George's Trip to the US

Fall is right around the corner, and it's a very exciting time for Hands at Work in the U.S. The Advocates are preparing for George Snyman, founder of Hands at Work, to visit the States this October.  It will be a time of fellowship, celebrating how God has moved in our lives, and focusing on God's call for us to care for children in Africa. Come join us!

George Snyman is Coming!

George Snyman, founder and CEO of Hands at Work in Africa will be visiting many churches and advocate groups in the U.S. from October 4th through the 21st.  Here’s a breakdown of his schedule.  If you’re in the area, we would love for you to come out and connect with George.  If you would like more detailed information, please contact Lauren at lauren@us.handsatwork.org

From San Francisco to Southern Africa: A Journey of Hope

In March of 2013, we traveled to Zambia and South Africa on a 10-day adventure that changed our lives. We had the privilege of spending time with the volunteer staff and care workers of Hands at Work on visits to four villages – Maranatha and Zimba in Zambia and Welverdiend and Senzokuhle in South Africa – and found ourselves so blessed and humbled by the experience. 

Great time at Urbana (US)

We had an awesome time at Urbana these last couple of days.  I was really inspired by the 16,000 youth that were willing to give up their holidays and spend time worshiping, and trying to discern what God has planned for their lives!  If you stopped by our booth, thank you!  If you have questions be sure to check out the rest of the website, or email me at Jed@us.handsatwork.org. 

Radical Advent: story of Angela from Kisunka, DRC

As a part of our Radical Advent Christmas campaign we want to share a story of a very determined young girl from Kisunka.  Angela lost her parents when she was just two years old.  Her aunt took her in, but like most other villagers, she works on a farm and earns barely enough money to survive.  As a young girl, Angela struggled with her job of taking the family goats to graze for most of the day, leaving little time for play. 

When Kisunka Community Based Organization (CBO) began caring for her, she had never been in school.  Now, at nine years old, she is in second grade and working hard.  After facing many challenges, Angela says she has big dreams for her future and is grateful to Kisunka CBO for enabling her to attend school.  She has made friends with the other children and feels loved by the Kisunka CBO care workers who visit her at home.Make this a Radical Advent by supporting Hands at Work in improving access to education to poor children in Africa! Please consider making a donation to our Christmas campaign here.

Radical Advent: a snapshot of Kisunka, DRC

As a part of our Radical Advent Christmas campaign, we want to highlight Kisunka, a cluster of villages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo so remote that few non-profit organizations can reach it to provide support. Kisunka lacks access to clean drinking water, education, health care, and sustainable work. These circumstances contribute to an overall sense of hopelessness among the approximately 5,000 villagers, many of whom are struggling to survive. 

Diseases like tuberculosis and leprosy are common in Kisunka.  There is no clinic, so the sick must travel 9 miles to the nearest health center.  To supplement meager crops from farming, some impoverished villagers try to earn extra income by fishing in Changalele, a lakenearby Kisunka. However, the good fishing at Changalelemeans that large numbers of seasonal workers travel to the area for fishing and other trade.  As is common in other areas of sub-Saharan Africa, this has led to the sexual exploitation of those who are most desperate for survival, such as orphaned young girls, contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Hands at Work is supporting local Christian leaders in Kisunkato develop a locally-owned organization in their community to meet the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children. Before they started, Kisunkahad not had a school for the past twenty years, so very few of the children had any education. The cost of education and the 9 mile walk to get to the nearest school were huge hurdles, especially for orphaned children. In partnership with Hands at Work since 2011,KisunkaCommunity Based Organization has provided food security, basic health care, and access to education to 75 orphaned and vulnerable children—children who deserve love and care and hope.  Make this a Radical Advent by supporting Hands at Work in serving remote and impoverished communities like Kisunka.  Please consider making a donation to our Christmas campaign here.

Radical Advent: Esther’s Story from Mwaiseni, Zambia

As a part of our Radical Advent Christmas campaign, we want to share a story of a teacher from Zambia today.  Esther used to teach at a public school, but when she realized that many of the orphans in her village weren’t able to afford the fees to attend the public school, she decided to make a radical change.  First, she used her modest income to build a small two-bedroom house.  As a single woman with two children and two grandchildren, her neighbors complained the new house was beyond her means.  But this was part of Esther’s plan.  She now shares one bedroom with her two grandchildren, who live with her.  In the spare bedroom, she raises dozens of chickens, and the income from selling chickens enabled Esther to take the risky step of leaving the security of her government job.  Now Esther’s living room doubles as her classroom, because every weekday she teaches 106 of the poorest children in her community out of her living room! 

Hands at Work empowers people like Esther in the poorest villages in Africa who are radically serving the poor and helps build a team of local Christians around them to multiply their efforts.  Make this a Radical Advent by supporting Hands at Work in improving access to education for poor children in Africa!  Please consider making a donation to our Christmas campaign here.

Radical Advent: Meredith's Story from Susu, Zambia

As a part of our Radical Advent Christmas campaign, we want to share Meredith's story.  She is an 8-year-old girl living in the community of Susu. Meredith attends the Susu Community School and is currently in first grade. Meredith lives with her two siblings, mother and grandmother - many people for their small house. Meredith’s father died when she was only four months old and sadly, her mother struggled to cope with caring for her 3 children. The family moved in with Meredith's grandmother so that there was another adult in the house to help with daily chores and taking care of the children. Unfortunately, Meredith's grandmother is aging and it’s a struggle to look after the whole family. They found it difficult to find good food and they often went to sleep on empty stomachs.

The Care Workers in Susu found this family and wanted to help them. They started by registering Meredith and her siblings at the feeding point where the children can eat a nutritious meal each day. Meredith says the biggest difference it has made to her is that she now gets food every day without needing to worry. She feels like she now has energy to work well at school, and she was very pleased to pass her recent school exams.

Meredith's Care Worker, Patricia, frequently visits this needy family, taking soap for them, helping to wash their clothes and sometimes bringing gifts of corn meal. Patricia encourages the children to attend school each day, too. Meredith loves it when Patricia visits her - particularly when she brings sweet potatoes as a gift for the family!  Hands' partners in the U.S. have provided critical prayer, short-term teams, and financial support enabling local Christian volunteers to care for children like Meredith and her brother and sister in Susu.  Many other communities have no support.  If you are able, please consider making a donation to our Christmas campaign here.

Radical Advent: Susu, Zambia

As a part of our Radical Advent christmas campaign, we want to highlight Susu, a rural community in Zambia.  Hands at Work identified Susu as a village with particularly high rates of HIV/AIDS and low access to support; government clinics, hospitals and schools are too far away for the local people to access. Though the situation in Susu is desperate, the local Care Worker team, with the support of partners outside the community, is making a great impact. Many of the children visited by Susu Home-based Care attend the Community School, which was started by a local church in 2004. The school has six volunteer teachers, dedicating their time to giving 250 children in Susu a basic education.

The school used to meet outside under trees, but in faith the community made bricks for a school. In 2011, in partnership with Hands at Work, they were able to complete a large building with two classrooms and an office for the teachers. This has made a huge difference to the community; having shelter means the school can continue during rainy season, and now the children have desks to work at!

Surrounding streams supply Susu with water but during the hot months the streams dry up. In the past, the community had no option but to walk long distances to fetch water. However, in 2010 a Hands at Work support partner blessed the community of Susu with the drilling of a borehole well on the school property, a tank to hold water, and a pump run by a solar panel. In a community where there is no electricity and no access to a clean drinking water source, this is a huge blessing. The community is overjoyed—now the children have a safe and dependable drinking water source and it will help to decrease illness in Susu.  Make this a Radical Advent by supporting Hands at Work in serving destitute communities like Susu!  Please consider making a donation to our Christmas campaign here