When Audrey (Regional Support Team Leader, South Africa) was asked, “If you could ask people to pray for one thing in South Africa and Eswatini, what would it be?” she shared that we need to pray for justice. It is common for people who commit assault against the vulnerable to go free because they don’t have the resources available to them to get the help that they need. Pray for justice!
Day 28 - Care Workers and Primary Caregivers across South Africa and Eswatini (#40Days2024)
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For your name’s sake, Lord, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. - Psalm 143:10-11
In many communities in South Africa, Eswatini and across Africa, the Care Workers are also the Primary Caregivers of the children that they are serving. A Primary Caregiver is the mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings or other relatives of the children coming to the Care Point.
• “One of the biggest things in South Africa for the Primary Caregivers is not having identity documents and the kids also don’t have documents. In South Africa, if you don’t have documents, you don’t have access to a lot of service delivery. You can’t get a house, you can’t get food, you can’t get a government grant. My prayer is that even though they don’t have documents, God can provide something for them to live.” (Audrey, Regional Support Team Leader, South Africa)
• “Pray for the Primary Caregivers in our community to be involved at the Care Point and able to understand the vision of Hands at work and know the Jesus we know.” (Mnelisi, Local Leader, Eswatini)
Gogo Rebecca* is a Primary Caregiver in Sommerset Community in South Africa. She cares for her three grandsons. Many families in South Africa have come from other countries, such as Mozambique, meaning that they don’t have identification documents. This limits their ability to access government services and to receive schooling. To support her family Rebecca farms, but life is still a struggle.
Audrey (Regional Support Team Leader, South Africa) shares: “She doesn’t just sit and fold hands and say, 'I'm vulnerable’. She has a farm she ploughs. Some years she didn't even have seeds to plant, so we managed to provide her seeds as Hands at Work so she can plant. But, again, the good thing with her is that after planting, after some years, she stops us to say, “don't ever give me seeds because the seeds that I'm harvesting I eat, grind some to have a mealie meal, and some I'm keeping for planting other years”. When she has challenges with the children, she goes to the Care Point. The prayer request that I have for Gogo Rebecca is to pray for God to keep her for these three grandchildren. She's very old, but she tries to work very hard. Pray that the grandchildren can help provide for the grandmother”.
Day 27 - Care Workers and Primary Caregivers across South Africa and Eswatini (#40Days2024)
In South Africa, there are 54 Care Workers and in Eswatini, there are 47 Care Workers who have committed to loving and caring for the most vulnerable children.
• “Many of the Care Workers are in abusive marriages or relationships. They are being abused physically, emotionally or even financially. They have to care for the children alone. Their husbands are not supporting them. They have so much responsibility while also being abused. Some Care Workers have shared that they would save money but the husband ends up taking that money and buying alcohol. Pray for God’s hand upon the situation.” (Pinky, Regional Support Team Leader, South Africa)
• Growing up, the Care Workers have experienced a lot of problems in their lives and have grown up with without healing. What we see today is what happened when they were young and they are not able to share. “Pray that they will trust the Service Centre and other Care Workers with their challenges. Pray for Relationship Groups to be a safe space where they can share challenges and heal together.” (Pinky, Regional Support Team Leader, South Africa)
• Pray for the Care Workers to have love and unity as they serve the children. “Pray that God will strengthen them in all they do for children.” (Mnelisi, Local Leader, Eswatini)
“My name is Dudu. I am married and have five children. I have been a Care Worker for three years and I became one because my own children were also being cared for at the Care Point. The best part of being a Care Worker is serving, because I was also broken and wounded.”
Day 26 - Children across South Africa and Eswatini (#40Days2024)
Within South Africa, there are 574 children being loved and cared for and in Eswatini, there are 389 children being loved and cared for. Today, we invite you to pray for children across South Africa and Eswatini:
• “We’ve seen abuse happening to our children. They get abused emotionally and physically, so we would like to bring that prayer request. Pray that God would raise His hand and intervene in this situation.
• One of the other common things you would find around our communities, is that most of our children feel rejected and abandoned. Many of the parents are still alive, but they have been left with their sick grandmothers. Pray against that spirit of rejection. Pray that people would know the importance of fending for their children, no matter how difficult life can be, and make sure that they play the role of parents to their children.” (Nontobeko, Local Leader, South Africa)
Timothy* is one of the 574 children across South Africa. He lives in the community of Welverdiend.
17-year-old Timothy* lives by himself after his sister moved away to live with her boyfriend. He was found by Care Workers in 2016, who visited his home and learned that he had no one to take care of him. Timothy needed food, toiletries, and school supplies. The Care Workers helped him with these practical things, but he also needed friends and family. By God’s grace, he found those at school and at the Care Point. Over time, Linky, his Care Worker, has bonded with him. Timothy opens up to her and tells her about his problems and needs. She listens to him and helps him as much as she can. She shows him kindness and compassion and treats him like her own son, giving him a sense of belonging and hope.
Timothy* is one of the 389 children across Eswatini. He lives in the community of Shoka.
Abram’s* experience of rejection started at 3 months old when his father fled to Mozambique despite having previously made promises to care for his family. Sadly, his mother struggles with a mental disability leaving her unable to effectively care for her son. This leaves Abram’s grandmother with the responsibility of caring for them. The only way the family survives is through farming, however, this is inconsistent and rarely provides enough. When Abram first began coming to the Care Point, he was quiet, withdrawn and did not know how to interact with the other children. As time has gone on and with the love and care of the Shoka CBO, he has grown in his confidence to play with the other children and build relationships with the Care Workers. Even Abram’s grandmother feels free to share her challenges with Care Worker Jabulile when she visits their home.
Day 25 - Meet the Lomahasha and Phophonyane Service Centres (#40Days2024)
A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. - Psalm 68:5
Across Africa, Hands at Work has local teams comprising of Christian men and women who have answered God’s calling on their lives to serve the most vulnerable. Each of these teams exists to encourage, challenge and support local volunteer Care Workers as they care for the most vulnerable children in the most broken and desperate communities across Africa. We call these teams Service Centres.
In the Lomahasha Service Centre are: Bonginkozi, Ntombifuthi and Zodwa. They serve four of the most vulnerable communities across Africa.
• “Pray with us as a Service Centre, that we can be strong in the Lord and be united so we can be able to stand in tough times.” (Ntombifuthi, Local Leader, Eswatini)
In the Phophonyane Service Centre is: Mnelisi and Nosipho. They serve one of the most vulnerable communities across Africa.
• Pray as the team plans to expand our work in the region. Pray that the Phophonyane Service Centre would be regularly supported as is the plan and for those coming alongside them.
Day 23 - Welcome to Eswatini (#40Days2024)
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Thessalonions 5:16-18
Eswatini is one of eight countries Hands at Work is serving in across Africa. Eswatini has a population of 1,489,160 people, with 30% of the population living in extreme poverty. Ranking 144 out of 187 on the Human Development Index, there are 7,300 children living with HIV/AIDS and 57,000 children who have been orphaned because of this life-threatening illness. –Sources: UNAID, UNDP, World Poverty Clock
As we start the week, please join us in praying for the country of Eswatini:
• “Pray for our government and our King to have one mind so that we can have peace in the county.” (Ntombifuthi, Local Leader, Eswatini)
• “We can pray also for the domestic violence that is happening in Eswatini. I think the people there are so used to it, whether it’s sexual assault, domestic violence, emotional abuse, so they are okay with it. They don’t see a problem. Pray for the Service Centre team as we are trying to teach that it is not right and you cannot solve it because it is a crime. The police should be involved so that the children can be safe. We can pray that things will not be swept under the carpet but will be in the open. Pray for the women to be able to speak up for things like that and say it is not okay to live in an abusive marriage or relationship.
• This year, we have a lot of children who are dropping out of school because they are failing their grades. Please pray for that and also for the Regional Support Teams and Service Centres in Eswatini, as we find ways to support these children because there are lots of things that they can get themselves into, like marijuana and prostitution. Pray that we can help find ways to support them during this season.” (Pinky, Regional Support Team Leader, South Africa)
As you pray, remember the International Offices in Australia, Canada, Germany, the UK and the US who serve with Hands at Work to care for the most vulnerable in Eswatini and South Africa. Pray for each of the advocates and churches in these countries that partner with Hands at Work. Pray that they will remain steadfast in their calling to serve. Pray that they will be encouraged even in times of difficulty.