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Larry Sullivan introduced Father Anaeche, who thanked the club for a platform to spread word about the Divine Hope Mission. He liked the positive message of our club as a way to overcome the negativity of the world. He also thanked Larry and Brenda for their work for the parish. He also thanked Christine Masotti who supports the work of the Mission and who was at the meeting.
Fr. Anaeche's Story
Fr. Anaeche grew up in the city and were middle to lower class. His family was middle to lower class and didn't know they were poor. They are most meals, had a roof over their heads and got most of what they needed. His grandmother lived in a village, which he loved to visit. Villages have a harder life with few resources.
Fr. Anaeche was ordained in 2008 and has gone to Nigeria every year Christmas. He gave most of the gifts he received for his ordination to help those with limited resources, and every year he sees the needs growing. He finished he doctoral work in marriage and family therapy in 2010 and went to Nigeria with excitement. No more school! Was visiting the village when his Mom had a medical emergency. They had to take her to the hospital in a car. There is no 911 and the nearest hospital was an hour away. Unfortunately his mother died right after getting to hospital. This was a traumatic experience and Fr. Anaeche is still grappling with it. An uncle also died suddenly, and there are many similar stories. He had been giving out OTC meds when he visits Nigera and also does counseling, although it is necessarily shallow, because he is only there a few weeks at a time. ev. Collins has seen in these remote communities and villages how women’s lack of access to adequate prenatal healthcare services and several preventable illnesses (e.g., malaria, typhoid, blood pressure, diabetes, etc.) have led to untimely deaths. This leaves families traumatized. In some cases, children have been left orphans, which fuels the recycling of poverty and transmission of trauma to multiple generations.
Fr. Anaeche had been resisting formalizing his work but to continue to grow the Mission was incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) charitable endeavor in 2022. The Mission is independent of the church. Need is the only requirement. They look to core values in meeting people's need. Everything we have is God’s gift. They hope to have all their services in one place. They also encourae social justice, because they recognize that all families want many of the same things. The Mission hopes to build a Health Center, which will also include health education. At this time the Mission is focusing on food program. There have been meetings with village elders and other stakeholders to determine the direction of the Mission. They have secured some land for their center and hope to break ground this year. They need $50,000 to accomplish this.
Core Values of Divine Hope Mission
We believe:
- In living a life of good stewardship, since everything we are and have, are God’s gifts of love.
- In spreading the light of hope through charity and compassionate service to those in need.
- In using the integrative approach to addressing the needs of the served, including their material, spiritual, psychological, emotional, relational, behavioral, sociocultural, environmental, and medical conditions.
- In empowering individuals, families, and communities through holistic education and training.
- That every person, family, and community desires to be safe, happy, complete, and longs for truth, goodness, and beauty.
- That every person possesses inherent dignity and goodness given by the Creator, which must be respected and protected.
- That every individual human person, family, and community has the right to live a free and healthy life.
- In promoting social justice, fairness, equity, collaborations, and healthy relationships among individuals, families, and communities.
