Dennis Flom begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting, Director of HFI's Omaha office, recently arrived in southern Sri Lanka. He is working with Mercy Works – an HFI ministry partner -- in a small village about 80 miles south of Colombo. In his words, "the physical damage is hard to describe, and the fear and despair I've seen in some of the children's eyes are real and heart-breaking." While the death rate in this small village was not as great as surrounding villages – a nearby town experienced a death toll of approximately 40,000—most of the villagers have lost all of their physical possessions. The following is an excerpt from a report given to us from Dennis' wife, Marcia:

"Dennis is working with the "well/water" team, where they are cleaning out the wells so that people can finally have clean water and reduce the risk of illness. Through his visits in many different areas, he has had the opportunity to talk with numerous people on a one-to-one basis and hear their own tragic stories. A wonderful relationship has developed between Dennis and a local pastor who has been working with the team since their arrival, and Dennis has shared some of this man's experience with me. The Pastor had been a rebellious young man who was raised in a Christian home. His mother prayed fervently for her son, and yet it wasn't until he faced a tragedy in his own family that he decided to live for Christ. From that day on, he committed his life to the Lord and eventually became a Pastor.

He lived in Colombo with his family, but about 2 years ago, he felt the Lord wanted him to move to this small town. There were no Christian churches there, and he knew of no other Christians in the area. It is inhabited with nearly 100% Buddhists. At times, he feared for his life, as there were death threats made against him on several occasions. Since the Tsunami, however, things have changed. A small handful of Christians from his church have continued to reach out to their neighbors and have offered them assistance in a variety of ways. Now, in the face of crisis and tragedy, they are open to their compassion and generosity. These local Christians offered to help them rebuild their homes and share the little food and water they had, and as a result, the village has witnessed love in action through this church of about 60 members. The Pastor's dream is to build an orphanage for the children who have been left behind. At this time, he knows of 25 orphans who need a home.

The Pastor asked Dennis if he would share a message of hope to his congregation this past Sunday. Dennis was so thankful for Erik Spruyt's teaching on Suffering and a God of Love, which he heard just days before he left for Sri Lanka. [Erik is the director of Le Rucher Ministries in Switzerland. This teaching will be part of our upcoming reservist training curriculum.] Dennis said that the teaching was very helpful, and extremely relevant to the circumstances of those affected by this terrible disaster. As he prayed for wisdom and for God's heart for the people, he had a strong sense of God's presence with him while he shared. After the service, one of the women who attended the service came to him in tears and said, 'This is the first time I feel hope and joy since the Tsunami. Thank you!' "

God is good and cares about all of His people. In the depths of tragedy, we can see His hand at work to heal individuals and nations. Jack Minton, CEO/President of Hope Force International, will leave to join Dennis on February 3^rd, where they will be doing site assessments in northern Sri Lanka. We are grateful to all of you – our HFI partners -- for your ongoing prayers on their behalf, for your encouragement, and for your support. Please continue to check our website for further ministry updates….