Continue to pray with us for those affected. Pray that they would see God moving in this difficult situation. Pray for cleanup efforts as bad weather continues to be an issue. * If you live in the St. Louis area, Service International (http://serviceinternational.org/home/calendar.shtml) is accepting volunteers to help with cleanup. * Donate today! Your support helps us continue to support disaster relief efforts like this. ---- Providing Aid to Victims of Tornado Devastation by Hand of Hope - posted April 19, 2011 Our thoughts, prayers and support are with the people in the southeast United States as destructive storms and tornadoes devastated numerous communities. Sadly, 45 people have reportedly been killed by these storms; over 20 of them are from North Carolina. Because of the ongoing support of our friends and partners, Hand of Hope is able to respond to the needs of those affected by the tornadoes and destructive storms that ravaged Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia and North Carolina over the weekend. Hand of Hope is partnering with C3 Church (Cleveland Community Church) in Clayton, NC, and Manna Church in Fayetteville, NC, to provide relief for these affected areas respectively. C3 Church will be assessing the damage and needs of the people in the area, and they will provide much-needed disaster relief to bring hope, restoration and the love of Christ. Manna Church is providing meals to victims and relief workers at local shelters, bottled water and snacks to visitors and workers, as well as distributing ice to those without power. How You Can Help As victims in the southeast U.S. try to rebuild and restore what was lost, we hope you will join us in praying for quick restoration, comfort for families who lost loved ones and for the safety of those who are working on-site to provide assistance. We encourage you to donate today and help with disaster relief efforts just like this one. It's because of your prayers and support that we're able to assist when unexpected disasters occur. ---- elief Efforts Reaching the Japanese by Hand of Hope - posted April 05, 2011 As Japan continues to recover from the aftermath of the 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck on March 11, we continue to pray for those affected. But we can't stop there. Immediately after the earthquake, Hand of Hope began partnering with ministry partners Convoy of Hope, YWAM and Crash Japan to assist those in need through local churches in the affected areas. We have been able to provide bicycles to the regions most severely affected by the disaster. The bicycles are also being used by the aid workers and pastors to distribute supplies. Additionally, tire repair kits have been provided to work on the bikes as needed. Five thousand hygiene kits including soap, towels, tooth brushes and tooth paste have been packed and shipped. And another 15,000 kits with long underwear, ladies underwear, feminine hygiene items and protective masks are being prepared. Radiation Has Slowed Relief Efforts Although some support has been able to reach the people, much is still left to do since radiation leaks have slowed many of the outreach efforts in the country. In fact, continued threats to the stability of the nuclear plants, fear of radiation poisoning, loss of electricity, mandatory evacuations and more have left the people searching for relief. Pray With Us So please join us in prayer for those who have lost loved ones, have been injured or have been impacted by this disaster in any way. Here are a few specific requests: * Pray that all six nuclear power plants in Fukushima will be fully contained and God’s protection and guidance for those working to restore them. * Pray that God will protect those who live close to the forced evacuation area. * Pray for God’s intervention to dissipate the radiation and cleanse the air, the ocean and waters, and the soil. * Pray for the teams distributing relief. * Pray for the people who have lost everything and are living in shelters. Thank you for your prayers and support on behalf of the Japanese people. Please consider making a donation to disaster relief efforts today and your support can help us continue to reach out to the people of Japan and other countries affected by natural disasters. --- Torrential Rainfall Submerges Parts of Australia: How You Can Help by Hand of Hope - posted March 15, 2011 When we first heard about the flooding in Australia, we knew we needed to help in any way possible. We enlisted our friends and partners to join with us in prayer for those affected and sent funds to provide immediate support. 20,000 Homes Affected It was a perfect storm of sorts. A major rainstorm, which has been called an "Inland Tsunami," and powerful king tides (powerful ocean tides that cause large amounts of water to flow into the river) intersected in Brisbane, Australia, this week. With large amounts of fast moving water, nearly 20,000 homes are expected to have been impacted—many of which have been completed submerged. Working with Citipointe Church, we were able to mobilize volunteers to fill sandbags and assist in evacuating families from areas not yet hit. We've also set up four carepoints at strategic locations in the worst affected areas. Each carepoint, manned by at least 50 volunteers each, is providing food, clothing, blankets and other vital supplies as needed. Loaves and Fishes graciously offered their cooking facilities for us to use, as well many of the supplies being passed out at the carepoints. How You Can Help Unfortunately for the people of Brisbane, this disaster has yet to fully unfold. That's why it's so important that you help us reach as many people affected as possible. We encourage you to donate today and you can help with disaster relief efforts just like this one. Thank you for your continued prayers and support for the people of Australia. --- Mudslides in Rio de Janeiro by Hand of Hope - posted January 18, 2011 Rio de Janeiro has recently experienced brutal rains and flooding, resulting in massive mudslides. To date, the death toll from this disaster is over 650 people and continues to rise. Large areas of the region are completely inaccessible as major roadways have been washed out and are now difficult to reach. This is the worst natural disaster in Brazilian history. Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions, is partnering with Light to the Nations, Bello Ministries and El Eliom Group to assist those in need—providing water, personal hygiene items, food and clothing. Please join us in prayer for those who have lost loved ones, have been injured or have been impacted by this disaster in any way. Also, if you make a donation today, you can help us continue to provide disaster relief in the U.S. and all around the world. Thank you for your continued prayers and support for the people of Brazil. --- Haiti: One Year Later by Hand of Hope - posted January 12, 2011 You've seen it on the news. Things seem to be getting worse in Haiti. After the earthquake, the people were hit hard by Hurricane Tomas. After that, cholera began killing thousands and then recent political struggles have caused violence and demonstrations. But there's a story that's not being told on the news. Inside of all that appears to be hopeless, God is working miracles in the lives of many Haitians. And Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions is honored to be part of that story. Supporting Haiti Before the Earthquake and After Over the past year, we've been working with Love A Child, our ministry partner in Haiti, to provide earthquake relief, aid, medical care, meals and 100 new homes for earthquake survivors. "They have a great capability to reach the people and they do everything with excellence, so I knew we wanted to continue working with them after the earthquake," shared David L. Meyer, CEO of Hand of Hope, on a trip to Haiti in August 2010. What Your Support Has Accomplished This Year Here's a rundown of what the partners of Joyce Meyer Ministries have made possible over the last year in Haiti. * January 12 – The earthquake strikes Haiti at 4:53 p.m. * January 13 – We hear from Love A Child, who was already bringing people from Port-au-Prince to the Jesus Healing Center to be treated. Another team we partner with, Convoy of Hope, already had people on the ground assessing the damage and providing supplies. * January 14 – Love A Child requests a list of medical items needed. We listed them on our website and you responded in a big way. * January 20 – We send three surgeons, one ER physician, a portable X-ray machine and 904 pounds of medical supplies to Love A Child. * January and February – Supplies continue to flood into Haiti, including the monthly feeding distribution Hand of Hope helps support. * February 19 – David L. Meyer reports on our partnership with Pat Bradley, founder of International Crisis Aid. We helped partially support the rebuilding of an orphanage in Leogane. * February 25 – Families are bused in from Port-au-Prince to a special feeding distribution to receive meals. More than 1,700 families were reached—many of whom had not eaten a full meal since the earthquake. * May 24 – Love A Child founders Bobby and Sherry Burnette announce a plan to build homes for the 380 families living on their land after they lost their homes in the earthquake. Hand of Hope quickly announces they will sponsor the first 50 homes of the project for amputees or those severely injured. * August 11 – Fracimene, a widow and mother of eight, gets a sneak peek at her new home. She will be the first recipient of one of the 416 square foot homes. After seeing the quality of the new homes, Hand of Hope commits to 50 more homes. * November 5 – David and Shelly Meyer dedicate the first phase of homes—50 homes for approximately 250 people. * December 20 – Phase two—the next 50 houses—is underway. * January 12, 2011 – With phase two nearly completed, 100 families are about to have a brand new home—one that will last them for the rest of their lives. Although the year has been very hard for the Haitians, God has worked miracles in this new village—appropriately named Miracle Village. Thanks to your support, we've been able to reach out to Haitians before the earthquake, during those devastating months following it, and for years to come. If you'd like to continue to support outreaches like the ones made possible this year in Haiti, we encourage you to make a donation today. Not only are you able to reach Haiti, you're also supporting Hand of Hope outreaches worldwide. --- Contact Information http://www.joycemeyer.org/AboutUs/contact.aspx INTERNATIONAL - Australia Canada England Germany India Russia South Africa