About Living Hope

Living Hope is the story of three extraordinary individuals who have devoted their lives to serving the poor in South Africa. John Thomas, a pastor who is leading his church to serve the sick, hungry, and dying in the communities that surround them. Journey beside John through the neighborhoods where they work, meet the people their ministry has impacted, and hear from his heart why they chose to make a stand for the poor. Leonie Rustin, a single mom and nursing assistant, who turned from a life of crippling drug addiction to follow Christ. Journey beside Leonie as she attempts to help other in her community unshackle the chains of addiction and prostitution. Joey Lankford, a businessman and father of four who moved his young family from the United States to Cape Town. Journey beside Joey as he equips men and women with job skills, and leads them out of the bondage of poverty.

Mom Maven’s Thoughts

I have always wanted to visit Africa but on a photo safari, not for ministry. Now, I would love to serve on a mission team working in Cape Town, South Africa. It’s been 9 years since my last missions trip. I think it is time to start praying about the next one. What draws me to the ministry of Living Hope is that they are ministering to the whole person physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially. Through all of the arms of Living Hope people find wholeness, healing, wellness and forgiveness.

With 40% of the community having HIV/Aids there is a lot of work to be done and Living Hope is doing it. They train people about prevention and protection, they care for them in the medical clinics, they support them in small groups and they pray for them and with them. There is hope in Jesus and at Living Hope they share that hope every day.

If you have a heart for missions, get this movie. Once you watch it get your small group/Sunday school class/church/family involved in what God is doing for the least of these.

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The bulk of the work for this ministry is done by the 200 local volunteers which come from churches in the area where they are ministering. The direction and organization is done mostly by a group of unpaid interns, young people ages 18-29 who have been called as Missionaries to the Youth of America by God. These young people raise their own financial support to pay for their basic expenses, they leave their lives behind for at least one year. They only go home for Thanksgiving-New Years. They are on the front lines ministering to youth and young adults, sharing the love of The Creator with His creation.

Today, my baby, my 18 yo son, Jordan headed out on the adventure of a lifetime. He is the newest intern with The 99! As a mom it was sooo hard saying goodbye at the airport this morning. I have cried barrels of tears, I will miss him terribly. I am also so proud of the young man of God he has become. He heard God calling him loud and clear and he answered the call, “Here I am, send me.”

Smiling through my tears

Our church, friends and family have bound together to support him with prayers and finances and for that we couldn’t be more grateful. I am delighted that he is going to minister with a group of young people that we all call friends. He will get to experience all sorts of new things as he travels the country. He will be living in host homes, meeting new people, visiting churches, site-seeing and sharing the truth that in Jesus is where freedom is found.

Today he is flying to Minneapolis, MN. The tent will be set up at 16655 Kenyan Ave, Lakeville, MN  55046 and the production nights are August 30th – September 22nd-Open every Friday-Sunday, 7pm-11pm. If you are in the area and want to volunteer you can message The 99 through their website or Facebook page for more information and the location of the volunteers training meetings. If you do stop by, find Jordan and give him a hug for me!

If you’d like to keep up with Jordan’s travels, he is sending out a monthly newsletter. You can subscribe in the box below.

Please keep Jordan and the team in your prayers!

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I am a huge believer in the power of Christian radio. It can reach people right where they are…in their car, home or on the streets. You just need an inexpensive radio to hear the life changing message of Jesus Christ. Today, my local Christian radio station, The Joy FM, is holding a fundraiser for a project we have dreamed about since the mid 1980s! I say we because The Joy FM has a special place in my life, I came to know Jesus as my Savior through the ministry of the station. I volunteered at the station from 1988-1991 when I joined the staff of the station from 1991-1995. I have listened since the day they signed on the air and now my son, Aaron works at the station.

Over the past few decades a small Sarasota, FL radio station has grown to share the Gospel of Christ to west Central Florida but covering Tampa Bay has always been difficult. The door to that major metropolitan area was closed…until recently. God has opened the door and now we, the body of Christ need to walk through it. Today, December 11, 2012 we need to raise $1 million dollars! This will increase the radio station’s reach six fold! I think $1 million dollars is a small price to pay for roughly reaching 3 million more souls with the message of hope and love. Jesus paid the ultimate price, by giving his life for our sins. Now we just need to give of our money and prayers to this amazing missions project.

Even if you don’t live in the Tampa Bay area you can always listen online at TheJoyFM.com or on the iPhone and Android apps. Even if you choose not to listen you can give to the work of the Lord so that more people will come to know Him through this powerful radio station. Just click “Give N0w” to donate. Please pray for God to raise up givers TODAY!

Thank you for helping share the love of Christ with your brothers and sisters in the Tampa Bay area.

Disclosure: I was not asked to write this by the radio station and I will receive no earthly compensation for this post. All opinions are 100% mine.

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