CHILDREN
Roberta Peterson
Roberta Peterson is President and co-founder of Hope Africa Ministries, Inc., and works closely with the HAMI Board, the Hope Sakwa Christian Academy Board and School Chairman; Pastor Gideon of Mumomatei Foundation; and many other advisors and supportive friends. Born and raised in California, she holds degrees in Sociology from Humboldt State University and Child Development from San Diego Mesa College. Roberta is a former early education teacher and social worker and is a proud mother of two daughters, mother-in-law to two sons and Grandma to three grandsons.After residing in Sakwa, near Hope Sakwa Christian Academy for almost 4 years, she has moved back to North Carolina and makes periodic month-long trips to Kenya. She stays closely involved with all aspects of the ministry through emails, texts, zoom meetings and calls. While on site at the school, she gives Bibles to 4th grade students, instructing them on how best to use it; oversees/augments the school library; provides washable sanitary towels to Grade 5 girls; teaches Bible stories and does art projects with the pupils; manages a sponsorship program for school orphan and extremely impoverished pupils; and provides devotions for Friday chapel service.When in Nairobi, she tries to visit the Mumomatei Foundation clients with Pastor Gideon, as well as staff at Joysprings in Kibera slum. She maintains contact and visits other missionary friends working in Kenya
Tim Sanford
Tim is the Secretary for Hope Africa Ministries, Inc. He is also a member of our partner in Kenya, Christ Church of Virginia. Tim spent a career as an Army officer and engineer. He is now fully retired and dedicating a lot of his time to Christ Church, HAMI, and our mission to bring hope and a new future to the children and families of Sakwa, Kenya. He made his first trip to Hoppe Educational Centre in August 202, as we dedicated the new school building and began planning for the next phase of ministry to the community of Sakwa.
Tim is working on the Hope Education Centre Vision that in addition to education of community children, the school can also educate family members. The goal being to help families develop businesses, which further strengthen their ability to educate their children, make HEC sustainable, and create even greater hope for a bright future.
John Speight
"Pastor John" recently retired after 39 years in pastoral ministry.He has traveled to Kenya more than 10 times since 2007 and has been instrumental in the development of Hope Sakwa Christian Academy. He and his wife Rosemary live in Ajijic Mexico 6 months out of the year, and they spend the rest of the year at Virginia Beach, to be closer to their first grandchild.
Sabine Elbe
Sabine is the co-treasurer of Hope Africa Ministries, Inc. She is originally from Germany but currently lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Sabine has been a personal athletic trainer for over 20 years and loves helping people towards better health and fitness. She learned about Hope Africa's caring work while at Christ Church, and went on a life-changing mission trip to Sakwa in 2019, helping with the construction of an expansion of Hope Christian Academy. She experienced seeing the wonder of God's work on the happy faces of the school's children, reinforcing her belief of each of our responsibility to help those in need. Sabine is excited to see what the future brings for the children in Sakwa.
John O'Brien:
"Doctor John" comes from a large Irish-Catholic family from Syracuse NY. He graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point and from the Uniformed Services Medical School, servin 37 years in the Army. While stationed in Northern Virginia, he became a member of ChristChurch, and has made 5 trips to Sakwa on various medical and mission trips. He has fallen in love with the children and community at Hope Sakwa Christian Academy, and is honored to support this essential overseas mission.
