Hope for the Future by Marcia S. Brunson
Hope for the Future purposes to empower the Ethiopian community in Israel, a critical part of the fabric of this nation. By going beyond giving handouts and giving "hands up", HFF interfaces with this community by building opportunities to achieve lifestyles that are self-sufficient, that possess dignity, stability, safety and progress.
The characteristics of the Ethiopian community at large have included enduring crowded, emaciated, or impaired housing conditions. Many individuals have limited transportation options, and 79% of the population are classified as low income. This rate is much higher than other immigrant groups in the land.
Hope for the Future, by conveying the essential message of trust, intends to stimulate and foster intergrated community health and vibrance. Many Ethiopians left family behind that are in the process of immigrating here from Africa.
The Falashmuras are now encouraged and permitted to enter the land by government authorities by "the Law of Entry." This subculture is now experiencing the cycle of the first generation, learning the challenging Hebrew language, living in absorption centers and entering the work force.
CFI, through the Hope for the Future outreach continues to provide for needy families, as their adjustment continues. All our assistance operates from a relentless heart for those we serve to see a bigger picture. In our commitment to God's desire for a thriving multicultural society in His land, we seek to impact the lives of Ethiopian immigrants as Israel's story of survival goes forward.
Leviticus 19: 34 But the stranger who resides with you shall be to you like someone native-born among you; and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.(Amp)
Marcia S. Brunson Outreach Co-ordinator - Hope for the Future
Contact Hope for the Future at: hope@cfijerusalem.org
Latest Reports - By Marcia Brunson
Hope For The Future Report January 2021 - By Marcia Brunson
Trusting in the Impossible
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted (betach) in Him and I am helped;” Psalm 28: 7a
Personal time working with Rachel Maggolli in the past few years has been extremely rewarding. Rachel is a true advocate for the Ethiopian community. In three years, she has cultivated a vision of “trust” first in the Lord, for all she does to uplift the Ethiopian families. Beginning in 2017, from my observation, WIZO Pardes Kidz had little hope. Many of the projects were lacking sufficient funding while children were still in need of more tutorial programs to assist their academic needs. Hope for the Future could only do so much financially, we did pay for one year of tutorial mathematical instruction. We heard the cry for funding, with reports that children were failing. We needed to address the practical side of things, so our vision focused on helping Rachel to plan and develop, more from the inside out. With much patience and time, we got to work, trusting God for funds to come in, (and they did!) This new insight was practically implemented, for the betterment of the organization.
Trust in the Lord! Give a Hand up not just a handout! Hope for the Future was able to assist Rachel in constructing a vision board for planning; By helping to steer WIZO Pardes Kidz, with tools to stay on course, we enabled the center to develop and see many of the children exceed the expectations of teachers and parents alike. Many of the students were accepted into leadership programs because of their academic growth! Hope for the Future was very instrumental in donating refurbished computers for the present tutorial program. The students moving on to engineering studies needed to be helped by purchasing laptops for their studies. We anticipate a need for upgraded computers in the near future. The youth was awarded a robotics program in the centre! This will be very timely and crucial in helping the children to bridge academic and learning gaps, as well as prepare them for the future with science, math, and engineering abilities! What awesome things we can do with the help of faith and trust in the Lord. All at Hope for the Future CFI send our love and say “thank you” for your prayers and donations.
“Trust (in Hebrew, (betach) is a word with many meanings such as confidence, security, and hope. This word’s pictographic meaning is as the word. Bet: is a picture of a tent, abiding, Tet; is a picture of being wrapped or swaddled like a baby blanket and Chet; a fence or wall being surrounded and protected with exclusivity.”
Hope for the Future: December Project Report by Marcia S. Brunson
The Changes we need to envision in a new Era
Fall in Jerusalem starts like a lamb and ends like a lion! With the exception of festival intermittent days, we can truly see how this theory even affects our communities. In August, the last days of summer, many are away on vacation, enjoying leisure’s final days. While on an alternate spectrum, you have the disadvantaged communities. Spending summer in the city; idle time for young people can be stressful for parents. This time of the year becomes especially challenging for our Ethiopian families with many schoolchildren home during the day. Many may ordinarily be attending school, having lunch, and even having breakfast provided at school. Hardship on the family becomes unpredictable with children at home all day, resulting in our clients’ extreme emergent need for financial help.
“Thanksgiving will proceed from them, a sound of celebration. I will multiply them, and they will not be decreased; I will honor them, and they will not be belittled” Jeremiah 30:19 (NIV).
This fall, we had a few families that came under scrutiny, having financial issues. For example, we helped an Ethiopian mother with ten children, eight living in the household. The father of the house, a Rabbi in the community, became very ill and unable to work, and the mother as well deemed unfit to work, created deep need. Hannah presented a few overdue bills, to include fees for education for three of her children! In this unusual circumstance, they reached out to us as an organization prepared to help. We hope to help her older son who suffers from bouts of depression as well. Hannah explained to us he was working at one time with the emergency service as an ambulance driver. Now he is sitting at home refusing to work.
Our ability to assist this family has taken a heavy weight off Hannah’s shoulders! We pray that paying towards the school fees and the food vouchers will allow them to catch up on the other outstanding responsibilities. It may take a few personal visits to speak with her son. Please pray with us and agree, “That this young man will hear words of wisdom and awaken from any oppression of slumber to regain vigor to live life as Abba intended for him to do.”
“A land in which you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you may dig copper” Deuteronomy 8:9 (NKJV).
We vow to keep a watchful eye on the community’s students and support familial ability to create wealth in light of the world’s present situation and economy. Be it with vocational school or with help to stay in college. It is our heartfelt desire to see success in a ‘dire need’ situation and living conditions. We have several requests to help with learning in vocational schools, (i.e. cosmetology, accounting) or help with getting the proper technical requirements for college courses. The long-term and more significant picture will produce lasting results.
Thank you to everyone who shares in our pursuit to be the friends who endure to the end!
Marcia Brunson Project Supervisor
