Artisans on the Silver Screen :-)

The Wild Hope Artisan Project



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Wild Hope's good friend, Jenelle, has been visiting here in Tanzania for the last three weeks. One of her helpful projects has been to edit together this 2 min video about The Wild Hope Artisans. The idea was to have a brief visual to tell people who purchase these products in the U.S. a little more about the partnership we have with these Maasai women.

We are blessed indeed to be a part of empowering these friends.

Enjoy! (And thank you so much, Jenelle!)

Chickens and Champions

Wild Hope's adopted football team (soccer to those of you who live in N. America) is all about chickens and champions at the moment :-)

As you know, we are partnering with these young men from an economically challenged area of Arusha because we are so impressed with their determination and self discipline in sports as they seek a way to rise above the challenges of the circumstances they live in.

The latest with Nyota FC is that they have launched a chicken rearing project with a micro-loan from Wild Hope. Byron and Peter have helped them with their plans, looked at all the angles with them and generally been there to advise and encourage. Now the first batch of chickens have been raised and sold and the second batch are housed in the hen room where they cluck their way to chubbiness.

Profit from the project will help with team costs for things like new cleats, transport etc etc. The team here at Wild Hope is proud of the guys for their creativity and hard work in this.

We're also proud to say that the team just won the cup in a local tournament sponsored by our friends at Young Life. Yesterday afternoon we watched the Nyota boys pull off a 3-0 victory in the final match. What a rush! The guys danced after every goal and the crowds of kids who were there to watch went wild!

Later, as we crammed into the tiny passage way outside the hen room, (this area has become the club house!) we told them what great examples they are to the young kids growing up around them. Holding their big trophy cup up high and singing their victory songs, the team looked to us like the champions of the world :-)

A Safari for the Heart

The entire Borden Family, the entire Russell Family and the entire Summer Team went away for 8 days together! There were 18 of us on the road through dust and ditches, forests and mountains, volcanoes and rivers, plains and lakes, friendships, studies, prayers, sharing, service, times of great adventure and times of quiet awe.

The combination of learning, giving, working, serving and adventuring combined with the beauty of Creation, turned our hearts toward the Creator in new and deeper ways.

This really was a journey for our hearts!

Thanks for prayers!

Photos: Jesse Borden

Sore Hands and Good Times

Our summer team spent the day at the home and farm of Alfonse and Rose and sons. We worked until our hands were covered in blisters in an effort to bless their farm, bless their lives, and serve in a practical way some of those God has given us friendship with.

Rose cooked up a hot lunch and sharing food together in the shade of their garden was filling in more ways than one.

When we pulled away the sun was pushing low toward evening and we were tired but exhillerated. Mount Meru looked stunning in the golden shades of the late afternoon and we felt the joy of serving, even in our weary muscles.

Wild Hope's Newest Wheels (or Boys Love Cars!)

Wild Hope's second vehicle has (finally) cleared customs and is sitting (happily) in the driveway at Byron and Lisa's house.

We are all extremely thankful that we were recognized as a non-profit and granted duty-free status to clear this 4x4! Had we not been, the duty would have been about $25,000. Yikes!

Millions of hugs in thanks to all who gave to buy this vehicle so that the Bordens can get around and do their job here in Tanzania. Millions!

The Borden Boys have been getting the roof rack attached and generally giving the car the once over in order to prepare her for her first safari beginning this Thursday. We're taking our Summer Team and our Deep Level Discipleship on the road!

Every prayer for safety is well appreciated.

We go out in joy, being led forth in peace.

The Latest Around Wild Hope

Wow! Everyone around Wild Hope has been on the move in a big way!

Peter and Tammy and their crew (AKA The Russell Family) were in the States for two months. They were in and around LA and up to Canada, over to Colorado and back again before landing in Nairobi last Saturday night. After such a wonderful season in Tanzania, they had much to share and they had a great time connecting with people and telling them Wild Hope stories in person ☺. God so blew them away with the supportive enthusiastic response that greeted them everywhere they went. They were blessed up one side and down the other as they racked up the miles.

Byron and Lisa and their crew (AKA The Borden Family) finally left the States and arrived here in Tanzania mid-May. These first weeks have been absolutely packed full of the details of immigrating, house-hunting and general settling. Phew! They are totally relieved to be here and to have found a house to move into. Life is starting to feel sort of normal to them as they unpack those boxes of familiar household things shipped from Portugal months ago.

We have a summer team that just arrived! Six young people from Portugal and/or Santa Barbara are with us to experience God in new ways, grow, get their heads and hearts challenged and their hands dirty as they help out. We are really looking forward to this time together seeking God, volunteering in different service oriented ways and experiencing the fullness of what the Lord has in store for this summer.

We’ll catch up again soon. I hesitate to say, “When things settle down,” but I think you know what I mean ☺

Photo taken by Jesse when the summer team hiked the gorge.

Introducing... Our Site!

Tadaaaaaaaaa!

Wild Hope has a Brand New Website.

A million thanks to Trevor Borden for designing and building our simple and lovely site.

And hats off to Skyler Russell, the young man behind the camera for almost every photo. Beautiful pics!