“Ilary is smiling again.” In October and November of 2010, George Snyman shared with churches and groups all over the Midwest the joy that filled his heart when he heard those words. Ilary, a Mozambiquan refugee in South Africa, used to wake up each morning not knowing if and how she would eat that day, and her haunted gaze used to keep George, founder and CEO of Hands at Work, awake at night. But Ilary’s story, which George shared often on his recent tour of the U.S., is a story of hope, thanks to God’s grace and the home-based care volunteers in Ilary’s community.
Some highlights of George’s tour in the U.S. included:
- Celebrating with old friends at Grace Church in Racine, Wisconsin, and sharing with them the latest on the impact their church has made in rural Susu, Zambia
- Worshipping God with The Spark in Kenosha, Wisconsin
- Radio interviews with Milwaukee Public Radio and Chicago Public Radio
- Praying for Daniel and the entire village of Baraka, Zambia, with supporters in Chicago
- Sharing the story of George’s adopted daughter Nikiwe at Salem Baptist Academy in Chicago
- Making new friends and sharing dinner with old ones at Bethlehem Bapist Chruch in Minneapolis
- Celebrating a cold, snowy Thanksgiving in Minnesota
- Speaking at a new church located in Garden Grove, CA, called Cornerstone.
- Sharing dinner with advocates Stephen and Amy Jo, who are committed with their friends to raising support for orphaned and vulnerable children in Ilaje, Nigeria
- Stopping finally in Puerto Rico, where advocates Isa Velez, Diane and Dolores Rodriguez are busy translating Hands materials into Spanish in order to spread the word about Hands in their country
Thank you all for your prayers and support for George’s trip! Plans for 2011 are already underway. If you are interested in getting involved with George’s next trip to the U.S., please email info@us.handsatwork.org.
Chicago supporters praying for Baracka, Zambia, and for George
George on the chilly waterfront of Lake Michigan with Jed and Pam Heubner
Sharing about Africa with students from New Trier High School in Glendale, Illinois