December 2011
1 post
10 Shocking Facts about HIV/AIDS Everyone Should... →
FACT: 70% of new HIV infections in 2010 were in Africa.
FACT: 34 million people are living with HIV/AIDS.
FACT: HIV/AIDS has claimed more than 30 million lives.
FACT: Male circumcision can prevent HIV infection. Source:malecircumcision.org
FACT: 2 million children are living with HIV/AIDS. Most were infected during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
FACT: Mother-to-child HIV spread...
September 2011
4 posts
This is all about bringing glory to God.
A friend said this to me the other day about Give New Life, and it hit me square between the eyes -
This is all about bringing glory to God.
In the middle of that, God cares for everyone involved: the women, the staff, the donors.
We aim to bring glory to Him through our obedience, through living out who we are created to be…
This is a pivotal truth that defines us as an...
Essential Reading List...
28: Stories of AIDS in Africa, by Stephanie Nolen Walks through stories of pastors, street kids, sex workers, truckers, doctors and students. Outlines the web of destruction involved with AIDS in Africa and the forces holding it in place. AIDS: The Ultimate Challenge, by Elisabeth Kubler-RossWritten in the 1980s, it walks through the challenges the US was facing as AIDS came to the forefront. ...
The Living Proof Project →
This is an awesome collection of stories - of aid reaching the right place, of trends turning around and development work being successful, transforming communities. Living Proof is an inspiring look at what is happening around the world.
August 2011
3 posts
“Her Story
To truly know Africa, you need to be still enough to listen to her...”
– Birgundi Ives from this post
July 2011
2 posts
August 2010
1 post
Ezekiel 37
God’s brought this passage to me many times in the course of this journey - as the way He is working, and wants to work in me, and in this work He’s called me to…
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. He caused me to pass among them round about, and there were very...
March 2010
5 posts
The New Lame Sauce
Marc and I started an Amazon seller account about a year ago to start raising money for…something. I was looking at our bookshelf of nicely collected books and felt like God said, ‘those are going!’ We weren’t sure what the money was for until of course, New Life came into existence! Now we are selling our books, cd’s, dvd’s, and sheet music…it’s...
Trip Update and Thank YOU!!!!
Dear friends, Just returned from Ethiopia, and wanted to share with you about our trip and the impact of your prayers and support. We were so thankful for your shared excitement and open hearts for us and this new ministry. It was an intense trip emotionally, but mixed with some truly beautiful and fun times. I feel wholly inadequate to do what He has set before me, and I feel a deep...
Name Changes
FYI…New Life in Ethiopia has become New Life Women and Children’s Center (instead of Infant Feeding Center) It encompasses more of our efforts to help move these women out of the cycle of poverty and into new life situations. This means for us more than just feeding, so we wanted our name to reflect that.
Also, the U.S. side of the organization is called Give New Life. We are the...
ONE - check it out! →
February 2010
3 posts
Back!
Back now, will update soon. Thank you so much to all who prayed and cheered us on.
Hannah
Update 2
Hi guys!
Thanks so much for your prayers. We have been so busy and there has been alot of emotional pain and many questions.
We are hearing some conflicting things right now about how to operate. God’s voice is what matters ONLY, so please pray we can set all of it before him every time.
Levi and Jessie (our hosts) have been such an amazing gift. They are so easy-going and have talked to us...
Plane Ride
Hey all! Ok, God has done so much already. Plane ride - He didn’t waste a minute, speaking powerful words to both of us. I had about 5 hours over the Atlantic to repent and empty myself of all the names I’ve taken on in my life that are complete opposite of who I am (I dumped them all in the ocean :)), and reached Amsterdam empty of all of it, ready for God to bring me new names to...
December 2009
6 posts
God's Flow
I am delighted to find that this transformational development work has everything to do with the God I know! It’s about God’s redemptive work flowing into every area of our spiritual and physical world. It’s about our stories converging. ‘Wherever sin reaches - it’s where the work of Jesus Christ is needed’ (pp from book). God has done this kind of...
“The poor already have a story before the development agency arrives. It is both...”
– Bryant L. Myers, in Walking With The Poor, page 11, on the context in which development takes place: the convergence of stories.
“I use the term transformational development to reflect my concern for seeking...”
– Bryant L. Myers, in Walking With the Poor, page 3
Walking With The Poor
Just started this book by Bryant L. Myers. It is amazing book on Walking with the Poor. If I wrote a book, it would be called Running to the Poor, but this guy and his work has brought so much perspective, grounding and direction for the work God has set before us. And I’m only on page 11. Here we go!
Check out givenewlife.org! →
Shout out to all of you who contributed to getting this out. Love it!
Clarification re: 1st Annual Tea!
Thanks for those who have expressed interest in coming to the tea…it is actually Thursday, Dec 10, not the 11th. The day is right, date is not. so that is ONE week from today! @7pm at Dawn’s house. Please contact me for her address and/or directions. Thanks!
November 2009
5 posts
1st Annual Tea!
My beautiful friend Dawn is putting on a tea in honor of New Life! Thursday, December 11 @ 7pm, bring your favorite teabag or instant coffee mix. I’ll share a bit about the story of New Life. Dawn’s artwork and some seasonal Mary Kay items will be for sale (half of proceeds go to New Life).
Please come!
Just save ONE.
This is what God tells me a lot. Just save one, Hannah. And, ‘It is not ok that My children are suffering like this.’ I agree.
“Sometimes when we hear a sad story from the other side of the world, we close up...”
– From HIV to Home website
“May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths and superficial...”
– Fransiscan Prayer
September 2009
3 posts
* from last post
So we’re starting to research blood banks and OB units for mothers to safely birth their babies…basically having a hard time addressing one aspect of contributors to infant mortality rate (feeding), without addressing the others.
The major ways to support moms and babies in resource-poor countries:
Feed ‘em - Birth ‘em - Educate ‘em - Vocationally train ‘em...
Scope.
Recently was able to put in print what is in my head about the scope of bringing a new mom and family into the New Life program. Here’s the gist:
Connecting her to program when she is pregnant Establishing her HIV status Education, education about BF/HIV/birthing/NFP, and the other gazillion things to help her be healthy/stay healthy Feeding her Helping her birth safely* Postpartum...
Seriously.
Seriously, this is why New Life exists in the heart of God. This from a friend of a friend who is in Ethiopia. It’s so easy to lose sight of how great the need is, but it is so great. I can hardly say that without also being reminded that our God is greater. He sees every need. This kind of suffering has had it’s rule of the day for long enough. God is mobilizing His people and...
July 2009
1 post
The Story
New Life has been in the works since January 2009, when my second child, Malakai, was born! I wanted to donate my extra milk to babies in need and began researching places to send it. My heart has been tied to Africa since last summer, and I found a place that sends donor milk overseas, but the cost seemed enormous and the amount you could send so small. In my research, I heard that it is...