Faces for Hope exists to offer relationship, discipleship, and education to Maasai girls at risk of exploitation as child brides.
“Whoever welcomes one of these children in my name, welcomes Me.”
Mark 9:37
Faces 4 Hope is a Christian Non Profit Organization dedicated to caring for the most vulnerable in the name of Jesus. We believe that people are created in God’s image, welcomed into His family through the acknowledgement of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of God’s Word, we are compelled to share the knowledge of God’s love and power and equip young Maasai women to walk in faith through Christ as a new creation.
All the girls are given the opportunity to personally experience who Jesus is in their lives and to grow in understanding their worth in Him. Each girl receives a Bible when she enters the program, and throughout the year she is discipled by caring Christian leaders and teachers. Twice a year, the girls attend camp, where they hear God’s Word and deepen their faith.
The Story
Jack and Holly Stagge’s hearts were broken wide open the first time they visited Tanzania.
It’s hard to imagine how different life could have looked had it not been for those handful of days in 2007 when the the dust of the the African earth first coated their skin. They returned home to the US convicted and moved to act. Within 1 year, the couple had sold the business that was to ensure their retirement, traded it in for cold bucket showers and stomachs full of rice and beans as they returned to Tanzania full time to cultivate the seeds of Faces for Hope.
Since 2007, the Stagges have been graciously invited into tribes, villages, and “bomas” (a traditional Maasai home), as natives entrust them to hold their babies, drink their tea, and listen to their stories. These relationships have become a fount of compassion and creativity, as Faces for Hope has been able to reach various corners of these communities, offering safety, security, and most of all: love.
By God’s grace, what started as a strong conviction over a decade ago, has now grown into a couple schools, development opportunities for youth, and a safe house. It has poured into water storage systems to capture much needed water and a church that is distributing “living water”. It has touched and healed patients in medical clinics and protected young girls from the grip of child marriage.
The story is still unfolding, but we invite you into dreaming, praying, and partnering with us as we make way for a growing, vibrant hope in the deserts of East Africa.
MEET THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Co-Founder of Faces for Hope with his wife Holly. Along with his work for Faces for Hope, he is currently Director of International Manual Therapy Seminars. Jack is an Orthopedic Specializing Physical Therapist and a visiting Physical Therapy Professor at several Universities. He continues to teach Manual Therapy courses both in the U.S. and internationally and has been named to the International Federation of Manual Therapists Teacher’s Forum. After the near drowning of their 15 month old son, Jack founded the San Diego Drown Prevention Association. He was on the board of Children’s Hospital San Diego and chaired the professional’s division of the Miracle Network Telethon. Jack has spearheaded youth ministries, men’s ministries including recovery ministries, and served as a mission’s leader for his church.
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Holly resides in Spokane, Washington. She received her Bachelors of Science from San Diego State University, and received her Teachers Credential from Fresno State University. After teaching, she became a stay at home mom. She and her husband lead the Youth Ministry in their church. They went on to be Mission Leaders in their church, and took a group of adults to Tanzania. It was at that time, they saw needs greater than what they could do personally. Holly and Jack founded Faces for Hope in 2008. They continued to serve in the Mission’s field in Tanzania for half the year from 2008 – 2020. They now remain in the United States the majority of the year, in order to facilitate the administration Faces for Hope. Holly is administrator and sponsorship coordinator for Faces for Hope. She has also lead Recovery Women’s groups, and continues to be involved in the local church.
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Joe is Founder of Life Center Church in Spokane. which has given birth to 28 daughter/granddaughter churches, all but one in the Spokane area. Joe received his Bachelors of Arts in Theology from Bushnell’s University, Joe is a lifelong learner who completed a Masters in Theology at age 60 at Whitworth University. Joe and his wife, Laina have 5 grown children, and 11 brilliant and beautiful grandchildren. Joe’s Big Deals: love God, love people, make disciples, have fun!
MEET THE TEAM
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Jack and Holly Stagge felt called to the mission field prior to 2007. But it was God’s divine direction, the overwhelming needs they saw in Tanzania and the relationships formed there that led them to know Tanzania would be Home. Jack sold his thriving Physical Therapy Practice and Holly left the closeness of family and friends to co-found Faces for Hope in 2008. They now run the organization from the States, as the Tanzanians run FFH on the ground. Jack and Holly live in Washington today and continue to make biannual visits to Tanzania.
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Elizabeth is one of our first Faces for Hope graduates. A Maasai Native, she was being forced into marriage to an older man when we met her. She was sent to college and received her teaching degree and taught school for several years. She also went to Discipleship Training School with YWAM. Along with teaching school, she helped find primary girls who were hidden from our reach and came alongside our high school students. Now, she is on the board in Tanzania, and works full-time with Faces for Hope, running camps, and the program and much more.
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Sarah is our first teacher on staff in the brand new, Faces for Hope school in Engikaret. Sarah is married to Barkiki, a local pastor, and loves to serve children in countless ways for Jesus!
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Neema is a Maasai girl from the bush of Tanzania. She has two beautiful children and serves Faces for Hope as the girl’s House Mama in the Rescue Home. We appreciate her deep connection and love for every one of our girls as they stay in this safe refuge!
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Namnyaki was a Faces for Hope student who graduated from Hotel Management. She got a job, but her employer would not pay her, so she quit. She had that spunk to stick up for herself instead of just doing what she was told. Faces for Hope hired her, as our second employee. She was such an eager learner, that she has grown into the Faces for Hope Administration position, and is doing a beautiful job with all her responsibilities. She then fell in love and married a wonderful man. Namnyaki is now a mother of two wonderful children whom she is putting through school herself. She is also one of few women in Tanzania who drives a car. We are so appreciative of all her work!
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Belinda previously worked at a girls' rescue home, bringing strong experience in teaching life skills and English. She is passionate about empowering girls and helping them engage with their communities. A proud and educated Maasai woman, Belinda is trilingual and dedicated to mentoring girls, particularly those entering high school and recent graduates. She continues to teach and support girls in rescue homes and is a valuable asset to the F4H team. Married and deeply committed, Belinda actively sought out the opportunity to contribute to the mission of F4H as a teacher in our Rescue Home.
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Godson is our daytime Rescue Home Guard. He manages the front gates and ensures everyone at the Rescue Home is safe! He is a vital part of our mission to keep our girls protected from being sold. We wouldn’t be able to provide a home for our girls as safe and secure as it is without him on our Faces for Hope team!
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Bariki is the pastor of the local church. He is a Maasai man who grew up in the bush and walked miles to go back and forth to school each day. He has been an advocate for Maasai girls, and has helped rescue many from being sold into marriage.
