Blog Post

Amazing Heart

HOPE worldwide Volunteer Corps • Aug 21, 2019

Please take a few minutes to read this testimony by a sister from Northern Virginia, Grace Deneke. She is turning 60 this year and decided to celebrate by going on six Volunteer Corps and Brigades, and serve in six community programs in her local area! She is also a single mom, a foster mom, and she leads the singles moms in a region of the Northern Virginia CoC. She is amazing!

Why I signed up to go on HOPE worldwide Volunteer Corps and what HVC Kenya has meant to me…

I made a decision on New Year’s Eve to blow out my 60th birthday year with one thing that I love doing the most — serving the underserved. On New Year’s Day, I quickly looked up all available dates on the HOPE worldwide website, as well as local programs, and created a draft plan.


That plan was to do one service project each month with six HOPE worldwide Volunteer Corps or Brigades, alternating with local community service. So far I have completed three of the six HOPE worldwide CSB (Honduras/Guatemala) and HVC (Kenya) and I am set to complete the next three (Tijuana CSB, El Salvador CSB and Haiti HVC) by December 2019. Similarly I have completed three local community service activities (DC Feeding Homeless, POVA Community Outreach and Camp Volunteer) and I am slotted to do three more community service engagements.

Why do I love to serve? I love to serve because it connects me with the people who have so little but are grateful for what God has provided for them. I love their zeal for life, their hope for a better future and their love for one another.


During my time in Embu, Kenya, I got to assist with building benches and dining tables for the students so that they wouldn’t have to stand and eat their meals. The fact that four- to five-year-old kids were standing and eating tore me up inside as a mother, so every chisel/hammer was to help change that for them.

Home visits of the kids that attended the school were very humbling, as most had an 8 x 10 foot space that accommodated all members of the family. Yet, they welcomed us and shared their life with us and their heart-wrenching struggle, but their faith in God remained unwavering.


The owner of the school (referred to as Mr. Manager) is a generous, compassionate and loving man. He provides the school to a community that can barely afford to pay him but he does it to change their trajectory. The parents in the community are filled with gratitude and praises for him.

I loved to witness their desire to learn. During career day, we shared about our career and how we got there. Each child was jotting down the information we shared and asking great questions. These kids don’t take education for granted.


I also love their love for God’s word, even though they don’t possess a Bible. They have memorized verses that they recited to us during vacation Bible school.

On our last day at Modern Green School (Elementary School) we had a farewell ceremony after completing the renovation project. We left the school with mixed emotions. What touched me the most after we drove off and reached our hostel, is that a few minutes later, ten kids from the school walked approximately two or three miles on foot (one of them carrying an infant on her back) to bid us farewell again. We had only spent ten days with them but their love amazed me.

Their heart renews mine to be more loving, compassionate and grateful for what God has blessed me with.

The HVC in Kenya had a special group of volunteers. As diverse a group as we were geographically (Australia, France, US West Coast, Midwest and East Coast) and age wise (the youngest was five and the oldest sixty), we connected because we chose to grow together. We connected daily by having quiet times in pairs, discipleship time daily in small groups, and morning devotionals to prepare our heart for the work. I truly feel this helped us get connected because we made it a safe place for us to be vulnerable.

Our life story is a journey of what we elect to do daily. I thank God for this time and opportunity. I was able to serve even though during this trip I had challenging circumstances. A close family friend passed away and my mom was diagnosed with cancer that would require treatment upon my return. I am grateful to the group of women who were able to pray, cry and comfort me during this difficult time so I could surrender it all to God daily.

I intend to continue to use this experience of being vulnerable with my immediate group, grow in my faith, and be frugal with my resources, so I can serve more and love unconditionally at all times.

Philippians 3:12-14 (pressing toward the goal): “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

World Water Day Campaign

22 Mar, 2024
HOPE worldwide supplies clean drinking water as a first response during disasters, as well as by distributing water filters to many vulnerable people around the world including communities in the Philippines, Nepal, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Zambia.

2 Years of Relief Efforts in Ukraine with HOPE worldwide

23 Feb, 2024
For the past two years, HOPE worldwide has been actively involved in providing aid and support to the people of Ukraine amidst the ongoing humanitarian disaster where thousands of our brothers and sisters faced an unprecedented crisis. The situation has demanded urgent action, and with the help of generous donors and dedicated volunteers, many lives have been saved and significant milestones have been achieved. Let's take a look back at the journey:

MLK Day Sunday Suppers Hosted Around the Country

01 Feb, 2024
Inspiring Sunday Suppers hosted by our family of volunteers:

Celebrating a Legacy of Service: Nadine Templer's Impactful Journey of Hope

18 Dec, 2023
As the year draws to a close, HOPE worldwide would like to honor and acknowledge many years of leadership provided by Nadine Templer, Senior Director of International Volunteer Programs.

Marc Aguirre Featured in The Citizen Newspaper

29 Nov, 2023
A Higher Calling: Dr. Marc Aguirre's Mission to Serve the Marginalized and Vulnerable

Samantha Power Visits HOPEww Papua New Guinea

08 Nov, 2023
USAID Administrator Samantha Power Visits HOPE worldwide's Clinic in Papua New Guinea During Her First Official Visit

Report From Maui Fires Relief

12 Sep, 2023
Maui Fires Disaster Response Update: September 12, 2023

Ben's Letter to the Community

31 Jul, 2023
Dear HOPE worldwide Community, First and foremost, let me express my heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome you have extended to me as the new CEO of HOPE worldwide . It is both an honor and a privilege to be entrusted with this leadership role, and I am excited to embark on this journey with each and every one of you. As I reflect on my life's journey, I am reminded of a pivotal moment that shaped the very essence of who I am today. Losing my mother tragically at the tender age of four taught me the harsh reality of impermanence, of how someone could be there one moment and gone the next. At such a young age, I did not fully understand the concept of death, but what I did understand was the importance of living. James 4:13-15 holds a profound truth that resonates deeply within me: “ Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.’” Our time on this earth is fleeting, and the realization of this truth was the spark that awakened a desire in me to truly live and embrace every moment with purpose and passion. I have found my purpose, my calling, in the mission of HOPE worldwide. The work we do here, touching lives and making an impact by loving our neighbors, allows me to live my passion.

Dr. Ben Barnett Named New CEO of HOPE worldwide

24 Jul, 2023
The HOPE worldwide Board of Directors is excited to announce the appointment of Dr. Ben Barnett to the role of CEO and President of HOPE worldwide

U.S. Secretary of State recognizes HOPE worldwide Clinic in Papua New Guinea

27 Jun, 2023
PRESS RELEASE June 27, 2023 HOPE worldwide , a leading non-profit organization dedicated to providing sustainable, high-impact, community-based services, including critical healthcare services, disaster relief, and education, to underserved communities globally, is proud to announce the recognition received by the Lawes Road Clinic in Papua New Guinea during a recent visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken . This visit highlighted the impactful work carried out by HOPE worldwide global network member, HOPE worldwide Papua New Guinea (PNG), in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. government’s largest effort to combat HIV. During his visit to Papua New Guinea, Secretary Blinken had the opportunity to tour HOPE worldwide PNG’s Lawes Road Clinic, which is led by HOPE worldwide PNG Country Director Priscilla Sine Mal, and witness firsthand the incredible efforts undertaken by the dedicated team. The clinic's commitment to improving the lives of the local community in various areas, including HIV prevention and treatment, and treatment for victims of violence against women deeply impressed Secretary Blinken. In his remarks, Secretary Blinken expressed his admiration for the clinic's work, stating, "This was a real privilege to be here at the Lawes Road clinic where quite literally our partners are saving lives, changing lives, every single day." The visit showcased the significant impact of HOPE worldwide Papua New Guinea’s clinic on the region, highlighting its vital role in providing essential healthcare services to those most in need and who often have the most difficult time getting treatment, in part due to the social stigma often associated with their conditions. The Lawes Road Clinic operates under the auspices of the Presidential Emergency Plan For HIV/AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), funded through USAID and implemented in collaboration with FHI 360 and HOPE worldwide . The clinic has been instrumental in providing critical care, support, and testing for HIV/AIDS patients in Papua New Guinea, contributing to the nationwide efforts to combat the disease. This year, PEPFAR celebrates its 20th anniversary, and its 17th year of implementation in Papua New Guinea. HOPE worldwide is honored by the recognition bestowed upon HOPE worldwide Papua New Guinea and the Lawes Road Clinic by Secretary Blinken and remains committed to its mission of transforming communities and improving lives through local, volunteer-based initiatives. With the continuous support of partners like USAID and the unwavering dedication of its teams on the ground, HOPE worldwide and its global network of members like HOPE worldwide PNG strive to create a healthier, more resilient future for all.
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