Arm of Hope Newsletter January 2023 |
| Dear Friends and Partners of Arm of Hope, I am happy to bring you my tribute of thanks for all God has done for Arm of Hope during our recent camp adventure!  For our team… What a fun, work-together, make-it-happen, laugh-till-you-can’t-breathe team we had this year. This year’s team was exceptional. They certainly didn’t let anyone look down on them because they were young, but they worked together in a way that sacrificially set an example!  For our travels… All prayers were more than answered for safety and for connecting, on-time flights. Such a smooth year of travel. And we even brought everyone home with us at the same time!  For new relationships built and old ones renewed… I’m not sure which is more exciting for our campers – seeing old faces or greeting new ones. So many relationships were deepened and grown on this trip. Encouragement abounded!  For good food and the hands that prepared it… Who are we kidding? Most people come to camp for the food. It is plentiful and delicious. I asked our wonderful head cook how it is she never runs out. She said she just cooks for 500 at each meal and then there is enough! Great strategy!  For our medical team… Consisting of our own college students and graduates this year, our campers were lovingly cared for each and every day. So proud of our newly gradated physician’s assistant and nurses!  For our media team… New this year was our super-fun media team taking pictures and putting together videos for our campers to enjoy. They used their talents to make camp so much fun!  For a new year celebrated… With fireworks, s’mores and bonfire, worship and dancing, we brought it in 5 hours before all of you at home. How can the year not be good when you begin it like that?  For young leaders rising up… Our team partnered together with nearly 80 of our Arm of Hope graduates and college students. It was an honor to serve alongside of these quality young people and a privilege to see them go from campers to camp leaders.  For leaders developing their God-given gifts… College students leading the teaching rotation, assistant “star masters” gathering points from teams, teachers mentored for assembly time teaching, game leaders leading on their own, craft leaders serving with excellence, and so many leaders serving water, carrying things, cooking, and helping with organization of camp. I could not be more proud of the way they conducted themselves with grace and confidence!  For fun new things… Like a talent show and a girls’ spa night. Camp has a consistent schedule, but it’s fun to throw in some extra surprises just to keep it exciting!  For 40 teams of campers… Twenty each week in twenty different colors, for a total of 600 campers!  For prizes awarded… For a job well done with scripture memorization, service to the camp, character displayed, and games won!  For graduates honored… Celebrating 50 high school graduates, 8 college graduates, and 2 graduates from trade school. So proud to see one of our college graduates hired to work in her teaching hospital, and one of our college graduates receiving a teaching internship in the school he attended. Wow!  For the Gospel shared… Over and over again and in so many different ways, Jesus was magnified and taught.  For hearts eager to learn… Hands were lifted in commitment, prayers were prayed, and lives were recommitted to Jesus. He was truly the center of it all!  For land dedicated… As the home of our future clinic moves from a dream in our hearts to an actual building made of actual blocks where actual people will come to be healed in so many ways. It was an honor to stand on the land and join forces with our students, some who will soon be employed in this very place.  For a community changed… As the light of Arm of Hope continues to shine, lives are changed one at a time, until the whole community now begins to shine with the incredible love God has for each person living there. For a safe trip home for our team… With our hearts full of memories from our wonderful experiences, and gratitude for all of you who helped to make it happen. Thank you! FOR ALL THESE THINGS, GOD, WE THANK YOU WITH ALL OUR HEARTS. YOU HAVE DONE MORE THAN WE COULD EVER THINK OR IMAGINE, AND FOR THIS, WE OWE YOU OUR LIVES. WE ARE YOURS! With an overflowing heart, Cheryl Zimmerman Arm of Hope Director cheryl@armofhopeinghana.org |
