Karen is an RN in the NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit) at Meriter Hospital, Madison, Wis., where she has worked for nearly 34 years. Karen works with student nurses in the NICU. She co-leads student nurses enrolled in the Edgewood College School of Nursing Program for a 3-week experience to Guatemala, where they do volunteer medical and health care, teach CPR/NRP and birthing practices, nutrition, clean water projects, and work in clinics and hospitals. Karen has taught health classes, CPR and NRP (Newborn Resuscitation Procedures) to nurses, physicians, firemen and the lay public in Tanzania and Guatemala.

Rick has more than 30 years of experience in the designing, overseeing, and managing of railroad crossing construction projects. He has been involved in the construction of homes in Mexico, three different schools in Guatemala and a school in Tanzania.

Rick and Karen were married in 1975 and have lived in the Sun Prairie area for nearly 30 years. They have three children: Jesse, a teacher and football coach in the Sun Prairie Area School District; Kaitlyn, a teacher’s assistant for the YMCA; and Jason, a first lieutenant with the United States Army.

Rick and Karen have met with many challenges during their life together, but have come through because of God’s grace and guidance in their lives, and they give God all the Glory for the victories they have experienced. On Aug. 11, 1985, their daughter Kaitlyn was in a near-drowning in what was once their pool. When Karen found their daughter in the bottom of their pool in 10 feet of water, she gave Kaitlyn CPR and was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where she was on life-support at the UW Children’s Hospital in Madison. They were given the option to take her off the respirator (breathing machine), but they chose life and trusted God for a miracle.  They prayed diligently along with their family, many friends and many prayer chains around the world, and God heard their prayers.  She began to come out of her coma after 24 hours, and on the third day Kaitlyn came off the respirator-life support and was breathing on her own.  Kaitlyn was able to come home on the seventh day following her accident, unable to walk or talk, she couldn’t even lift her head.  Rick and Karen were told that “she wouldn’t amount to much.” Kaitlyn was involved in daily PT, OT and speech for her many years of life following her accident.

On Sept. 7, 1985, three weeks after her accident, Kaitlyn was laying on the floor at her grandparents home when she got up on her knees, stood up and took her first few steps for the first time since her accident. Her family was in utter amazement, and the silence in the room was heart-wrenching as we watched with great anticipation and wonder. It was as if angels were lifting her up to her feet and we were witnessing another one of God’s miracles. Tears of great joy and hope flooded the room and our very being. It was another sign of hope for Kaitlyn’s life and our life as a family.

At the time of Kaitlyn’s accident, while Karen was giving her CPR, Karen was praying for her daughter’s life. She cried out to God in desperation for Him to restore life into her daughter’s lifeless precious little body and also made a promise to God that she would serve him in any capacity for His kingdom, even if it meant to go anywhere around the world, wherever He called her. Now Karen knows that you don’t ever need to barter with God, but out of her desperation and humility, Karen’s heart was and always has been to serve God, to do His will and to serve His people wherever and however that might be.

Kaitlyn’s growing up years were challenging and learning in school was difficult, but with the continued prayers of healing, the heartfelt support of family and friends, and the wonderful and incredible support of the Sun Prairie Area School District, teachers and therapists during her wonderful yet challenging years of school, Kaitlyn graduated from Sun Prairie High School in 2002 with honors. Kaitlyn has overcome many obstacles and challenges through her own faith and prayers. She is, yet today, a life that is a shining example and witness of courage, strength and persistence in never giving up, no matter what the challenge is. When our focus is on God, “We can do all things through Him who strengthens us,” Philippines 4:13. This has been Kaitlyn’s Bible verse that she has focused on her whole life, her motto.

Kaitlyn’s brothers, Jesse and Jason, have always stood beside her, encouraged her and have been her cheer team in life. Kaitlyn, along with her brothers, have gone on many of the mission trips with their parents to Guatemala and Tanzania. In fact, Kaitlyn sponsors a wheelchair-bound child, who has cerebral palsy, in a school for children with handicaps and disabilities in the remote village of Santa Maria de Jesus, Guatemala. She picked out Luis to support in 2004, as she wanted to help someone who had challenges in life that might not otherwise be able to get an education. Kaitlyn goes to Guatemala yearly and visits Luis at his school.

Karen has been to other countries, with her first mission trip in 1995, when she was invited to go to Jamaica to work in a hospital at St. Ann’s Bay for a week. The Klemps first met the New Life Band (NLB) in 1999, when they opened their home to the NLB as they needed a place to stay while on tour here in the United States. This was the beginning of their relationship with Tanzania. In 2002, Karen and their oldest son, Jesse, went to Tanzania on a mission trip to work in the schools and a hospital with a church mission team. Since this time, the Klemps have been on several trips to Guatemala and Tanzania. Karen has also been to India in 2003, and both Karen and Rick went to Brazil in 2006. Rick has had challenges in the area of unemployment over the past few years with the economic challenges that many are experiencing here in the United States, but they are trusting in God for their provisions. They feel blessed for the job that Karen has as a RN in the NICU at Meriter Hospital.

Karen Klemp with a young child during an August 2013 trip to Tanzania.

“God has been so good to our family and we realize our blessings so much more when we go out into the world to serve God’s people in these hurting and developing countries,” Karen said. “Our passion is to serve others, and to be a light in the dark. We strive to bring Hope 2 Others with the love of Jesus and the promise of His salvation and healing love with a compassionate heart and an out reached hand.”

Karen completed her Masters degree in Collaborative Education and Leadership with her focus on Global Health and Education in the summer term of 2010.

The Klemp’s give God all the praise and glory for the Ministry of Hope 2 Others, and have chosen God to be the CEO of their ministry.  God has been the director, healer, counselor and forgiver of their lives for them as individuals and as a family, so why not trust in Him to complete their life’s journey as being the CEO of this God ordained ministry? Stepping out in obedience and faith is challenging, yet the most rewarding part of life.  To believe, when no one else seems to understand, to take hold of the vision that God gives us, and run with it, trusting and knowing that God is running ahead of you, lighting your path, picking you up when you meet a bump in the road or redirecting you when you turn the wrong corner.

Let God carry you when you are weary.  The victory and reward is in the journey we live and not at the end.

As God brings people into the ministry of Hope 2 Others, He brings people with a heart of compassion, servant-hood, and a multitude of giftings that will serve and bring hope to others for a better life around the world.

We must lead with Godly wisdom and vision, for “Where there is no vision, the people perish,” Proverbs 29:18 KJ. The Klemps need the help and support of those who can enlarge Hope 2 Other’s vision and broaden its perspective as God leads.

“We seek out and value the advice of those who know and understand our passion and who have the wisdom, expertise and experience in the ways of advancing God’s Kingdom, as well as bringing hope to the nations. We look to build a network of advisers and pray for guidance, being open to the new ideas that God brings through others,” Karen said. “We desire to willingly weigh suggestions carefully and prayerfully. Through God’s direction, we feel that the plans for Hope 2 Others will be stronger and more likely to succeed. God reveals to us in Proverbs 15:22, ‘Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.'”

The Klemps are thankful to God for their family, friends and the future of Hope 2 Others as the ministry grows into the destiny that God desires. Their goal, in the words of Mother Teresa, is “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one. It is not the magnitude of our actions, but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.” To paraphrase the words of Mother Teresa, Karen believes that “If you can’t bring hope to a hundred people, then Bring Hope 2 just one.  It is not how big we are, but the compassion and love that we deposit into the life of another.”

“We look to be the hands and feet of Jesus as we serve the people, being culturally sensitive, respectful and mindful of their needs, as we build lasting relationships for a lifetime of service,” she said.

Joel Mburu

Joel Mburu was born in the very small village of Singida, Tanzania in East Africa. He lived in a mud hut home covered with tons of sand on the top and with a rough dirt floor. Like many of the people in this community, he shared a makeshift bed with other members of his family. Joel is the youngest in his family and has five brothers and one sister.

“While we didn’t have so much, my parents did whatever it took to provide for all of us,” Joel said.

Joel remembers the many occasions when they went to bed hungry and went without food. Joel received his first pair of shoes at the age of 13, and they were a pair of hand-made tire shoes that are worn by many of the Tanzanian people. Tire shoes are made from old tires of cars and are not very comfortable, but do provide some protection to the feet. If worn every day, tire shoes can last up to five years.

The primary mode of transportation for the people in Tanzania is by foot. Whether it is going to school, the market, the hospital or medical clinic for health care needs, walking and going on foot is how most people travel in Tanzania.

Like many of the children in this community, his daily activities included herding the goats, cows and sheep or finding water for cooking, bathing and drinking. It didn’t matter whether it was raining or not: Joel had to take the flocks to the grazing area.

“The rainy season in Tanzania was a most difficult time of year. It was like a double-edged sword, we needed the rain for the crops and drinking, but also would experience rain leaking into our homes with mud, cold and dampness of the weather,” Joel said. “We had big challenges in finding adequate shelter, food and staying warm.”

Joel started school at the age of 7, but it wasn’t easy. There were challenges to getting a good education, largely due to the educational system and structure with few teachers and large class sizes of about 70 students per teacher. There were only a few desks, with the majority of students needing to sit on the dusty floors. A few students shared textbooks, and there was no lighting, with just a couple of widow openings for sunlight to see with.

Joel’s desire and dream was to receive the high quality of education that he valued. He knew that an education was a privilege he wanted to receive and is the key to escaping the bonds of poverty. Joel ended up transferring to three different primary schools. The last school Joel transferred to wasn’t because of quality of education or tuition, but was to try to get medical attention. After being hospitalized for more than three months due to malaria and almost dying, Joel was transferred so that he could live with his older brother, who was a physician in the area, and to receive the medical treatment he needed. It is one of the opportunities that not every child has in Tanzania or Africa.

That experience is the primary reason Joel is trying to do as much as he can to help his community and country with medical facilities and schools. Joel’s goal and plan is to work hard so that he can help his community and country in these two major areas of need: access to good health care and providing opportunities for education.

Joel is married to Janeth and they have a 5-year old daughter Sarah and a son Mark, who was born in December 2009. Joel received his MBA at St. Mary University in Minneapolis, Minn. in October 2012.

It has been a pleasure to have Joel and his family working collaboratively with Hope 2 Others. As a member on the Board of Directors, Joel brings much wisdom, knowledge and compassion to the direction, vision and purpose of Hope 2 Others as we look for his guidance in serving his country and people of Tanzania.