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SERVE
Go and share the word of Christ with the world!
It is our goal at Community of Hope to share about the love of Jesus with others. There are various opportunities to serve locally and globally. Through outreach projects, our focus is to go out into the community around us serving their needs while we share God’s love. We have a passion for those who are lost and have several programs to reach people in need outside the walls of the church.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
1 Peter 4:10-11
FOOD 4 THOUGHT PROGRAM
“Food 4 Thought” is a collaboration between Boeckman Creek Elementary and Meridian Creek Middle School, and Community of Hope focusing on addressing child hunger in our community. Participating students, who are food insecure, are given a weekend food pack discretely each week during the school year that provide simple and healthy meal items. The snacks and drinks are specifically selected to supplement that child’s available weekend food, and the menu is rotated so kids have some variety. We have around 40 kids participating in receiving food each week at an average cost of ~$10-12 per bag.
If you would like to help, please donate food items!
Click HERE to download a list of items that are most needed at this time.
The facts below show our community has a need which we are motivated to help in filling:
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15% of families / children in Wilsonville are food insecure
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Students who have access to regular and healthy meals:
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achieve 17.5% higher scores on standardized math tests
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attend 1.5 more days of school per year
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and are 20% more likely to graduate from high school
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BAND OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS (BOBS)
BOBS brings together useful resources and caring volunteers in partnership with Catalyst Partnerships NW to help elderly, disabled and low-income people in our local community fix and clean up their homes for safe & healthy living environments.
AFRICAN S.M.I.L.E.
Overview
African S.M.I.L.E. (Singida Medical Improvements and Learning Environments) is a Christian relief organization started by members of Community of Hope to work in the Singida region of Tanzania. Projects include building medical facilities, supporting the nursing school, providing clean water sources and seed for crops as well as emergency food supplies, building and supporting schools and churches, and building homes for those afflicted with Leprosy. Members of Community of Hope and other volunteers travel to work in Tanzania for 2-8 weeks at a time to help with these projects or to teach in the schools as well as providing financial support for programs. If you have a heart for this kind of work, please join us! Email office@commhope.org for more information and to get involved.
History
Answering a call to help revitalize Iambi Lutheran Hospital, a group of dedicated Christians from the Pacific Northwest travelled to Tanzania in 2003 to spend a month sharing their faith, skills and experiences to help address the needs of the hospital. A year later, this group formally incorporated African S.M.I.L.E. and began a concentrated program to promote the principles of Christianity while providing the resources necessary for Iambi Hospital and Nkungi village to become self-sufficient.
Since African S.M.I.L.E. began sending volunteers to Tanzania, over 137 individuals have shared their faith and skills with the people of the Singida region. With each volunteer spending on average from two to four weeks in the region the number of volunteer hours is countless. By raising or covering their own travel expenses they have contributed in excess of $650,000 to the cause. Volunteers with construction experience are charged with training the locals to perform the necessary labor. Medical volunteers work alongside local personnel to treat the sick in the outer villages, while other volunteers help out in the local schools. The primary goal of the volunteers is to share their faith and skills so the people of Singida are able to work towards self-sufficiency.
Through the generosity of the Moris Foundation over $600,000 has been spent directly on materials, supplies, equipment and local labor to further the work of African S.M.I.L.E. With volunteers covering their own travel expenses, all monies raised by African S.M.I.L.E. are spent in Singida for the betterment of their community.
It has been a great joy and blessing for African S.M.I.L.E. to be able to work with the Singida people and accomplish so much in the past years. We give thanks and praise to our gracious Lord for making all of this possible. We thank retired Bishop Sima and his staff for their cooperation and help. We thank Dr. Ngowi and his staff for their overall direction and appreciation for the work completed at Iambi Lutheran Hospital. We are also very grateful for the skills and hard work performed by the nationals hired who have made the projects become a reality. And finally we express our gratitude to those whose generous donations have made this all possible.
Director: African S.M.I.L.E. – TANZANIA
Mike Kitakwa – Mr. Kitakwa comes from a family of business and community leaders in Arusha with family ties to Nkungi. Formally trained as a veterinarian, he has become known as the “jack of all trades” to several missionary groups working in Nkungi and the Singida region and has been instrumental in helping the groups achieve their goals. Mr. Kitakwa and his wife live in the neighboring community of Arusha.
Support
To donate to help African S.M.I.L.E. visit our Community of Hope online giving page HERE. Be sure to select DF (designated fund) 327 for African S.M.I.L.E.
You can also mail a check to Community of Hope and put “African SMILE” in the memo line.
Address: Community of Hope, 27817 SW Stafford Rd, Wilsonville, OR 97070
Click below for videos of African S.M.I.L.E
Click below for additional pictures and information
OTHER PLACES WE SERVE
Community of Hope also provides financial support to other outreach ministries to help share God’s Word of love and hope.
Adult & Teen Challenge is one of the ministries Community of Hope helps. This organization has a Christ-centered model of drug and alcohol recovery.
The local chapter of The Gideons who distribute Bibles in our area.
ROYAL FAMILY KIDS CAMP (RFKC)
The mission of Royal Family Kids is to provide positive experiences for abused or neglected foster children in safe and fun Christian environments. As a partner with RFK, Community of Hope hosts a week long summer camp for foster children in Clackamas County. We are responsible for funding and staffing the camp. There are places for everyone to help; as just a couple of examples, full time counselors (mentoring two youth all week), or day staff helpers (music, crafts, games, and support) are always needed.
If this is a place that seems to speak to you please visit the Wilsonville Royal Family kids website HERE or check out our Facebook page at WilsonvilleRoyalFamilyKIDS for more information.
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Click HERE to donate online to help support Royal Family Kids Camp. Be sure to select “DF 320” when you donate.
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Click the video below to learn more about Royal Family Kids Camp and how you can help make a difference.