The Covid-19 scourge brought most of the activities at halt. We started the year under lockdown restrictions. Schools were closed and only private schools continued carrying out some lessons on zoom. Other schools opened on the 22nd of March 2021. This year we identified and enrolled quite a significant number of children under the foster parenting program. We had to open a boarding facility in town for easy access of children to schools. Our summer crops, maize, beans, cowpeas and pumpkins did quite well. On the contrary, most of our animals and birds succumbed to a deadly disease in this quarter.
However, despite the Covid-19 restrictions, the church grew numerically. When we were allowed to meet beginning of March, we found ourselves exceeding the limit of 50 members on a Sunday service. Like before we had to separate the Sunday school pupils from the adults and also confine our services to one hour 30 minutes.
Education and Health Support
Because of the lockdown restrictions, still a third of our children continued to learn virtually. The rest of the children had to wait for the opening of the schools on the 15th of March for exam classes and 22nd of March for the rest of the grades and forms.
There was a hive of activities as we searched for Form one places for the newly enrolled children who did well at Grade 7. We had 3 children for Form one, transferred 3 girls to better schools in town. We had 3 children sitting for their ‘O’ level exams last year. One sat for Cambridge exams and came out well and proceeded to ‘A’ level taking Geography, History and English Literature aspiring to do Law at University. We are still waiting for the results of the other two who sat for ZIMSEC exams and their results is expected to come out anytime. The academically gifted girl child program is expanding quite well. We enrolled 3 students for University education and they are doing quite well learning virtually.
We managed to buy school uniforms and bags for the children. School fees was paid up for some of the children especially those newly enrolled and those who transferred.
Life Skills Development
Children were involved in some life skills routine activities like weeding, feeding of pigs, traditional chickens, guinea fowls, turkeys and rearing of goats and sheep.
Sustainable Projects
Piggery
We lost a significant number of pigs during the quarter due to an unknown disease. This disease affected all animals and birds nationally. We lost the rest(20) of the pigs save for 10. These 10 have since been vaccinated and they are improving now. We managed to buy some pig concentrate to mix with maize grain to improve their nutrition.
Life Skills Development
Children were involved in some life skills routine activities like weeding, feeding of pigs, traditional chickens, guinea fowls, turkeys and rearing of goats and sheep.
Goats and Sheep
The above scourge also saw the reduction of our goats and sheep to 4 and 3 respectively. The disease was deadly because some she goats and sheep had some miscarriages. The animals have since been vaccinated and the few that survived are improving remarkably. We therefore need to purchase more goats and sheep to keep or maintain the breed.
Traditional chickens
The birds were equally affected by this unknown disease. Numbers were drastically reduced to 20 chickens, 7 turkeys and 5 guinea fowls. It is therefore imperative to purchase some more birds to maintain the breeds.
Orchard Project
The fruit trees continued to blossom because of the good rains received. Right now the trees are flourishing at expected to flower soon.
Memorial garden
The memorial garden also continued to blossom because of the good rains received.
Crop Production The maize crop did quite well this season and harvesting has already started. We thank the Lord for the abundant rains He gave. Even the other crops like cowpeas, beans and sunflowers did well.
We had two birthday celebrations for the children in this quarter. Natally and Sindiso enjoyed their birthdays with the other children. Such occasions uplift their spirits and we have made it a practice to celebrate these days. Gifts are given to those celebrated to foster the spirit of giving among the children.
The children were connected to some friends in the United States of America so that they get to know each other and foster mutual relations. Friends in the States started to write the letters and the Zimbabwean friends responded.
The ‘Redeemed Dancers’ continued to practice during the lockdown. They meet monthly for their rehearsals and have several occasions lined up in the year where they shall be show casing their talents and abilities just for His glory.
Evangelism
Evangelism continued in style under the lockdown restrictions. Distribution of EHC pamphlets was done to some Pastors so that they would distribute to their evangelism teams in turn. Discipleship groups met at household level where bible studies were conducted to fully equip the saints for the work of ministry.
The above household was identified last year. The mother gave birth to triplets after the first birth to twins also. She was diagnosed of breast cancer and we had to chip in terms of food provisions and milk supplements for the children. The children are growing up well by the grace of God and their parents gave their lives to Jesus Christ and are now members of our church. This is indeed one of the best practices where an intervention makes significant progress and impact in the lives of people. They have seen and witnessed the love of God upon their lives hence committed to God now. We pray that the mother is healed from cancer by His grace
Tawananyasha is a girl whom the Lord gave us to foster. She is the only daughter of a single parent who has a nasty background. We took her in for fostering when she was only two. We have lived with her all these years and to date she is attending her University education as a grown up 21 years. She had a broken down character but God did wonders all these years. It was not that easy because of her bad upbringing. She took quite a while to open up. It was only last year after several years when she did open up and were are in the right direction now. By His grace she did well in her schooling both at ‘o’ level and ‘A’ level exams. She got a place at Great Zimbabwe University where she is undertaking a degree in Development Studies. We later realized she has a calling to be a pastor in the passage of time, a development she was not at liberty to accept. However by His grace she understood it and very soon alongside her course she was undertake a course in biblical studies. She is also in a relationship now which we pray will culminate into marriage by the end of the year. Her fiancé, a Pastor indicated that he will be paying dowry in December this year. This is Tawananyasha’s story which points to God’s guidance and provision, identifying a nonentity and dramatically changing a life for the better. All the glory to His name!.
Gracious as her name suggest has also experienced the grace of God upon her life too. We began to live with her some 8 years ago. Her mother passed on in South Africa after separation with her father. They had lived in Soweto for quite some time. She was disturbed character wise because of the nasty things she was exposed to in South Africa. She was a drug addict and having been exposed to a promiscuous life for lack of parental guidance. She had lost all hope in life and plans to get married to guy in Kenya whom she had befriend on internet. By His grace her father brought her to us after the burial of her mother. God did wonders too upon her life as we witnessed the miraculous works of God upon a life. She has also joined Satanism and the Lord delivered her. Because she took quite a while to open up, her school performance was affected negatively hence she did not do well in school. We later encouraged her to find a course she could undertake in life. She suggested a cake making course and we sent her for in house training since she could not be admitted in any college because of lack of five ‘O’level passes(minimum requirement of any course in Zimbabwe). She began to prepare cakes at household level until it was known publicly in our community. To date she has orders almost every week. She looks forward to growing her business until she operates a big confectionery shop. She is a transformed lady now 22 years of age and in a steady relationship with a Pastor also. Believe you me we have seen God working through lives and changing them for His good. Indeed He is at work in us both to will and for His good pleasure. All the glory to His name.
Coordination
Coordination continued with sister children homes continued, Rose of Sharon, Tanyaradzwa, Voice of Peace children homes and Esteemed Children Trust. Informal meetings were conducted through WhatsApp and end of year reports submitted by most members. Generally children were doing well in respective homes despite the Covid 19 lockdown restrictions.
Chitungwiza Sanctuary commissioning
Chitungwiza sanctuary was commissioned in February by our senior Pastor Dr C Chitapa. Chisiya is still underway and likely to be complete by April 2021
Chisiya, Masvingo Halfway Home
Challenges
In this quarter of project implementation, the following were the challenge faced:
Hyperinflation remains the common challenge resulting in exorbitant prices for commodities.
Covid 19 pandemic was also a challenge since it limited movement and association with other members
Incessant rains experienced also limited movement and other activities.
Future Plans
In the subsequent quarter we envisage the following:
Conduct PSS training for godly parents
School fees payment, training of Foster parents and entrepreneurs
Girls Sleep over night and youth outing
Growing of crops and vegetables
Purchase of more pigs, birds, goats and sheep.
Completion of the halfway home in Chisiya
Purchase of feeds for the animals
Provision of psychosocial support for primary caregivers.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful unto the Lord for the continued partnership with Every Home for Christ Canada, Change A Life Foundation and International Cooperating Ministries.