Day 29 – Welcome to Zambia (#40Days2025)

Day 29 – Welcome to Zambia

Zambia is one of eight countries that Hands at Work is serving in across Africa. Zambia has a population of 21,056,420 people, with 57% of the population living in extreme poverty. Ranking 153 out of 187 on the Human Development Index, 58,000 children are living with HIV/AIDS and 390,000 children 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 Zambia:

• “Pray for the country Zambia as the cost of living now is very high and that makes it very difficult for the most vulnerable families to have access to food and any other basic needs.

• Pray for the campaign that will start in preparation for the general election that we’ll have next year August; that the campaigns will be peaceful and there will be no shed of blood nor any violence during the campaign till the election.

• We thank God for the good rains that we have been receiving and let’s pray that this rain continues and not stop along the way before it’s the right time to stop.” – Luwis, Service Centre Coordinator (Zambia)

• ⁠”Load-shedding (national scheduled power outages) is one of the bigger problems Zambia is facing. Most communities receive 6 to 12 hours of electric power. This has led to closing of many businesses and loss of jobs, people are stressed and frustrated. Pray that the rain continues to the point of filling our rivers so that hours of electricity power supply can go back to normal.” – Jimmy, Regional Support Team Leader (Zambia)

To learn more about the Zambia, the communities that we serve and about our Service Centres (local Hands at Work teams), please visit: https:

Sunday Reflections (#40Days2025)

Levy, Senior Leader, reflects on the role of the International Church and the Local Church working together to care for the most vulnerable:

“We say that we are one body. If one part is in pain, the whole body is in pain. So the role of the International Church is to come and support the local churches, to lift their hands and, together, to look after those who are vulnerable. As our Father in Heaven is a father of the fatherless, He is the defender of the widow, and that is the role of the Church. God is a God of justice. Our Father wants to see justice – so the role of the Church is to see that justice is happening for those who have no voice. Called to be the Father of the fatherless, to be the defender of the widows and the orphans, and to make sure that they look after those who are not reached, those who are rejected, those who are lonely. The role of the Church is to be the hands and the feet of Jesus, to bring light to the world, and to protect those who are not protected.”

Day 26 – Pray for Our Communities in South Africa (#40Days2025)

Day 26 – Pray for Our Communities in South Africa

 Within South Africa, there are nine communities being supported and cared for:

• Beeskop, Houtbos, Mafambisa, Mluti, Oshoek, Seville B, Sthobela C, T Kloof and Welverdiend (supported by the Hazyview and Oshoek Service Centres, South Africa)

Today we invite you to pray for the challenges that exist across all communities in South Africa:

• “As we look to expand in 2025, pray that God leads us to the right areas where there are vulnerable children. We also ask for prayers for the pastors and community leaders to understand our vision so that the community can get involved and start taking ownership of caring for the most vulnerable.

• For the Oshoek Service Centre team, we will be adding one new community. We seek prayers for strength as we start to walk into these neighbourhoods. Please pray that God guides us to areas where vulnerable children are in need and that the community understands our vision.

 • Additionally, we will be graduating one of our communities, Beeskop, in March 2026. We ask for prayers that the community understands the significance of this graduation and is empowered to take ownership of the initiatives we have implemented.” – Virginia, Service Centre Coordinator (South Africa)

To learn more about South Africa, the communities that we serve and about our Service Centres (local Hands at Work teams), please visit: https:

Day 26 – Pray for Our Communities in Eswatini (#40Days2025)

Day 26 – Pray for Our Communities in Eswatini

Within South Africa, there are five communities being supported and cared for:

Bhandeni, Msengeni B, Phophonyane, S'bovini, Shoka (supported by the Lomahasha and Phophonyane Service Centres, Eswatini)

Today we invite you to pray for the challenges that exist across all communities in Eswatini:

• “Please pray for the expansion into a new community, Matlabathini, and for the involvement of pastors. We also ask for the community's support in our initiatives on the ground.

• May God grant the leadership of the Service Centre wisdom as we plan to enter new communities.

• We praise God for the sense of responsibility shown by pastors and the Chiefdom in the Phophonyane and S'bovini. We are working together and supporting one another in our efforts.

• We thank God for the successful graduation of Msengeni A last December, which marked the first community graduation in Eswatini. This success has enabled us to consider further expansion.

• Please pray for the Service Centre as they plan to enter new areas. May God give them strength, and wisdom, and guide them to the right communities to serve.” – Mnelisi, Service Centre Coordinator (Eswatini)

To learn more about Eswatini, the communities that we serve and about our Service Centres (local Hands at Work teams), please visit: https:

Day 25 - Pray for Our Partners in South Africa and Eswatini (#40Days2025)

Day 25 - Pray for Our Partners in South Africa and Eswatini

Across the world, Hands at Work has dedicated partners from the International Church, who are committed to seeing the mission and vision of

Hands at Work grow and flourish. Today, we invite you to pray for the partners who are supporting the work in South Africa and Eswatini:

• “We praise you Almighty God for each of our faithful partners across the world, who are steadfastly committed to care for the most vulnerable children in communities across South Africa and Eswatini. We lift them up to you as they advocate and are a voice for these children who have no voice and we ask for your continued provision. As our partners join Hands at Work to arise and build the wall so that the children will no longer be vulnerable, may you strengthen their hands for this good work as you did in Nehemiah 2:18. We pray for your blessing to be upon them as they serve you in their own communities and may they also care for the most vulnerable around them.” – Rachel McLaughlin, International Office Volunteer (Australia)

• Pray that international team members and visitors encounter God’s heart among the vulnerable, encourage the work of the local teams on the ground, and further the goals of the partnership between the local and international Church and stir up momentum to further the partnership.” – Suzette Tay Lee, International Office Volunteer (US)

Day 24 - Pray for the Church in South Africa and Eswatini

Day 24 - Pray for the Church in South Africa and Eswatini

Hands at Work envisions the local church in Africa effectively caring for the orphaned, the widowed and the dying in partnership with the International Church. Today we invite you to join us in praying for the local church in South Africa and Eswatini:

• “For South Africa may we please pray together for our churches. As a Christian organisation whose foundation is Christ, mobilising the church in serving the most vulnerable is the main thing. However, in South Africa, we have many kinds of churches with different doctrines, thus it becomes a challenge for us with Primary Caregivers, Care Workers and children coming from families that mix Christ with traditional worship. Pray for God’s guidance and intervention as we try to teach and preach about Jesus to our people and trying to get them belong to the right churches. - Nontobeko, Service Centre* Coordinator sharing on behalf of the Hazyview and Oshoek Service Centres.

• “We can stand in prayer for pastors, because we know that pastors are the only people that can influence the whole church. If they buy into the Hands at Work vision, it’s easy for the whole church to follow because they trust them. A big problem in Eswatini is that the pastors themselves they don’t have relationship. There is this thing of different churches, different denominations. So, they look down upon each other and it’s not easy for them to come together even though they need to work together so they can care for the children after we graduate. Also, inside one church, you find that there is division which if the church is divided, it’s not easy for the church to take ownership at the Care Points. Please pray for unity in the church.” – Futhi, Service Centre* Coordinator, sharing on behalf of the Lomahasha and Phophonyane Service Centres*.

To learn more about South Africa, the communities that we serve and about our Service Centres (local Hands at Work teams), please visit: https:

To learn more about Eswatini, the communities that we serve and about our Service Centres (local Hands at Work teams), please visit: https: