Home of Hope - Update
Note from Outreach:
We hope you and your loved ones are well during this time of COVID-19. The Outreach staff is well, and our global mission efforts continue. We received this update from Home of Hope in late March and encourage you to pray for our dear partners in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe
We thank our Heavenly Father for many undeserved blessings that he has given to us all. The most precious gift he has given to us is his dear son Jesus. It is hard to fathom that he would send his one and only son to save us from perishing from our sins!! What kind of love is this? The amazing free gift of salvation where he gives us the power to become his children. We did not earn our salvation by good works but Jesus did the work by dying on the cross for us. Unearned mercy, love and forgiveness.
There are many trials and difficulties here... water problems, drought, a fuel crisis, high inflation, shortages of the staple diet of mealie meal (very expensive if we do get it), high schooling costs, poverty, depression, poor wages, high unemployment, high cost of medicines and hospitals, cash shortages, fear of the future ... but for us, the Good News never disappears. Jesus is alive. God is there for us in these troubling times. The difficulties never seem to go away but God is with us to get us through each moment of each day.
We thank God for you, for your support and love through donations and prayers. We would like to share some news since our last update.
We again had a wonderful Christmas, remembering the greatest gift to mankind, Jesus, who became flesh and who is God with us to save us.
CHRISTMAS PARCELS FOR THE STREET PEOPLE
We were blessed to be able to buy shirts for over a hundred destitute men and boys for Christmas. We gave the shirts to them in parcels which included bread, meat pies, and soap. We fed them in the afternoon then had prayers to thank God and all of you for providing the clothes, food, and medicines and most importantly for the gift of his son's birth. Early that morning, we gave the school children a Christmas packet of sweets and a ball or stuffed toy. They were thrilled as they did not expect it.
SEWING LADIES CHRISTMAS
We had our ladies in training and their children come for the day to celebrate the birth of Christ. At breakfast their teacher, Lucy, led their Bible teaching, prayers and songs.
CHRISTMAS FOR THE BOYS
A few of the boys came to the Home Christmas morning to celebrate with us. We saw the rest of the boys at church on Christmas day, then they came for lunch which included roasted chicken, vegetables and relish with a cool drink and cake later on. They spent the rest of their day challenging each other by playing table soccer (which they call slugg) and talking to each other as they had lots to catch up on. We then gave them each enough money to buy shoes, shirts, and trousers.
SCHOOL
We received good results from the third term’s reports. Some boys are in primary and some in secondary schools. It's been very tough for the students. They have to deal with electricity that doesn’t come on until 10 p.m. and then goes off around 4 or 5 a.m. so homework and studying for exams is done late at night or very early in the morning. Textbooks are hard to get as they are very expensive. Teachers might not come to school because they are paid poor salaries, and their transportation to and from school is higher than their salaries. So learning has become a huge challenge for many.
THANKING GOD FOR YOU
We thank you who are caring for the poor in Zimbabwe. God sees your caring hearts and your rewards in heaven will be great. We thank God for you. God is with you always. He provides, protects, and gives you wisdom and strength.
PRAYERS FOR THE PEOPLE IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Special prayers to our friends who experienced devastating tornadoes in Nashville, Tennessee. Many families have been affected especially those losing loved ones. Our prayers go out to them and we pray they know that God will help them through such an awful time in their lives.
HOME OF HOPE AND THE CORONAVIRUS
As of late March, we have not heard of any cases of the virus here in Zimbabwe. We have taken steps to help protect our staff by giving them (Lucy and Ongai) Dettol soap and gloves to use. We are also buying soap for those whom we serve. A big thanks to you all for providing funds. But we are not to be troubled. Didn't Jesus say that these things are going to come and will come more and more frequently? And he will be our shining light in these dark times.
Bless you all,
Joan, Craig, Lucy, Ongai, Ria, and Dave
Read more about Home of Hope HERE.
THE NEED
The Outreach Foundation is seeking gifts totaling $36,000 for the Home of Hope ministry to street people. Make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.