We’ve had a busy two weeks here in Zim (or rather, Southern Africa, since we spent half that time in Mozambique). Let me tell you a little more...
Oasis Projects:
Since we’ve only really had one week in Harare since I last wrote, not a lot has changed. We are still thoroughly enjoying the work we’re doing! We are carefully tending to our maize plot still, as part of the Foundations for Farming scheme. They’re growing pretty big, so we’re hoping we might be able to see the product before we leave! In terms of our jewellery-making, we’ve stocked up on beads (after paying a visit to a place equivalent to bead heaven, I imagine), so we’re going to continue working away at that. Catriona, the girl overseeing the Jacob’s Well project (including our jewellery-making initiative), returns to Zim next week, so we are very much looking forward to meeting her and learning more from an expert! In the pre-schools in Epworth we were so touched to see the improvements in their singing - they have certainly been practising the songs we taught them. The children are warming to us and getting more used to having us around, which is also a positive sign. We made cotton wool sheep with them, which they really ejoyed. We have found that the teachers seem to appreciate our different ideas too - their art lessons are usually just drawing with crayons, so it’s nice to be able to provide something different. It’s only a little difference, but we feel it’s something simple we can do for them and for God. We have also started a big clean-up at the Oasis offices - they moved just before we started our time here, and now have officially moved into their main offices. We are trying to make the place more respectable, where people will want to come for training and things. The girls and I are going to be decorating the reception - a way of brightening up the offices while leaving a mark!
Hands of Mercy Orphanage:
We spent another day at the orphanage a couple of weeks ago. We absolutely love the place! Alongside Kerry, a girl we met through our bible study and regularly helps out at the orphanage, we spent our time with the three youngest children, playing with them and teaching them colours, numbers and letters. It's lovely to see them so happy to play and things, they really are just a great bunch of kids!
Mozambique:
Unfortunately, due to various reasons, we were unable to go to Nyanga last weekend, but hopefully this will happen in a couple of weeks’ time. However, we were still able to go to Mozambique with Kevin Brits (Kate’s husband, who was travelling there for Oasis business.) And it was an unforgettable trip!
We spent four nights staying at Kedesh, a boys’ orphanage just out of Beira, the capital. I loved it. The orphanage is run by an Amercian man, John, and he is assisted by an English girl, Heather. There are 26 boys there, aged 7 to 18. We were able just to slot in and live a couple of days with them, helping out where help was needed and playing sports and spending time getting to know the boys. We harvested peanuts (who knew they grew at the end of the roots of the plant?!), chopped vegetables, made bread and played lots and lots of volleyball! The boys all spoke Portuguese, so we learned a bit of that, and they were learning English, so Heather encouraged us to speak English as much as we could with them. Each evening the boys watched a film that John projected onto a big screen that they could watch from outside - the first night we spent in Mozambvique, we watched High School Musical 3! They use this as a way for the boys to learn English - and it works. We often heard little phrases being used that came from films. The area was spectacular - very green, and some amazing sunsets. We watched it one evening from the top of the water - which had been built by John and the boys. He believes they should learn skills that will be useful once they leave the orphanage, so they have built everything there, from the houses to the benches to the well!
One morning we visited the girls’ orphanage across the road as well, where we joined in with making beads from paper. The girls were all lovely, and keen to practise their English!
What I loved most from that time was the simplicity of living. It’s really eye-opening to see people live without the necessities. Both orphanages were run by Christians, so the boys and girls were founded in faith. And most of all they seemed happy. We were sad not to be able to spend more time with them, but perhaps one day I will return!
Our last day in Beira was spent at the beach. Seeing the sea was strange after not having been near a coastline for 4 months! We swam, we sunbathed, we enjoyed the day off! Mozambique is truly beautiful, a place I would love to return to. It is also a place where God is working - we visited Oasis projects there where churches have built water wells for the community, and a health clinic is being run. There is lots happening, but lots still to be done. It was in quite harrowing to see five-year-old boys looking after babies on the streets, to see young women wandering around the streets prepared to give themselves away for money, to see the extent of poverty some people live in. I am very thankful to have been given the opportunity to visit, but I would love to return to be able to contribute something more of my time.
Prayer requests:
- Please pray for the orphanages in Mozambique. The work that the directors are doing is really making a difference to the kids' lives, and we pray that they can continue to get the financial support they need to keep going. Please pray for the boys who have just left and are trying to find work and accommodation for themselves, that as they leave they will continue to rely on God and not fall into any traps.
- Praise God that we travelled safely and smoothly, and that we managed to get our visas as we came back into Zimbabwe. Please pray that we will have no hassle in extending these until March, when we are due to depart.
- Please pray for the work of Oasis Mozambique. The organisation has had to downsize there due to financial problems, but they have done tremendous work, providing a health clinic and water taps for the local communities.
- We thank God for the people supporting us and helping us here in Zim - for Kate, our friends from bible study and church, for Sarah, for Lorraine and Henry, for the Oasis staff and everyone else who has impacted our lives here. We ask that God will continue to bless those people as we come to our closing month.
- Pray for Oasis Zimbabwe - their work is making such a difference to the community, but they too are struggling financially. All the staff there are on voluntary contracts, which is proving difficult for many, as they struggle to pay rent. We pray that God will provide, so that they can continue to work for His purpose in Epworth.
- I thank God for my team, for Jess and Helen. They are amazing girls, and I have been so fortunate that we get along well. Please pray that we will all feel we have completed God's purpose for us here in Zimbabwe, and that we will be able to apply the lessons we have learned when we get back to the UK.
God bless,
Jo
No comments:
Post a Comment