Troup Family: Together, We Can Change Lives at A Place of Hope

Jul 31
3 min read

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People in Nigeria often ask us, "How can you just leave all the comforts of America behind and move to a village in Nigeria with no clean water or reliable power?" Honestly, when we think about it, the answer is so simple: it's God. He called us here, and He has been so faithful every step of the way. But the most beautiful part is that He also called friends like you to stand right beside us, making it possible for these children to know the love of Jesus Christ. We are so incredibly grateful for your prayers and the way you continue to support this mission. Because of you, we're able to care for over 100 precious children, lead two churches, and run schools that reach over 500 kids in our community. You are truly part of this family. If you feel led to help with some of our ongoing needs, we've included some links at the bottom of the page. We'd love to have you join us in this work! -Walt & Karen Troup

PREPARING TO RETURN We are so excited to share that we’re heading back to A Place of Hope next week! It’s going to be a whirlwind of a trip, and we’d love for you to keep us in your thoughts. This weekend is all about celebrating our wonderful students during the graduation ceremonies at Cornerstone Christian Academy and Cornerstone Christian College. Then, by mid-August, we’ll be hosting a big Family Fun Day for all the kids—we can’t wait to see their smiles! Later in the month, we have a special community VBS planned at Glorious God Baptist Church. Before we know it, we’ll be jumping right into the new school year in September. It’s a busy season, but we’re so grateful to have you along for the journey!

CELEBRATING OUR AMAZING GRADUATES We are absolutely bursting with pride as we share some wonderful news with you! This year, our high school family at Cornerstone Christian Academy is celebrating 14 incredible graduates. It feels like just yesterday we were cheering for our very first 12th-grade class of 5 students, and now our hearts are full as we see this year's group reach the finish line. We would love for you to join us in celebrating all 14 of our graduates, especially Jennifer, Ikenna, and Chisom from A Place of Hope. They've worked so hard, and we couldn't be more proud of the young adults they've become!

DO YOU HAVE A HEART FOR MISSIONS AND CARING FOR THE ORPHANS?

Have you ever felt God nudging you to pour your heart into children who need the love of Christ? We are currently praying for a special couple to join our family here in Nigeria. If you've been looking for a way to invest deeply in lives and help lead an eager, growing English-speaking church, we would love to chat with you about what this could look like. While Walt and Karen will keep overseeing the schools and bigger projects, we need a duo to join us for the day-to-day joy of caring for the children in our home. We’re tucked away in a quiet village in southeastern Nigeria, far from the noise, just focusing on where God has called us to be. If this stirs something in your heart, please don’t hesitate to reach out! We'd love to start a conversation. You can email us at walt@aplaceofhopeafrica or call us at 682-234-3596. We can't wait to hear from you!

LEARNING SOMETHING NEW A few months ago, we rescued a young man named Sunday. While we don't yet know his complete story, we do know that he is deaf, his parents have passed away, and he was living at the police station for several months. This is where A Place of Hope comes in. This is who we are; this is who God has called us to be. Now that Sunday is fully part of our family, we knew we needed to learn how to communicate with him more effectively. As a result, all of the children have learned some basic sign language so that we can understand him, and he can understand us.