Rhonda Smith Woody

Rhonda married her best friend Benjamin Smith. Together they have launched companies, ministries, investments and more. They have a heart for adoption and were astonished to find out how many children are human trafficked right here in the United States. With so many children in the state system, Rhonda and Ben specifically requested children that were deemed unadoptable. They quickly became a multiracial family. Through time, love, prayers, and patience, God did miracles in their children. After seeing such a strong need in their own country, Rhonda and Ben were determined to do something about human trafficking internationally as well. As they did some research and partnered up with a man in India named Benjamin Dupte. Soon, Rhonda found herself on a plane heading to Latur, India to see for her self what people were facing there. When she arrived, it was heart breaking. Rhonda contacted Ben in the United States and on that day, The International H.O.P.E. Project (IHOPE) was born. As Rhonda traveled to the villages that even the police wouldn't go to, she saw poverty and extreme lack. At the same time, during her visits, she saw miracle after miracle. The children's home was built so that Monday through Friday the children could have clean clothes, food, and some where to sleep while they got an education. On the weekends, the children go home to their families. Next, the The Hope House Orphanage was built. Many young girls who work the brothel houses have no hope for their babies. The Hope House Orphanage was built so they would have a safe place to leave them. The babies normally come extremely malnourished (3 to 3 1/3 lbs is the common weight) and in need of medical attention for a month or so while being fed weight gaining formula. Once the baby is healthy and given a clean bill of health, the baby can go forward with being adopted by a loving forever home. This breaks the cycle of the baby being sold. 

In September of 2015,  Rhonda woke up paralyzed on the left side of her body and from the waist down. As the specialist showed Rhonda and Ben the MRI, it would reflect one long lesion that started at the top of the neck and went all the way down to the tail bone. With Ben by her side, Rhonda was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis NMO (TM). The statistics the doctors gave her were daunting. 1500 Americans a year are diagnosed with this auto immune disease. Only 1 out of those 1500 would go on to walk and recover from the "on set". 80% of those diagnosed with TM struggle with depression and even go on to commit suicide.  Friends, family, their church and their community came together to support their family. God provided in every area. When Rhonda came home, weeks later she was walking. The entire time Rhonda was fighting Transverse Myelitis NMO, she never stopped working or ministering. In fact, her hospital room stayed full the entire time with staff, friends and even doctors from random practices. God was doing miracles even during physical therapy. Since Rhonda couldn't travel, their dear friends (whom they consider family) from India came to the United States so all the programs could keep moving forward. 

Then January the 15th if 2018 Rhonda woke up early one morning at 4am and was paralyzed from the waste down again.. Determined and fighting, she started walking as soon as she got home and even started climbing the stairs. As always, family, work, ministry, home projects, and life kept moving forward as it always does. Rhonda's passion never wavered. Her passion for adoption, to stop human trafficking, to see people restored never slowed down. In fact, her passion only grew. Every step of the way she has seen miracle after miracle happen.