Spreading the light of hope is not simply a motto or slogan for us; it is a way of life. Our mission is informed by the vision to spread the light of hope. And our passion is driven by our commitment to seeing the light of hope shine in the lives of the communities we serve.

Thanks to the generous gifts of our sponsors and donors, this past January 2023, we fed the hungry, spread the light of hope, and broke new frontiers in Umume, Obodoukwu, in Ideato Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria.

Umume, Obodoukwu is a small autonomous community in Ideato Local Government Area of Imo State in Southeastern Nigeria. The community is home to about 13,000 residents. Like other surrounding villages and towns, such as Uzubi, Urualla, Akpulu, and Orsu, Umume residents are mostly subsistent farmers. Deprived of adequate infrastructure and functional access roads, many in this peaceful, hardworking community struggle to support themselves and their families. For many families in Umume, being subsistent farmers means that whenever they experience any inevitable life situations, like weather disruptions, sickness, or other traumatic life occurrences, members would be challenged to provide food and means to support themselves. As such, for many of these families in Umume, every day is a matter of a ‘battle for survival.’ 

This past January 2023, thanks to our donors and supporters, we provided food supplies such as rice, oil, and tomatoes to deprived individuals and families of Umume, Obodoukwu. We also provided other support, like financial assistance, to those in critical situations. About 100 individuals and families benefited from our outreach programs. We limited our reach to help more people because of our limited resources. Angela, a widow who recently lost her husband and struggles to provide for her family, captured the sentiments of many who received help from us when she said, “What you [Divine Hope Mission] has done for us puts a “blanket of comfort” over us, and we thank you.” After receiving his support and fighting back the tears of joy, a disabled man having difficulties with mobility echoed similar sentiments when he said to us, “For what you have done and the help you have given us, may God bless you and keep you for us.”

Breaking New Frontiers

The story of Janet, a woman whose husband was homebound because of a health condition and whose son recently had an accident, but the hospital, which was very distant from her home, could not release her son after treatment because of the family’s inability to pay the hospital bill, reflects the urgency of the healthcare need and critical situations that many families in Umume face daily. In addition to helping the family with food supplies, thanks to the generosity of our donors and supporters, we assisted Janet in paying the hospital bill for her son. In narrating her ordeal, Janet, who also has health challenges, which she decided to leave unattended because of the constraints of caring for her husband and sourcing financial support to get her son released from the hospital, spoke about how our support to her and the family has “given her hope to survive another day.”

We remain committed to helping deprived individuals, underprivileged families, and communities to live with dignity and freedom from ills that hinder their health, safety, and happiness. Our plan to build a Divine Hope Mission Health Center in Umume Obodoukwu is moving forward exponentially. Building the health center close to the people aims to provide accessible and quality ongoing primary medical and mental health services in the community.

After meeting various stakeholders in the community in January, we secured about 2 acres of land to build the health center. We thank the leaders in Umume, particularly the elders [Umunna] of the Umumeoma community, who unanimously voted to release their prime community land to Divine Hope Mission to build the health center. We are also grateful to other groups and members of various community organizations in Umume for their pledge of support to the Divine Hope Mission in the town.

We have the will to push forward in our mission. We have the passion for realizing our dream. And we have the commitment to do the hard work of spreading the light of hope. Getting the resources we need to accomplish the goals of our mission remains crucial and critical for us. Please support us to support those who need us.

GIVE AND MAKE IMPACTS

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Choose your amount and make a one-time or recurring donation at: https://divinehopemission.com/donate/	Make check payable to: Divine Hope Mission, 50 Church St. Collinsville, CT 06019	Set up regular payments through your bank.