Jesus Loves me - Feb 2023

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Valentine's Day is all about love (ok, and maybe about a bit of chocolate too!) so with Valentine's weekend upon us, I thought I'd share an experience I had last week that reminded me of love.

I had a pastor from Toronto visit who wanted to see the work of Villages of Hope in Tanzania. I took him around the main location near Mwanza, and then we went to the satellite center in Bulale. It is about 45 minutes from the center of town, and in a very poor community area. It was a great visit - we saw the children playing, having their tasty lunch and the grade 5 girls were getting vaccinated (some of them sure didn't like the needle!)




Then we visited a couple of the classrooms. As we did, the children decided they wanted to sing to us. First, we were in the reception class, and later we went to see the children in grade 5.

Without any coercion or pre-planning, both classes decided to sing the same song. Guess what they sang? .... Jesus loves me! 


To me, this is what the Gospel and Villages of Hope is all about. If the children who are 5 and 6 or 11 and 12 get into their hearts and spirits that Jesus loves them ... they truly have hope for their future. And when you combine that with a good education and a program to look after their health and nutrition, they are all set!

I know Valentine's Day is a time for love and romance (and maybe a bit of chocolate) but isn't the greatest love of all the love that He gives to each one of us, and to know deep in our hearts, that He loves us, He really loves us?

My heart was blessed as I heard the children singing the reality that Jesus loves them. 

As you go into Valentine's Day weekend, please pray with me as we share the love of God with the orphans and vulnerable children we serve, that His deep love for them will truly resonate in their hearts and souls and they will grow up knowing that He really loves and cares for them.  

Hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Jeanette

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