Relationships & Holistic Caring

Digging DEEP E-Class, Session 3

In this session we invite you to hear stories about the final 2 pillars of Hands at Work: building Relationships and providing Holistic Care.

Step 1: Watch

Watch our 3rd and final session featuring:

Emily Dinhira grew up in a rural village in eastern Zimbabwe, where she began living out her vocation to care for the sick and vulnerable before moving to study nursing in South Africa. There she met Hands at Work and became a full time Care Worker in the Masoyi community. Today Emily coordinates Hands at Work’s training to equip local Care Workers to heal vulnerable children across Africa. 

 

Lynn Chotowetz,  a Canadian who stepped off the plane on to African ground for the first time 7 years ago, and never turned back. He now coordinates Hands’ operations across Africa, and in his life at Hands, has been involved in almost every aspect of the work from youth development to mobilising communities to raising up new leaders within Hands.

NOTE: C.B.O. as referred to in this video is a local organisation of volunteer community members (or villagers) coming from different denominations of Christian churches, serving the most vulnerable in their community with the love of Christ. C.B.O. stands for: Community Based Organisation, and is the group of people that Hands at Work partners with to bring transformation to villages across Africa. 

Step 2: Reflect

 

  1. Consider the difference between these 2 models:
        a)     To hire “program directors” to work in a community and deliver services, which is a common model in Community Care.
        b)     The Hands at Work model described in this video is to mobilize and equip Care Workers from within local churches to volunteer and build relationships with vulnerable children in their communities to start to care for them as a mother or father. The primary focus of this work is on building close relationships with the children, out of that delivery of services like food, education and health care are delivered.
  2. How would you describe the difference between the roles of the Service Center (Hands at Work local office) and the Care Workers?
  3. Can you recall Lynn’s description of how international churches can advocate for local African communities? Do you think this could be practically carried out in your country?
  4. How do you think Hands at Work defines sustainability? Do you agree?

 

Step 3: Discuss

Discuss your insights with others in our new facebook group:
Hands at Work in Africa E-Classes