Taking AIDS Prevention Education to Africa

Dear Supporters,

As we approach the end of 2019 Beacon of Hope Board wants to take this opportunity to: (1) Thank everyone that helped us financially this year to keep the ministry funded. (2) To provide an impact report. (3) To give you some insight into our plans and financial needs for 2020.

As you know, our primary ministry is AIDS prevention education using Campus Crusade (CRU) material that also includes biblically based character development and gospel content. We are extremely grateful to our donors who have made this possible.

The Graph shows our cost per student over the years. The years that show spikes are years when we had large teams traveling from the USA, 2007,2010, 2014.

We are continually looking for ways to increase our impact and cost effectiveness. Up until now we have had two modes of operation and in 2020, we plan to move into phase three. Phase 1 consisted of teams from the USA training local indigenous trainers and working side by side with them in the schools.

This was very expensive because participants from the USA were involved in training every student. By 2008 we had four local teams trained and had enough monthly income to start paying the team leaders a stipend of $100 per month. This initiated Phase 2 because when the 2008 team left, the local teams kept on working year-round, which resulted in a significant drop in cost per student. The number of students went from 1400 per year up to 4600. The plan for Phase 3 is to move the front line of operation from our Beacon of Hope teams out to the schools. We are evaluating partnering with two organizations, to first train our team members and then after running a pilot program in 2020, train teachers.

Schools that have been positively impacted by our Smart Choices program have asked us for more of the same type of training that will instill good character values and provide a good spiritual foundation for their students. By involving the teachers in the process, it allows our teams to step back and take a monitoring/supervisory role. Hopefully this will mean that only one team member can track and direct the activity at one school instead of three or four team members participating in every training session.
Our new potential ministry partners are: Kerus using their “It Takes Courage” curriculum for AIDS prevention and character development training and “Walk Thru the Bible” for the Discipleship Training.

I. THANKS:

Beacon of Hope and the teams that we support in Africa are extremely grateful to everyone who has provided encouragement and prayer for this ministry over the years and especially for the financial donations that we have received, that has made this ministry possible. We hold the Beacon of Hope ministry very loosely because we realize that it is God’s ministry not ours. We are committed to keep doing this for as long as God provides the necessary resources. We expect that to be a long time because God has a lot of resources. Psalm 50:10 says “God owns the cattle on a thousand hills.”

II. IMPACT:

• AIDS prevention - As of December 1, we have trained 204,830 students. In recent years we have been averaging 23,000 students a year.
• Discipleship - Since 2016 12,781 student engagements in biblical discipleship classes.
• Vacation Camps - Since 2016 Two one-week youth camps in Uganda. Three Vacation bible quiz competitions in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
• Wellness Testing - In 2018-19 our Johannesburg teams did wellness testing for 7,517 people under two corporate contracts and other community outreaches.
• Pregnancy Ultrasounds - In Iganga, Uganda, in conjunction with Whispers Children’s Hospital, field outreaches were done in rural area clinics. 167 pregnant women received ultrasound scans. Several chronic cases were referred to a gynecologist for further specialized care.
• Orphan Sponsorships - Due to an intervention by Beacon of Hope in 2007 well over 200 orphans have received financial support in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province of South Africa.
• Pastor Kenny’s family care – In 2019 we raised $1000 for immigration expenses for Pastor Kenny’s widow and children. Their legalization process is still ongoing.

III. CAUSES: 2020 financial needs:

Youth Development

AIDS prevention education, discipleship training, character development training.
2020 target $34,000 - Every $2 enables us to reach one more child.

Train Teachers to do Character Development and Discipleship.
2020 target $6000 - $200 to train a teacher, $550 to run a school pilot project.

Vacation youth camp promotion.
2020 target $1000 per camp for three camps in Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.

Health & Wellness

Wellness testing – Cholesterol, BMI (Body Mass Index). Diabetes, Hypertension, and HIV.
Tests cost $30 per person

Pregnancy testing using a portable ultrasound device.
2020 target $6000 – iPad + transport + operational expenses.

Orphan Care

AIDS orphan support.
Three children still need support @ $40/month/child.

Pastor Kenny’s Family schooling and immigration
2020 target $2555.

As of the beginning of December, we have a $20,000 shortfall for our planned 2020 activities. Your contribution to these causes will make a huge impact on Beacon of Hope's ability to maintain our momentum for 2020. No donation is too small $25, $50, or $100 will all be put to good use. We are especially grateful to our monthly contributors, who we refer to as Legacy Partners; your donations give us a base line to use for planning and budgeting purposes from year to year. From the giving standpoint it makes it much easier once you get used to the monthly $25, $50, or $100 contribution, versus considering each December if you can afford a $300, $600, or $1200 one-time donation.

Your total personal contribution to BOHI is $330 which has enabled us to train and bring the gospel to at least 165 students. Our cost per student is under $2 so $100 profoundly impacts the lives of at least 50 students. The other statistic we strive to maintain is, 0.95c out of every dollar goes directly to the mission. Our operational overhead is only 0.05c on the dollar.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LOVE OF JESUS!
• “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” (Prov 11:25)
God Bless and Merry Christmas

R. Glynn Smith (President)
For Beacon of Hope Board