BIG ANNOUNCEMENT - The Brandsmas are moving to Ethiopia to serve with HFK!!

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

On August 12th Mark and Tammy Brandsma, along with their three children Malaya, Sam and Ben will be moving to Ethiopia for 9 months to serve with HFK !! This is not a decision they have made lightly, but it has come after much prayer for God's direction in a calling they felt many years ago. We are thrilled that God has led them to Hope for Korah and it is pretty incredible that their skill sets and talents are just what we need at this point in our ministry.

As many of you know, HFK's main focus is family sponsorship and we endeavor to have a holistic approach in working with each family - spiritually, physically and emotionally. Our prayer is to give our families an opportunity to heal from the many traumas and years of

'survival mode' they have been living in. We want families to stay healthy and together (orphan prevention) and ultimately we want them to break the cycle of poverty they've been trapped in either within this first or next generation. This is where we are so excited to have Mark and Tammy come in...

Mark and Tammy's main role will be Program Development in the area of income generation. They both will be working alongside our Ethiopian leaders (KGHC) in developing the structure and framework necessary for our sponsored families to take the next steps to becoming self-reliant. We envision this happening through self-governing; income generating and microcredit self-help groups. Of our 40 families, we have about 15 who are ready to move into this next phase of sponsorship and we need someone with business & financial expertise, as well as compassion and understanding of poverty related issues to be on the ground for a period of time, working closely with our Ethiopian leaders to further develop this most important part of the program.

Mark's business & financial expertise along with years of experience working in the financial management sector will be a huge asset in helping us to accomplish this next goal. We believe God has truly brought Mark and Tammy to us for this purpose and they will be a great blessing to our children & families, Ethiopian leaders and to De & Katie Jellum who are already serving on the ground with HFK. Tammy grew up on the mission field and she too has a lot to offer in the area of leadership and program development and with her many years of nursing experience she will be invaluable and much needed in the KGHC First Aid Station/Medical Clinic that we support. Their children will be actively involved in the ministry as Sam and Ben's soccer skills along with Mark's own love for soccer and coaching will be a great help to De and the KGHC leaders who recently began a weekly boys soccer club. Malaya will be using her own crafting talents and love for children and she, as well as the boys will have opportunities to serve in the HFK Daycare and Kindergarten class.

Please keep the Brandsma family in your prayers as they finalize many details for their departure, including obtaining visas, packing up their house, transitioning out of their present jobs and preparing to leave. Please pray for wisdom and energy for all that is before them now and during their transition time and especially God's undeniable leading each step of the way.

Mark and Tammy served
with our HFK Team in April 2014: