Hands at Work
Pastor Theo Low's Reflections from Zambia

In July 2019, Pastor Theo Low visited Zambia with a team from Sunset Church in San Francisco, California, with Hands at Work. He shared his reflections as he finished his fourth full day in Africa and his third day of a church mobilization.

“Most of these local pastors are bi-vocational, which means they have small churches and they are not paid to pastor their church. But these men have a great hunger for the Word of God… I realized, I may leave, but this family and this neighborhood will still have faithful men preaching and teaching God’s Word. These men have affirmed their love for the true gospel, they hold God’s Word up high, and they constantly reference it.”


George Snyman

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George on Moody Bible Radio - Jan. 18

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Mark your calendars for Wednesday, January 18th, and tune in to hear George Snyman, founder of Hands at Work, on Moody Bible Radio. Hear his interview live at 10am CDT. If you're in the Chicago area, tune in to 90.1 FM or AM 1110. Outside of the Chicago area, visit the program's website or click on Listen Live. If you can't catch the interview live, don't worry! Past programs are also available on their website.

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Zambia Celebration

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Greetings Friends,

 

A couple of weeks ago Lauren Lee and I had the opportunity to attend Hands at Work in Africa’s Regional Celebration in Zambia. Each year these celebrations are a time of gathering together Hands at Work international volunteers and the community-based partners from all over Africa to encourage each other and celebrate all that God is doing throughout the global Hands at Work Family. This year, from April 13-16, Hands had its biggest Celebration ever in Zambia with nearly 200 representatives from over 40 communities in Africa as well as representatives from Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States.

 

The theme of the Celebrations this year was, “Going Deeper.” The vision of Hands at Work is the local church in Africa effectively caring for the orphaned, widowed and the dying and unified in this mission with the church outside Africa. All of the different sessions focused on Going Deeper in relationship to make this vision become a reality. The celebration kicked off with a message from Hands at Work founder George Snyman who focused on Going Deeper in our relationship with Christ. He asked the question, “Why do you do what you do?” The motivation for caring for the orphaned, widowed and dying should come out of a deep love for Christ, a thankful spirit for what He has done for us, and a willingness to share that sacrificial love with others through service.

 

An excerpt of Ephesians 4 was given to everyone at the start of the Celebrations to read. I think it speaks directly to the purpose of these regional celebrations.

 

"I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received ...speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."

 

On the last day of the celebration before the official program started a large group of individuals gathered in the morning to sing songs together. It was just an amazing time. Here is a video of one of my favorite songs, “Ananipenda,” which translates to, "He loves me."

 

Regards,

 

 

Jed Heubner

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Smiling Again

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“Ilary is smiling again.”  In October and November of 2010, George Snyman shared with churches and groups all over the Midwest the joy that filled his heart when he heard those words.  Ilary, a Mozambiquan refugee in South Africa, used to wake up each morning not knowing if and how she would eat that day, and her haunted gaze used to keep George, founder and CEO of Hands at Work, awake at night.  But Ilary’s story, which George shared often on his recent tour of the U.S., is a story of hope, thanks to God’s grace and the home-based care volunteers in Ilary’s community.   

Some highlights of George’s tour in the U.S. included:

  • Celebrating with old friends at Grace Church in Racine, Wisconsin, and sharing with them the latest on the impact their church has made in rural Susu, Zambia
  • Worshipping God with The Spark in Kenosha, Wisconsin
  • Radio interviews with Milwaukee Public Radio and Chicago Public Radio
  • Praying for Daniel and the entire village of Baraka, Zambia, with supporters in Chicago
  • Sharing the story of George’s adopted daughter Nikiwe at Salem Baptist Academy in Chicago
  • Making new friends and sharing dinner with old ones at Bethlehem Bapist Chruch in Minneapolis
  • Celebrating a cold, snowy Thanksgiving in Minnesota
  • Speaking at a new church located in Garden Grove, CA, called Cornerstone. 
  • Sharing dinner with advocates Stephen and Amy Jo, who are committed with their friends to raising support for orphaned and vulnerable children in Ilaje, Nigeria
  • Stopping finally in Puerto Rico, where advocates Isa Velez, Diane and Dolores Rodriguez are busy translating Hands materials into Spanish in order to spread the word about Hands in their country

Thank you all for your prayers and support for George’s trip!  Plans for 2011 are already underway.  If you are interested in getting involved with George’s next trip to the U.S., please email info@us.handsatwork.org. 

 Chicago supporters praying for Baracka, Zambia, and for George

 

 George on the chilly waterfront of Lake Michigan with Jed and Pam Heubner

   

Sharing about Africa with students from New Trier High School in Glendale, Illinois

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Hands founder, George, to take a tour of 'duty' in the USA

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George Snyman's six-week tour is underway. He will spending time in the UK and Canada before visiting the USA. Spending nearly three weeks in the country, he will be speaking in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minneapolis from 3 to 23 November.

George is known for being an encouraging and challenging speaker. He will not only be talking about Hands at Work, but also about our mandate as Christians to respond to poverty. Not to be missed!

Date Wednesday, 3 November
Venue University of Wisconsin-Madison
Time 08:00pm 

"This is not OK"
AIDS is the greatest orphan maker of our time. If we really do want justice we must wake up... Individuals can change the world! Join K Love and live worship by The Spark as George Snyman speaks about his life's work. Download the flyer.
Date Thursday, 4 November
Venue Grace in Racine, 3626 Highway 31, Racine, WI
Time 07:00pm

Also see George at Grace in Racine on Sunday!

"This is not OK"
Come, listen to The Spark and hear George Snyman speak about his life's work caring and advocating for the most vulnerable, destitute and orphaned victims of AIDS in Africa. Download the flyer.
Date Friday, 5 November
Venue Glenview Community Church, 1000 Elm Street, Glenview, IL
Time 07:00pm

Date Sunday, 7 November
Venue Grace in Racine, 3626 Highway 31, Racine, WI
Time 8:30am and 10:15

Date Sunday, 21 November
Venue Cornerstone Community Church, Orange County
Time Sunday services 09:00am and 11:00am

Love God, Love Your Neighbor
Date Tuesday, 23 November
Venue Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, MN
Time 06:30pm - 09:00pm

George will also be interviewed on radio! Tune in:

Date Monday, 1 November
Time 1:15pm
Radio station George will be interviewed by Frank Carmichael on Happenings Radio AM1050 WLIP

Date Tuesday, 2 November
Time 6:00pm 
Radio station Milwaukee Public Radio 

Date Wednesday, 3 November
Time 10:00 – 11:00am
Radio station Live interview via telephone with Nancy Turner from Moody Bible Radio
Heard on 90.1 FM Chicago and AM 1110 Chicago

Date Friday, 5 November
Time 3:00pm
Radio station Interviewed by James McDonald for Worldview on Chicago Public Radio