Inspired but Challenged

I'm going to write this blog post a little bit differently as in I'm not going to write lots. The majority will be pictures with a caption and brief description to give a small picture of my time in Zimbabwe. Enjoy :)

On the last Friday of every month, the Hands at Work family travels to one of the communities that we support to participate in something that we call "Community Prayer". This is an opportunity for the family to spend time with the Care Workers in a particular community, encouraging them and praying with them. Hands at Work has recently started helping to care for children in a community called Chinyansunzi, Zimbabwe. It was such a blessing to see many pastors show up from the local church and engage in helping to serve the poorest of the poor around them. It is amazing to see the vision of Hands at Work come to life by having the local church helping care for the most vulnerable within their communities. Gods' hand is surely at work in this new community! I'm excited to see what God is going to do through the Care Workers and the local church as they partner together to serve Gods children. 

The crazy blond/brown haired women jumping up and down amongst a sea of children is me as I engaged in a game similar to simon-says but in this version it involved jumping over a line.

As I sat with these beautiful young girls, they wouldn't stop giggling while I watched eat their meals. Their laughter was infectious. I couldn't help but feel their joy at eating food! 

Andrew, one of the volunteers from our local office in Mutare, Zimbabwe recently had a baby with his wife Kuda. International Volunteer, Becci and I  had the opportunity to spend the day with Kuda, loving on her and her new baby Anashe. Isn't she precious?

The children playing soccer at one of our Life Centres in Sakubva community, Zimbabwe 

I don't know how they never run out of energy but apparently they love soccer to much to stop playing! 

Throughout our time in Zimbabwe, I was continually inspired and encouraged by the Care Workers. The Care Worker in this picture is Chipo (she is the taller one with the striped skirt). She was quite involved with the children and spent her time playing with the them. It didn't matter if she was tired or hungry, she simply loved on the children with everything that she had to give. Quite honestly that is the case with all of our Care Workers. They give and give of themselves often receiving nothing in return. I am in awe of every one of these ladies because they truly are the heroes of Africa. 

Coming from BC, I thought that I had seen beautiful mountains but the mountains and greenery in the Honde Valley was breathtaking. I can't get over how creative and magnificent our God is. Also, lets take a minute to look at how green and lush the scenery is? A few months ago and that wouldn't have looked like that because the drought had left plant life barren. Praise God that the rains have been coming and the vegetation has started growing again! 

A typical African home! 

This is Terry, one of the local volunteers from the Mutare local office, carrying water on her head. This is the standard way that women in Africa carry everything, well except for children of course. 

I helped to collected water from the local pump with the Local Office.

 (left to right) Barbara, Jane, Baba (father) Jon,  Sakroo (Uncle) Sam and Terry.

This is the fire where the Care Workers cook for the children their meal for the day in Pimai C. The walking distance from the homes to the Care Point in Pimai C are long and hot. The children often don't get home until late after finishing a long day of school and eating food. 

During our time in Pimai C we had a meeting with the Care Workers and the local church pastors. I felt deeply encouraged that the church leaders came and were engaged. Some of them came on home visits with the Care Workers which was even more amazing. They want to be involved with the work that God is doing in their community.  

The children are taught responsibility at a young age and even at the Care Point they are expected to wash their dishes and help care for each other. It is a family lifestyle! 

Meet Jane: She has been a Care Worker in the Pimai B community but has recently joined the Local Office in Mutare. She cares for others with such a selfless and sacrificial heart even though she has experienced great trauma herself. She is a testament to the love and grace of Jesus Christ. 

This family is special. This family is broken. And this family is desperate. 

Anne* is a single mother with four children and one on the way. In some African communities it is cultural for a women to marry her husbands brother when he passes away and so when Annes husband passed away several years ago, his brother took the responsibility and married her. 1 of her children is from the brother and the one that is one way is to. However the brother has now left her and the children and lives in Harare with his new family. This family is desperate. They live in a room that is not nearly big enough for the growing family. However, I was amazed and felt blessed by Annes hospitality. She fed us while we were in her home even though she is struggling to even provide food for her own family. The hope in this situation comes from the Care Workers who visit them on a daily basis and encourage them with Gods' word. Ultimately God is the only hope and is the one who brings restoration to this lost, broken and desperate world. 

The maize is growing! Praise God!!!!!!

Apparently pouring water from one container to another is fun???

These are some of the Care Workers, who serve the children on a daily basis, cleaning the pots that they cook the food in. I feel inspired but come away from community challenged every time I spend time with the Care Workers and the children. The question that I ask myself every time I spend time in  community is:

 Am I that willing to sacrificially serve and expend myself on behalf of my brothers and sisters in Christ?  

Isn't she beautiful! 

This is one of our care points in Chinaka, Zimbabwe. It is located about 3 hours from the local office in Mutare in the beautiful Honde Valley. 

Becci, International Volunteer (UK) playing with the children in Chinaka, Zimbabwe.

This is the amazing local office team in Mutare. It was such a blessing to spend time learning from them and serving with them for two weeks. They are an extremely dedicated, passionate and loving group of people who come from all different backgrounds of life because God called them together to serve the most vulnerable. (left to right) Andrew, Barbara, Sakroo Sam, Terry, Jane, Baba Jon and Farai. 

I came away from Zimbabwe feeling deeply inspired but also deeply challenged. This beautiful country and the people that live there, have nestled its way into a very special place in my heart. The things that I saw have broken my heart but I have been filled with an incredible amount of hope that I see in the Care Workers and the volunteers from the local office. They are bringing Gods' Kingdoms to those that they interact with and are serving as Gods hand and feet to the most vulnerable. God truly is making diamonds from the dust as He transforms lives, brings hope to the hopeless, sets the captives free, heals the broken and brings the lost home to Him. God is doing amazing things in desperate situations as He makes a way for His people.