Open Hands
“How was your mission trip?” It is such a simple question yet so hard to put a week’s worth of experience and impact into a few sentences. No words seem to give clarity to the whole experience. I too find…
Third World Country Synonym: How else can we say it?
What Does “Third World” Really Mean? I’m sure you’ve heard the term “third world.” If someone says, “third world nation,” you probably think of some place in Africa, Asia, or South America that has no running water, dirt roads, unreliable…
Why Do We Always Capitalize the “H” in Hope?
Have you ever noticed that in our blog posts and newsletter the “H” in the word Hope is capitalized? This isn’t a typo or grammatical error that has gone unnoticed. It is a purposeful and willful acknowledgement that Jesus is…
Crocs and Clorox Wipes—How to Pack for Your Mission Trip
Anyone else out there find packing for a trip to a developing nation—like for a mission trip—a sigh-inducing task? Totally worth it, but it sure does take a lot of time and brainpower. Soooo many decisions to make, right? What…
Launching Dreams in Central Uganda
Shafiq was on the verge of giving up. Living in central Uganda with 14 children to support plus his wife, he felt overwhelmed and wondered how he could possibly afford to feed his children and keep them in school. Their…
Fresh, Clean Water in Haiti
In Paulette, Haiti, they are struggling to find clean, fresh water. Here is one solution we are looking at to help our partner church, their elementary school and the community. https://brighthope.wistia.com/medias/nt8y3njc5s?embedType=async&videoFoam=true&videoWidth=640
Grandmothers On a Mission
I just returned from Uganda with a medical team. It is amazing to visit our church partners’ communities and see for myself the impact Bright Hope is having. We visited with the grandmothers’ club at two different church locations. What’s…
A Polar Vortex, a Lost Puppy and the Extreme Poor
Just a couple weeks ago we experienced the chilling effects of a Polar Vortex here in northern Illinois. For two days it was colder here than it was in Siberia. (One day our “high” temperature, when factoring in the wind…
Finding New Family and a Fresh Start
Remmy, an entrepreneur and mother of three, lives in the densely- populated Huruma slums on the outskirts of Nairobi. Several years ago, she joined a Savings For Life (SFL) group with only 14 members. Now there are 22 and call themselves, “Tunaweza A,” meaning “We can”…
The simple, but deeply moving prayers of the extreme poor
One of a few defining moments in my life happened when I was 21. I was in the Philippines, in the mountain city of Baguio, and the mission team I was with was scheduled to do an evangelism crusade in…
An Empty Stomach Turns a Deaf Ear
As you sit and read this blog, you have likely found a comfortable place to sit in your home, with a roof over your head… and you enjoy the security of knowing you are safe. You might have a fresh…
I Have Seen God’s Glorious Hand at Work
Guest contributor: Dustin Warren traveled to Uganda with Bright Hope in September and powerfully shares about his experience… In the Book of James, it tells us to go out and visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction (James…