Roots of Hope Ministries

School fees for Swazi Kids!

2010-02-04T12:52:00.001-08:00

The new school year in Swaziland just started. This is the first year the government is offering free education for Grade 1 and Grade 2. While that gives a wonderful opportunity to children just starting into school, many of the older kids are still not allowed to attend school because of a lack of funds. This year the situation is worse then ever!

Since...forever...the price of school gets a little more expensive every year a child continues their education. However this year, the price has jumped considerably for grades 3 and above. My theory on the situation is that because the government is losing money on Grade 1 and 2, they need to make up for that lost income and so, they've increased the prices of all the other grades. Unfortunately, this is not only frustrated but also so unfortunate!

Myself along with my friends and family sponsor about 7 kids. Gogo mailed us their school fees about 6 weeks ago and by no surprise, they still haven't showed up in my mail box. I talked to Gogo earlier in the week and learned the children we sponsor were getting chased from school because we had yet to pay their fees due to basically, a lack of communication. (Yes I said chased! Can you imagine?) Let me reassure you, it became our highest priority to get school fees in.

What I wanted to share with you through this story is the need for school sponsorship is greater than ever this year. Just to give you an idea on the money we're talking about: Grade 3 costs about 600E = about $80 USD + 350E for uniform = about $130 USD. The cost of high school jumps to around $350 USD. The average Swazi lives off of less than a $1 a day. Imagine a Swazi mom trying to put her 4 children through school, yet alone 1. It's nearly impossible!

If you are interested in sponsoring a child, it's not too late. Please contact me at rhm.swazi@hotmail.com. As cliche as it sounds, by sponsoring a child you're giving them a chance at a future. Meet Mndeni and Schlanganiso, the two boys I sponsor. It's a great feeling to know the difference I am able to make by setting aside a portion of my income every month for these boys. They are able to become eduated young men. They have been given a chance to succeed.

Our New Video

2010-01-18T13:24:00.000-08:00

If you haven't already seen it, I highly suggest you go to our website (www.rootsofhopeministries.com) and check out our new video! Thanks to Miss Chelsea Geyer and the help of others, we finally have a wonderful visual for you to watch, learn, understand and connect with those in Swaziland. I couldn't be more happy with the outcome of the video and I hope that you enjoy it!

Our food program is going well. We are feeding seven families each month! This means their sponsors have committed to giving $50 a month to give a family the gift of food and health. We still have 33 families in need of food sponsors! Please, please pray about becoming a sponsor. It is so important that these families receive food. Many times, parents or grandparents are passing away prematurely because on top of illness, they have no food to fuel and nurture their body. Children have no energy to concentrate in school and their bodies are not developing properly because of a lack of nutrition. You can be the difference in their lives and keeping these families together.

Below, are just a few of the children of families who need food sponsors.

I hope your new year has started off on the right foot and only gets better from here. Remember to expect big things from God! He's got great things in store for you!

Keep praying for Roots of Hope. We've got a lot of need and I know God will provide through our prayers. God bless!

A little lesson I learned today

2010-01-14T20:57:00.000-08:00

I received some news today regarding Roots of Hope from a friend. The kind of news where you don't want to get your hopes up, but the possibilities of what it could bring and what doors it could open really makes excited! It gives you a boost in your step that makes your feel like you can conquer anything! (I see myself on top of a mountain, overlooking the greenery with my workout clothes on and my fist in the air).

My first thought upon hearing this news, was to call up a friend and tell her all about it. But God stopped me quickly and suggested, "Why don't you celebrate with Me first."

That really made me stop in my tracks. I so often turn to others to celebrate things God is doing in my life when really, I should stop and have a party with God first. I should thank Him and sing praises to His name for the mighty work He is doing in my life. And not only that, but then find rest in Him and seek out prayer about where this new thing is taking me.

Just a short lesson I learned today. Sorry, I can't share the news with you. Don't want to get ahead of myself now!

What is in store for this year God?

2010-01-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

Happy 2010!! Wow! A year ago, I would have never imagined I would be where I am now. I was thinking about that today and asking myself, why? Why don't we go into a new year expecting that it will be full of blessings, richness, growth and at the end of it, we will be standing so much further than our wildest dreams? Why is it such a surprise that God takes us there? Why don't we live with such greater trust in the Lord and expect Him to do marvelous things with us?

The truth is, it's easy to have that attitude at the beginning of the year but as life takes its twists and turns it's just as easy to forget what God has promised us. We get distracted and forget to push forward towards God's plans for us. But, may I remind you - that even when we get a little lost, God redeems! He can do what you and I think takes months, overnight! That's how awesome our God is!

This year, I will live with great expectations. I will believe that God has big plans for me and I will be okay with not knowing what those plans are, but trusting they are better than anything I could ever think up. I believe that God will continue to grow Roots of Hope. I believe His heart still aches for the little boys and girls of Swaziland and that He will use you and I to reach them. I believe in miracles!

We have 30 Swazi families in need of Food sponsors. It takes $50 a month to sponsor a family. The beautiful thing about the Body of Christ is God always takes care of us and He loves it when we step a little bit out of our comfort zone to take care of our Brothers and Sisters. I believe God will provide sponsors for our 30 families! Will you ask yourself if you're one of them?

Roots of Hope started off the new year with a brand new website! Hopefully now, you will be able to navigate your way around it more easily and understand our vision more clearly! I encourage you to visit it and check it out! Also, pop into Our Shop. We have handmade clutches and headwraps for sale as well as Roots of Hope t-shirts!

I love your support and I will never be able to thank you enough. Please continue to spread the word about Roots of Hope. And if you would, please pray that we find 30 food sponsors!

My wish for you is that you have a beautiful 2010. That you live it closely to the Lord and that you expect Him to do more in 12 months than you ever thought possible. Be blessed in the name of Jesus! And thank you again for your support in 2009!

NEW PRODUCTS!

2009-12-09T16:21:00.000-08:00

I'm still working on getting all of this on the website, but wanted to share with you guys our new line of t-shirts, headwraps and clutches. Sorry boys - there's not much for you besides the t-shirts (which are awesome by the way)...unless you can rock a headwrap and feel comfortable carrying a clutch. So, introducing....

Clutches. Hand made with imported African clothe. $20 donation

Headwrap. Hand sewn with imported African clothe. $10 donation.

Expiration Tee. Next Level Apparel t-shirts. $18 donation Sizes: Women S/M/L Men S/M/L

Clutches and headwraps are available in an assortment of colors and fabrics. They will be pictures on the website in the next couple days. If you'd like to put a order in please contact me at rhm.swazi@hotmail.com

Back Home

2009-12-04T06:36:00.000-08:00

I'm back home after a short but very successful trip! All our of children are healthy and happy! What a blessing it was to see that! Here's a little slide show of what we accomplished.

I loved hanging out with our beautiful children! 9 days was just not enough.

I handed out all of your Letters of Love. The kids adored them.
This is Ncobile proudly showing off her letter.

Children's books were donated to RHM. Here are some of the kids enjoying them.

The money raised by Hillsboro High School
at the bake sale bought 11 children new school shoes.
Here are a few of the girls excited about their shiny shoes!

RHM collected toys to hand out.
Schlanganiso is pumped about his new jump rope!

A friend donated infant clothes. I spent a whole day walking around
the rural area handing them out to women and their children.
This was a huge blessing for them and for me!

The kids wrote me a goodbye note on the chalk board.
Nonhlanhla is my siSwati name. They wrote "you are crying,"
because I always cry when I say goodbye to them.

Most importantly, I made a lot of progress on expanding our Food to Fill program as well as gathered a lot of new information and ideas on how best we can help the children of Swaziland.

Right before my trip we got in our first ever Roots of Hope t-shirts! They are on sale for $18. Pictures will be posted on the website soon. We also will be launching a headband and wallet collection in the near future! They're going to be awesome!

Please visit our website at www.rootsofhopeministries.com and check out our families in need of a Food to Fill sponsor. You can make a difference in their lives by providing them with groceries and household itemes like candles and matches.

The Power of Prayer

2009-11-26T23:20:00.000-08:00

I am sure most, if not all of you have heard Lindo's story. She's a little girl that stole my heart away during my first trip to Swaziland. Just a little background info for those of you who don't know...

Lindo's mother died right after she was born of AIDS. She lived with her gogo and three aunties in a mud and stick home. Her gogo is mentally handicaped and unable to find work. Lindo would go days and days without eating. It was assumed that she was positive for HIV because her mother was positive and she was constantly getting sick. Every night as I settled into my comfortable bed I would think of Lindo. When it rained, her house (the size of a small bathroom) would get flooded with water. How could I be so lucky and this beautiful little girl have it so hard?

Her gogo asked if I could keep Lindo; take her as my own. Imagine raising your child for seven years and then giving her away to a family "better suited" to raise her. She knew that she could not provide for Lindo the way Lindo needed, so she would give her up to have the opporutnity to have a better life. Needless to say, I could not take Lindo but I prayed and prayed that Lindo would find a new home,

This is Lindo today. After years of prayer, Lindo is a new home. SOS Children Orphange has taken Lindo into their program. She now lives in a house with seven other children with a house mom. She recieves a meal morning, noon and night. She is safe, happy and healthy! (Oh yeah I forgot to say, I believe the Lord healed Lindo of HIV. Although we never knew for sure that she was positive, we got her tested Nov 08 and her results were negative. Praise God!!)

God answers prayer. God hears our cries. He knows our heartache.

Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

I will cling to this promise. I will find hope in this Truth.

Thank you God for listening and answering my prayers. Thank you for your promise. I trust in your plan even when I don't understand. Thank you for taking care of your children.

Always Learning

2009-11-25T09:08:00.001-08:00

It's by no surprise that God is teaching me a lot during my trip. I'm not sure how much to share with all you about my experiences here but I will leave you with the lesson I have learned...

When evil resides in one place, don't walk away from that place to show love in another. Plant your feet firmly on the ground and continue to share good. It is then, that light overcomes darkness.

God is good all the time!

2009-11-22T01:27:00.000-08:00

I just got home from the funeral. Praise God! Sandziso's body was laid to rest in peace because no one from the Zion Church attended the funeral. That means there was no dedication to his dead ancestors and no crazy rituals preformed to give his soul over to satanic powers. That also means that everyone in his family attends a Christian church AND after spending a whole evening with them, it is clear they know who God is. It brings me much joy to know Sandziso grew up in a family that loves God.

The funeral was an experience like never before. There was a lot of singing. I mean A LOT of singing. Although all of the service was spoken in siSwati I was able to interpret a lot of it. I cried time after time listening to each family member, teacher and friend speak of good memories about Sandziso. His teacher said he was sooo smart. She knew he would make it through his schooling and go on to do good things. His sister sang him a song in english. The words were "We will never forget the memories we shared when we were all together. I will always think of you."

Around 6 am, Sandziso's body was carried to his grave site. It was the most beautiful spot on top of a mountain. The views were magnificent! I thought to myself, "This is the perfect place for his body to rest." We sang some more and gathered rocks to place around his grave. At that moment, I had total and complete peace. I thought back to a conversation I had earlier in the evening with one of Sandzi's relatives. I said to her, "Are you okay?" she said back to me, "I am okay, and Sandziso is okay too."

That is the thing - Sandziso is okay. He's more than okay. He's in heaven! There were more than a couple times throughout the night when I was not okay. How do you deal with the death of a little boy who was growing stronger ever day? But the thing is, Sandziso is okay and Zolani will be okay, so I must be okay too.

Although we will miss you here on earth Sandziso, we will never forget
the memories we shared with you. We love you!

I'm here!!

2009-11-21T01:12:00.000-08:00

Hello from Swaziland! I arrived safely last night. Remember, there's an 8 hour difference between here and central time. So far today I came into town to buy groceries and write a little update to all of you. Later, I will be heading over to Gogo's house.

The funeral for little Sandziso starts tonight. In Swaziland, funerals are an overnight thing. They start around 8 pm and go until sunrise which is around 4 am. My american friend Jessie who lives here was telling me what to expect. In Swaziland there is a church called the Zion Church. They mix Christianity with ancestral worship. Even though Sandziso's immediate family does not attend this church, if anyone in his extended family does there will a lot of rituals preformed dedicated Sandziso's body to his ancestors.

Obviously, this is not good. I am glad to attend to intercede and pray on his behalf. Please join with me and pray for Sandziso. To be honest, I don't fully understand it but I'm sure after the funeral I will have a whole new grasp on the whole thing.

*I hope this is all making sense - I am still a little out of it from all my travels.

I want to share with you what I will be reading at the funeral:

I long to hold each one of my kids when I am away from Swaziland, but there is one I am unable to hold this time around. One that I will never have the pleasure of holding again. It's hard to belive that little Sandziso, with his huge grin and sparkling eyes is gone. It hurts and I'm sure it will continue to hurt. I have to find peace and comfort in God. Instead of recieving hugs from me, Sandziso is recieving hugs from God in heaven. His body is now healed of all sickness and I'm sure he's sitting a big table full of endless amounts of food.

Sandziso - know that you are so loved. Know hat you brought more joy to those who knew you then you could ever imagine. I will miss you. I do miss you. It is my honor to be here today to celebrate your life on earth and your eternal life in heaven. On behalf of everyone in America who knew you, we love you and we will never forget you.

Thank you for your prayer and you will be hearing from me soon!

See ya!

2009-11-18T10:37:00.001-08:00

I leave for Swaziland tomorrow, November 19th! This will be my first trip alone but I feel comfortable with the area and trust that God will keep me safe.

During the last week, I had a string of stressful days. This trip has been the most difficult trip to plan thus far. It's taken a lot of time and energy to gather and organize all the little things I need for and during my trip. In the end, everything has come together! Of course! Why did I even doubt that it wouldn't? God has planned this trip from the very beginning and He will continue to walk me through every step!

We met our Letters of Love goal! We set out to gather 120 letters and ended up with 134! Thank you to everyone who wrote a letter! I cannot wait to deliver them to the children in Swaziland. I plan on capturing the moments when they open their letter to share with all of you!

We were also blessed to have recieved donated clothes, shoes, toys and books. Thank you to all of you who donated these things. They are going to be a huge blessing to the children!

On Saturday, November 21st Sandziso's funeral will be held. I will be able to attend in honor of his life and on behalf of all of those here in America that know and love him. It's going to be a very emotional day and one that I'm sure will run through my thoughts over and over. Please pray for strength not only for myself but for his family.

Keep me in your prayers while I'm gone! I know God has a lot to reveal to me during this trip! A LOT! I can't wait to see where He leads me. Goodbye for now Tennessee and hello Swaziland!

The story of two brothers

2009-11-13T12:50:00.001-08:00

Every journey, every road, every story has it's ups and downs. Today is a down. ...or is it an up?

My team and I dearly love each and every single child we know in Swaziland but there are a few that hold a special place in our hearts. Sandziso is one of these children.

Sandziso and his brother Zolani attend the DIC. They are two young boys who have seen more heartache than you or I will ever see. I have never seen such a genuine love between two brothers in my life. Both HIV positive, they have had their share of overnights in the hospital. When one was sick, the other was by his side crying. I don't just mean some tears rolling down the cheeks, I mean a belly cry. The one that comes from so deep within.

Despite their unstable health, they are amongst the most cheerful and silly children I know. Sandziso has a huge smile full of rotten teeth and eyes that twinkle. Zolani is my little old man. He's got the sense of humor and mannerisms of a grandpa; always slapping his knee, winking and pointing at you. Both boys very smart and at the top of their class. Together, they are two peas in a pod.

Yesterday, they were walking down the huge hill near their house. A kumbi (15 passenger van that functions like a taxi) driving up the hill decided to pass the car in front of it. Unable to see Zolani and Sandziso, he continued to pass. It was then that the kumbi hit Sandziso.

Zolani ran to his side and knew he neeed to get help. He charged down the rest of the hill to the Drop-In Center to get Gogo Abner. Sandziso was still breathing when they returned. They rushed him to the government hospital only minutes down the road. The doctors ran x-rays on his little body. ...and that's it. It makes me so mad to know that the hospitals in Swaziland don't have proper resources to help in these urgent situations.

Four hours later, at 6 pm Sandziso passed away. Zolani knows his beloved brother has passed but cries out for him asking where Sandziso is.

Please pray for Zolani, their family, Gogo and the children at the Center. The heartache I feel is only magnituted in each one of them. I've spent months with precious Sandziso, they've spent years. My fear is wondering how Zolani will cope with his brothers death. Please pray for a peace and understanding in his heart.

So although today would probably be looked at and placed on the down side of the list, it is actually an up. Although we are hurting here on earth, Sandziso is pain free in Heaven singing praises to our Father. His body is now free of HIV. He is reunited with his mother and father whom he has never had the opportunity to know here on earth. I am witnessing God's divine plan as He has sent me to Swaziland during this time to mourn with and bring comfort to Sandziso's family.

I'll be sure to update you during my trip. Thank you for your prayers and please help me celebrate the life of Sandziso through some pictures of him below.
Some school work Sandziso did. So proud of him

Hard at work make art with flowers

What a scary tiger!

My little goof ball

Haha how can you not love him?

Here's a video of some of the boys playing in a river. Zolani has on the green shirt and Sandziso has his shirt off with blue sweat pants on. Not the best video but it gives you an idea of their personalites. They're the best!

God is crazy good

2009-11-07T10:06:00.000-08:00

It's been a crazy couple of weeks. A lot has been accomplished and there's still a lot of work left to do before I leave next Thursday.

Last week we found two Food to Fill sponsors for Gogo Abner and Wendy! This is a HUGE blessing! Here's a cool God story for you -

I wanted to find a sponsor for Gogo that would commit to giving $50 a month but I felt like $40 was already a large commitment, so decided I would bite my tongue. I told my friend Melissa that we were in search of Food to Fill sponsors and she immediately called up her sister who had heard many stories about Gogo. After hearing about the program, she told Melissa she would be more than happy to sponsor Gogo and then said, "Why don't we just make it 50 dollars a month instead of 40." WHAT!? God is so faithful! Without me ever telling anyone that I felt like Gogo needed 50 dollars a month, He came through and providing us with that.

***We are in search of 2 more Food to Fill sponsors for two families who have unstable incomes. Both Sihle and Gogo Esther spend their days at the Drop-in Center helping the children of Swaziland. They're hearts are so selfless. When they go home at night, they have little to no food. If you're interested in sponsoring either of them, please contact me or visit our website! (see pictures below)

Gogo Esther and her grandson Schlanganiso

Sihle's adopted son Thobiso and Sihle

This week, we've been holding a bake sale at Hillsboro High School during lunch to raise money for our Children's Fund. Unfortunately, I attend school 8 am to 1 pm so I haven't been able to be there much except Monday when I left school early to make sure the event started off well.

We set up the table with one half full of baked goods and the other half designated for students to write Letters of Love to our children in Swaziland. Three girls approached me and were very excited about writing letters which made me super excited because up until then, no one had been very interested in writing a letter. One girl looked over the paper selection and said, "I want yellow, blue and red for the Swazi flag."

I was shocked because not many people have ever heard of Swaziland yet alone know the colors of their flag. In response I asked her how she knew that and she said they had a speaker come from Swaziland. I was shocked again! I asked who and they told me the Director of Education of Swaziland. Taken back, I asked more questions about what he talked about and they gladly told me. I assumed that the Director had been there a couple weeks ago but later found out he had spoken to a class the period right before lunch that day! Only God places little ol' me and my ministry that works in a very small, unknown country and the Director of Education for that same country in the same school at the same time. ONLY GOD!

Unfortunatley, the Director had already left that day. I tried to track down as much information as I could about him but didn't come up with much. I think he's attending Vanderbuilt for a year as part of a program similar to an exchange program. Tomorrow I will be able to run the bake sale and I'm determined to find the Director's contact information. Pray! This could be a huge opportunity to partner with a man who has a lot of power and say in Swaziland.

So, once again God blows my mind. He never siezes to amaze me. I just know He's got so much to reveal to me during my upcoming trip. Recently though He's been telling me, "Tessa, I know you have given up some control to me, but give it all up! Search me out before you make any decision." Of course, I know I always need to search God out before making decisions (and always), but I am human and I fail at that. Pray that I would obidient to Him now and especially during my trip.

Thank you again for your support. You all mean the world to me!

Thoughts From My Heart

2009-10-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

As I prepare myself for my trip in November, I can't get the thought of being in Swaziland off my mind. I think about the many times my friends and I took a sick child to the hospital. We were the ones who noticed they were ill. We were the ones who paid for transportation to and from the hospital. We were the ones who waited in line all day long to see the doctor. We were the ones to pay for the visit and medication. And I think to myself, what about those children who are there now and sick? Who's noticing they aren't well? Who's got the money to pay for their care? Who cares enough to care for them? And my heart hurts.

I so badly want to return to Swaziland full time. I know that's not what God has for me right now and I see that in the many ways He's working through Roots of Hope. I know that I am not the only one capable of caring for the need children of Swaziland. Before me, there was God, God will be there after me, and God is there now to watch over them and love them.

I can't bare to think that a child goes unnoticed by the people of this flesh, but I know it's true. What I also know to be true is our Father knows every hair on every child's head and every tear they've cried. He's there when no one else is and that is enough.

Pray for the unseen and the unnoticed children of this world. There are so many in pain and in sorrow. 2.1 BILLION people on this planet claim to be Christians. We. as the body of Christ, are called to help the needy children of this world yet there are 147 million orphans. There IS enough love to go around. What does that look like in your world? How has God called you to fill the gap?

A Beautiful Reminder

2009-10-24T12:04:00.000-07:00

Recently, I've really felt God tugging at my heart. He's been whispering to me, "I'm all around you. Trust in Me and seek Me. I've got things to share with you." I've heard Him and I believed Him, but I didn't want to stop and really listen to what He had to say to me. I'm not sure why? That's a wonderful message to receive. Most of the time we ignore God when we don't feel His presence around us, but I was ignoring Him when He was tapping on my shoulder.

So today I was working on the website; just a few corrections here and there, nothing new and like I often do, I started to explore other organizations that work in Africa. There was one in particular that I hadn't been keeping updated with. One that I used to follow every single day and it had been months since I last went to their website. Today, I felt a push to go check it out.

Tears started rolling down my face as I read Katie Davis's blog. One story in particular of a family from the United States adopting a little girl from Uganda and I was reminded of something. My heart in all of this. God's heart in all of this. Some where between going back to school full time, working a miserable job and trying to focus on Roots of Hope, I lost my heart. I lost my passion to first love the kids of Swaziland. Feeding them, clothing them, sponsoring their school fees - those things are all great and are many of the goals Roots of Hope has BUT loving them is our #1 goal. Loving them like God loves them. They have been adopted into the Kingdom of Christ. Absorb that! Orphans, widows, abused children, abused men, tired grandmothers: God has adopted them into His Kingdom to love them and to take care of them.

That is how this all started. God gave me the heart to love His children and that lead to me starting Roots of Hope. These children are what makes me spend hours every day working on our website, thinking of how to improve things, researching school systems and work opportunities, but in the mix of all of that, I forgot to sit back and think of my precious kids to thank God for them and for His divine plan to take care of them.

RHM is nothing without the heart of Chirst. Thank you Lord for loving our kids first and foremost. I can't wait to go back in November, scoop them up in my arms and tell them they are beautiful and loved children of the Lord. I can't wait to go out today and tell people not just about Roots of Hope but about my heart in all of it.

My prayer is that God's heart for the children of Swaziland will move Roots of Hope forward. That all the other things in my life that are going on, will fall into place because my priority is to love God and to love my kids in Swaziland. If my heart is in the right place, I can't go wrong.

1 John 4:7 - "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God..."

Plane ticket in hand!

2009-10-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

I just booked my flight to Swaziland over Thanksgiving break! I will be leaving November 19th and returning home to Nashville December 1st! It's a short trip, but a trip well needed.

Here are some goals for my trip!

Goal #1 Gather Profiles

Good news and bad news: We are out of children profiles for our Prayer Sponsorship Program. We should be able to gather a few more from the United States, but while I'm there in November I will be able to get all of the kid's profiles at the DIC.

What does this mean? We will be able to reach our goal of getting every child at the DIC covered in prayer!

Goal #2 Create Clearer Communication

Imagine talking to a Swazi woman on the phone trying to communicate with her about details and plans for the future. Her accent and mine makes it nearly impossible to make sure each of us has a clear understanding.

The solution: Set Gogo Abner up with an email account, show her how it works and supply her with the small fee it takes to use the internet cafe. This will clear up all communication errors and put all of my worries to rest.

Goal #3 Set up a Job Opportunity

As part of RHM's Battle: 2050 Create, we want to set up job opportunities for men and women in Swaziland. I am still doing my research, but it would be wonderful to start up a work opportunity for a small group of women while I'm there. Please pray that how and what needs to be done becomes clear to me.

Goal #4 Hand Deliver Letters of Love

You wrote them, I deliver them! This is going to be a great opportunity to capture the reaction of a child when he/she reads a letter from someone allllll the way across the world telling them they're special and loved!

Cross your fingers! I cannot promise but if you are currently sponsoring a child through our Prayer Sponsor Program, I hope to get your child to write you back! This will be a great way for you to bond with your child.

THE BIG PICTURE: To make this trip as productive as possible!

I want to thank everyone who has signed up for our Prayer Sponsorship Program! You are drastically changing the life of a child in Swaziland.

Two friendly reminders for those invovled

Don't forget to sign up for your $10 monthly donation on the website (You'll have to go back to the Prayer Sponsorship page and click donate)
The deadline for Letters of Love is coming up! Please have you're letters mailed by Thursday, November 5th

Not signed up but want to get invovled?

We need 70-100 more Letters of Love before I leave on November 19th.

What is Letters of Love?

A letter of encouragement to a child in Swaziland. You can draw a picture, write a poem, tell them about yourself, share a bible verse, etc. ANYTHING GOES! It does not need to be addressed to a certain child just write Hello! If you'd like to sign you're name at the end, feel free!

Where do you mail them?

Please mail all letters by Thursday, November 5th to

Roots of Hope Ministries
1016 Hawthorne Dr.
Charleston, IL 61920

If you feel so inclined to donate to my trip....

I still need to raise 300-400 dollars for my upcoming trip. This money will help cover living expenses while I'm in Swaziland. If you would like to donate, please mail checks to

Good Measure International
785 Harrison Ave.
Charleston, IL 61920
(*please write Roots of Hope or Tessa on the description line of the check)

OR

Visit our website www.rootsofhopeministries.com and click DONATE at the top. There you will find a picture of me and brief description of my needs. Click on that and you can donate online!

Thank you to everyone involved with and praying for Roots of Hope. We've grown a lot over the past month and it only makes me think we've got a lot more growin' ahead of us. ...And I'm up for the challenge!

HUGE news!

2009-10-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I got a call from my friend Chelsea. Chelsea was on my team in 2007 when we traveled to Africa with AIM and she went back with me this past June. She recently came on board as staff for Roots of Hope and also has a heart for Swaziland. She attends Nyack College in New York and was calling to let me know that the Dean of Students had yet to choose a cause to represent for Homecoming week. Chelsea is involved with student activities and was instructed to make a list of causes for the Dean to choose from.

On the list of well known organizations and campus causes, she put our name knowing that the likelihood of Roots of Hope being chosen was slim but creating an opportunity to for us that would be big. I waited anxiously to hear back from her. Saturday came and went, Sunday, Monday, finally on Tuesday after class I texted her, "Im guessing we didn't get it." From there she told me they still hadn't picked a cause yet and that we were being considered. Immediately my heart jumped. "What! We're being considered amont the competition? This isn't real!"

Not wanted to get my hopes up I tried to remain calm. As I was heading out the door for work a couple hours later I got an update. The logical decision for the Dean of students would have been to raise money for a campus cause, but he didn't go that direction. He replied by saying he wanted to represent Swaziland. There were two organizations in the running that did that: Roots of Hope and Children's Cup. So Chelsea went to her director and asked what to do next because the dean hadn't made a final choice. Her director said, "Which do you like?" leaving it up to Chelsea to decide what organization would be presented to the school! Roots of Hope it was! God wanted this for us! On paper, if you were to write pros and cons for each cause - we wouldn't have looked the best. God made the circumstances right for RHM to get picked. God was and is totally in this.

This Saturday, October 10, 2009, Roots of Hope Ministries will be the featured cause at Battle of the Bands drop-a-dime event. Throughout the day, Chelsea will have the opportunity to raise awareness on the platform to hundreds of alumni and students about who we are and what we do. We will also have a table with information, flyers, sign up sheets. Awareness is going to spread quckly!

Just a week ago I was asking God where He was in all of this. I knew He was the one that gave me a passion for Swaziland, He was the one that started Roots of Hope, He was the one who wanted the Prayer Sponsorship program but I wasn't seeing growth in all of it. Now, I'm blown away by the Lord's goodness. This opportunity is huge!

We've launched our Battle: 2050 campaign. Our battle plan to help Swaziland recover. Check out the updated website at www.rootsohopeministries.com.

Please pray for Chelsea tomorrow at the event - That our mission would come across clearly and that it will resignate in the hearts of the Nyack students and alumni.

Upcoming Presentation

2009-09-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

I'm traveling North to my hometown of Wheaton, IL to speak at Hope Presbyterian Church on September, 20th! I'll be launching our prayer program in hopes to set people up with a child to pray for. I've still got a lot of work that needs to be done before next Sunday, so please pray that everything comes together and that I get a few hours of sleep in as well!

There are about 80-90 kids that go to the DIC, and we're only able to gather enough information for about 35 of them. Hopefully, in the upcoming month we'll be able to put together profiles for all of the children and set each one of them up with a prayer partner!

We'll also be selling Roots of Hope t-shirts by next month so be sure to keep an eye out for those!

I am excited about where Roots of Hope is headed! I feel like a lot of work has gone into Roots of Hope, but not much has come together until now. There were times when I just wanted to give up; when nothing seemed to be working and every direction I took was a dead end. But, God is faithful and never seizes to amaze me. Romans 12:11-13 "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."

Please keep praying for us and for the kids!

It's been a while

2009-09-05T12:17:00.001-07:00

Sorry! I haven't done a very good job keeping you up-to-date with the decisions I've made and where God is leading me.

During my trip in June, I realized a. The needs of Swazis are BIG! and b. I need to do something to help. I thought that helping would be in the form of me physically being there; building a garden, sharing love, teaching people about Jesus but God didn't give me a peace about that.

One thing I realized was, the money I would raise to get settled could be put to such a better use going directly to the people. $12,000 to buy a car, a house, furniture, food, etc. for myself, is $12,000 that could allow children to visit the doctor, put food in their stomachs, give them an opportunity to go to school, the list is endless. I also realized, that donations (most of the time) don't just show up in your bank account. Someone has got to go out and promote The Cause. That person, is me. I feel like first things first, I need to be here in the US spreading the word. Once things have stabilized, then the option of me moving to Swaziland is more feasible.

The other thing that really hit me hard was thinking about doing it by myself. My trip in June was hard enough going from having 30 other Americans to rely on, to having 3 other Americans to hold you up and keep you going. I couldn't imagine going through it alone. So one things for certain, if and when I do move to Swaziland, I won't be going alone. Yes, I can always find strength in the Lord and with Him, everything is possible. I don't doubt that I couldn't do it on my own, but I feel like God wouldn't mind if I had someone with me. :)

So that leaves me here, in Nashville trying to pull together all my resources to get the word out about the children of Swaziland, that are doomed to fall into the cycle of poverty and AIDS unless something is done. Currently, I'm trying to get a prayer program started where people can sign up to pray for 1 child, every day. It's the simplest thing, with the lowest price tag, that makes the biggest difference. I should have it up and running around September 18 so I'll be sure to keep you updated.

There are other projects in the works, but I don't feel like God's revealed everything about them to me yet. So, instead of jumping the gun and telling you like I usually do, I'm going to sit in prayer until God's plan for me is certain. You could pray with me if you'd like!

Thank you, once again for supporting me. God is good!

A Tough Transition

2009-07-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

My time in Swaziland was so great! It feels good to know how each one of my precious Swazi children are doing. God answers prayer. They're all growing and learning and I feel blessed to be able to see that. Little Lindo is strong, healthy and happy! I feel like the Lord placed her heavy on my heart last trip, so she would be covered in prayer. Her testimony is one of hope and perseverance.

Coming home has been hard. I've gone through a ton emotions. I've felt exhausted, defeated, lost and angry. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for my trip and as hard as it was, I loved every moment. But the problem in Swaziland is so big it's hard not to feel overwhelmed. I think sometimes I get caught up in trying to save all of Swaziland. When really, if I can just love a few, then hopefully they'll go on to love others. That's how an impact is made. I won't always see what I reap, but I've got to have faith that the seeds I plant will grow.

Now, I've entered a time of waiting and prayer. I'm not sure where I'm headed anymore or where Roots of Hope is headed. I'll be the first to admit, I change my mind constantly. I have no idea what a year from now looks like, I have no idea what tomorrow looks like. I'll also be the first to admit, sometimes I don't always hear God correctly. I want to thank you in advance for being patient with me as I continue to seek God during this time.

There is one thing that continues to not waver - I know God has called me to help Swaziland. I don't know what that looks like anymore, but that much hasn't changed.

You're prayers are loved and appreciated. Thank you for your support!

Back to Reality

2009-06-16T03:09:00.000-07:00

I've been in Swaziland for about 2 weeks now. Things this time around a bit different.

It's been a huge blessing stay with Gogo Abner, a Swazi woman who works at SACRO. She's taught us how to cook like Swazis, how to kill a chicken, how to live off of way too much sugar but most importantly, how to die of self and live for a greater purpose. It's evident that she knows the Lord and she is living her life accordingly.

Staying with Gogo Abner has also open my eyes to the dire situation in Swaziland. We are surrounded by poverty. Last time I was in Swaziland with AIM, we went out during the day to do ministry among the poor and came back home at night to live like Americans in our gated off community away from the realities of Swazis.

Every day, a child tells me how they don't eat at night, a mother breaks down in tears because she can't provide for her family, a student's bottom hurts because they were beat in school for not having the proper uniform, and child after child comes up to me and says, "Nonhlanhla, I'm sick", but they don't have the 20E to see the doctor.

Every night we've got 6-12 children gathered in the living room ready to learn and ready to be fed. Gogo Abner will never send these children home hungry no matter how much or how little food we've prepared. And she's always the last to dish up her plate.

And at the end of every day, I try to take it all in but I feel so helpless.

Please pray for these children. They're desperate for so many things and the most we can do for them, is pray.

I'll be home in a week! I'll be sure to update you again then!

Hello Swaziland!

2009-05-31T15:30:00.001-07:00

I leave tomorrow, June 1st, for a three week stay in Swaziland! I'm traveling with three friends, two from my trip last year and a friend from Nashville. We arrive in Swaziland on June 3rd around 4pm their time, that's 9am central time.

I don't know if it's really sunk in yet that I'm going. I thought for sure when I packed my bag earlier today, that it would have. But I'm sure when I step on that flight, it will all become real.

This trip is a time to visit with those I love but also a time to figure out more details about things Roots of Hope Ministries hopes to accomplish. Right now, all of our plans are just ideas; this trip will sort ideas that are realistic from those that are not.

I'm so excited to see Lindo. All the children at the DIC have no idea we're coming. I'm looking forward to walking up the hill that the center sits on and seeing all of their faces as they realize who we are!

I feel very blessed to know that I have all your support and prayers while I'm away. Please pray for safety as we travel and safety in Swaziland. Pray that the list of questions I have pertaining to Roots of Hope find answers, but more importantly, that Roots of Hope transforms from my vision into the Lord's vision for Swaziland. Ask God to use us in Mighty ways. Our trip has no details or plans mapped out, we want to let God use us as He desires. I urge you to pray against Satan as our time in Swaziland is most precious to the Lord, it is most hated by Satan.

I also want to take this time to thank everyone who has already supported Roots of Hope Ministries. May you be blessed as you have chosen to bless others.

I will be blogging while I'm gone, so make sure to pop-in once in a while to keep up to date on what God’s doing in Swaziland while we’re there.

See you all in three weeks!

The Month of May

2009-05-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

I feel like the month of May has slowed down a bit in comparison to the previous months, but in reality a lot of things have happened in the past 20 days.

By God's faithfulness, He has placed me under a new ministry covering, Good Measure International. They have already been a huge blessing to me. They not only give 100% of all donations directly to my ministry, but they care about what's happening in Swaziland and I love the feeling of having that support group. They have also blessed me with a donation to get my ministry off the ground. God is good and I'm so grateful for Good Measure.

This month I've also given my ministry a name. Roots of Hope Ministries is God's work through us in Mbabane, Swaziland. My sister and I were brainstorming and when 'roots' came up, I felt like that was so symbolic of God's gift to us. When you build a foundation on Truth, your roots go deep and are strong. It also symbolizes life and the life I hope to bring to the children of Swaziland through Jesus Christ who died on the cross. I will be launching a website for Roots of Hope soon! I'll keep you updated on that!

I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I leave June 1st for a 3 week stay in Swaziland! That means there's only 12 days left until I board the plane! I'll be traveling with, Carrie, a friend from Nashville and two girls from my trip with AIM last year. Carrie will be helping me take photos and gather stories to share with all of you. We've also been very blessed by Carrie's friend Michael, who has given us a video camera to take over and has offered to help us put together a promotional video for Roots of Hope Ministries.

May has been good to me, but has also been a really hard month emotionally. Knowing that I'm leaving my family and my boyfriend to follow God's calling on my life, is hard. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited and I know I'm in for some awesome stuff, but it's a bit scary at times.

Overall, life is good and God is good. I've been blessed by so many. Thank you for caring and keep please praying!

UPDATE

2009-05-09T13:38:00.000-07:00

I’m excited to share new and urgent information with you. I am no longer under International Outreach Ministries. The Lord has been faithful and has provided me with a new ministry covering. Effective immediately, all donations should be sent to Good Measure International. Now, 100% of donations go directly to my ministry in Swaziland, which is awesome!

Please make checks payable to Good Measure International and mail donations to:

Good Measure International
785 Harrison Ave.
Charleston, IL 61920
**Make sure to write my name on the description line of the check.

Or, click Donate Now. There you have the option of giving a one-time donation or arranging monthly direct deposit.

Attention prayer supporters! Let me know you’re praying with me by signing my prayer book.

Please help me reach my goal of establishing 40 sponsors at $50 a month!

Do I really believe?

2009-04-29T11:54:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 1:7 – “Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.”

1 Corinthians 4:20 - “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of talking but of power.”

I’ve been asking God to prepare me spiritually for what’s ahead in my future. As I studied these verses, God’s message to me was clear. The power of the Holy Spirit resides in me and with it, I will spread the Good News not through my words, but through my actions. I meditated on this throughout the day, and as I went to bed, God whispered to me over and over, “I am me. Let me be me.”

I'm learning what it looks like to believe I hold the power of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus sent His disciples out, this is what He said, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matt 10:8) As Jesus sends me to Swaziland, He is sending me with these same commands. In my right hand, I hold the power of the Lord; I have to learn how to use it.

There is no doubt in my mind that God performs miraculous works. I've experienced it first hand many times. Where the Lord is challenging me is: Am I living it? I don't live a life that is fully dependent on the Lord at it's robbing Him of what He's capable of.

Jesus healed a blind man with mud made with saliva, brought Lazarus back from the dead, cast out evil spirits in Legion and fed four thousand with seven loaves of bread and a few fish. Our God is all powerful. I need to stop saying it and start acting like it. I need to start living with a childlike faith. God is pleading with me when He says, “I am me. Let me be me.”

“Everything is possible for him who believes.” - Jesus (Mark 9:23)

Coming to My Senses

2009-04-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

For the past month, moving to Swaziland has for the most part, seemed like pretend. Not until just recently, has the reality of it sunk in.

I’ve been keeping up with a story in Ethiopia that involves Rich and Melissa Lester (my brother-in-law’s family). Basically, within a month, their friends visited Ethiopia, came back to the US, realized they needed to move to Africa, started a non-profit (Drawn From Water) and are already pretty far into raising funds for the children of Ethiopia and themselves. This was a wake up call!

Just a month ago myself, God made it clear to me that He wanted me in Swaziland. Last Friday, I sent out three emails to local churches asking if I could speak to their congregation. Three emails. That’s it. I’ve come to realize that this whole moving to Swaziland thing isn’t something that I can be cautious about or take my time with. (Well, I guess I could if I wasn’t planning on being there in October.) I need to fully jump into what it means and what it takes to make this happen. I feel like I’ve been busy trying to contact people and getting a budget together but when I step back, it’s obvious there are other things I need to be pursuing to make this all come together.

From the very beginning, I felt a spirit of urgency about all of this. Maybe it’s out of fear that I haven’t fully pursued getting the word out. I don’t feel afraid. I’m excited! But, it is a huge life change and it means sacrifices a lot so I wouldn’t put it past myself to be scared.

Please pray against a spirit of fear. Pray that word catches fire about what I’m called to do in Swaziland, not only about my story but about the story of Swazi’s. Pray for prayer warriors and financial partners - they are what is going to make this happen. I have no doubt that God will provide for me. Psalm 28:7 – “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped…”

This is where I long to be, next to these beautiful children.

If you'd like to help - Ask your church if they'd allow me to speak to them, tell your friends and family about my blog, hold an event to raise money that goes towards the needs in Swaziland and continue to spread the word!

Her Story

2009-04-15T15:38:00.000-07:00

A frail and weak little girl walked into the center early from school. I had never seen her before. I guessed she could be no older than four. Barely able to hold her eyes open, she explained to Gogo Abner what was wrong. Her thin arms and bloated belly immediately made me aware she wasn’t receiving proper nutrition. My heart broke. Gogo Abner looked at me and said, “We must take this child to see the doctor, right away.” I scooped her up in my arms and held her as we drove to the hospital just up the street.

As we waited to see the doctor, I wept as I learned about her story. The child’s mother died of AIDS at the age of thirteen, just weeks after giving birth. Her father was never in the picture. Her Gogo took her in, despite the fact she had four children of her own at home under the age of eight whom she couldn’t keep fed. Unable to work because of a mental disability, her Gogo tried everything she could to provide for her five little girls. Every day, this devoted woman would go out to collect bottles and scraps of metal. At the end of each week, she would turn them into the junk yard in exchange for a small price.

The child would often go days without eating. When her Gogo was able to afford food, it was no more then some porridge, enough for one serving but it would have to feed the whole family. Their house was the size of a walk-in closet. The place they called home is the size of the place we keep our clothing. It was constructed of sheets of tin. Each night, the family of six would squeeze in to go to bed side by side. When it rained, the dirt floor would turn into mud. That same floor, is what they slept on.

From the day forward, I never wanted to let go of this little girl. I could hear God say, “Take care of this little one. She is mine.”

This is Lindo and this is her story.

Unfortunately, she's not the only one with a story like this.

She could be your little girl.

Will you do something to help?

Learning What It Looks Like To Give

2009-04-14T17:13:00.000-07:00

I feel like there’s been this wave around me and God is teaching the people in this wave about giving. Suddenly, I realize I know nothing about giving. Sure, I tithe and I’m not hesitant to help someone in need, at least not by my standards. I’m learning that the things of this world do not belong to me. The money I earn at my job is not my own, the clothes in my closet are not my own, the food in my pantry is not my own. These are all things the Lord has given to me and He expects me to give them away in return.

Mark 12:43-44 – “Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

What would it look like if we treating nothing as our own possessions? In this economy, so many people feel as though they have already lost enough, but imagine if you chose to give away more and did so gladly. God keeps telling me, “I’m going to take care you. Let me take care of you.” I’m trying to fully grasp this. My God loves me so much, that He will, without a doubt, take care of me. A Sheppard doesn’t let his flock go hungry. Think of the disciples. The Lord sent them out with nothing but they were never in lack.

It's interesting how as I'm trying to save up and raise money (a lot of money) to live off of in Swaziland, Christ is teaching me about giving. I need to trust that God will provide for my needs as I step out in obedience and faith and give to others. There’s a hungry woman next to me, am I willing to give her my plate of food? Are you willing to give?

2 Corinthians 9:7 – “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

My Heart

2009-04-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

Psalm 16:11 - "You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy, In Your right hand there are pleasures forever."

There's a place in my heart that I cannot escape. It is broken and torn apart yet it is the place I long to be most. It is the smile of a young boy as he plays with a grocery bag he's formed into a ball. It's the desperate girl who sells herself on the streets in exchange for a loaf of bread. It's the orphaned children who wake up in the middle of the night scared, with no one to comfort them. Every story, every child, holds a piece of my heart and that's exactly where I want it to be.

God has given me a passion for the orphaned, poor and unloved. It's easy to feel sad when you look at a picture of a poor child on the streets of Africa. It's just as easy to forget that image a second later. These children are not mere stories we tell or pictures we show, they're living and they need someone to say, "I love you. You are not forgotten."

I am packing up my bags and moving to the country where this story becomes reality. I'm going back to the place I love so much because God has called me to be a part of His plan for this country. I'm going back to The Kingdom of Swaziland. I always said one day I'd move to Swaziland if a family member or my future husband were to come with me. God must have laughed when He heart me say that. I am being stripped of my crutches and learning to solely depend on the Lord. He's enough.

Please pray for the children of Swaziland; for safety, health, food, protection and guidance. And for me, as I start raising funds, that God will provide me with the opportunities to share my story.