George Snyman in Canada

If you live in the vicinity of Calgary or Vancouver, you may want to take note of these days to hear George speak. 

He will be speaking at the Bragg Creek Community Church, Sunday, January 22 at 10am.

If you are in Vancouver he will be speaking at Mission Fest, Saturday, January 28, 2012, at 3:30 in Room 10 of the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Regardless of where you live, let's remember George in our prayers as he shares his heart and experience with others while in Canada.  Pray also for energy to meet the challenges of the long travel distances from South Africa to Canada and back again.

Impact of your donations in 2011

Ever wonder who your donations impact and the effects in the community? In 2011, Hands Canada, because of donor support to the Arise and Build Campaign, has been able to support children in 5 different communities.  Learn about the broad impact of your donations in those communities as well read a story about Lawrence, a wonderful little boy who is the 'face' of impact. Read more ...

Another wonderful project also came to fruition in 2011 when several committed donors made a farm in Zambia a reality - the Kachele Farm! It isn't just the large Kachele trees, mango trees and other vegetation that makes it beautiful but rather the spirit of community, togetherness and hope that rests there.  Read more ...

It is impossible for us to adequately thank you for your faithful contributions to Arise and Build or other projects of Hands at Work, but we hope that knowing your money is wisely stewarded to the benefit of the most vulnerable children will give you confidence to continue to trust us with your resources.  We aim to have all charitable and general receipts issued to you by mid-February - watch your email inbox for them.  If we do not have an email address, we'll send snail mail.

Blessings to all of you for 2011 and let's look with renewed hope to 2012!

Pray, Fast, Give

Dear Hands Canada Family,

In lieu of World Aids Day on December 1 and the pressure of year end, we decided to dedicate 2 days for Prayer, Fasting and Giving across Hands at Work global family. The focus of our Prayer, Fasting and Giving in these days will be our vulnerable children across Africa.  Will you joins us?

Why are we doing this?

This is part of Going Deeper with our children.  It is also part of being obedient to the word shared by James at our Zambia Celebration this year. As he said: “True compassion is burdensome and results in action. When did we fast for the orphans?”  The timing is strategic: many of us become either tired or frantically busy toward the end of a year. This becomes self-centred and unhealthy. Setting aside time to give of ourselves in the midst of this is the way to maintain a healthy perspective and to deepen our dependence and trust in God. The December season is a time of incredible pressure for our children: other children receive gifts and start wearing new clothes, etc, and since our kids in Africa have no way to get such things, they are tempted to make dangerous decisions to get what they see others getting.

What’s the plan?

The Prayer and Fasting component of this initiative is on December 2 and 3, beginning at 5 am on Friday and ending 5 pm on Saturday. The idea here is to have a short prayer chain. If you would like to sign-up for the prayer chain, email us at news@ca.handsatwork.org.  For those in the Calgary area, we hope to gather together at Brian & Lisa Dalley's home (107 Sunmount Place SE) on Saturday at 5 pm to break the fast with a simple meal and to share about our fasting experience. If you are able to make it to this meal on Saturday, please let Barb know at barb@ca.handsatwork.org. We understand this past Celebration weekend was a huge commitment for many people and we thank all those who participated. That being said, if you can't gather on Saturday, we understand. Your commitment to praying and fasting is the most important thing and is greatly appreciated.

For those who are not living in Calgary, we encourage you to join us also either by fasting and signing up for a time of prayer or gathering your troops in that area to do something together in light of this.

In terms of the Giving component, Hands members in Africa are being challenged to support a community in Nigeria on their own, so they will individually be seeking how they can contribute to this. As volunteers in Canada, a lot of us are already giving financially, but continue to seek God during this time to find out how we can give, whether it be time or talents or connections or even financial giving.

How can we prepare?

Each day preceding Dec 2, we will be e-mailing and posting on the Hands facebook page a verse or a thought to get you thinking and in the right mindset for begiparticipating in this fast.

Also, at this link are notes that James, one of our African Hands at Work leaders, shared at the Celebration we are basing our event on. Levy, another of our African brothers, put together a wonderful teaching to explain fasting.. We encourage you to read both of these teachings from James and Levy as they are great for setting us up for the weekend, but also great for deeper understanding within ourselves.

Hands Celebration Event, Calgary November 25, 2011

In Calgary, on November 25, 2011, we are holding our 3^rd Annual Hands at Work in Africa (Canada) Society Celebration Event.  Chris Wiersma, lead pastor at Westside King's Church, will speak to us of the transformative work that takes place when we engage in missional activities; transformative within the lives of those in Africa and also, within our own. Chris Dittman, a long-term volunteer with Hands at Work, will challenge and inspire you with his own life and heart transformation arising from his 2010-2011 African sojourn. We invite you to join us. 

·      Friday, November 25, 2011, 6pm - 10pm.

·      Westside King's Church, 3939 - 69 Street SW, Calgary, AB

RSVP by Nov 21 to news@ca.handsatwork.org with the number of tickets you would like and the names of who is attending.

Cost:  $25 per person, non tax-receiptable.

Payment: Prior to event please by money transfer to brian@ca.handsatwork.org, or by mailing a cheque to PO Box 207 -16 Midlake Boulevard SE, Calgary, AB T2V 2X7.

Still have questions?:  Contact Lisa at 403-254-1705.

This event is an opportunity to share your passion for Africa, hear others inspire and challenge you, and to demonstrate your commitment to the mission and values of Hands at Work in Africa.

2010 Annual Report shows tremendous impact in our first year!

Our first year as a registered charity has brought amazing results, challenges, and rewards! Because of donor generosity we've been able to raise over $360,000 towards our programs in Africa, an amazing contribution given our early days as a registered charity.  We are so grateful to the growing volunteer base of committed people that help guide us to work in concert with the Hands organization in South Africa to meet real needs and restore hope to countless vulnerable children.  We appeal to all the Hands Family in Canada to continue to grow their financial and volunteer time commitment to Hands at Work and to dig deeper, give thanks and bring others along to help us grow and mature as an organization.

The 2010 Annual Report is an excellent snapshot of the work and the impact of everyone’s efforts to reach more vulnerable children in Africa. Read it with thanksgiving and renewed prayers that God will continue to bless this work and our role in reaching so many vulnerable children!