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

Hands at Work in Africa

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Celebrating in Zambia (ZAM) (US)

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Greetings Friends,

A couple of weeks ago Lauren Lee and I had the opportunity to attend Hands at Work in Africa’s Regional Celebration in Zambia. Each year these celebrations are a time of gathering together Hands at Work international volunteers and the community-based partners from all over Africa to encourage each other and celebrate all that God is doing throughout the global Hands at Work Family. This year, from 13 to 16 April, Hands had its biggest Celebration ever in Zambia with nearly 200 representatives from over 40 communities in Africa as well as representatives from Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States.

The theme of the Celebrations this year was, “Going Deeper.” The vision of Hands at Work is the local church in Africa effectively caring for the orphaned, widowed and the dying and unified in this mission with the church outside Africa. All of the different sessions focused on Going Deeper in relationship to make this vision become a reality. The celebration kicked off with a message from Hands at Work founder George Snyman who focused on Going Deeper in our relationship with Christ. He asked the question, “Why do you do what you do?” The motivation for caring for the orphaned, widowed and dying should come out of a deep love for Christ, a thankful spirit for what He has done for us, and a willingness to share that sacrificial love with others through service.

An excerpt of Ephesians 4 was given to everyone at the start of the Celebrations to read. I think it speaks directly to the purpose of these regional celebrations.

Just a few short weeks - how a quick visit made a huge difference (ZAM) (CA)

Kim Wiebe from Manitoba, Canada poses for a picture with a group of children in Luanshya, ZambiaI woke up this morning thinking of my sister-in-law. She has just returned from Zambia and all the love and frustration and friendship that Africa holds for us are fresh in her. When I spoke to her for the first time since she returned, I could hear it in her voice: Africa is front-and-centre in her life and purpose again. Life in North America luxuriously crowds out thoughts of Africa, like a fluffy towel blots out the moisture on our skin, before we can absorb it all. Africa never leaves us, it's infused into us, but it can be diluted by all that our regular life entails.

I caught a little of that urgency this week, speaking with Kim. Her stories and updates on those I love and miss were like stories from a family reunion! Many good things, many difficult-to-hear things. Some continue to break that part of my heart that Africa has infiltrated.

This week I had a letter from a young woman I adore who is going on missions for a few weeks this Summer. She will be volunteering her time in Romania. She possesses a beautiful heart that is passionate for others. It has led her to pursue a nursing degree and I can't even fathom the amazing things that this knowledge, combined with her passions, will mean for our world. One of the things she addressed in her letter updating friends and family, was the thought that perhaps spending a lot of money to go and spend only a few weeks with children abandoned to orphanages in Romania may not be the most effective way to minister. This letter is for her, but it's also for each of us.

Dear Erin,

Never underestimate the way that your presence will change the lives of those you encounter.

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All Hands on Deck: The South Africa/Swaziland Celebration 2011

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In early April a group of local church leaders, friends of Hands, and Hands at Work staff and volunteers got together at the Hub just outside White River to talk about Who, What, Where and How we are.

Sensing God's favour on the day, the Hands at Work team were up at the crack of dawn to set up. By the time guests arrived, lively chatter and upbeat music filled the air.

 

WHY Hands at Work

George Snyman, Hands at Work founder, spoke first and said that he hoped the day would give everyone a good glimpse of the family's handiwork.

George showed the child mortality rates of the countries that Hands is working in (see a PDF of his PowerPoint slides linked below) and asked of each person: "What would God do with His available resources if one out of five of His children did not reach the age of five?"

Then a second question to chew over: "According to the indicators, it is life endangering for a girl to go to school in sub-Saharan Africa. How can this be when Africa is the most evangelized place on the planet?"

"Every month there are 180,000 new orphans. The number of orphans due to HIV/AIDS continues to grow and grow," he went on to say. "There is no time to be quiet when 6,000 children will walk back to their huts as orphans. We cannot tell them about Christ alone, we need to show them Christ's love through our actions."

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Thank the Lord I knew what to say! (CA)

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Hands at Work founder, George Snyman, is currently visiting Canada. He met up with Hands friend, seven-year-old Nathan Chong. Here he is pictured with George at the Global Outreach Conference in Toronto:

Nathan wrote to George:

Thank you very much for letting me be part of your talk today. It’s a nice picture isn’t it? I’m glad that the Lord gave me the right words to answer to your question: “Why did you do that?”

Read about Nathan's work with Hands here.

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It's good to be back!

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Soon after the annual Hands at Work South Africa/Swaziland Celebration, hosted at the Hub in White River from 29 - 31 March, 20 of us set out - in a variety of transport modes (some flew, some endured 45-hour bus rides!) - to Zambia. The Zambian leg of the Celebration, 13 - 15 April, was cause for a large family reunion: Hands at Work volunteers and community-based organization workers from as far as Nigeria, the DRC, Malawi, Zimbabwe and from across Zambia came together for three days of much singing, dancing, eating and sharing of stories, encouragement and starting of new friendships.

Now back at the Hub, we've enjoyed a slow Easter break and even celebrated a family wedding!

 

Watch this space for a report back on our Celebrations

Hands at Work family members from across Africa shared stories that had us laughing out loud at times, in tears at others. We talked, too, about our plans to roll out the Walking with Wounded Children programme in collaboration with Petra College: A phenomenal programme that aids care workers - often wounded themselves - to deeply care for the orphaned and vulnerable in their communities.

And, of course, we took a lot of pictures! We'd love to share them and our stories with you.

Todd and Katie: No room for frustration

Frustrations.  How many times in a day do you feel frustrated about something? Frustrated that you didn’t receive good service at the grocery store, frustrated that you were stuck in traffic on the way home from work, frustrated with the filing of your taxes, frustrated by a co-worker, the list goes on and on.

I know that when I was living in Canada I, too, often felt frustrated over these kinds of things!

My husband, Todd, and I have been back in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for a little over a month. We are serving with the local Hands at Work office called the Likasi Service Centre. Our time is split between helping to do project support work in the office, building capacity in the local staff and spending time in the communities pouring into the local volunteers and loving the beautiful, orphaned children.

On Wednesday mornings we have a small group sharing and encouragement time. It is slightly ironic as our entire team, of only six, is already a “small group”! This particular week Erick, the coordinator of Hands at Work in the Congo, shared with us on frustrations and on how consuming and distracting they can be.

In the Congo there is a whole other playing field of frustrations, some of which are unique to us as foreigners. Let me give you a few examples:

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Children caring for children, 8000 miles apart (USA) (ZAM)

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You might remember this family: Johnny, Joey, Holly and Hannah Gilchrist from Illinois, USA spent their last Summer doing odd jobs to raise funds for the community and children of Baraka in Zambia.

The Gilchrist family, Hannah, Johnny, Holy and Joey, and their parentsThough the Gilchrist brood have never visited Zambia, working to support this community that they had heard about via Hands at Work founder, George Snyman, they feel as though they are "a part of the family".

Baraka is located 10 miles northwest of Kabwe in Central Zambia. Kabwe, and the surrounding area, is high in lead content, placing it fourth on the list of the Most Polluted Cities in the World and causing many birth defects in the children in the area. The rampant HIV/AIDS pandemic further plagues the community's health. In a community with more than 900 households, there are an estimated 500 orphans, many vulnerable children and child-headed households.

In the middle of this poor, rural community, a team of 26 volunteer care workers are bringing hope to orphaned children by visiting them in their homes and ensuring that they receive nutritious meals, a basic education and that their health and safety is seen to.

With a generous heart and a desire to support and multiply the care workers' work, Joey (11) is dedicating another Summer to pet-sitting. All the money he raises will go towards caring for the community's children. He even made his own business cards!

Joey's business cardBelow, read a note from Joey's mom, Bridgette, to the Hands at Work office in Zambia, and a letter from Joey to the children in Baraka.

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"I will not do crime" (SA)

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A new team of short-term volunteers arrived at the Hub in South Africa in February this year. Armed with compassion, humility and an open mind, they embarked on a four-day community stay to conclude their orientation programme.

The team of six returned with a sparkle in the eye and many stories: some humorous, some sad, some hopeful.

Tommy, from England, and Jon, a Canadian, spent their weekend with Silo Ngobeni in Clau Clau, a semi-rural settlement in the north-eastern province of Mpumalanga.

20-year-old Silo is only in grade 11. Since his mother died in 2008, he has been living alone in a one-room, make-shift house. On first impression life doesn’t seem too bad. Silo seems to have all the essentials: food, clothing, water, a bed, even electricity.

As the weekend unfolded, though, it became obvious that Silo is a very lonely young man. He told Tommy and Jon that often he doesn’t have anything substantial to eat for as long as a week on end. Despite the hardship, however, Silo is determined not to revert to crime. Instead he looks to God for help.

Silo wrote two short stories that he has agreed to share:

Update 3: Determined not to be 'people who wander aimlessly'

One of the values of Hands at Work that I find most alluring is to know each child by name. There is something powerful about a name. If a child is a number or a checkmark on a list, no relationship will flourish with him/her. Think about it, have you ever been in that awkward situation where you meet someone for a second time (or third, or fourth) and they remember your name while you have no clue what theirs is? We are quick to devise a plan to remedy the situation. We convince someone else to introduce themselves so that we can find out the name surreptitiously. Or, if that doesn’t work, maybe we start putting their phone number into our mobile and deviously ask, “So, how do you spell that again?” Unfortunately, I’ve been a culprit of both schemes recently. It displays how much people appreciate the personal connection found in knowing each other by name.
The problem I’ve found myself in, since being in Africa, is somewhat more complicated. I’ve enjoyed learning children’s names and stumbling over the unfamiliar syllables numerous times, prompting laughter from the children who struggle as much to say my name. Even though it’s short and simple in my mind, the vast majority of the time we are known as Mzungu rather than by our confusing English names. I don’t mind nicknames, but for a while this one has slightly troubled me:
We’ve taken in a handful of Swahili church services in the Congo, not understanding much of the content, but enjoying the colorful melodies of the small buildings filled with African ladies’ not-so-small voices. On occasion we would recognize an old English hymn being sung in their language. The word Mzungu kept landing in the same place as the word God would have, had I been the one leading the song. Suddenly, I became apprehensive about how much the word for God resembled the nickname given to white foreigners. I was ready to accept a nickname which I had assumed translated as “white person” because after all, we are indisputably white. But, if there was some kind of reference to deity or the historical superiority of white colonialists, I was prepared to launch a search-and-destroy mission to eradicate the term.
Thankfully, after a short investigation, I discovered the term Mzungu translates as “people who wander aimlessly,” innocently referring to the fact that, historically, much of the European presence in predominately Swahili territories consisted of transient traders, missionaries and tourists. Now, rather than spending my time on some sort of misguided kamikaze mission against every person that calls me Mzungu instead of Todd, I can embrace the name.

Rethinking sacrifice (DRC)

Our journey to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has had us first landing in Zambia, or the "real" Africa. After a long, squashed bus ride we arrived at Kachele Farm, the Hands at Work gathering place here in Zambia. We were coming here to meet up with many Hands leaders from all over the continent: Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the DRC. We were given this opportunity to join these people in a workshop before we head up north to the DRC.

We have felt so blessed and encouraged by merely being in the presence of these leaders. Their humbleness and servant hearts are so evident. In coming to Africa as an international volunteer from Canada, we can sometimes feel as though we have sacrificed a lot: our jobs, money, time, comfort... But as soon as I sit down with the people we work with, I realize that I haven’t really sacrificed anything. We are giving a year, but these people have given their lives.

Sacrificing opportunities to have worldly success, they have humbled themselves to serve our King through caring for 'the least of these'. Many of them have taken in orphans themselves or give the little they have to help families in the communities they serve. They are carrying the yoke of the oppressed and the burden of those who are in need.

When I came across this verse I thought it portrayed what we are experiencing here in Zambia: "Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you." (Philippians 3:17) I pray that God is changing us through those around us to be more the people He has created us to be: loving, compassionate, sacrificial, humble and a vessel of hope.

Katie

Check back for regular updates from Todd and Katie.

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Around the corner: 40 Days of Prayer

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Hands at Work in Africa is asking you to join us in 40 Days of Prayer for orphans:

16 March to 24 April

This time of prayer will coincide with our two Hands at Work celebrations in South Africa and Zambia and we will post a prayer guide here and send it out via a special newsletter.

Gather two or three (or more) people in a home or a church or anywhere, or pray on your own. The Lord will be with you and hear your prayers.

I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. - Psalm 17:6

Meet Todd and Katie (DRC)

From Canada to South Africa to the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Follow Todd and Katie, a Canadian couple who have been serving with Hands at Work for the last six months, here as they travel to support the Hands at Work Congo team.

Hello, my name is Todd.

In a few days my wife, Katie, and I will find ourselves aboard a plane bound for Lubumbashi, a city near the area in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where we will spend the majority of the next four months. Unfortunately, we must get off the plane halfway to our destination in Zambia where we will be meeting our Congolese comrades. If there is one thing we’ve learned since being in Africa, no plan should ever be assumed as final. So we had to make some adjustments. Before I get carried away with where we are going, I should talk about where we came from.

Katie and I had an interesting dating experience: I think if we counted the time we were in the same city, or even same country, our four years of dating could be consolidated into one. I spent time traveling playing music and she made three trips to Africa. I knew before I said, “I do” that I would one day, in the not-so-distant future, inevitably follow her here. We came to Hands at Work upon recommendation of a few friends who have spent time with the organisation.

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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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Love that just blossoms (ZAM)

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Sukai lovingly cares for a group of vulnerable children in Mulenga, ZambiaAt 12 years old, Esther was left alone to care for her ailing mother and younger brother. Esther's mother, desperate like many other women in the urban slum of Mulenga, including Esther's grandmother, had turned to prostitution to earn an income to support her children.

Esther knew of no other way to make ends meet and was likely to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Had it not been for Mulenga Breathrough Care Group, Esther wouldn’t have had hope of a future.

Mulenga Breakthrough Care Group started with a heart to care for the most vulnerable in their community. When Esther and her family were found by care workers from Mulenga Breakthrough Care Group, both her and her family were supported and loved. They visited often, bringing encouragement, and they enrolled Esther back into school and helped to nurse her mother. Unfortunately, Esther's mother passed away. But before she did, because of the love demonstrated by this committed group, she herself found solace in the acceptance of the Christian faith.

Esther doesn’t have it easy now, though. As a maturing young woman, with the history of a prostituting family and a younger brother to care for, she could easy fall to the temptation of quick, easy money. But it’s not too late for Esther. With the love and care of Mulenga Breakthrough Care Group, she can overcome the obstacles she faces.

Sukai Tembo, wife to James, Hands at Work’s Regional Coordinator for Zambia, shared Esther's story at the 2010 Regional Celebration in Zambia. She gave testimony to the fact that when one “plants love in a human heart it will just blossom, it will affect a lot of people, it will change a lot of people.” Sukai went on to say: “It is only God that can change a human heart so please pray, [these prayers] mean a lot. We love a God who delights in answering our prayers. Our hands can touch girls like Esther and show her real love. God can use us to save these [children from their] previous lives.”

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2011 Celebrations

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Hands at Work will once again be hosting Regional Celebrations and our International Country Office Meeting this year. Last year was a huge success! Vision and heart were imparted and shared amongst a larger audience then ever. It was a great time of connecting, encouraging and celebrating. Read more about it here.

So, get out your diaries and jot down the following 2011 Regional Celebrations dates:

South Africa and Swaziland / March 23 - 25, 2011 / Hands at Work near White River, South Africa

Zambia, Zimbabwe, DRC and Malawi / April 13 - 15, 2011 / Kafakumba Lodge near Luanshya, Zambia

Int’l Country Office Meeting / April 16 - 18, 2011 / Kachele Farm near Luanshya, Zambia

If you are interested in attending or helping fundraise for this chance to acknowledge and appreciate our Community Based Organisations and Service Center Field offices in each of these countries for the incredible life-giving work they do then please contact us at info@handsatwork.org.

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Going Deeper - Watchword 2011

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At the beginning of each year, the Hands at Work family in Africa sets aside a morning to meditate on the watchword for the new season.

We recorded audio tracks of each of the speakers and we encourage you to listen to them by clicking on the links below.

Click here to listen to Hands at Work founder, George Snyman.

Click here to listen to Lynn Chotowetz, Levy Mwende, the communion & prayer and the closing.


Watchword 2011 “It’s in Christ that we find out WHO we are and WHAT we are living for.”                   - Ephesians 1:11 (The Message)

 

We make a choice, this morning, and we say: with God we can conquer all things.

“Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

“I dwell in the high heavens, and I dwell in hearts of the humble.” Wow.

“We’ve gotta do something!”

No wonder God says, “Unless you become like a child...”

I want you to catch what God is saying to us: I want to do something, first IN you and, from there, OUTWARD.

The power of the Holy Spirit is going to come, he is going to mould, he is going to shape and he is going to bring forth a nation that mirrors himself.

We’re being moulded into who God wants us to be … we don’t want to be shallow. It is not a discussion, we’ve already decided: we want to go deep.

Absolutely, this year is about going deeper.

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Walking with Wounded Children (SA)

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Julia Essmann and a Joy Home-Based Care care worker exchange stories

Emily Dinhira opens her Bible to Mark chapter 10 and starts teaching. Bartimaeus was blind man, rejected by his family, friends and community to the extent that his very name was an afterthought: Bar-timaeus literally means the Son of Timaeus. People knew about him. He was well-known as the community's beggar and as the story unfolds it is obvious that he was more of an annoyance than someone whose fate in life was met with compassion.

The day that Jesus came to town was no different: "When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'"

Emily pauses to ask some questions of her audience: A group of ten care workers at Joy Home-Based Care, congregated for a five-day course entitled Walking with Wounded Children. Do they know any blind people? Are the blind respected members of the community?

Care workers listen attentively to the Hands at Work course facilitatorsThe story continues and Emily talks about Jesus stopping and asking for the blind man to be brought to him, “'What do you want me to do for you?' Jesus asked him. The blind man said, 'Rabbi, I want to see.'” Why would Jesus ask such a question?

The morning's devotion sets the tone for the second day of the course. Emily, along with Betty Kasaija from Uganda and two other facilitators, presented the course on trauma to this group of care workers from a community-based organisation that Hands at Work supports.

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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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True fasting (SWZ)

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Alicia Ralph, a long-term volunteer from Canada, visited Swaziland earlier this year. Here she reflects on her encounter with a young family in the care of the local Swaziland team.

It was our last home visit of the day. The sun was low and the dry grass on the hills shone like spun gold.

We parked on the side of the dirt road, got out and starred way down the mountain at a tiny house in the valley. There, we had learned, two young boys – Dumiso, 14-years-old, and Ayanda, 13-years-old – lived with their sister. Their parents had passed away some years before and they were left to care for themselves.

As we started down the hill my mind was busy with so many questions: How did these boys get food? Did they go to school and, if so, how long did it take them to walk there? Hours, I imagined.

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In quietness and trust

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Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.Last weekend the atmosphere at the Hands at Work Hub in White River, South Africa, was quiet and serene as the 'local' Hands family engaged in a 24-hour, devout time of prayer and meditation.

It was a fruitful time of putting on the full armour of God and of asking, seeking and knocking. Thank you to our international family who stood in the gap with us.

"I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land..." - Ezekiel 22:30