Women and a Construction Site

Not two things that you normally think of together.  But I couldn't help but think of the countless numbers of women and girls that are going to have their lives changed as I walked the construction site/property that will soon be the House of Hope.
 (this is that announcement you've been waiting for! Read it all to catch the news!)
While in Africa last month we stayed with missionaries Peter & Mary street, and this is their ministry.  We took time one morning to visit the property and pray, and God really spoke to me that morning through nature.
The property is surrounded by chain-link fence, but there's bougainvillaea growing up it - creating a hedge of protection.

On my walk I saw a butterfly land on one of the flowers & I felt like God spoke to me that the girls/women that come to House of Hope will feel safe & secure and be able to just rest in God and his creation.  That butterfly had the freedom to fly to any of the neighboring fields/farms, but she chose to stay and rest at the House of Hope.  She was protected.  Safe.  Just like the girls will be. On one side of the property the bougainvillaea is flourishing and a bit overgrown- but there are shoots of it reaching 2-3 feet into the property and I saw that as God reaching, stretching himself toward the House of Hope.  And the... interesting (? for lack of better word) thing is - that part of the property (I learned later) is the exact spot where the building that houses the girls will be.   On the other three sides, just outside the property, are fields of corn, with very tall stalks.

As I walked and prayed God showed me that those hundreds of corn stalks standing tall and surrounding the property represent his army of angels.  They surround that place.  Watching.  Protecting.
We also took some time to write down scriptures we felt the Lord giving us and we buried them at the four corners of the property, laying the spiritual foundation.  Mary & Peter took oil and anointed the perimeter of the property, and as they met in the middle the rain came pouring down.  We had been talking about and praying about fresh rain earlier in the week so it was really neat to see God unleash that at just that moment.
After everyone had time to walk the property and pray, we met on the foundation to look at the plans for the buildings.

 

The foundations is poured for the first building, which will be an office classroom, storage and (upstairs) temporary housing for missions teams that come, or for rescued girls as an interim while building #2 is going up.  The 2nd building will be a two story home for all the women and girls that will be rescued from sex trafficking, abuse or who are otherwise unwanted.  There will be a playground and a garden where the girls will be taught how to do Farming God's Way.
The goal of the House of Hope is to raise up and educate the girls until they are either ready to go to college or ready to learn a trade.
 As I watched Mary pull out the blueprints and walk around the property I could see the passion in her eyes that she has for this place.  This property, with it's pile of bricks and slab of foundation is Mary's heart.  Her heart is in that concrete.  It sits between those rebar poles.  It's nestled into the flowering bushes.  And it's among the women and girls that will one day (soon!) be rescued and brought to this haven.  House of Hope is funded solely through supporters and donations.  They have the funds secured to buy the thousands of bricks that it will take to begin building up the walls of the first building - but that is only the beginning.  I watched Mary's eyes sparkle as she told us her hopes and dreams for this place -my heart was stirring - and I knew, I just knew that Mission for Mawu had to come alongside this amazing ministry.

So, my friends, I'm so excited to share with you that Mission for Mawu is extending it's reach.  Fifteen percent of all proceeds will now be donated to the House of Hope in Tanzania, Africa.  

What about The Father's House in Ghana, you ask?  No worries!  They will still receive 25% of all proceeds, as usual.  That place stole my heart, there's no way I'd leave them high-and-dry. :)

So, just to break it down for you - all proceeds from Mission for Mawu photography sessions and print sales go straight to missions.
15% will be given to House of Hope
25% will be given to The Father's House
60% remaining will be put straight into our missions account, so the next time we're called to Africa we can go! 

Returning customers may also notice a slight increase in prices - this is because I'm so excited about what these ministries are doing and I can't wait to bless them!
The new prices will take effect for all sessions booked beginning in August.  Sessions already on my calendar will not be affected by the new prices, and Grow-With-Me packages previously purchased will not be affected.

Thank you for helping Mission for Mawu reach out and touch the world!