November 17, 2023
When Care Workers in Buhimba first saw Moses, he was sitting with his sister against a wall outside the Care Point, watching children play. Moses was very shy and uncertain in how to build relationships. The only clothes he had was a torn girl’s dress and he was severely malnourished. Moses was invited to join the Under 5’s program where over time he started to flourish. He began gaining weight and growing stronger and healthier. The local Hands at Work team in Goma have been spending lots of time with Moses’ mother, helping her to process the pain and trauma that has prevented her from effectively caring for her children. Through their support and faithful encouragement, she is starting to care for her children in a more holistic way. Praise Jesus for the way that He is restoring and redeeming Moses and his family! Pray that God will continue to do a deep work in their family.
- Buhimba Community, #DemocraticRepublicOfCongo
May 19, 2022
My Life: Louise*, a child living in Buhimba Community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
“My prayer and desire is to be like one of the Care Workers that care for me.”
#OurJourney #MyLife #HisStory #Celebrating20Years
November 14, 2021
Hands at Work is committed to building resilience in our Primary Caregivers and restoring their dignity. To support some of the most vulnerable widows in Buhimba Community, Democratic Republic of Congo, Hands at Work have given a plot of land where they can live in their own homes with their children, giving them a safe and secure place to call their own.
October 9, 2021
'Through the love and positive example of the Care Workers, 15-year-old Jolie* longs to help people who are in need, those who are suffering, those who have also lost their parents or have been abused. She wants to be a protector of people. - Buhimba Community, Democratic Republic of the Congo
April 7, 2021
The war-torn community of Buhimba knows much fear and uncertainty. On a recent visit, George Snyman, co-founder of Hands at Work, and Erick Rukang, coordinator for the local Hands at Work team in Likasi, Democratic Republic of Congo, were able to bring joy and laughter to some of the most vulnerable children who live there.
January 28, 2021
Rejection, brokenness and a sense of loss are some of the realities that Joseph and his family faced after his father's death. Surrounding the family in their continued grief and vulnerability is a group of Care Workers, committed to living out the words in Isaiah 52:7 that say: ‘how beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!”’
June 14, 2020
In the DRC the Goma Hands at Work team need prayer for the Buhimba community: “We lost our Care Point as the land has been taken and used for something else. We are currently using a small piece of land elsewhere but we fear that if we don’t find somewhere permanent we may get shut down, and we won’t be able to feed our children.“
September 6, 2019
Buhimba Community, Democratic Republic of Congo. When 13-year-old Dorsia and her siblings were invited to the Buhimba Care Point, they began receiving a hot and nutritious meal daily and support with their education and basic health care. With the consistency of having a daily meal and receiving love and attention from the Care Workers, each of the children’s health has started to improve. Dorsia no longer works as a house maid and is once again living with her family. She sees the Care Point as a place of belonging where she is safe and loved by the Care Workers. Dorsia loves going to school and playing rope games with her friends at the Care Point. Dorsia’s mother sees that the family’s future can be improved and has started taking a knitting programme at a local school with the hope of generating an income once she is finished. It is through the Christ-like love of the Care Workers that hope and joy are increasing, not only in Dorsia’s family but also in the surrounding community of Buhimba.
April 28, 2019
“When Jesus said whoever welcomes this little child welcomes me, he was specifically referring to a child being at the lowest level of social order in Biblical times; unseen, unheard, and always the first one to suffer. Today, this is still very much the truth in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Where Hands at Work is working in the communities of Buhimba and Luhonga, one of the biggest delights in my life is watching these little children come to the Care Point where it seems like the moment they walk through the entrance, a burden falls of their shoulders. They are free, welcomed, can rest and are known. For the short time that they are at the Care Point, they feel valued, loved and cared for. Maybe because it’s so dark and tough for our children in Goma that the strong contrast of the love and acceptance at the Care Point stands out like a tower above everything else.”
- George Snyman, co-founder of Hands at Work reflects on one of his joys of being in Goma.
February 7, 2019
This week George Snyman is in Buhimba Community, Democratic Republic of the Congo, alongside Erick Rukang, coordinator of all of the work in the DRC. Please join us in praying for the community of Buhimba and the most vulnerable children who we are serving there. Ask God to protect and provide for them. Pray that they will come to know the unconditional love of their Heavenly Father.
December 14, 2018
Buhimba Community, Democratic Republic of Congo
At 11 years old, Winnie* has endured much heartache and trauma in her life. Her mother is struggling to care for her and her five other children, barely surviving by carrying, loading and cutting wood to sell in the community; a very dangerous job. It is only by the grace of God when the Care Workers intervened in her life that Winnie is alive today, growing in confidence and strength with each passing day.
August 20, 2018
Buhimba Community, Democratic Republic of Congo.
When Vince’s* father became ill, the family sold their land and all their possessions in a desperate attempt to provide the medical intervention and care he needed. But tragically, when Vince was just two years old, his father passed away. This left his mother, Natasha*, alone in caring for nine young children. Seeking some support to raise Vince and his siblings, Natasha moved her family in with her mother-in-law. But this did little to ease the heavy burden resting upon her shoulders as she worked her on a family plot of land and then selling vegetables at the market, or searching desperately for odd jobs in the community. Unfortunately, this did not earn her enough to feed her children or provide for basic needs in the family. When Vince turned six, Natasha did not have the funds for him to start attending school. When local volunteer Care Workers began caring for children in the community of Buhimba, outside of Goma, Vince and his siblings where one of the first families identified as amongst the most vulnerable. Care Workers invited them to attend the Buhimba Care Point where the priority was to give them daily nutritious food, the first step in addressing their malnutrition. The children also receive support with their basic health care and were able to start attending school. Care Workers Honorine and Bernadette began to visit Vince, his siblings and his mother, Natasha in their home. Over the years, they have built a strong relationship with the family and Natasha looks forward to their regular visits. Through these, she knows that she is not alone in caring for her children anymore.
April 6, 2018
My name is Lima*. I am six years old. I am 1 of 40 children attending the Care Point in Buhimba Community, Democratic Republic of the Congo.