Zimbabwe Orphans Through CONNECTED CHURCH Zimbabwe Orphans Through Extended Hands

God’s word brings hope January 2016

Would you rather have a chocolate bar, or a hug? Notes to leader: Let people discuss this in 2s and 3s before they feedback to you. After you have had a few responses, you could say something like this: ‘Today we’re going to hear a story of a family who were helped materially (they were given food), but also helped spiritually (through the church). Tearfund aim to help those they serve both materially and spiritually because they know God cares for the whole person.’

She has no other relatives, and she struggles to support her family. Patience and her three children live in a small village in Zimbabwe. Her husband passed away in 2013. She has no other relatives, and she struggles to support her family. Extra info: Until early last year some neighbours had been supporting Patience and her family, but they had to stop as they themselves did not have enough to eat. This left Patience feeling very isolated.

Her children had to drop out of school because there was no money to pay their fees. They often did not have enough food to eat, and sometimes they would faint from hunger.

Then a church trained by ZOE came across the family. They provided food and clothing for them. Soon they will be giving Patience a goat so she can have a livelihood. Extra info: This brought hope and life to Patience and her children. Volunteers now visit them twice a month so they are no longer isolated. Now they are eating better the children have been able to go back to school.

‘My first day in church the pastor preached about the Good Shepherd ‘My first day in church the pastor preached about the Good Shepherd. He said we should lay down our lives for others. I have experienced this myself through the church, it is always there for us.’ Patience Maoko Extra info: Because she feels so blessed, Patience now wants to be part of the ZOE volunteer team in her area. She feels she has a role to play in supporting other families. “I learnt about ‘munhu munhu pavanhu’* - a person is a person among others, alone you are hopeless in life. I learnt not to separate myself from my community, regardless of what problems I may face in life. The church is the place to run to and the word of God brings hope! I now read the Bible and pray with my children before we go to bed.” “To everyone who has contributed to the change in my life God bless you all” * This is a phrase in the Xitsonga language, which is spoken widely in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South Africa.

PRAYER Pray for the children, that they would do well in school Thank God for the churches that ZOE works with, who bring life to those they help