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

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...

In a War-Ravaged Region (DRC)

Children in streets of burned down village.

Hands at Work in Africa founder George Snyman is in Goma, DRC this week. You have heard about Goma: it’s the war-ravaged region in north-eastern DRC where millions have died, suffered mass rapes, and been driven from their homes into refugee camps. The war was recently declared over, and the camps have been closed. People are streaming back to burned and destroyed villages, trying to figure out Orphans and widows just outside of meeting with church leaders.how to start re-building. This is the time for Hands at Work to get involved. The situation remains unstable; division and suspicion within communities are rife. But we are committed to reaching the poorest of the poor, and right now that’s in Goma. Now is the time to be there.

Please pray for George. Pray for wisdom, for guidance to find the local people burning with compassion, and for the right village to establish a model of local churches collaborating to serve the most vulnerable orphans and widows with basic care.

To read more, follow George on Twitter. You can also read this article published by the NY Times this week.

 

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Carpentry Workshop Expansions (SA)

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Weston and Liz Muronzi, together with their three children moved from Zimbabwe to South Africa in 1997. After serving for several years in other missions work they found and joined Hands at Work in 2008, quickly slotting themselves in to a place that both served Hands and that utilised their skills. Weston, a carpenter, began using his skills to train some of the young orphaned men and Liz started using her hospitality skills to host and cater to visiting teams and the larger Hands family. While their youngest son Act is still in school, their son Adonis is working with Hands in the marketing department and their oldest daughter Prudence is working outside of Hands.

2009 was a busy year for Weston as Hands Village was being developed. He supplied all the homes with cupboards and kitchen fittings. This proved to be good for the guys he had been training to test out their new skills and to gain experience. And in 2010 a new opportunity came about for the carpentry team: it happened that a local carpenter was moving and offered to sell his carpentry tools and supplies at half price to Hands. With the help of friends in UK and Netherlands, they managed to buy the tools. This not only gave the carpentry team an opportunity to expand and train more guys from the community but also opened a door to start a small income generating project to support the work of Hands at Work.

Weston’s dream to impart life skills while generating funds for the work of Hands is reachable. Now we are only praying that God will send more volunteers with carpentry skills and the same heart to train young men while sharing the love of Christ. If you have carpentry skills or are interested in supporting the carpentry skills development program. Contact Weston: weston@handsatwork.org

Read more about this and other specific opportunities to serve.

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Facing Reality

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"Shelly VanBinsbergen is from Saskatoon Canada, She is a Friend of Hands at Work and occasionally comes and visits and gets involved with the work. Last year Shelly VanBinsbergen took a team from her church to Mulenga, Zambia; she became friends with some of the Care Workers there and continues to have a close relationship with them. This is her reflection, after hearing news from her friends in Zambia”

This week I have been thinking about Zambia, a lot. I spent last week with some very good friends and it reminded me how there are places in one's life that can't be filled with anything but deep relationships.

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

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The Woman of Courage (NIG)

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Name changed to protect identity

Susan is a small woman with a very shy smile and a gentle demeanor. She speaks softly. Susan is 24 years old and has 3 children – ages 2, 4 and 6. She is HIV positive.

Her story is one of hardship and survival. In 2007, Susan was living happily with her husband and children. She never considered herself at risk for HIV until she began to notice the health of her youngest child, still an infant at the time, quickly deteriorating. While receiving medical treatment, she decided to have both herself and her youngest child tested. Needless to say, Susan was shocked to learn that both she and her baby had tested positive for HIV.

Shortly after discovering that their baby was sick, Susan’s husband abandoned her and has not returned since. It was during this time that she experienced the greatest of hardships. She could not afford to pay rent, water, or electricity bills. She decided to take her children and go and live with her mother, who herself is struggling to survive in

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The Blood of Christ Covers Me (ZAM)

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The ‘Jesus is Lord’ stenciled in green letters across the wall of his house indicates the attitude with which Daniel approaches life.  The 64-year-old, HIV-positive man doesn’t hesitate when asked about himself.  In strained but clear English, he concisely tells of his life.  He tells of the strong reaction he had to the ARVs he began taking two years prior, of the hard lesson that it is necessary to take food with the drug or your body will react negatively, even when there is little food to be found.  He tells of the difficulty of his experience with stigma, the devastation of being cast aside by family, friends and church, and the widespread misconceptions of the illness.  But the undeniable truth of the situation: “we have watched our friends die.”

A long journey has led to a profound clarity for this elderly man: that people need to share about their experiences with AIDS, to tell others how to care for themselves, because no one else will.  Daniel expresses the need and his desire to start support groups for people with HIV, so they can honestly share their knowledge about how to take care of themselves with one another.

In other areas of his life, it is clear that

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A Deep Wound (SA)

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Marcus, a young man of 17, grew up in circumstances that left him wondering if life was worth living. He nearly ended his life once but was rescued just in time. He has deep wounds and carries much sorrow, hatred and anger. Nobody knows what happened to his parents, nor does he speak of them; he spends most of his time alone and struggles to enjoy the company of his peers at school.

Marcus experiences constant mistreatment living with his relatives. They take advantage of him, knowing he has no one else to turn to. He has no certificate or form of identification. Many times they don’t give him food or care for him properly. Marcus feels angry, hurt and isolated.

A schoolteacher was the first to take notice of the reality of his situation when Marcus became a danger to himself. He was hurting inside. The teacher being friends with some of the trained care workers who were involved in the Care Center supported by Hands at Work quickly sort out help for Marcus.

Since February 2009, Marcus has received emotional counseling and food at the care center. Although he is still a long way from being healed, he is slowly recovering and finding meaning in this life. One can only hope that the sorrow and anger deep within him will one day be replaced with peace and enable him to live a full life.

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Kikula (DRC)

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The community of Kikula is located on the outskirts of the city of Likasi in the DRC. It is one of the poorest communities in the city and is composed of makeshift shantytowns and brick huts.

The streets in any part of Kikula are lined with mothers and babies, storefronts, buckets of maize and bundles of charcoal for sale. There are countless children wandering around; as far as the eye can see. The roads of the community are damaged beyond belief and only the bravest of drivers venture out into the sometimes impassable terrain.

Kashama sits on a rock in front of his house. He has a sandal with a broken strap in his hands and he appears to be mending the dusty and worn leather. Beside him is a pile of footwear that tells a similar story of misfortune. This is Kashama’s “business” and his source of income. As Kashama stands up to greet the care workers, the limp in his step and deformity in his appearance becomes apparent. He moves slowly and with care as he greets

Agricultural Training in Zambia

On the 17th and 18th of June, an agriculture training was held at Kachele farm in Zambia. Representatives from the community based organizations participated.

This training was coordinated By Samuel Zulu, Etienne Beaud and Chilufya Chama. The training started with sharing of the word by Etienne from Genesis, as the basis and foundation of farming in a sustainable manner. He spoke about restoring the broken relationship between God and man, man to man and man and his environment. This served as a platform for Samuel and Chilufya to build on. After he was done, Chilufya taught on nurseries and vegetable production; how to grow them and management using the principles of low cost, sustainable agriculture.  With the high cost of seedlings, giving the attendees the skill to develop them, opened new possibilities in agriculture. Samuel taught on maize production addressing issues like soil erosion, fertility, cost effectiveness and labor savings. On this same day Etienne taught about the benefits

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The story of Busiku (ZAM)

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In the vast rural village of Baraka we meet Busiku, a small ten year old girl. She is quiet, shy and very beautiful. She wears the same ragged dress every day to school; it is brown from dirt and is full of holes. It is the only dress she owns. She has lived with her grandparents since the age of seven when her parents abandoned her; she thinks they may be working in another province. Busiku cannot remember the last time she saw them. 

Busiku walks 3 miles to attend the local community school where she is in grade four, but when it rains she is not able to attend because the water level of the river makes it too dangerous. Absenteeism is a problem at the local community school which caters for 75 orphans and 45 vulnerable children; some children are too weary from hunger

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The story of Mujinga (DRC)

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In this modern world, education is one of the most important things in life. The simplest jobs such as being a maid or a waiter require a matriculation certificate.  So, what about those children who have no access to education, or who cannot afford education, what possible life could they lead and what work could they do that does not leave them vulnerable.

Mujinga a 17 year old girl was one of those girls who grew up with no education. Her parents could not afford to send her to school as they could hardly afford a good daily meal. Her mother is blind and spends her day sitting in the streets begging. Her father is disabled and cannot walk and has to spend his day sitting in the house mending shoes which is not profitable.  If, Mujinga was the only child, it would have been easier for her parents; she could have found something to do as well, but Mujinga is one of nine children and she is the oldest. Most of the responsibilities are put on her young shoulders. The family

Someone To Rely On (ZAM)

“I love the children.  I have a passionate heart for them,” says Priscilla.  This is why she continues, after five years, to voluntarily teach the children of Roan community in Luanshya, Zambia.  Priscilla is the head teacher at Shalom Community School, where 120 orphaned and vulnerable children receive a free education.  Priscilla, along with seven other teachers, conducts grades 1 to 6, using the Zambian government school curriculum. 

Most of the students at Shalom are orphans living with family members who have taken them in after the deaths of their parents, usually grandmothers, sometimes aunts and uncles.  In cases such as this, when family members take in the children after their parents have passed, the strain added to the family is felt.  Many people in Roan are unemployed, and so gain income by piece work and small-scale business, such as gathering and selling firewood.  This form of income is inconsistent, to say the least.  Often not enough to purchase food regularly, much less pay for government school fees.

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Kristal's Experience

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I spent just over a year and a half with Hands at Work in Africa.  The majority of my time was spent in South Africa, but I had the opportunity of spending a month in Zambia and two weeks in Nigeria.  The first 7 months of my time was spent teaching in a program for orphaned students in the community of Masoyi, South Africa.  This gave me the opportunity to get deep into the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in South Africa.  I slept many nights in rooms with up to 8 people, I walked and drove many kilometers, and I ate many chicken feet, I shook hands with and sat awkwardly in silence with many Grannies, I bought many loaves of bread, I heard many heart-breaking stories, and I cried many heart-broken tears.  It was such a privilege for me to spend myself on behalf of these students.  They are the funniest, most compassionate, most interesting people I've ever met.  I learned to love a self-less love.  It was never about me anymore.  It was about them.  It was about seeing them succeed and change Africa.  When I left Canada, a lot of my friends would tell people I'm away changing the world.  I wasn't changing the world.  I was supporting them, empowering them and enabling them to change the world.  When John speaks of Jesus in John Chapter 3, he says, "He must become greater, I must become less",  I found this also true of the people I was working with.  They must become greater and I must become less.  It's Africa's only hope

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Update on Zambia

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Mutende Home-Based Care (HBC) in Roan

In 2002 Gugu’s father died.  She was only 9-years old when her mother sent her to stay with her aunt.  When she returned to Luanshya 3 years later, Gugu was shocked to find that her whole world had changed.  She says, “At home we usually went to bed with empty stomachs or could only eat once a day.  I didn’t go to school because there was no one to sponsor or to buy school necessities for me.”  Since then, Mutende HBC has supported Gugu by providing food periodically to her family, by helping her to return to school, and by teaching her life skills.  “But for the help of Mutende HBC we managed to survive...I am very happy and grateful for what they do because if not for them, I don’t know what would have happened to my life.”   With your help, Hands at Work supports Mutende HBC and other similar community-owned initiatives through training, encouragement, and support for three essential services for orphaned and vulnerable children—basic health, food security, and education.

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It was God's Plan for Me (MOZ)

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When Gertrude was 6 years old her father died, leaving her mother to care for her and her 4 year old brother, Alexandre. “It was sad for us to lose our father,” Germena says. “It was difficult. No one was helping us, and my mother worked very hard in the fields to provide food for us. We did not have any money and many times we went to bed hungry. Without a father in the house we did not feel safe and were scared of other people to abuse us.”

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NURSES FOR AFRICA

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Did we make a difference in Zambia or did Zambia make a difference in us?

In the summer of 2009, 16 nurses, all employed by Rosewood Care Centers traveled to Zambia to partner with Hands at Work on a medical mission in Kabwe.  Most of the nurses had not traveled outside the United States and took on this challenge by faith and with a bit of apprehension.  Once we arrived in Kabwe and met up with the Hands at Work Service Center workers we knew we were in good hands and that God had surely led us to this place for a purpose.

Each morning the nurses visited different schools and provided deworming medication along with age based HIV/AIDS education, bible stories, and instructions for dental hygiene.  Children received a toothbrush and toothpaste along with small toys, crayons, and various school supplies.  Badly needed blackboards were brought to the schools which delighted the teachers.  At the end of the week, the nurses hosted a teacher’s training session and luncheon. We provided some American dishes for the teachers to sample

George's trip to Melbourne (AUS)

George Snyman landed in Melbourne on Tuesday March 16th amid a few minor dramas. He missed his flight from Sydney, which delayed his arrival for just over 30 minutes, and then his second flight was delayed for 15 minutes.

On arrival George had some lunch and then went to his first appointment, a meeting with the senior students at Northside Christian College in Bundoora. Students from this school had given George a donation two years ago for two Zambian youths to attend secondary school and they were eager to get an update on how the two boys were doing.

On Wednesday morning George and I travelled to Ballarat, an inland regional city which George had visited on his previous visits to Australia. Ben and Dani, our hosts, will submit a more detailed report on his visit, but while in Ballarat we visited Ballarat Christian College where George spoke to the secondary school students in one session and the primary school students in another. Quite a few secondary school students spoke to George after the session wanting to know how to get involved with what Hands at Work is doing in Africa.

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Local Business Supporting Hands at Work (AUS)

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Chelsea Eva of Ballarat in Victoria Australia, owns and operates EVE Salon and Beauty Bar, a small hair salon business that commenced trading in late 2009. When Chelsea heard (through one of her clients obviously) that Hands at Work in Africa founder George Snyman would be visiting Ballarat, she thought it was the perfect opportunity to do something herself to assist with the work of Hands at Work.

On the same day George was speaking with Ballarat school students, Chelsea was styling hair, as she normally would; but she had also committed to giving 10% of all sales on the day towards Hands at Work.

Although she desires to visit Africa herself in the future, Chelsea identified that she could put her skills to good use and easily assist those who are working on the cold face in Africa.

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South Africa/Swaziland Regional Conference Highlight

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We just finished our first regional conference last week, and it was a huge success!  For many the highlight of the South Africa/Swaziland conference was Thulile sharing her story of helping children.

In November 2009, five brothers and sisters under the age of 12 huddled themselves in their stick and mud hut on a deserted hillside in rural Swaziland and watched their sick mother die. Their father had died in the same hut a year earlier, leaving the children to look after their sick mother for months before she passed away. They had not been attending school, had no school uniforms or books, and now they were alone without even a single day’s food.

After two weeks fending for their lives, a neighbor found the children eating mud on the bank of a river to keep their stomachs full.  He went to speak with Asondle Sive Bomake (ASB), a hands at work partner CBO in the area.  After the neighbor spoke with ASB, they assigned Thulile to visit the children. When Thulile first went to see the children they ran away.  Thulile said, "They didn't want to be around other people at all."