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Dear Heroes,
We are so pleased to announce that we have received our 501C3 status as a registered non-profit organization. All of your donations are tax deductible - and this status is retroactive to February of 2008 when we first applied. While our application was pending we were able to issue tax receipts for your donations. Now you can be sure that all you have donated is tax deductible and all that you will donate in the future will be as well. This may encourage you to donate to support our projects in Zambia. Below is one of the needs that we currently have. May God guide you as you reflect on it.
Vincent Luwizhi is the director of GHI's projects in Zambia. Vincent is a full time missionary for GHI who relies on donations to support his family while doing his ministry in Grippis Farm. He is a godly man with a gentle spirit who is committed to seeing Grippis transformed by the power of God as he shares the biblical world view with the villagers. He is also excited about bringing economic improvement to their personal lives by introducing income generation projects. He is heading up the oversight of the Mango Grove Community School, the small animal husbandry training center, the new building construction, the income generating projects of tailoring, gardening and others. I was happy to get to spend time with him and his family while in Zambia. Vincent is a Zimbabwean with a theological degree from Liberty University, and is an ordained pastor. He is also a highly trained community development specialist who has lifted African communities out of poverty and dependency in 5 other African nations. We are so amazed and blessed that he responded to God's call to do the same for Grippis Farm.
He did an amazing job of coordinating everything when the mission team was there - he had everything incredibly organized - he had made all of the preparations so the team could do their work on the building. He had organized the architect to do the plans, the foreman to oversee the work, did all the legwork to get the supplies in place, the workers ready, and kept positive relationships with the community while they were clearing the land and preparing it for the construction. He did all of the up front work with the well drilling company and followed up afterwards to make sure that it was well done and in working condition. He is a hard working, dedicated, efficient man with a very positive, optimistic and faith-filled attitude. He is servant leader, even tempered, and always keeps himself in the background, quietly making things happen (He is pictured above with Mr. Sachika looking over the architect's drawings for the school and with the workers from the village at the construction site.)
His wife Samantha is an American who is by training a special education teacher. However she is a full time mom right now to their two girls, Madison, 4 years old, and Olivia, 1 year old. Madison is a precocious, warm, outgoing little girl who overflows with energy and a zest for life. She has a tender heart for the children of Grippis. The family has a slideshow of the Grippis children on their family camera. She sits and watches it and tears run down her face. "I just think it is so beautiful," she says. She loves to help with the rabbits, the ducks, the goats and chickens in the training center. She is friends with all and involved in whatever is going on. Olivia is an adorable toddler who is still trying to keep her balance so she can walk. She smiles almost all the time, is cutting teeth, is easy going and just as delighted with crawling after the ducks and chickens as Madison.
This God-sent family has embraced the children and teachers of the Mango Grove Community School, and have been accepted with open arms by the Grippis Community. They have already earned great respect from all whose lives they touch. They are currently living on faith - they have received only a fraction of what they need to pay their monthly expenses. If God nudges you to support them, please donate through the website, or by check to P.O. Box 10, Mint Spring, Virginia, 24463, and mark Vincent on the Memo line.
Or, if you feel nudged to go and volunteer to help Vincent administer the projects in Grippis for a short term mission assignment of 6-8 weeks, he is asking for help.
God bless you for your obedience and generosity,
Tanya
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