Frequently Asked Questions

• India: (the Boy’s Home of Hope started 1982, then Home of Hope took over in 2009) Closed in 2021.
• Rwanda (started 2006)
• Kenya (started 2010)
• DRCongo (started in 2012)
• Malawi (started in 2020)

Coming Soon:

• Mozambique
• Tanzania

Every Saturday morning, at least 100 of the most desperate children in the area are taught about the Bible and then are given a good, hot meal.

Women come to prepare and cook food for at LEAST 100 children per week. This number can swell to around 300 some weeks. The food is prepared and portioned out on plates. It usually contains beans and rice and a vegetable and meat.

This happens in over 20 locations on a weekly basis, feeding over 4000 children each week!

Although it takes hours for preparation and distribution, the workers love what they do. The children and families are so grateful. Hundreds of children walk miles to come to our feeding programs. Sometimes it is the only good meal they will get all week.

It only costs $1/plate to feed a child!

How can you help?
To see our feeding program video, click here.
To donate to the feeding program, click here.

Dr. Johann van der Vyver (from Olds, Alberta) has visited our Home of Hope projects and loved every minute of it.  He has become HOH’s medical advisor and has been very beneficial in aiding children in HOH projects.

We keep our administration costs as low as possible. Only 11.5%
of donations is allocated for the Canadian HOH office operating
expenses and 3.5% for financial management, tax receipting, and
yearly audit costs through Home Church. This means 85% of donations
go toward designated projects, and 15% goes to administration.

*The Home of Hope Founder and Director, Brian Thomson, has never received a dollar from donations.*

Yes, all donations to Home of Hope $15 and over are tax deductible.

Even gifts-in-kind and services are tax-deductible. For more information, email us.

Tax receipts are mailed out every January from Home Church.

Your financial advisor or legal counsel can help you set this up.

We really love and appreciate people willing to give of their time to help Home of Hope. We always need help around the office, and there is always a lot to do.

To volunteer a short amount of time, please simply call the office.

To volunteer a long amount of time, please email us the following:

1. Resume
2. Volunteer Application Form

Thank you!

Year-end is a great time to give a gift to Home of Hope.

All donations received before December 31 at midnight are tax-deductible in that year. If a cheque is mailed and the postal stamp is December 31 or earlier, it will be receipted in that year as well (even if the cheque is received in January).

Any questions, please call the office.

1. APPLY ONLINE HERE
2. All team members must complete the Missions Preparation Course by Brian Thomson. To order this free course online, please click here.
3. A photocopy of your passport is required to be sure that all personal information is correct when we put a flight on hold under your name. It is also required for entry visas.
4. You need to meet with your Pastor or employer to fill out a recommendation form to complete your application. They can click here to fill out the Online Recommendation Form.

RWANDA/KENYA: An average trip from Alberta, Canada costs approximately $4000-$4500 for a 12-day trip depending on flight costs. This amount covers all flights, good accommodations (at double occupancy), food & water, transportation, interpreters, phones & internet, administration, and contingency.
**Final prices vary with each trip**

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: We do not take teams to this country at this time due to volatile political conditions.

MALAWI/MOZAMBIQUE: An average trip to Malawi is $4000 which covers the same as above.

The Missions Preparation Course is a mandatory, 1.5-hour course online (with a manual to follow along) that gives you an idea of what to expect on a mission trip and how to prepare. It will also answer questions and will equip you to be safe and have fun.

The link and manual is sent to everyone who applies to go on a team.

We encourage it as it spreads the word about Home of Hope with your friends and family, plus it takes the stress away from you paying for the trip all by yourself.

Please remember to let everyone who gives money towards your trip know to make all cheques out to “Home of Hope.” This way, they will receive a tax receipt. We will keep track of your total and take care of the expenses for you.

Here are some fundraising ideas:

• Write a letter to all your friends and family to let them know.  This is generally the most affective, as these people know you well already.
• http://www.youcaring.com (they take no fee from donations!)
• Bake sale
• Barbeque
• Bottle drive
• Garage sale
• Car wash
• Game tournament (sports, cards, etc.)
• Silent auction
• Deliver pizza

Yes. We always schedule time for shopping at local markets. It is best to bring new, unmarked US bills with you.

We also schedule a day off to go to a nearby Animal Park or Safari.

Yes, you can extend your trip beyond the team scheduled dates.  All alterations to your trip schedule needs to be discussed with your team leader and HOH staff for scheduling and itinerary planning. You are more than welcome to extend your trip to enjoy the beauty of Rwanda or other parts of the world. If you wish, you can spend your time with the team in missions, then extend your stay afterwards for a vacation.

Our Policy: At least one parent should go to Africa beforehand to personally experience a mission trip to Home of Hope projects. Then, after the parent goes, they can appeal to the HOH Director for a family holiday and a tour* of the HOH projects. To be part of a ministry team is not an atmosphere for children. We do not recommend that children under 15 years old go on a mission trip.

We are working in corrupt nations, rescuing babies in a garbage dump, helping desperate & poor people in large slums, etc. Each day on a ministry team can be very intense, full, and fast-paced. It can also be very emotionally draining. Additionally, there are health risks, jet lag and a lot of travelling.

If there are children approved for joining the team, the trip schedule would be more low-key, with a slower schedule than the average team. The trip will be a tour of what Home of Hope is doing with less major ministering.

HOH Director, Brian Thomson: “I have been to our HOH projects over 10 times and there is no way I would ever take my 4-year-old granddaughter on a ministry trip to Africa.”

Team Member (father of a 4-year-old daughter): “I think Africa is a beautiful place with amazing people, and going there on a mission trip is a powerful experience. But, I would not take my child with me. Besides the obvious concerns of disease, dehydration, physical exertion, etc, I just don’t think a child under the age of 12 could really handle a Home of Hope mission trip. It’s long days of full-energy meetings and challenging hikes over rough terrain. There’s no time for casual sight-seeing, potty breaks, or picnic lunches. I could never have enjoyed myself and fully engaged in ministering to people at 100% if I had to constantly be keeping an eye on my child’s safety and well-being. My daughter has asked if she can go with me on a mission trip to Africa. One day I hope to take her – but not for many more years.”

Read about a family of 5 that went to Rwanda in May2019 HERE.

There are medical shots that need to be taken before any international trip. Please see a travel clinic near you as soon as possible as they can be backed up weeks or months at a time.  We recommend that you only get what is required (getting all optional shots can be very expensive and is not necessary). Discuss with the doctor or nurse at the travel clinic whether you need other possible immunizations.

Malaria Pills: Not mandatory, but most people like to take them on their first trip as a precaution.  Remember, once you get Malaria, you have it for the rest of your life. We normally use “Malarone”, but there have been a few people who have experienced side effects. Please discuss with the nurse at the travel clinic what would be best for you.

Rwanda: All Canadians & Americans going to Rwanda no longer need a visa.

Kenya: All Canadians & Americans must apply online for a visa that is $50USD for a single entry visa and $100 for a multiple-entry (6 months), which needs to be taken in US cash individually.

DRCongo: All Canadians must send their passport away with the application and a list of items prior to the trip. This is a very complicated and expensive process. For more details, email us.

Malawi: All Canadians & Americans going to Rwanda no longer need a visa.

RWANDA is known as the “land of eternal spring” with an average of 23 degrees celsius. It is not as hot as you are probably expecting, so khaki capris and cotton t-shirts or long dresses are best. For people doing labor intensive work, shorts are fine.

Our white skin is quite shocking to some Rwandan people, so we recommend covering up as much as possible. Stay away from short dresses, short shorts, and low-cut shirts. You don’t want to be showing your mid-riff, cleavage, or too much of your legs.

Rwandans really love to dress up for Sunday church services, and they expect the team to as well. Please bring some nicer clothes for this (dress shirts, long dresses, etc).

KENYA can get pretty hot, but we recommend that team members cover up when in public to not attract too much attention.

Crocs are really good, also a really good gift to bring for the local people. They are comfortable and durable, washable and colorful! The dirt in Rwanda is really red and could stain your shoes, so if you pack an easily cleanable pair of shoes you will be set! You could be doing a lot of walking while you are there, so bring a pair of comfortable runners or something similar. If your team is visiting the Kenya dump, you will need runners or steel-toed shoes, as the dump is full of sharp objects and contaminated items.

A normal routing looks like this, with each flight about 8 hours.

Departure:
Calgary, Canada → Amsterdam, Netherlands or London Heathrow → Nairobi, Kenya
Return:
Kigali, Rwanda → Amsterdam, Netherlands or London Heathrow → Calgary, Canada

*If you live in another area, the itinerary would look differently.

No, we ensure that all beds for team members have a good mosquito net.

There are lots of ways to help in Rwanda. Some of those ways are: Construction in all HOH locations – cement, building, carpentry Medical – expanding the medical ministry, starting a dental ministry. Any medical professionals can go over anytime – we have the facilities to accommodate them. Children – there are hundreds of children in all locations who need bible training, English classes, medical help, feeding programs, and lots of love and affection. Training – Staff need help in time management to make them more effective.Small groups – how to evangelize in small groups, how to run a small group.
Talk to your team leader if you are interested in helping with something specific or have special training in a certain area.

There are lots of ways to help in Kenya! Construction in all HOH locations – cement, building, carpentry Medical – expanding the medical ministry, starting a dental ministry. Any medical professionals can go over anytime – we have the facilities to accommodate them. Children – there are hundreds of children in all locations who need bible training, English classes, medical help, feeding programs, and lots of love and affection. Training – Staff need help in time management to make them more effective. Small groups – how to evangelize in small groups, how to run a small group. Dump rescue – searching for and saving babies from the dump in Nairobi. Talk to your team leader if you are interested in helping with something specific or have special training in a certain area.

• Balls – the more colourful, the better
• Soccer balls or other deflated balls are ideal because you can fit more in a suitcase when they aren’t full of air. Bring a pump to inflate them when you arrive.
• Durable toys that can be played with frequently by many children are fantastic!
• They really appreciate flashlights too. Rechargeable or solar panelled flashlights are the best since it gets dark at 6:30pm and there are no street lights in most areas.
• Crocs are a good gift because they are light and comfortable.
• Other gift ideas are pictures of you and your family that they can mount on their walls (they are bare, mud walls).

As an alternate option, we have donations of toys and clothes that we can fill your second suitcase with if you are planning to join Home of Hope.

If you raise more money than needed for your mission trip, that is great! You have two options:

1. You can spend the additional amount in the country on projects that you see.  Since the money went through our account, we must report to our auditor what each dollar is spent on, so we will require a breakdown of what it was spent on.
2. You can designate the money to be used for a certain project (ie feeding program, Christmas, etc)

Here are some resources about the Rwandan Genocide (1994):

• Hotel Rwanda (2004 film)
• Shake Hands with the Devil – Romeo Dallaire (Documentary as well)
• Left to Tell – Immaculee Ilibagiza

We have so many trips available for people to apply for. Most of them are “ministry” trips where the team is very busy, traveling, ministering to children/adults/teens, helping with feeding programs, animal projects, teaching classes/seminars, church services, etc etc.

We are now offering a new trip called the “DISCOVERY Tour” where the team will experience the country, the locations, the people and focus more one-on-one. There will be less locations visited, nicer hotels, 1-2 days off and a slower pace.

Both trips will be very rewarding and incredibly fun.

We keep an updated list of upcoming trips here.

1. Email [email protected] the letter and we will make sure that your sponsor child will receive it. Most times, the child will write you back! This is a very quick way to hear from your sponsor child!
2. Send a monetary gift or Ziploc bag gift with the next team. See when the next team is going.
   – *BEST* Monetary gift suggestion: $30. With this amount, the child’s caregiver or guardian can buy them specific items that they need/want. This is great for birthdays and Christmas.
   – Ziploc bag (1 foot by 10 inches) with gifts (weighing less than 5 lbs) for your sponsor child only (for family members, you can send monetary gifts if you want to). Gifts cannot be wrapped as per airline requirements and the child’s safety. Please mark your sponsor child’s name and city/country on the bag (see below for some ideas). Call us to let us know, as space is always limited. 403-314-1214
3. Join a team and see them in person! That is one decision you won’t regret. Apply online today or give us a call at the number listed above.

FOR CHRISTMAS: 

Sponsors are encouraged to buy a Christmas gift for their sponsor child. Here are some options. You can:

1. *BEST* Make a Donation: We recommend a donation of $30. This can get the child things that they need/want, or a new pair of shoes and some clothing. You can call the office to make a donation (cash, cheque, credit card, PayPal, e-transfer to [email protected]) Deadline: Dec 1+  New outfit and shoes: $30
   +  Mattress: $45
   +  Rabbit $10*
   +  Pig: $40*
   +  Goat: $70*
   * only available in certain locations
2. Send a bag of gifts: Each year, we try to send gifts with a team going from Canada. It is a highlight for the team to give your gift to your sponsor child, BUT space is always limited and a monetary gift is often the best way to go.
   The gift bag MUST fit a Ziploc freezer bag (1 foot by 10 inches, no larger bags please). Please do not wrap gifts for the child’s safety and the airline requirements. Please mark your sponsor child’s full name and city on the bag. See gift ideas above. Call us to let us know, as space is limited. 1-877-343-2663 ext 6
   Deadline: November 10

With $50 a month, your child receives clothing, food, a health card, schooling and attendance at church. This may also cover some small medical expenses that come up. This sponsorship tends to benefit the whole family and will help to lift them out of poverty.

When a child is only partially sponsored ($25/month), it covers food and clothing for them that month. The partial sponsorship is not enough to cover school fees. You can partially sponsor a child and help them on their way to health and a good life. Sometimes people partner up with someone they know and split the full sponsorship.

If you have any further questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact us by emailing [email protected] or by calling 403-314-1214.

We are here to help you be the difference in a child’s life!

We would love to hear from you and answer all of your questions!

Please call 403-314-1214 and our staff would be happy to answer any questions that you have. Or, feel free to email [email protected]

Yes, all donations and sponsorships to Home of Hope $15 and over are tax deductible.

Tax receipts are mailed out every February from Home Church (formerly Word of Life Centre)

We may have incorrect contact information for you! If you aren’t receiving our emails please let us know. You can call us at 403-314-1214, or click here to subscribe to get email updates.

If you haven’t received an update on your sponsor child in a while and would like one, call us at the number above or send us an email at [email protected]

Option #1:
Usually we will ask if you would like to continue to sponsor them or partially sponsor them for their schooling. Many of the children in Africa don’t start school until later in their lives because they lack the funds to pay the school fees, or they can’t pay to take their exams and move up a grade. If a child doesn’t get sponsored until they are 10 years old, they could be in school until they are 22.

If they are done school, you can also give a one-time or monthly gift towards their college education. For only $2000, they can further their education for 4 years! (In North America, this wouldn’t even pay for a semester!) This means that if you continue with your regular sponsorship amount every month, the child will have their college education paid for in just over four years. This may seem like a long time, but remember that without your help they may not go to college at all. Any help that you give is always appreciated!

Option #2:
You could transfer your sponsorship to a younger child who is in need of sponsorship for the basics of food, clothing and education. You can again affect a child, a family, and community through your generous and renewed sponsorship of a younger child. You have seen the results of your generosity on one child and can see them again on a new member of your worldwide family.

Buying an animal for you sponsor child can help them in a variety of ways. They can make money by letting the animal reproduce and selling the offspring, or by selling the animal to start their own business. If they are given a cow, they can sell the milk it produces and make enough money to feed themselves.

This gift doesn’t only help the child receiving it, but their family as well.  The whole family will be given a renewed hope for the future. An animal is a great way to help someone get out of poverty!

To purchase an animal for a child or your sponsor child, click here.

“Kinyarwanda” is Rwanda’s first language. English is their second language. Most educated adults will speak some French and Swahili.

Here are some general things to know in Kinyarwanda:

• Yes: YAYgo (Yego)
• No: Oya (Oya)
• No problem: NAHkeyBAzo (Nakibazo)
• Good morning: MwahRahMootZAY (Mwaramutse)
• Hello (anytime): MooRahHoh (Muraho)
• How are you?: AhMahKooRoo (Amakuru)How are you? (reciprocated): AhMahKooRoo Yah Way (Amakuru yawe)
  • Answer: I’m fine: Nee MAYza (Ni meza)
• What’s up?: BEEtess? (Bitese?)You, too: NahWay (Nawe)
  • Answer: It’s good: Nee Byeeza (Ni byiza)
• Thank you: MooRahKohZay (Murakoze)
• Goodbye (general): MooRahBAYho (Murabeho)
• What’s your name?: WitWAHNday? (Witwa nde)
• My name is _____.: NEETwah _____. (Nitwa)
• Numbers:
  • 0 OhBooSah (Obusa)
  • 1 ReemWay (Rimwe)
  • 2 KahBeeRee (Kabiri)
  • 3 GahTahToo (Gatatu)
  • 4 KahNay (Kane)
  • 5 Gahtahno (Gatanu)
  • 6 GahTahnDahToo (Gatandatu)
  • 7 KahReenDwee (Karindwi)
  • 8 OoMooNahNay (Umunane)
  • 9 EeCheeEnDah (Icyenda)
  • 10 EeChooMee (Icumi)
• Beverages:
  • Water: AhMahZee (Amazi)
  • Coffee: EeKAHwah (Ikawa)
  • Fanta (orange flavor) / Fanta citro (lemon flavor)
  • Coke: CoCah (Coca)
• People:
  • White person: OoMooZoonGoo (Umuzungu) multiple: (Abazungu)
  • Black person: Mirabura
  • Friend: EenShooTee (Inshuti)

Here are some statistics:

• 1.5 million children are severely underweight
• In 2009, an estimated 2 million people have HIV/AIDS
• 2.5 million children are orphans
• 32% of the population is malnourished
• The average life expectancy is only 58 years

In 2011, we found out that babies were being thrown away in the 30-acre garbage dump of Nairobi – and we had to do something to help.

In 1982, under the direction of Bob & Kay Hoover, Home of Hope India rescued hundreds of boys with desperate needs and raised them to be successful adults in the village of Kuzhipanthandalam. In September 2009, Home Church (formerly Word of Life Ministries), under the direction of Brian Thomson, assumed leadership and built on the legacy of Home of Hope India. In 2021, the government of India forced us to shut down and sell the property.

Home of Hope had an orphanage for around 60 boys and a few girls in India. As we were preparing to expand and help girls and do more in the community with a boarding school, the government of India blocked all funds coming from Canada. We were forced to shut down our work in India which had served for over 40 years.

Facts about the Democratic Republic of Congo:

• Population:71.7 million people (2012)
• Average age: 17 years old (lower life expectancy because of AIDS)
• 126 children per 1,000 die before the age of five
• Ongoing conflict, insecurity, and violence in Congo (450,000 people are refugees in neighbouring countries)
• Many armed groups threaten civilians, take their homes and livelihood

Congo is the rape capital of the world (50 rapes per hour)

• Dr. Mukwege, a general surgeon, works tirelessly to repair women damaged by rape
• Eastern Congo is the most dangerous place to be a woman (because of rape and other sexual violence)
• Rebel groups and the Congolese army are using rape as a weapon (targeting women, little girls and little boys). This happens in their homes/villages or they’re kidnapped and taken into the forest and gang raped for months (held captive as a “bush wife”)
• There is a huge stigma and sense of shame around the women who have been raped, and their husbands and families often find it very hard to accept the women back after what’s happened to them.
• The violence in Congo is intense and people fight to survive just one more day.

AIDS:

• In 2003, est. 1.1 million people were living with AIDS in Congo
• Number of women with AIDS is increasing (est. that more than 60% of the 1.1 million people were women)
• about 10% of pregnant women are HIV+ (as a results, the infant mortality rate is high)

Click here to watch a short video with the answer.

Click here to watch a short video with the answer.

Click here to watch a short video with the answer.

Our first goal is to help 1000 women in Goma, Congo to become self-sufficient. More donations could help us expand to 3 other locations in Congo where training centres and counselling is needed.