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Imagine Having 100 Children with the Chicken Pox!!!

As a father with just a few children, I know what it is like when one or two of your children get sick. Everything changes! As a parent you have to care for the sick child (and clean up after them if necessary) while attempting to keep the children who aren't sick away from the sick child. The well children seem to have energy amplification during this period too - especially if the parents get sick Right, Moms and Dads? This makes the chore of keeping them away from the sick child nearly impossible. And of course, they share toys, chairs, beds, rooms - the list goes on and on leaving the inevitable situation - sickness works its way through the entire family. As a father I know this situation all too well, but I always count my blessings. I am only dealing with a few children! Because I travel around the world visiting Hopegivers' Hope Homes, I am blessed to see my co-workers in the ministry, who not just care for two, three, four, or even five children, but 10...20...40...140...or 600!!!

April 22, 2010 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Recent M.A. Thomas Updates

Dr. M.A. Thomas (Papa) continues to recover in southern India. Samuel Thomas gives us the latest updates on his progress.

August 11, 2009 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

M.A. Thomas Update

Well, Papa is finally preparing for the day he has been waiting for since his illness began in late November. He is going home. Yes, as I write this, all of the preparations are being made for his return to his beloved homeland.

March 31, 2009 | 5 Comments | View or add comments

Slumdog Millionaire

I was privileged to go and see the movie Slumdog Millionaire with many of my friends and co-workers. Although, some scenes were hard to watch, I felt immediately transported to India. Having visited India many times, I struggle each time with coming home and trying to convey to friends, family and supporters of Hopegivers who have not been able to visit India, just who it is that we serve.

February 24, 2009 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

Joyful Thomas Reunion

The long awaited reunion occurred this weekend between M.A. and Samuel Thomas. It was such an exciting moment when Sam walked in the door and Papa's eyes met his. Of course there was lots of hugs, but for me it was the ear to ear smile on Papa's face that said it all.

February 17, 2009 | 10 Comments | View or add comments

Requesting Prayer for Dr. M.A. Thomas

The staff at Hopegivers write to you today with a special and urgent urgent prayer request for Dr. M.A. Thomas, founder of Hopegivers International who is currently in the hospital recovering pneumonia and a stroke. The following page has been set up to provide regular updates on his condition.

December 4, 2008 | 97 Comments | View or add comments

In a Trip Around the World, India Shines

The following is feedback from a Global Challenge Expeditions (GCEX) team who recently spent some time visiting HG-sponsored projects in India on their way around the world. GCEX is an awesome ministry that we love very much, check out what they had to say about their time in India.

July 16, 2008 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

My India Top 11

Instead of re-hashing all the things we did here the last few days, I'd like to propose a list of my top 11 favorite things in no particular order about the country of which I've become so fond. We're speaking of India, for those who've not been paying attention.

May 14, 2008 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

Malawi Recap

You know how I like to recap things. I hate to leave things un-recapped. In light of this I will now attempt to tidily summarize the balance of my Malawi journey in a concise manner.

March 20, 2008 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Taking Lilongwe Home

...Malawi has been hard hit by HIV AIDS. I think something like 1 million of the population is infected, and another 1 million are AIDS orphans, which is just a little bit ridiculous. There are many villages where there are only children and very old people left, all the other folks have died...but what a beautiful thing to see hope restored through our work.

March 10, 2008 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Haiti Update

What a neat thing it’s been to see the progression of the work here—especially seeing the improved health of the kids in just over a year of good diets, care and medicine. Many of whom were underweight, and quite twirl-able/throw-able on our first trip back in August ’06, are now far too big for successive rocket-ship rides.

February 4, 2008 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

A Nebraskan goes to India

The most important thing I noticed during my trip was not how much the children ate or the clothes they were wearing or the warm beds they slept in. Instead it was how loved they were, and how much they loved.

January 15, 2008 | 4 Comments | View or add comments

Christmas Greeting From Dr. M.A.

Dr. MA Thomas The children of the Hopegivers family from India, Haiti and Malawi wish you a merry, joyful and prosperous Christmas and New Year. We praise God for the Christmas. On Christmas Day we celebrate the eternal son of God who could have been richer than all the rich people in the world, but instead became the poorest man in the world on our behalf.

December 5, 2007 | 4 Comments | View or add comments

Action! Adventure! Heroic Soap! India Trip Recap

Last we spoke I was in rural West Bengal. Today, we are back in Delhi but it is only by the grace of God and an amazing bar of soap that we were able to get back at all. Allow me to elaborate...

November 29, 2007 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

West Bengal, East India, South Asia

Hello friends, we are now in West Bengal. How about that.

Last time I wrote was from Rajasthan and much has transpired since then. To recap, we took the 10 hour train ride from Kota to Delhi wherein me and Steve were upgraded to the VIP lounge--and by VIP lounge I mean the linen closet.

November 16, 2007 | 1 Comment | View or add comments

Rebuke the Slump!

haitipiggyback_250px Despite my silliness and general discomfort with intimacy, I wish I could sit down with each one of you and share how I've been forever changed by the pastors, orphans, widows, leprosy victims etc. I've met and the things I've seen during my time here at HG. Haunting isn't quite the right word to describe these images I have in my brain, it's something more intense and urgent than that. I don't know what to say other than I feel really close to these folks who have given their lives to serve the 'least of these'--namely orphans, widows, the sick, downtrodden or anyone else in need.

July 27, 2007 | 3 Comments | View or add comments

Lessons From a Penny Pincher

esther_blog_2007_100px My name is Esther and you can call me a lot of things. Penny pincher is definitely one of them. I’m a college student, and, suffice to say, I’ve learned to survive on very little. I can make it a couple of weeks with only about ten dollars.

I’m working with Hopegivers this summer, saving up money for the next school year. It will be more costly this year – I recently got a car. I hold up every penny I can every chance I get, but here I am, working with a nonprofit organization surrounded by people who love to give. Being around these people, along with the staple church sermon about living a fuller life through giving, has helped me loosen up.

June 20, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

What Else Do We Have To Spend Our Money On?

sandy2_100px Right now I'm on vacation, attending my daughter's graduation from the University of Washington. As I watched the processional today, I felt only joy for Kelli, knowing she has her whole life ahead of her with endless opportunities. My daughter steps into her new life knowing that she has the support of a large family behind her. There were no thoughts of fear or sadness in this occasion, only thoughts of joy and excitement.

June 10, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Interview With a Pirate

Greetings! We have arrived safely in the Caribbean on our way to see Hopegivers' Haiti work. Already, I've had a great stroke of good fortune. As fate would have it, I ran into a living legend today-the last living Pirate of the Caribbean-right at our own Hope Home in Haiti. Fortunately for us, Bottle-Nose Bob renounced looting, killing, and general pirate naughtiness when he became a believer in 2005, and has since spent the last two years as a helper at the home.

June 10, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Lesson on Giving - Learned from the Field

sandyellingson_candid_100px After working with Hopegivers in a voluntary support role off and on for six years, I joined Hopegivers in September '06 on a more permanent basis. My goal was to upgrade their technology systems that they had long since outgrown. I have lots of experience with software, accounting and non profits so I thought this would be a breeze. Needless to say, I found myself often being as "wishy washy" as a politician.

May 24, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Rob's Farewell Speech

sugarcane_rob_small Everything is copasetic here in Andhra Pradesh and I just wanted to send a quick note to recap this amazing, slightly ridiculous journey. We've covered an incredible amount of miles by plane, train, jeep, scooter, bus, and briefly camel, but our time is sadly coming to an end.

There've been many highlights, some lowlights, but this has been one of the most exhilarating, exhausting, and educational experiences of my life. Whereas on my last India trip, I was content just to dip my toes in, hesitant to do or try new things, this time I dove in head first-literally-into the Krishna River and Bay of Bengal, then figuratively into Indian culture itself.

April 30, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

India's Future Bright

robby_river_250px Let me begin by saying I love pretty much everything about India. The spicy food served by loving hands, the hospitality, the acceptance of mustaches, the loud music, even the chaotic traffic makes me smile. But let me tell you my favorite thing about India—and why I believe India will be blessed beyond measure in the years to come…

April 28, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Bathing With Buffaloes

corn_pile_100px Greetings friends--everything is bagundi (Telugu for kosher) in Andhra. We've had an amazingly wonderful, indigenous, Jungle Book-esque 3 days in rural AP. We've swam in the Krishna river, played cricket with the orphans, and befriended a mischievous talking bear named Baloo.

April 14, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

Bringing India Home (Part 5)

ma_desk_sm What a week in Kota! We have had such a special time. Nothing has become more apparent to me than this: I need to somehow bring India home and share it with the Hopegivers' team (sponsors worldwide). This is such an amazing ministry and I had no picture or idea until I got here. It is also very sad because we have viewed the schools and orphanages here in Kota that only a year ago had close to 3,000 orphans and students, and now are down in the 600-800 range. It's truly heartbreaking. Most of those orphans were chased out of the orphanage during the persecution, which leaves them back on the very streets that they were once rescued from.

March 14, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

The Pink Pastor (Part 4)

pink_panther_sm Today we came to Jaipur, the "Pink City." It is pink because it is largely made out of pink sandstone and is a very historical city. There is so much pink here, I even saw a group of men carrying pink shopping bags. I think the men here must be very secure in their masculinity to bear so much pink.

March 8, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

My Best Day Yet (Part 3)

slum_pastor_sm Wow, wow, wow...this has been the most amazing day. Actually, the day started a little shaky when our taxi driver picked us up and we discovered he didn't speak a stitch of English. I had heard stories about why you should never get into an unknown cab, so we tried to verify he was there for us, but no matter how much I waved my arms and yelled at him where we were going, he was a blank screen. Since the hotel told us he was there for us, we decided to risk it and get in the car. Forty-five minutes and twelve slums later, we regretted that decision. He got so lost and kept trying to ask us questions in Hindi, which might as well have been Greek. We kept trying to use his cell phone, but he wouldn't let us. I was about to wring it out of his skinny little butt, when FINALLY he got us to the orphanage. We were so relieved.

March 4, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

The World Is My Oyster? (Part2)

slum_kids_sm In America, you say, "The world is my oyster." In India, the saying becomes, "the world is my urinal (and add to that "my garbage can")." But I must say, it has not been as bad as expected. There are no more open sewers on the streets but that doesn't stop men from obeying on the spot when nature calls. I have not witnessed the more refined and civilized species (ahem!) doing the same. I guess some things never change.

March 2, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

I Gave Jesus A Backrub (Part 1)

jesus_leper_sm Yesterday was an amazing day! We were picked up at 9:00 in our "rental car." In India, when you rent a car, you get a driver with it. This happens to be a good thing in my case as my husband, Shucks, doesn't have adequate life insurance on me yet.

March 1, 2007 | 0 Comments | View or add comments

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