Day 21 - Care Workers and Primary Caregivers across Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe, there are 107 Care Workers who have committed to caring for the most vulnerable children.

• Pray for unity and trust among the Care Workers.

• “Pray for our Care Workers to understand the word of God because they are being robbed of the word from some of their traditional churches.” (Terry, Regional Support Team, Zimbabwe)

• “Please pray that the Care Workers do not get weary of doing well, knowing that their reward is indeed from the Lord. Pray that even in uncertainties, they continue to stand firm in their calling to serve the children.

• Please pray for God’s provision for our Care Workers. Pray for their income-generating projects and any source of income they may be getting, that they never run dry and they continue experiencing God’s supernatural provision.

• Please pray for our Care Workers families (marriages and their children), for stability and support from them.” (Kupa, Regional Support Team Leader, Zimbabwe)

Barbra is a Care Worker in Chinyausunzi Community in Zimbabwe. She shares, “My name is Barbra. I am married with four children. I have been a Care Worker for 12 years. I volunteered to be a Care Worker after the vision was shared at my church. I have a passion for children, especially orphans because I grew up as an orphan as well. I love being amongst the children.”

Day 20 - Children across Zimbabwe (#40Days2024)

Within Zimbabwe, there are 1075 children being loved and cared for. Today, we invite you to pray for children across Zimbabwe:

• “Please pray for our children who have finished grade 7 and will no longer attend secondary school. Please pray that God will open doors for them for vocational education or that they be able to continue with their school education.” (Kupa, Local Leader, Zimbabwe)

Gift* is one of the 1075 children across Zimbabwe. He lives in the community of Sakubva.

In 2023, Care Worker Maria found 13-year-old Gift* and his three siblings alone, in desperate need of food, and caring for their ill grandfather. Their mother, Precious*, had been gone for two weeks looking for odd jobs in the community, desperate to provide for her family. Occasionally, they will receive handouts from the local church that Precious is involved with, but the challenge of paying for the basic necessities remains. Immediately, Gift and his siblings were invited to the Life Centre. Since then, Gift is slowly starting to open up and play with the other children as he learns to trust that he will not be abandoned by the Care Workers.

Day 18 - Meet the Mutare Service Centre (#40Days2024)

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 Mutare Service Centre are: Kuda and Priscilla. They serve three of the most vulnerable communities across Africa.

• “Pray for God’s strengthening and God’s protection.”

• The Service Centre feel like there have been some very tough issues over the last few years.

• “We want to pray that God will give us courage and to protect the team.” (Priscilla, Local Leader, Zimbabwe)

Day 17 - Welcome to Zimbabwe (#40Days2024)

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. - Psalm 9:10

Zimbabwe is one of eight countries Hands at Work is serving in across Africa. Zimbabwe has a population of 18,513,580 people, with 40% of the population living in extreme poverty. Ranking 146 out of 187 on the Human Development Index, there are 75,000 children living with HIV/AIDS and 490,000 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 Zimbabwe:

• “Please pray for our education system in Zimbabwe. We are seeing more and more children dropping out of school. As a result, a lot of young people are now taking hard drugs. Please pray for economic stability that will enable our government to offer free education for all.

• Pray for peace and stability In Zimbabwe.” (Kupa, Regional Support Leader, Zimbabwe)

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 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.

”For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.“ - Psalm72:12-14

When Xolani was asked, “If you could ask people to pray for one thing in your country, what would it be?” he shared, “Pray for our Primary Caregivers – they carry much pain and brokenness. Some have started drinking, which can put the lives of the children that we are caring for at risk. Pray for healing; many have been abandoned and have been left with young children to care for and they are struggling. The need is huge.

This year, as we go deeper into what it means to care for our Primary Caregivers, I will invite people to pray for us for wisdom. Pray for the Primary Caregivers as Relationship Groups take shape, as we spend time in their homes and bring Jesus. Pray for the word to set in and for them to find freedom. Pray for the Care Points to become a place of life for them where they can come and be served. Pray that they will get more involved and take full ownership of the work happening in their community and in the lives of their children. Pray that they will experience Jesus.” (Xolani, Zambian Regional Support Team Leader)

Day 16 - Care Workers and Primary Caregivers across Zambia (#40Days2024)

In many communities in Zambia and across Africa, the Care Workers are also the Primary Caregivers of the children they serve. A Primary Caregiver is the mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings or other relatives of the children coming to the Care Point.

• “Many of the Primary Caregivers are women, and though the husbands are around, they are not involved in caring for their children and many struggle with alcohol abuse. Some have even left the family to get remarried. With only one source of income, many Primary Caregivers struggle to put food on the table. They end up doing piecework instead of working in their fields because they are desperate to earn anything so that they can put food on the table. They are hardworking, but they are the poorest of the poor, doing work for other people. We can continue praying that they find peace even in the midst of storms, and when they feel alone, we pray that they would have peace.” (Sylvia, Local Leader, Zambia).