If you would have told me 5 years ago that I would have the greatest job on the planet, I wouldn’t have believed you.
As a single mom of two (now grown adults), I struggled every day to make sure my kids had food on the table and a roof over their heads. There were times that my kids went to bed hungry and it broke my heart. Often you could find me crying behind closed doors because all I wanted was to be able to provide a life for my children that at times seemed impossible. I spent many hours, days, weeks, months, and years in this state of mind.
Then it all changed.
My daughter, Lynzee, was attending Home Church Bible College and she began talking about going on a mission trip to India. It was then that I first heard about Home of Hope. In 2017, she started working for HOH. And before I knew it, she was heading out on her second mission trip and this time it was to Africa.
I started to see why Lynzee loved her job so much as I heard stories and watched the photos and videos from her trip. Seeing my daughter “ugly cry” over a bowl of rice at the Feeding Program made me realize that even in the times I struggled to provide for my children was nothing compared to what my daughter saw in Rwanda.
My heart broke for those desperate children and I longed to do more for them. Each time my daughter would share stories, my heart would break even more again and again. And then before I knew it, she was off to Africa again. But this time she was determined to go to Congo with Pastor Brian and a small team. Why Congo of all places? When Lynzee makes up her mind to do something, nothing and no one can stop her. Her heart was set to not just go to Rwanda & Kenya, but she needed to go to Congo. She wanted to see firsthand what HOH was doing there. Especially with the women and the Microloan Project. HOH is truly making an international impact.
I am proud of Lynzee and how she stepped out in faith and stepped into her calling.
Again, my heart ached for the kids in the stories she would tell me. I now know that each story she told me, was changing my heart. I began to have a desire in my heart to make a bigger difference in the lives of these children… but how was I going to help more? My answer came in November 2021 when I was given the honor and the privilege to become part of the HOH team as one of their sponsorship coordinators. I was overjoyed and just a bit nervous. I was going to read firsthand the stories of these children as I prepared updates for our incredible sponsors.
Now everyday that I sit at my computer, I wish I could give each one of these children a hug. I wish I could give them good food, a warm bed to sleep in, a hot shower and so much more. I am usually in awe as I am reading their stories and my heart breaks for them. So many of them have been through more in their short lives than a lot of adults have.
I have cried so many tears since starting with HOH.
I often say how much I want to go and spend all my time at the Dream Centre in Kenya… but I don’t know if I could leave them when it’s time to come home! I will however, God-willing, do a trip with my daughter to Africa so I can see for myself the difference that is being made by each and every single sponsor who is making a difference in the lives of these children.
Being a mom is the greatest calling on my life. I take that role the Lord has given me very seriously. But I believe another one of my callings is to make a difference in the lives of the children I see in my role as a sponsorship coordinator. I am called to stand in the gap in prayer for each one of the children that are part of HOH. These desperate children need us and they need to see Jesus’ love. I am so blessed and so honored and beyond privileged to have this incredible job. It is truly the greatest job I have ever had in my 50 years of life.
Thank you Brian & Connie for listening to the call of God, starting this amazing ministry and running it with integrity. Thank you for giving me this opportunity and helping me to find the calling of God on my life.
Written by Sandy Landin