In this update:
- Providing an opportunity to respond
- Partner Profile — A day at ATEK
- Ongoing Development — Projects & Teams
- 2020 Statistics
- Our partners
- Fullwell Leadership
- Story from the field: When we don't agree
- Since the beginning — Interview with Gerry Stinson
Providing an opportunity to respond
Jason Krul — Director of International Operations ,
Hungry For Life has been facilitating partnerships for the past 17 years, which has put us in a unique position to respond to the overwhelming needs as a result of the global pandemic.
Back in March when we launched the Hunger Virus campaign, our project managers assessed the situations of our partners around the world, and we were able to tailor our response to assist in meeting the most critical needs.
This past year, thanks to your generosity, we were able to send over $400,000 in direct Covid relief to 25 international partners in 14 countries. These funds helped provide a one-month supply of food to over 26,000 people in communities where food security is a major concern.
Your support has not only made a huge physical impact in providing food and basic necessities to the most vulnerable around the world where we work, but also a direct spiritual impact in the lives of many.
In Peru, God has been stirring up a hunger for His Word where our partner ATEK is ministering to isolated communities and distributing Bibles.
Many of our partners have used the opportunity when delivering food rations to share the Gospel, and be an encouragement to believers during this challenging season.
Thank you for your generosity and for partnering with us as we continue to reach out to a desperate and hurting world.
Partner profile:
A day at ATEK
Ongoing development:
Projects & Teams
Chad Martz — Director of Operations
I am so very humbled by the amazing international partners we work with. Not only were they able to put together a plan to meet the immediate needs of the people they serve during the pandemic, but have continued to implement ongoing sustainable community development projects. From our perspective, this was not a year where the global church waited to act due to local and international restrictions, but rather pressed on and used the opportunity to share the love of Christ through word and action.
In the absence of travel, HFL continued to facilitate and engage 47 churches/groups in supporting projects. Over $1.3 million was sent to these countries to support projects such as:
Projects:
- School Construction
- Widow Care Program
- Orphan Care
- Supporting Staff
- Education Sponsorship Programs
- Home Construction
- Skills Acquisition
- Child Trafficking Prevention
- Irrigation Projects
- Business Startup
Teams:
In addition to all of the ongoing projects and Hunger Virus response, HFL was able to facilitate 6 teams at the beginning of 2020 (before being subject to restrictions) to Kenya (3), Mexico, Philippines & Guatemala. Teams continue to be a priority for us and the value of sending teams internationally and developing relational partnerships has been so evident this past year by the response to both immediate and long-term needs. This has been so evident this past year, as churches and groups continue to support various international projects.
2020 Statistics
From our partners:
“We thank you for the money that you have sent for us. It has made a great impact in our community. We have bought food for those in extreme necessity and, thereby, also supported several businesses who are also really suffering by purchasing food LOCALLY to increase their business.” - Mark Stockeland — Haiti Bible Mission (Haiti)
“As I pulled into the community with some of the resources we were able to hand out due to donations received through Hungry For Life, the faces lit up. It is not just smiles we are after…not just full bellies we would like to see…it is for their recognization that others around the world have come together in the Name of Christ to help them.” - Kevin Knight — Manna4Life (Cambodia)
“Thank you on behalf of the children and their parents for all the food and hygiene supplies that they’ve been able to receive suring this difficult time.” Igor Kalashnikov — Orphanage of Hope (Ukraine)
Fullwell Leadership
Dave Blundell — Executive Director
Our vision of a world transformed, evidenced by the eradication of needless suffering is so much bigger than us. We’ve always known that, which is why we have focused so heavily on building partnerships since the day we started. Focusing our work through partnerships has enabled us to multiply our growth and impact, allowing us to accomplish much more than we could on our own. And we want to take that even further.
We are excited to launch Fullwell Leadership. Fullwell builds on all we have experienced and learned at Hungry For Life. Fullwell provides coaching and consulting to the leaders of other charities, helping them to address the various pain points and obstacles that stand in the way of having a larger impact. We are passionate about serving leaders of other organizations and committed to helping them grow.
Fullwell is the social enterprise of Hungry For Life, which means the funds that are raised through helping charity leaders in developed countries enable us to provide leadership development for our field partners who can’t afford access to knowledge that increases their impact.
To learn about Fullwell, please visit fullwell.ca
When we don't agree
Charlene Stinson — Special Projects
Nikolay, a local pastor, attended the Hungry For Life International Leadership Conference in Nikopol, Ukraine in September of 2019. With his vocational history in the secular world, the value of the conference was immeasurable. In his pastoral ministry, one of the greatest challenges he faces in the leadership of his congregation is the destructive impact of conflict. It wreaks havoc on marriages, families, and the relationships within the greater church family. And ultimately, it affects the spiritual health of his congregation and minimizes their effect in the community.
Along with his many take-aways from the five-day conference, perhaps the most impacting for Nikolay was the day spent learning about International Partnerships and Conflict Management. For spiritual leaders in Ukraine like Nikolay, teaching that develops these skills is not readily available. Armed and equipped, he is now using the teaching materials provided to develop stronger and healthier relationships within his own church family.
Since the beginning
Gerry Stinson — Director of Finance
What was your first experience with Hungry For Life (HFL)?
“Administering the finances and admin at the inception of HFL in 2003. I then went on a trip to Haiti in 2004 as a team member with Chilliwack Alliance Church. Since then, I’ve primarily worked in the office, writing cheques, wiring funds, reconciling statements, processing donations, etc. This exciting work at the office has been punctuated with a number of trips to places like South Sudan, Ukraine, Uganda, Kenya, Mexico and Haiti. I even went on a missions trip to Mississippi. It has been quite an adventure.”
How did you decide to join HFL?
“I was ready to serve somewhere after a short break form serving as treasurer at my church. Dave [Blundell, Executive Director] asked me first.”
How has your life changed since starting to work at HFL?
“I’ve definitely done and seen things I could never have imagined in my prior life. I have learned that everything we have, or do, or think is enabled by God. All we can do personally is acknowledge that, or we become an impediment and God goes around us and uses someone else.”
How have you seen God move in the lives of others?
“The essence of the gospel is Love God, Love People. I have seen many people—e.g., staff, team members and donors—develop a deeper understanding of what that really means through their respective experiences with HFL. Staff have had to see God provide in tangible ways just to provide an income. Team members have had experiences on the field that have radically changed their view on life here at home. It has shaped how they live life, make decisions, treat others, spend money; in some ways it has wrecked their safe, peaceful, prosperous North American life, but in the best possible way.”
How has HFL changed over the years?
“HFL has grown up over the years. We have failed and learned, failed again and learned more. I believe we have had influence far beyond anything we can see or measure. Our goal was to see lives changed, I believe that is happening. However, we haven’t quite eradicated needless suffering, nor seen the Church fully realize a reputation of love and compassion. We still have some work to do.”
If this resonates with you, and you can see yourself getting involved as a staff member at Hungry For Life, please reach out to us by visiting hungryforlife.org/careers
