Sierra Leone (MNN) — U.S. government agency UNICEF recruited Christian ministry World Hope International to implement health care in the largest area that any one organization has ever been asked to handle: Sierra Leone.
World Hope was officially commissioned to implement "Nutrition Activities for Promotions of Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition and Infant and Young Child Feeding." In other words, they have been asked to help implement a program designed to improve health and nutrition for children under the age of five in Sierra Leone.
The work of UNICEF through WHI will reach an estimated 76,500 children under five and over 19,000 pregnant women. So far, the program has already been conducting screening of children under the age of five to figure out who qualifies for referral for therapeutic and supplementary feeding centers. Community education and promotion of health practices have also been introduced.
This is the largest area that UNICEF has ever entrusted to one ministry, but it is not without reason. UNICEF Program Officer for Nutrition Joseph Juana attests: "We think World Hope International has the capacity and capability to carry out this program. It is a new concept and will be challenging, but we have no doubt they will implement it."
The confidence that UNICEF has in WHI has given them the opportunity to reach countless more people than usual. They will be able to tackle additional outreach head on. WHI has been working in Sierra Leone for years and has built a good reputation there. With the sort of notoriety they have built with UNICEF, however, will allow the ministry to work like never before, pouring into the hearts of many more people with the love of Christ and the hope of the Gospel. The entirety of this impoverished country could be touched by Christ.
Pray that as World Hope goes forward with this important and exciting opportunity, the Lord would provide them with wisdom, organization and boldness. Pray that many would see Christ's love through World Hope workers and learn to rely and trust in Him as they watch the people around them heal and grow stronger. Pray that physical healing and true spiritual healing would take place as a part of this program.
