Linda Borror, my wife and Star of Hope staff member and Sam Thier from Great Bend, Kansas left this morning on a very long journey. They will travel for some 30 hours to arrive in Saenz Pena, Chaco. It is a smaller city in northern Argentina.

While there they will walk the proposed sports complex, where Elijah has dreamed of playing soccer and building self worth. This is the site of The Wall. They will meet Elijah and the other young Toba indians who are growing into educated, healthy adults who love Jesus and care about their communities.

For Sam, it is his first visit to a Star of Project county. He is excited about seeing what God is doing and how the donor accomplishes great things through Star of Hope.

Upon their return, both hope to share with as many people the excitement that I saw already in their faces as they drove off this morning.

StarTeams do so very much. They help the children we are serving, they encourage the donors by reporting back what they see. But, perhaps more importantly they grow themselves and often change their priorities in life.

How about you? Could you see yourself on a work team or mission trip?

May is the major month for Mother Day celebrations around the world. Countries like the U.S.and many more are celebrating this coming Sunday. 

Share your blessings this MOTHERS DAY help a Haitian mom provide food for her children.

9,755 people has been injured or killed by landmine in Colombia since 1990.

Of the nearly ten thousand victims of the past 22 years, more than 10% were children, while 2,044 people died from their injuries. Approximately 6,000 of the victims were members of the security forces and the rest civilians.

It is widely accepted that Colombia's two biggest rebel groups, the FARC and ELN, are most responsible for the laying of mines.

Colombia has the second highest casualty rate of landmine victims in the world, according to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL).

Colombia had 512 victims either maimed or killed due to landmines in 2010, putting the country second after Afghanistan with 1,211. Pakistan is third with 394 casualties.

Landmines killed 1,155 people around the world last year and wounded 2,848 --  a 5% increase from the previous year. The figures may be even higher as data from many countries is often incomplete.

Star of Hope has been working in Colombia since mid 1980’s through its partner Cirec. Cirec is one the finest institutions and grass root organizations regarding the work with physical injures regardless the cause. They have had around 40,000 patients, and many of them are landmine victims.

The pictures above shows two landmine victims that have been helped via Star of Hope and Cirec.

I shoot a lot of pictures of faces. I’m fascinated by the various faces and eyes that tell so much. You see joy, suffering, hope, curiosity and more. In rural areas in Ghana, you notice an extra curiosity for me and the camera. Who is the man with the camera? It's fun, I think. Most kids want to be in the picture, and get very confused when they can see themselves on the LCD screen on the camera back. Some want to be photographed again and the second time around the kids a pose or make a face. All images above were taken in Ghana.
These brief meetings are fun and interesting wherever you are. Usually it will be much laughter and joy. We do not understand each other but both have something to remember.

May 11,2012: Rigaud new school reconstruction financed by Star of Hope is near to completion. It is a construction of three unit buildings, each building measures 200 square meter and has 3 class-rooms.   The inauguration of rigaud new school is scheduled June 9th. Tony

StarTeams are a small team of volunteers that Star of Hope invented a few years back! They go to a foreign country to help out for a few days or a week. Star of Hope is looking for StarTeam members that are ready to go to Haiti and Bois Negresse in the summer to help out building the roof on the school being built.

I have been to Haiti when a number of different StarTeams have been there to do some work; fixing a roof, painting classroom, building school furniture and so on. There has always been time to educate the kids in many different ways as well.

To be a StarTeam member I think it is fantasic way to do something really good! Here are some videos and pictures from StarTeam activities:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COm91dMO_2w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgPTyjAHrIA

It is for sure a life chaning experience in many ways to go to Haiti and do someting good!