Hope in the prison

Our team in Texas is primarily concerned with runaways in the streets of Austin.“Over and over again we witness how “our friends” from the streets are sent to jail, because they attacked and injured somebody with a knife or where caught drink-driving.

On the one hand being in prison is really hard for them (due to violence between the prisoners, bad food, lack of sleep, no daylight or fresh air, boredom for they have nothing to do), on the other hand it is our chance to win their hearts.

Being their sole visitors, we bring a welcomed change into their boring life in jail. Most of them are free-spoken during our visits and we have many profound conversations.

God is using us and moving amongst the prisoners. It is our hope, that after being released, they will come to stay with us, which would help them in their new start in life.

From HELP Texas: "Four years ago, we' d just started to visit the runaways on the streets of Austin, we met a woman who claimed to be a witch. She and her husband didn' t like us. They felt disturbed by our street-services and called the police now and then.

Today, four years later, our relationship is completely changed. They were anticipating an invitation to our house for days, and when they came they brought presents for our kids.

They apologized for calling the police and being so harsh. As our relationship develops we are hoping that they will have life changing experiences with God as we do."
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Manuel, a participant in our rehab program, says: "At the age of fifteen I got involved in drugs for the first time. By now I am 42 years old and trying to break my habit for the eighth time. My life was quite a disaster. All the relationships in my family were destroyed by my drug addiction.

Each time I took drugs, my father in law took my wife and the kids away from me and I had no chance to see them. Last time I didn' t see them for nine months and my wife wasn' t even willing to talk to me on the phone. However, when she realized that I really wanted to quit, she took me to the 'Set Free Center' .

After staying at the center for 2,5 month my family came to visit me and I am so amazed at how God is restoring our relationships. Even the relationship with my kids is getting better. Anna, my 16-year-old, who wanted none of me anymore said: ' Daddy, if you will stay free of drugs and go through with the rehabilitation program, then I will give it everything at school, too.' "
More about the 'Set Free Center' >>

Happy to be in school

Jen is 17 and just finished High School. Her mother died when she was a baby and she grew up with her grand parents under a bridge. She has been staying with us for almost four years and we guided her through quite a few storms and teenage trouble.

She is now in college and is taking up a course in Education because it is her desire to become a teacher. She showed good leadership potential during our outreaches and Kids Church. A few days ago, she said: " I am so grateful that I can go to school. It' s not always easy because almost all my classmates come from rich families and I don' t know how to relate to them.

When I go to school I have to pass the bridge where I grew up and where my cousins still hang out. I' m tempted to drop by and look back to my ' old life' but God helps me. Before, I always easily gave up and said : 'I can' t do it', but I now realize that I can do much more than I thought... with God on my side!"
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Louie, who is one year old, weighs only 5 kilogramms. He is malnourished and his development is that of a four months old baby. His family wants none of him. During his first days with us he wouldn't respond to our love.

But now, two month later, he has gained some weight, smiles a lot and starts to develop normaly. The love of God literally goes under the skin. Instead of skinfolds and bones we can see that Louie's little body is 'refilled'.

Rosemarie, Michelle, Krystal

Three times the same story. All had been kidnapped, were neglected, mangy and sick when they arrived at our place.

We tried to find their families through television, radio, newspapers and the police but in vain. It seems that nobody wants them.

But there is always room for them at the Father's heart of God. Meanwhile all of them changed immensely.They all gained weight, are much more secure and independent.

We can watch how their personalities develop and are already sure that we will miss them a lot, whenever the courts will allow their applications to join their new families.
More about "Noah's Ark >>

"Ecki" staying in our rehab center in Thailand reports: "I grew up in poor circumstances in a small provincial town . That's why I had to work very hard even as a child. My parents divorced when I was still little. I never had good grades in school. At the beginning of highschool I started to take drugs for the first time. Later on I was dismissed from school because of my drug abuse. It didn't take long that the police caught me and I had to spent my first 2 days behind bars. My drug consumption increased constantly. In order to pay for my addiction I stole cellphones, motorcycles, burgled into houses and delivered drugs.

The police caught me again, this time I had to spend 2 month in prison. How onerous! I decided to change, but that didn't happen. Back home at my mom's I started to steal household items. She couldn't stand it and sent me to a church to get some help. Two weeks later I was back at her door.

Another attempt to leave me in the hands of a young church leader backfired, because he too lost patience with me. I ended up in the rehab center of HELP International in Bangkok. I wasn't motivated at all, but after a while I started to like it. After a year in the programm they sent me to school to finish my education. That lead to many temptations. Finally, after breaking several rules, I had to leave the center.

Back home things really only got worse, in the end I was back into drugs again. I lost my new found job, fell out with my mom and was always short of money. Now it was all the same to me. I started to deal with drugs, sold and delivered them in great quantities.

That jailed me for the third time, this time for nearby two years. Being at large again I signed up for therapy, but I wasn't sure if they would take me in, since I blundered a lot the first time. Meanwhile I am back in the rehab center for 4 month. This time I have hope and peace, because I know, that God is able to change me. He has a bright future for me. I want to know His will and do it. I am so happy about the second chance I've got.
more about HELP Thailand >>

A piece of news from the "Set Free Center" in Manila: 'Rene was visiting his family who lives close to the garbage dump in Manila. He tells us:" I was visting with my brothers and sisters when suddenly my oldest brother and my youngest sister began to fight. The fight escalated to the point where they were facing each other with knives in their hands. After they calmed down a little, I went to them and we talked.

Later that day, I was sitting in front of our hut praying to God. My brother came to me and asked me what I was doing. I told him, that I was praying for him and my little sister and asked him if he is praying too. He answered that he is praying for all his enemies to die. Then I showed him the scripture in the Bible where it says that we should love our enemies and even pray for them. My brother liked the verse from the Bible and was really touched by it.” '
More about the 'Set Free Center' >>

An old countryside man came to visit us one day. “I live quite away so I cannot come to church. But I came to tell you this: Last summer I sat in my ger watching tv. They broadcasted a meeting in UB with a man talking about Jesus. I did not know Jesus. This man (Peter Youngren) called sick people and said Jesus could heal them. He told everybody lay there hand on the sick part of their body.

I had a skindesease at my hand and arm and I could not walk due to a hip-joint-problem. I laid my hand on these parts and kept watching. I didn’t know what to think. As a blind lady on tv started shouting that she could see, I got a very strange feeling inside. Two hours after the tv-program had finished, I suddenly got up from my chair and started walking about the ger! I had not been able to do this for a long time. My relatives were as astonished as I was. Jesus had healed me! My skin-disease had disappeared as well. Since then I tell everybody I meet about Jesus. I want to glorify Him.”
More about HELP Mongolia >>

Ooh, 23 years old, grew up in one of Bangkok's many slum areas. His parents seperated when he was just 4 years old. Since that day he started living with his aunt, who has become his mom. Ooh tells me: " I got to see my father very seldom. Once or twice a year he would come and visit me. I still remember how much I longed to see him." more >>

Mongolian Contrasts

Our team from HELP International in Mongolia is experiencing many contrasts - like going through the streets and taking in the drunk, who would otherwise die of the cold during that night - or a worship festival with hundreds of excited Mongols.

It's all documented in our picture gallery, specially composed for you. You can see the beautiful mongolian landscape and also the misery of a life on the garbage dump. Partake in the 'Mongolian Worship Festival' , where hundreds of excited Mongols celebrate their faith or see the joy on the faces of the street kids, who were able to clean off the dirt under our mobile shower. Watch how they enjoy the offered food and the games we play with them.
More >>

While worshiping God during a church service I saw Him as father, holding hands with us, his children. As his child I said to Him: " Daddy, I'm tired and weak" and He told me that I am save in his arms. That made me remember my old life:

I lived on the streets where I took care of other kids whose parents had to go to work or were neglecting them. Often I would carry those kids around in my arms where they would sometimes fall asleep.

God showed me, that I can run into his arms and rest on his shoulder. I want to trust in Him, he renewed my strength.
More about the 'Set Free Center' >>

Jorge, a participant of our rehab program in Metro Manila gives his testimony during our devotion time:

" During my drug addiction I used to admire certain friends because of their physical strength. I tried everything to be as cool and strong as them to earn their acceptance. But when I started to face problems in my family due to my chaotic lifestyle they started to withdraw more and more. One time they even beat me up because I acted rebellious towards them. They didn't want to be my friends any longer. Here at the Set Free Center I'm experiencing God's presence and I am learning that my faith in Him can stabilize and strengthen me. I don't have to find that with my friends any longer. I also realized that behind their apparent strength they face huge problems and weaknesses .......and I am just so glad that I've found a real friend in Jesus!"
More about the 'Set Free Center' >>

Some time ago our rehab center went on a trip to the sea. Arnold, an 18 years old guy joining the program reports:

"I grew up on a garbage dump - with all its filth and stench. While on the boat driving to our destination I breathed in fresh air for the first time in my entire life. I didn't even think that fresh air like that existed! But I was quite worried about my future until God met me during a time of worship, telling me that I do not need to be afraid because he loves me."
More about HELP Philippines >>

After a long period of hoping and several talks with the district administration our "Father's House" team (HELP Philippines) is finally able to move to a new center.

"Father's House" offers a home for many neglected and orphaned children as well as for young adults, who have been living there since quite a while and who are partly accompanied while receiving a training. Besides them staff and missionaries from the "City Mission" ( HELP Philippines) reside there, too.

We are very glad that our new, wonderful center is close to the other houses of our ministry, which makes things much more easy for us. For the next two years we will rent the center, with the option of buying house and property after that period of time. What we paid for rent will be credited on the purchase price.

Those two years will also be a qualifying period for us in the eyes of the district administration. They want to make sure that we won't disturbe the peace in that residential area. It will be a challenge for us to win the hearts of our neighbors, but we are full of confidence that it is possible with God's help.
More about HELP Philippines >>
Gallery >>

Our team in the US is very open for people from outside who want to get to know the ministry more closely. Here the report of an intern:

"Hello readers, my name is Boone. I am a college student from John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. A few weeks ago, a growing desire began in my heart to live on the streets and learn more about our homeless brothers and discern what true dependency on God is like. After hearing about the HELP for all Nations ministry from a friend, I called up our friend Gerald. He said that sleeping on the streets was not likely, but that he had a bus with our name on it. So my friend Adam and I hit the road once Spring Break had begun. It has been an amazing experience living with the families here and making new friends on the street."
Boone Sommerfeld                                                                                                         
More about HELP USA >>

Diana Rose, whom we met on the street, was one of the younger rugby girls. She said she is 12 but could be an eight year old from her physical development.

She came asking for medicine for her ear. As she carefully swept her hair away from her ear, I couldn't help but cringe from the sight of the red swollen ear that was oozing pus. Even her face and neck were already affected. We decided to help her see a doctor and made arrangements to meet her the next morning. We prayed for her before saying goodbye. With tears running down her face she said 'thank you'.

She didn't show up for the doctor appointment and we finally saw her again about 3 weeks later. I asked how her ear was and she beamed as she showed me a perfectly normal ear. Surprised, I asked her what she had done. She smiled and said "Nothing, just your prayers!" We went to see her at her aunts shack the next morning. She was still asleep at 10:30 a.m. because she works selling stuff till the wee hours of the morning. We got to know her better over breakfast as she shared of the hurts and abuse in the hands of her parents who both had other families. How the plea to her mother "I just want to feel that you love me" didn't even earn a response. How she kicked her father when he started touching her in her sleep. She willingly gave her life to Jesus that morning and begged us to take her in so she can start a new life. She pointed to two small scars on her face and said they were like her ear, but she just prayed like we did and received healing. As we walked to our car, smiling she said "I think this is the happiest day of my life!"
More about HELP Philippines >>