40 Days of Prayer
Hands at Work
Meet Mwete

Raising a large family isn’t easy but Mama Safi isn’t alone in caring for Mwete. He has a bigger family of support at the Care Point, with the Care Workers and the other children.

Meet Mwete

Advocate

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Joyful despite circumstances (SA)

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Mthandazo in his makeshift, stone and mud home in a rural village in northeastern South Africa

Mthandazo sits at a fire he has built for cooking outside of his small stone, mud and stick house which resembles more of a play-fort. This is where he and his 15-year-old nephew, Sipho, live. The boys’ first home collapsed during the rainy season the year before. Their new home belongs to Sipho’s mother who abandoned her son when she moved to another village. Mthandazo says he is grateful for the company and security Sipho provides, especially at night.

At night Mthandazo worries about the rats that come and eat through their mattress and about the coming rains that will likely wash away their home. He also worries because there is no door on which to put a lock to keep their few belongings safe.

Mthandazo’s elder sister passed away last year, leaving him the head of the household. His father, who was never really around, passed away a few years ago and his mother moved to work on a rural farm in 2002. Since then Mthandazo has rarely seen her more than a day month when he makes a three-hour trek by minibus-taxi to visit her.

Through all these challenges, Mthandazo has remained a strong student at school and dreams of becoming a geography teacher. He is respected in his village both by adults and his peers. When asked if Mthandazo ever gets into trouble, his care worker replies: “The only trouble Mthandazo has is with food.” The money his mother has to spare each month varies and sometimes there isn’t enough even for the taxi fare to visit her.

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Nathan's letter (CA)

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7-year-old Nathan Chong poses for a picture with his letter to Hands at Work founder, George Snyman

What an amazing year 2010 was for Hands at Work Canada! God has continued to open doors and to bring more people into the Hands at Work family, people like Nathan Chong.

Nathan is a little boy with a big heart to give. For his seventh birthday, Nathan had decided that he would ask guests at his birthday party to make a donation to Hands at Work in lieu of birthday gifts. He raised a total of 300CAD!

When Hands at Work founder, George Snyman, visited Toronto in December 2010, Hands at Work Canada arranged for him to speak at Nathan's school and the response was amazing. After George’s visit, children sent letters to George and a quilt was raffled off with all proceeds going to Hands at Work. A simple, yet profound, act of giving from one child has planted seeds that will bear fruit in many children, both in Canada and in Africa.

Nathan's letter

Dear Mr Snyman

We thank you for coming to our school to talk to us about Hands at Work in Africa. We understand that those people in Africa have scarce supplies, indeed. We understand also why we donate to Hands at Work and we hope to be able to donate more in the future.

Sincerely

Nathan

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World AIDS Day on facebook

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Click on this thumbnail and save the full size image for your profile pic!Are you on facebook?

In honor of WORLD AIDS DAY and in memory of all mothers and fathers who have passed away due to HIV/AIDS and the millions of children left behind, we are asking you to change your profile picture on facebook. In particular today we think of Dumiso (14) and Ayanda (13) in Swaziland.

Raise awareness once more that many are still suffering from the affects of HIV/AIDS but hope and healing can come through the work of our hands and the prayers of our hearts today.

If you are on facebook, and haven’t done so already, join our growing community:  Become a fan »   Join our cause »

 

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George in Toronto (CA)

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Toronto, save the date!

 

Hands at Work founder, George Snyman, will be speaking at a couple of venues during his stay in Toronto. His visit forms part of a six-week tour spanning 3 countries. If you've not had the privilege of hearing George 'live', don't miss this opportunity to be inspired, encouraged and challenged!

 

Hearing God Speak through the the Global Church
Six Themes of Lausanne 2010
Date: Tuesday November 30th
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 pm
Location: Tyndale University, College & Seminary, Room 1002
To register contact: Robert Cousins at tim@tyndale.ca or (416) 226-6380 x 2708
See flyer

iCrave Justice for a Generation of Orphans
Date: Tuesday November 30th
Time: 4:45pm
Location: Multi-Faith Centre, located in Koffler House, 569 Spadina Ave., Main Activity Room, Second Floor
See flyer

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Where will their hope come from? (DRC)

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John is a 27-year-old, single man whose dream is simply to work so that he can provide for a family. Something, he feels, he can only do with good education under his belt. After he lost his parents, when John was only ten years old, his older brother took care of him and taught him how to work. John finished his secondary schooling, but hasn't been able to afford a tertiary education.

For John, from Goma in the war-torn eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), life is very difficult. The entire North Kivu province is marked with hardship and suffering. Life is about surviving another day.

It wasn't always like this. Locals say tourists visited the region, famous as home to the Great Lakes, as recent as 2002. Today - though endowed with vast reserves of gold, copper, cobalt and diamonds - volcano eruptions and increasingly violent rebel attacks have effectively strangled the area.

The eight-year, bloody war has been over for seven years, but the fighting continues. Despite this, the government which is celebrating its 50th year of independence, has closed most of the refugee camps scattered across the eastern provinces of the DRC leaving millions of people homeless. Zambia – impoverished and without much to offer Congolese refugees – has, too, closed two of its camps.

A young family fighting for survivalLeft with little choice, refugees are returning to their burned-down, vandalised towns often without family members. Stunned, groups of people - unrelated other than sharing the same adversity - congregate to from huddles of make-do communities.

Last month Hands at Work founder, George Snyman, visited eastern DRC.

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George Snyman in Saskatoon (CA)

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Hands founder, George Snyman, will be speaking at two venues in Saskatoon next month. Have a look below for more details. Scroll down a bit further if you're based in Calgary, the USA or the UK for details on his speaking engagements there.

Looking forward to seeing you!

 

Date Thursday, 18 November

Venue University of Saskatchewan, Health Sciences B6

Time 12:30 - 01:30pm

 

Date Thursday, 18 November

Venue Hosted by Lakeview Church - open to the public. Click here for directions.

Time 07:00pm

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Hands founder, George, to take a tour of 'duty' in the USA

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George Snyman's six-week tour is underway. He will spending time in the UK and Canada before visiting the USA. Spending nearly three weeks in the country, he will be speaking in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minneapolis from 3 to 23 November.

George is known for being an encouraging and challenging speaker. He will not only be talking about Hands at Work, but also about our mandate as Christians to respond to poverty. Not to be missed!

Date Wednesday, 3 November
Venue University of Wisconsin-Madison
Time 08:00pm 

"This is not OK"
AIDS is the greatest orphan maker of our time. If we really do want justice we must wake up... Individuals can change the world! Join K Love and live worship by The Spark as George Snyman speaks about his life's work. Download the flyer.
Date Thursday, 4 November
Venue Grace in Racine, 3626 Hwy 31, Racine, WI
Time 07:00pm

Also see George at Grace in Racine on Sunday!

"This is not OK"
Come, listen to The Spark and hear George Snyman speak about his life's work caring and advocating for the most vulnerable, destitute and orphaned victims of AIDS in Africa. Download the flyer.
Date Friday, 5 November
Venue Glenview Community Church, 1000 Elm Street, Glenview, IL
Time 07:00pm

Date Sunday, 7 November
Venue Grace in Racine, 3626 Highway 31, Racine, WI
Time 8:30am and 10:15

 

Church Services
Date Sunday, 21 November
Venue Cornerstone Community Church, Orange County
Time Sunday services 09:00am and 11:00am

Love God, Love Your Neighbor
Date Tuesday, 23 November
Venue Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, MN
Time 06:30pm - 09:00pm

George will also be interviewed on radio! Tune in:

Date Monday, 1 November
Time 1:15pm
Radio station George will be interviewed by Frank Carmichael on Happenings Radio AM1050 WLIP

Date Tuesday, 2 November
Time 6:00pm 
Radio station Milwaukee Public Radio 

Date Wednesday, 3 November
Time 10:00 – 11:00am
Radio station Live interview via telephone with Nancy Turner from Moody Bible Radio
Heard on 90.1 FM Chicago and AM 1110 Chicago

Date Friday, 5 November
Time 3:00pm
Radio station Interviewed by Jerome McDonald, Worldview on Chicago Public Radio

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Calgary, you're next up! (CA)

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Calgary, get your diaries out and make a note of the dates below.

As part of his six-week tour of the UK, Canada and the USA, George will be speaking at four gatherings in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Don't miss it!

 

Date Friday, 12 November

Venue Westside King's Church, West Hall, 3939 - 69 Street SW, Calgary

Time 07:30pm

Tickets $60

 

Date Sunday, 14 November

Venue Freedom House, Calgary Dream Centre Campus, 4510 Macleod Trail SE, Calgary

Time 09:30am coffee and conversation and 10:00am service

 

Date Sunday, 14 November

Venue Westside Kings Church, 3939 69 Street SW, Calgary

Time Unedited Service at 07:00pm

 

Date Monday, 15 November

Venue Downtown Public Library, The Central Library, Meeting Room 1, 616 Macleod Trail SE, Calgary

Time 07:00pm (Doors open to public at 06:30pm)

 

Date Tuesday, 16 November

Venue La Vita Belle, 401 12th Avenue SE, Calgary

Time 09:00 - 11:00am

Everyone welcome!

 

Date Tuesday, 16 November  

Venue Fish Creek Public Library, 11161 Bonaventure Drive SE, Calgary (SE corner of South Centre Shopping Centre, across the street from the Family Leisure Centre)

Time 6:00pm

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George soon to hit the UK

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Hands at Work founder, George Snyman, has kicked off his six-week tour of the UK, Canada and the USA. He will be speaking at a number of churches during his visit. Not to be missed!

Have a look below for the dates and venues of the UK leg of the tour. Canada and USA tour details soon to follow.

 

George and his wife, Carolyn, on the airwaves!

George and Carolyn will be interviewed on Premier Christian Radio on Saturday, 23 October.

Time 08.25am

You can listen in London on Medium Wave 1305, 1332 and 1413, nationally on Sky Digital 0123, Freeview 725 and DAB. You can also listen online.

 

George's other speaking engagements:

Date Saturday, 23 October

Venue St Luke’s Church, Cell Barnes Lane, St Albans AL1 5QJ

Time Afternoon service

 

Date Sunday, 24 October

Venue The Forge Community Church, The Old Chapel, Forward Green, Stowmarket, Suffolk IP14 5HP

Time 09.30am and 11.30am services

 

Date Monday, 25 October

Venue Greenfinch Church, Greenfinch Avenue, Ipswich, Suffolk IP2 0SQ

Time 07:30pm

 

Date Sunday, 31 October

Venue Zion Church, Little Cornbow, Halesowen, West Midlands B63 3AJ

Time 09:00am and 11:00pm

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Aiding 4000 in desperate need in Bushbuckridge, SA

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Bushbuckridge in South Africa is known for being one of the poorest areas in South Africa. With the majority of its inhabitants being refugees from Mozambique who moved to the area during the time of war. For this reason, many of them were left vulnerable without homes to live in, and identity documentation that could grant them government help. Bushbuckridge was one of the first places Hands at Work moved into to begin a service centre and now hosts the majority of the children to whom we offer service in South Africa.

Things have not always been easy, as many of the kids were not able to receive grants because they lacked South African identification documents (IDs) and birth certificates. At the beginning of July Hands at Work held a USAID sponsored grant jamboree in Bushbuckridge. The jamboree gathered government workers, social workers, home affairs officials and community shop owners in one place to help about 4000 community members, most of whom were orphans and the elderly in desperate need of obtain ID documents, birth certificates and government grants. Of the 4000 community members, 29 received grants (26 of whom are orphans) and almost 200 ID documents and birth certificates were issued.

The jamboree was a great success and has created many new opportunities for children and families.

We're Listening (CA)

As is often the case, George speaks and people listen.  It was no different for us at Lakeview Church in Saskatoon, Canada.  After having heard the heart wrenching stories of orphaned children living in squalor, of grandmothers forced to work well into old age to feed the grandchildren they were now responsible for, of violence, heartache and despair, we were weighed down by the heaviness of oppression. But the story wasn’t left there. George then painted a picture of solidarity and hope, brought about through the unification of the church doing true religion, “to look after orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1v27). Many of us at Lakeview fell in love with the vision. 

Soon after George spoke, a few people from the congregation formed a group of advocates who called themselves “Lakeview Hands”. They started spreading the news about the call on the church to serve the poorest of the poor. Slowly people started making trips, on their own and then in groups.  Of course as more and more people met and fell in love with people in Africa, it seemed practical to come up with ways to raise awareness and money at home in order to support Hands at Work in Africa. The wider church body became involved around Christmas 2008 when the church launched an advent conspiracy campaign with all money going to support a community in Zambia. 

The campaign was a great success in getting the word out about Hands at Work.  The money raised built a small schoolhouse and provided food, education and basic health care to over 50 children in the desperate slum - Mulenga, Zambia.  Following that there were a number of fundraisers including an “ice-cream sundae sale” and “massive yard sale”, which together raised over $4000...

Africa on Their Shoulders

Johnny, Holly, Hannah and JoeyMany kids spend their summers playing sports, hanging out with friends, and avoiding as much responsibility as possible, but not the Gilchrists.  This summer Johnny, 12; Joey, 11; Holly, 8; and Hannah, 6, did odd jobs to raise money for the Baraka community in Zambia. 

Recently, Bridgette Gilchrist of Northbrook, IL, heard about Hands at Work in Africa from a friend, Chloe Steinke.  Chloe had invited a handful of people to a Skype call she held at her house with the founder of Hands at Work, George Snyman.

Bridgette Gilchrist said, “After talking to George, I was really excited