Day 9 - Climate Change
‘The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.’ – Psalm 34:7-9
Over the years, changes in climate have caused natural disasters such as drought, cyclones and hurricanes to become more frequent. The most vulnerable are always severely impacted, as they have no extra layers of protection. Sadly, these changes in the climate have directly impacted the most vulnerable children and their families’ ability to survive. Pray for Hands at Work leadership to have wisdom and discernment in knowing how to address these challenges and support families when crises happen. Ask God to protect the most vulnerable children, that they will come to know God’s love and comfort in times of uncertainty.
A result of these recent climate changes, was Cyclone Idai that hit South Eastern Africa in mid-March 2019. What initially looked like a bad storm, turned into disaster for tens of thousands of people, affecting Malawi, first with floods, then Mozambique and Zimbabwe. After the Cyclone, many homes were affected, particularly in Malawi and Mozambique. As Hands at Work, we committed to responding to the families who have been most affected. Due to heavy rain fall, many houses in Malawi were destroyed during Cyclone Idai, and families were left living in desperate situations.
11-year-old Martha* and her grandmother Emily* where one of these families. Emily’s house collapsed during the night of Cyclone Idai. In the morning, they were surrounded by the gravel, where their house had once stood. Devastatingly, they didn’t retrieve anything from their house; suddenly putting Martha in an even more vulnerable position. Martha and Emily temporarily moved in with Martha’s mother, however this wasn’t a safe place for them to live. Martha’s mother lives nearby, although Martha doesn’t see her often. Her mother stays with her two younger brothers and makes a living by brewing and selling alcohol. Seeing the situation, her grandmother made the decision to bring Martha to live with her, as her mother’s home was a unsafe environment for a young girl.
Understanding the increased vulnerability and urgency of the situation, the community of Mngwere came together to rebuild a house for Emily and Martha. Using bamboo sticks, poles and grass, they created a temporary structure for Emily and Martha to live. The local Hands at Work team in Dedza was able to further support the family by providing plastic to secure the roof and protect them from the weather. Seeing the community come together in this family’s time of need was such an encouragement to the local Hands at Work in team in Dedza.