6 - MERCHANDISER - Columbia/Hellam/Wrightsville Edition - August 25, 2021
A Story Of HOPE
Forry’s Country Store
BY ANN MEAD ASH
When Jeff Rutt, founder of HOPE International, an organization that helps create financial solvency in 15 countries through savings and microfinance groups, looks back on the last 18 months, he points out that the organization did something out of the ordinary in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We initially (gave) a lot of aid,” said Rutt, who noted that HOPE spent $1 million to help clients. Rutt praised HOPE CEO Peter Greer for his leadership of the organization through the tumultuous time. “(None of us) knew what we were facing, but there was a
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Marie Ndereyimana is a HOPE International client in Burundi, East Africa.
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lot of prayer, reliance on God, our board, our team, and the indigenous leaders and clients in the world,” he said. To help offset those expenditures, HOPE is looking for sponsors and golfers for its 21st annual golf tournament, to be held at three different locations on Friday, Sept. 17. The round at Heritage Hills Golf Resort, 2700 Mount Rose Ave.,York, will begin at 1 p.m. Two rounds will be held the same day at Iron Valley Golf Club, 201 Iron Valley Dr., Lebanon, beginning at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. The third location will be Bridgewater Golf Club, 601 Chestnut Hill Road, York, beginning at 9 a.m. More information about the tournaments may be found at www.hopeinternational.org/ pagolf. Those who wish to sponsor the event may email asmith@hopeinternational.org or call 717-464-3220, ext. 544. Golfers are asked to register by Friday, Sept. 3. Rutt noted that the pandemic pushed what he calls the “fragile fringe,” of about 100 million people below the poverty line. “But there were bright spots,” added Rutt. “There was resilience, and a lot of our clients have grown.” Rutt went on to tell the story of Marie Ndereyimana, a client in Burundi, East Africa. After Marie’s husband died in
Jeff Rutt (left) and Brian Boycan are preparing for HOPE International’s golf tournament on Sept. 17.
2014, all his property reverted back to his family, as is the custom in that country. Marie was connected to a church that hosts a HOPE International savings group called Mutual Support. Marie joined the group and grew both spiritually and in her business sense. “She was making about 50 cents a day working in fields and gardens,” said Rutt, who noted that Marie was able to save 25 cents a week from her pay, and with a $5 loan from the group she started a small business selling avocados and bananas. Eventually Marie began keeping goats, and she purchased rental properties. When Marie learned that members of her deceased husband’s family were in financial trouble, she forgave them and helped them financially. “She
got them connected to their own savings groups,” said Rutt. “It’s a really cool cycle because she used her talents and skills, and she is now able to help others in the community,” he added. “(Marie is) not just better off financially, but (she had) forgiveness and compassion on someone (about whom) she could have said, ‘I don’t want anything to do with (them) because of what they did to (me).’” According to Rutt, Marie’s story is an example of the heart behind HOPE. “The cool thing is that over the course of 23 years we have been able to raise about $200 million, but we have been able to lend $1.3 billion,” said Rutt. “It’s a really effective way to help … by partnering with strong, working, (deserving) families like Marie’s.”
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The Lancaster Osteopathic Health Foundation (LOHF) recently announced the recipients of the 2021 Nurse Education Scholarship. The purpose of the Nurse Education Scholarship Program is to develop the medical workforce that also cares for the mental well-being of Lancaster County youths and children. This year, LOHF is investing $40,000 in the education of local nursing students. This amount consists of $22,000 to 10 new scholarship recipients and $18,000 to previous recipients who are continuing in their degree program. LOHF Nurse Education Scholarships support the education of nurses in licensed practical nursing, registered nursing, Bachelor of Science in nursing, advanced degrees, and certificate programs such as certified school nurse or family nurse practitioner. This year’s Nurse Education
Scholarship winners include the following RN Scholars: Ruth Hershey of Millersville and Amanda Jantzi of Strasburg, both attending Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences, along with Hadassah Hoover of New Holland, Kristina Keil of Columbia, and Bhim Thapaliya of Lancaster, all attending HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College. The RN to BSN Scholars are Roberto Holder-Orta, RN, of Lancaster, and Adriana Prieto Grave de Peralta of Lancaster, both attending Penn State Harrisburg. The BSN Scholars are Penn State Harrisburg students Leidy Jiménez Argudin of Lancaster and Gelsys Estevez Chico of Lancaster, and the MSN Scholar is Jaime Plank of Mountville, attending Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences. To learn more or to apply, visit https://lohf.org/ scholarships/.
Southcentral Pennsylvania low-income veterans and their families who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless will have access to crucial services from local organizations via grants provided by Lebanon VA Medical Center’s (VAMC) Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, which is authorized by Congress. Five local organizations in nine counties around Lebanon VAMC received grants from the center totaling over $3.1 million. The
Lebanon VAMC Health Care for Homeless Veteran staff has already helped to provide services to veteran families this year, such as eviction prevention, housing security deposits, utility assistance, and hotel placements during the pandemic. A list of grantees is available at www.va.gov/ homeless/ssvf.asp. More than 260 organizations nationwide received SSVF grants. To learn more about the SSVF program, visit the aforementioned website.
Seminary Posts Job-Hunting Series The Pennsylvania Academy of Ministry at Lancaster Theological Seminary will offer a series called “The Job-Hunting Field Guide: Bivocational and Beyond” via Zoom from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays from Sept. 7 to Oct. 12. It will be taught by career consultant
Packard Brown. The classes are open to people who are seeking jobs in any field, including ministry. There is a cost for the event. For details and to register by Tuesday, Aug. 31, visit www.lancasterseminary .edu/programs/pennsylvania -academy-of-ministry/.
