Hands On Africa

A PORTRAIT OF HANDS ON AFRICA

In 1997 God gave Andre the opportunity to conduct an investigative outreach in Migori, a remote area in the Southwestern corner of Kenya. During the next couple of years teams visited this and surrounding areas working in schools and secular orphanages, holding open air rallies and also running conferences for pastors, leaders and disenfranchised women. One of the highlights of this time was ministering to the unreached Masai people. As a result the ministry experienced the great joy of seeing many come to a saving knowledge of Christ. Faced with the dilemma of inadequate follow-up resources and trained workers, plus the danger of theologically uneducated pastors, it became clear that the situation needed positive solutions. In January 2000 the Lord led us to begin a Bible School that would assist in equipping spiritual leaders in the region with a sound working knowledge of God’s Word. Lectures commenced in August 2000 with 25 students enrolled in the Certificate in Pastoral Ministry course.

Seminaries: The Bible School continues to exceed all expectations. Graduation took place in November 2002 for 21 of the original student body. Confirmation of God’s leading has been evident as HOA initiated 3 Masai churches and another 15 “Church Plants” which are now being led by graduates that have completed the Certificate course. Our vision of reaching the unreached is continually being achieved through the equipping of them there. God has enabled us to provide an almost free theological education to men and women committed to the Great Commission in Africa. Student fees are 90% sponsored. All our students, most of which are pastors of churches, minister in extremely difficult circumstances. Their congregations are poverty-stricken and barely support them. The fortunate ones might receive between US $20 and US $50 maximum per month.

To facilitate the further theological training of maturing students we developed a relationship with a Seminary in Jacksonville to provide a five year Bachelor of Theology degree. In November 2002, 16 of the graduating students began the B.Th program with enthusiasm. This number continues to grow as students complete the initial study course. The curriculum offered will meet the needs of students ministering anywhere in the world, but particularly so with regards to the African continent. Some of our graduates have become lecturers in our two Bible Learning Centers teaching students in their mother tongue towards a Certificate in Pastoral Ministry.

 The essential reason that we have established a Bible School in Kenya is that economically challenged individuals, if given the opportunity to study in a more affluent situation would seldom, if ever, return to minister to the needs of their people, hence our need to travel and teach them locally.

In light of the need the vision grew to start multiply of these Bible Schools throughout Africa equipping individuals for the ministry of the Gospel. The Bible Seminary had such an impact that it not only continued to grow in Kenya but in 2006 we started a Seminary in Malawi and in 2009 in Sierra Leone. Growth continued and currently we have 360 students enrolled in the 3 Seminaries (309) and 2 Learning Centers (51). This is a real step of faith, as we trust God to continue to provide the financial support. Help us help them to be equipped for ministry!

Orphanages: In 2002 the Lord made it possible for the mission to open the Carol Orphanage Home in Kenya for 34 destitute children soon followed by the opening of the Grace Orphanage in Malawi for 36 orphans. Our responsibilities in this regard include the feeding, clothing, educating and medical needs of these children. The on going financial need is that of meeting the children’s nourishment needs. It should be noted that the area does not have any running water, sewerage or inexpensive and available electricity. Child abuse is rife and on the increase in Africa. In Sierra Leone we have 48 orphans.

Medical Care: In 2005 we opened the Reuse Troyer Health Center providing much needed medical care, including medication,  to between 50-60 patients per day for free. In 2008 we extended our facility with a Maternity Ward and Aids Clinic. Since the opening of the maternity ward in October of 2008 and we saw over 220 babies born with a miraculous birth mortality rate of 0% (Africa averages 15%). Praise be to God! Through poor management of their resources and poverty, are greatly affected by diseases such as HIV/Aids, malaria, typhoid, polio, hepatitis (all types) and tuberculosis, which complicates life and ministry. Latest estimates state that there are currently 300 to 500 million cases of malaria per year in Africa with over a million dying.

Eye clinics: HOA have conducted 8 eye clinics to date and at every clinic we do personal counseling with each patient. this have proof to have be a very effect tool for evangelism. Over 4000 patients were tested, more than 3000 pairs of eye glasses supplied and at least 1500 confessions of faith or rededications were witnessed.

Wells (Boreholes): Our emphasis includes ministry to the whole person, thus also focusing on their basic living needs. Their only source of water supply is the local, but contaminated river, some miles away. Daily they must walk a distance to fetch this water in buckets. Through God’s provision, we have now drilled 14 wells (boreholes) each equipped with hand pumps at orphanages and schools in the area. We also put gutters onto existing building with large water tanks to catch the run water from the roofs. To date we have done 9 of these. We also installed water pumps at our Health Center and Orphanage in Kenya.

Church Planting and Evangelism: We have been instrumental in the planting of 124 churches and are currently responsible for 16 of them and 6 Evangelists. We believe in RESPONSIBLE EVANGELISM and therefore only do open air rallies and outreaches in areas where we are in able to ensure continued disciplining of those God will save through our preaching of the Gospel. We continue to share the Good News through open air rallies, personal evangelism, hospital visitation, school and orphanage VBS, men and women conferences. We have started Expressive Worship Teams in Kenya and Malawi who leads in worship during our outreaches and even get invites to minster at public events. Since the start in 1997 we were fortunate to saw ten of thousands coming to a saving knowledge of Christ. It remains the most joyful part of whatever we do when see peoples lives changed through he power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We saw major victories over demonic, cultural and religious  strongholds in people's lives. We have train some local ladies to form a Expressive Worship Team and they not only minister at our events but are frequently invited to minister at local gatherings.

Bible distribution: One of the greatest joy is to give someone the precious Word of God. Many tears were shed over the years as we distributed and minster to people giving them Bibles. The joy and tears on people faces when, especially at the eye clinics, after receiving eye glasses and a Bible, they are able to read from it, is indescribable. Since 1998 we distributed well over 10000 Bibles, in four different languages, to the poor and needy in Africa. Just in 2010 we distributes more than 5000 Bibles iN kenya and Sierra Leone.

Widow care Center: In 2009 we opened our first home with 26 widows. At the opening event we saw hundreds responding to the Gospel invitations and all 26 widows submit their lives to Christ in the following weeks. While taking caring of this abandoned women we teach them skills, like crochet, knitting, painting, as part of helping them to restore their dignity and self worth. We also will start with them their own garden and chicken farm to help to become self supportive. We started a church in the center for them and the people of the surrounding village. Alterations were made and the house is now ready to can provide for 35. In September 2011 building will start for a Widow Care Center in Sierra Leone.

Social responsibility: HOA felt obligated to care for the whole person and in the midst of preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ who came to save the world we need to live His love to a people in need. Our first responsibility is the orphans and widows, but we also try our best to help in health provision, water supply, food and education. To date we shipped 5 containers to Africa containing all sorts of supplies, clothes, toys for the orphans, medicines, furniture, food, etc. We also teach leadership skills to scholars and students, held women and men conferences, share in women's need through he Patricia Project that supply us with sanitation kits and even job creation.  The needs is overwhelming but with the resources God entrusted us we do the ultimate within our abilities. 

Farm Development Project: In Malawi through the Grace Farm project we focus on trying to reach the Yao community which are 98% Muslim and 90% illiterate. They are the 3rd poorest people group in the world. This is a combined project between Hands on Africa, Hands on Missions and Grace farm. Through the farm project we teach them basic farm skills with the focus on substantial farming. In the process we created some much needed job opportunities and currently employed 43 employees through the program. Our major focus is Macadamian Nuts as this in the future could be a great source of revenue towards our ministry. Gerrit started a nursery on the farm and we now grow our own cuttings and pollination of trees. We have currently 7400 trees planted with 9000 cuttings in the nursery ready for planting by November 2011. HOA also have a herd of 127 cows on the farm that provides a few jobs and the revenue from the calves would also help towards the running of the Malawi Project and Seminary.

  Baseball Little League: We took baseball for the little ones to 3500 kids form 8 different schools in Kenya in March 2010. These kids had neither heard  or played the game before. Since then we took 5 volunteer teams that helped Tom to the children as well as group of teachers and parents as coaches and umpires. A container with used baseball equipment were send to Kenya in April 2010. Since the start in 15 months we can see great progress and this surely have change the lives of those involved as well as the greater community. This is going to be an awesome tool to reach these children, their families and the greater area with the Gospel.