We often share stories of the incredible staff, volunteers, and international partners that make our work in Jericho possible. Each of these groups represents events, programs, and projects that would not have been possible without countless people giving their time, talents, and resources.
However, you may not know about another group of people who are integral to our impact.
Over the years, we’ve developed partnerships with several local service organizations that also provide humanitarian aid in our community. These groups work in countless ways to serve individuals and families with financial, medical, and other critical needs.
They also partner with Seeds of Hope to help us host many of our events. Recently, these local partners provided volunteers for Night to Shine. They’ve also served at our medical and mobility clinics in the past alongside our international project teams.
After years of serving together, we wanted to do something special to acknowledge these local partners and pour back into them after all they’ve done for Seeds of Hope. After such a difficult past few years in our region, we knew frontline workers’ mental and emotional health was suffering. So, we hosted a unique event designed to unite these teams and offer encouragement and hope to those we work alongside.
Last week, we hosted 110 men and women from our major local partners in Jericho, including The Elderly Center, the Red Crescent Society, the Municipality Special Needs Center, and more. We asked these organizations to give employees a day of leave to invest in their mental and emotional health, and we were thrilled that so many cooperated.
Many individuals working in these organizations are burned out after two years of diminished wages, wartime stress, and ever-increasing need in our community. While we can’t solve many of those issues, we knew we could do something.
Inspired by our partners at North Point Ministries, we planned a day of activities and bonding exercises designed to relieve stress, address the difficulty of the work they’re doing, and bring teams together.
The event was a huge success, from silly games that brought smiles to people’s faces to more profound exercises that allowed people to share their feelings and emotional struggles to the simple joy of sitting down to share a meal together. Not only did the attendees leave feeling encouraged and supported in their work, but they also had a deeper love and connection to Seeds of Hope.
This outcome stands in stark contrast to Seeds of Hope’s beginnings just a few years ago. When we began our work in Jericho in 2009, the community was resistant—borderline hostile—to our presence and work in the region. Now, we have thriving relationships with countless local organizations. Seeds of Hope has become a trusted name in the community, and days like this only deepen that trust.
We’re always amazed by the doors God opens for us to serve new segments of our community, and this is a group that will have a ripple effect. As we encourage and uplift those around us, we hope they will go on to provide care and aid to even more people in our city.
This event is another excellent example of how your support enables us to be creative in how we serve. As we wait for project teams to return to Jericho, we’re excited to see the new ways we can impact those around us and share the hope and light that we hold dear. Thank you for being our partners in this work!
