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In 2019, Justin’s* home life became extremely difficult when his father, who provided the family’s only source of income, went blind. Justin’s mother dedicated herself to caring for her husband, leaving Justin and his three siblings to carry more responsibility for themselves. Additionally, Justin’s father was in the middle of rebuilding the family home when he went blind and was unable to finish. This left the family living in a half-built mud and thatch shelter – the walls and thatch weakening with every heavy rainfall. It was whilst living in this state that Justin and his family met local Care Worker Richard, who could clearly see the family’s physical and emotional vulnerability.

The children were invited to the Care Point, releasing them from the burden of not knowing where their next meal would come from or who they could turn to for support with their education and health care needs. Understanding the dangers of living in their current shelter, the Care Workers, together with the local Hands at Work team in Kabwe, helped to finish building the safe and secure home that Justin’s father had started. - Baraka Community, Zambia

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Ben* and his family have developed a close relationship with their Care Worker, Mary, after they started coming to the Care Point three years ago. As their mother is often away from home during the day looking for work, the Care Point has become a safe place where they can spend time during the day.

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Jones, a member of the local Hands at Work team in Kabwe, shares the truth of the gospel with our youth in Baraka, #Zambia. Today, we invite you to pray for our youth, that as we begin a new year, God will give continued direction and discernment as we think of creative ways to engage our youth across Africa.

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Day 17 – Food Insecurity

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” – John 6:27

Food security remains a serious issue in many of the most vulnerable communities that Hands at Work serves. The local Hands at Work teams are committed to providing a nutritious meal daily for the most vulnerable children. Ask God to give the wisdom, discernment and resources needed to be able to effectively provide this care.

For the past three years the Kabwe region of Zambia has faced severe drought, which has had serious implications on individuals’ abilities to plant their fields and yield a harvest. Recognising the desperation of people living in our communities, particularly in Balaka, the Zambian Regional Support Team knew they needed to respond. With the realisation that many people were going without food and faced an additional level of vulnerability, they identified all of the Care Workers and Primary Caregivers in need of extra support and Hands at Work committed to supporting each family with one 25kg bag of maize per month for three consecutive months. This will help to ease the most vulnerable families’ level of food insecurity until their crops are ready to be harvested.

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"After seven years we returned to the beautiful community of Baraka in Zambia but this time as a family of four. It was amazing to see how many of the same Care Workers were still faithfully serving the children there. Two of the Care Workers, Agnes and Justin, took Ruby and I to visit a grandmother who does all she can to support five small children. Life is tough for the family but she still looks to God as her Father and provider.”

- Alicia Ralph, International Volunteer (Canada)

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Baraka Community, Zambia

Eight-year-old Tamara* and her two sisters were taken in by their grandmother four years ago. In 2016, local Care Workers identified them as amongst the most vulnerable in their community and began visiting them in their home. The girls were malnourished and their grandmother was struggling to care for their needs. The girls began to attend the Care Point, but struggled to interact with the other children. Judith, their Care Worker continues to encourage them on a daily basis and has seen improvement in their physical and emotional health over the past year.

On a regular basis women from the community have to collect firewood in order to cook food for their families.

Primary Caregivers are often aunts, uncles, older siblings or grandparents caring for the most vulnerable children in the absence of parents.

In order to cook for the children and have water for cleaning, the Care Workers have to collect water from the nearby well.