Dear Partners and Supporters,
What a year it has been for all of us, and Arm of Hope is no exception to the chaos. Thank goodness we have a God who never changes!
This past spring I was listening to some messages by Levi Lusko. He was teaching the story of the Israelites in Exodus 17. We often talk about Moses holding his hands up in surrender, so the Israelites could win the battle. But Lusko made another good point which was new to me. Yes, God told Moses to surrender, but in the same breath, He also told Joshua to fight! This has become my motto for the work of Arm of Hope this year. All that Arm of Hope is and will be I surrender to God. But in my surrender, I will also fight!
As I’ve been reading through the Old Testament, I have read over and over again that the heart of God is to care for the poor, the orphan, the widow, and anyone in need. Arm of Hope’s vision is in agreement with the heart of God, and that is why we continue to daily fight in our surrender.
Camp Plans…
God has provided us with an amazing group of 18 people, who have been preparing for and raising money for our camp since the beginning of the year. Supplies have been purchased, teaching has been organized, song motions have been practiced, and funds have been raised. We’ve been fighting for this camp! But God’s plans are different, and so we humbly surrender to Him.
Not only is the virus still an issue here in the states with strict guidelines in place, it is also prevalent in Ghana with equally strict guidelines, and Ghana’s borders remain closed. Hand washing facilities have been set up in our Arm of Hope building, and Philip’s wife, Hannah, made 500 masks for the students of Arm of Hope. These challenging factors and guidelines brought us, along with our missionary partner, Philip Darko in Ghana, to decide to postpone our Arm of Hope camp. As of this week, our flight into Ghana has been cancelled as well, so we have clear direction about our trip. This is not the time for our camp.
Our current plan is to postpone our trip until Christmas/New Year’s break. Our team is excited to have a second opportunity to bring camp to the precious kids of Arm of Hope. There are many hurdles that have to be conquered to make this happen, but we will continue to fight and surrender.
New Sponsorship Year…
Currently Arm of Hope is moving into our new school year beginning in September. Philip’s wife, Hannah, is measuring for uniforms, and books are being purchased. We expect over 400 students to be enrolled in school, with an additional 30 students entering or continuing college, so our budget has increased quite a bit this year. God is doing great things, and we are trusting Him to provide.
I know it’s a lot to ask, but would you pray and ask God if you can take on the support of just one more child? I know we are personally searching our hearts on this matter. Though we sponsor quite a few children already, we do seem to still have the resources to spend on ourselves and our leisure. I know for a fact that the Zimmermans can spare an additional $30 a month to help just one more child. We currently have over 100 children who are waiting for personal sponsors, so if you would like to help one of these children with their school fees this year, please contact us at armofhopeinghana@gmail.com, and we will help you update your account. If God lays it on your heart to give a one time gift into the sponsorship fund, you can do that as well at armofhopeinghana.org. Just choose “Arm of Hope – Student Sponsorship” from the giving menu.
Please Pray…
*Pray that our camp team will receive full reimbursement for our Delta tickets.
*Pray that God will heal our world and open borders so that we can move forward with camp in December/January.
*Pray that God will provide for the many children of Arm of Hope who are still waiting for a personal sponsor to support their education.
*Pray for strength for Hannah Darko as she sews hundreds of new uniforms while caring for two tiny babies.
*Pray for wisdom for Philip Darko as he opens the office, library, and computer lab with difficult restrictions in place.
*Pray that God will open things so we can celebrate together at our annual banquet on October 24.
Thank you to all of you for your love, prayers, and support for the work of Arm of Hope. We are completely humbled and blessed to have the privilege to serve with you!
Mike and Cheryl Zimmerman
(US Directors of Arm of Hope)