(Emily is the country representative for Zimbabwe and is always overjoyed by the growth of people as they take responsible for the orphans and the widows. This is a story of how one of pastors who we partner with, took a step of obedience in taking two orphans and caring for them without much to give except love.)
At the beginning of the year it was once again my privilege to travel to Zimbabwe, where I have been the contact person for the work that is happening in Zimbabwe for Hands at Work,
As I was driving up with a colleague, a lot was going through my mind as I remember the experiences I had the last time I was in Zimbabwe, and where I was challenged by the ladies I worked with.
There were a group of 23 women and 2 men all going to do Home Visits training. We had all left the slum area of Sakubva where Hands is partnering with CBO [community based organization] called Tafara Christian care and led by Stuart.
The shared rooms were designed to accommodation single men that were working for the railways from neighbouring Mozambique and Malawi. A curtain was used to divide the rooms for some privacy.
These rooms have now become home for many in Sakubva who are being trained for Home Visits training and shared with their families which include the men and women. Many of these trainees are either single or widowed. There are quite a number of these people who themselves are ill and are on treatment.
But the enthusiasm, commitment and joy I found in these women is what challenged me as they have nothing themselves and yet are so joyous and go the extra mile in serving their community. There is an awareness among the community of what they are doing, and it has had an impact on them and what they are still continuing to do.
It is through the Community that the CBO was alerted about a very sick woman, whose 17 year old daughter had died of HIV and left behind twins Joyous and Shalom only 3 weeks old then and a five year old, whom she had conceived at the age12 after being raped by her mother’s boy friend who infected her with HIV.
As the boyfriend was the breadwinner it was never reported to the police and he got away with it.
The grandmother to little Joyous and Shalom was also infected with HIV. The community alerted the volunteer workers as she was in her fourth stage of the disease and needed care and therefore could not take care of her little grandchildren.
Through the impact that was being made in mobilizing the Pastors in Sakubva, one of the pastor that was closely observing the work happening in the area, heard about the Twins and the Granny's situation and offered to care for them, while a legal solution is being sought.
When they were found they were all very sick and starving but now through love and care they are stable in their new found home. This is what comes to mind as I am writing this, “Seek Justice, Encourage the Oppressed, Defend the cause of the fatherless and plead the case of the Widow. Isaiah 1:17.
Joyous and Shalom are now just over 2 months old and in the loving care of Pastor Mabaso and his wife. The five year old sister is enrolled at the feeding point where she is getting a meal a day and receives home visits from the volunteer workers in Mutare Sakubva. When she visits at the feeding point she is loved and taken care of.
What an amazing testimony of how God can use ordinary people like the Pastor and his wife and the volunteer workers to give quality of life to the needy, just one step of obedience at a time.
When you and I take that step of obedience; a life is touched and changed for eternity; one by one we will reach them...