Education and Health Support:
Schools closed in August and were subsequently opened in September. As usual by the Lord’s grace, a significant number of children (80%) passed their end of term exams encouragingly including those in tertiary institutions. Covid 19 restrictions were uplifted hence free movement of people ensued.
School fees were paid for the children during the course of the term. Again, school fees were hiked for all primary, secondary and tertiary schools because of hyperinflation.
Life Skills Development:
The regular activities of cleaning rooms, vegetable and flower garden maintenance, feeding of pigs, layers and road runners, rearing of goats and sheep were common during the course of the quarter again.
One of the boys below enjoys feeding traditional chickens. He feeds them at certain set times when back from school.
Sustainable Projects:
Piggery
The Homestead lost 3 piglets during the course of the quarter. However, two sows farrowed 3 and 10 piglets respectively. This consequently increased the number to 17 pigs. We are grateful unto the Lord for such progress. The pigs are all in good health including the piglets which have since been weaned.
Layers and road runners
The layers are doing quite well with an average of 330 eggs per day. This is above 80% production and we have begun realizing some profit. At least the egg sales can manage to purchase the feed, medication and pay up the worker. The children are also benefiting from the eggs in terms of nutrition. The market (hotels, tuck shops, grocery shops, schools etc.) is vast and as a result failing to meet its demand.
On average, the birds laid 11 to11.5 crates of eggs per day. they are dewormed every month.
The roadrunners that were left from the previous loss were 27 due to the cold weather.
By God’s grace, the other mature birds hatched 27 more chicks at the Homestead. All in all, there are a total of 94 chickens. 16 chickens were consumed during the quarter. We still have a target of 600 birds by the year end.
Broiler Project
Following the challenges being experienced in other children’s home regarding expansion of the broiler projects, Emmanuel Homestead has taken it upon herself to establish this mega project which shall in future assist other Homes. 400 birds have been purchased and delivered in stages to minimize unnecessary loses. This project is expected to expand and probably act as the best practice upon which other sister orphanages will draw some lessons from. Once fully established by end of quarter, the project can then support other orphanages to be established too.
Goats
One goat gave birth to twins, all the goats were in good health.
Crop farming
Maize was completely shelled, and we realized 30 bags of grain. The pigs. birds and children are benefiting from the grain.
Vegetable Production
A drip irrigation installation was done for the tomato plant during the quarter. The plant is doing well even though the water table has gone low. Drip irrigation is managing to supply the required water from our two boreholes to about 3000 plants. The remaining 2000 plants are being supplemented from other water sources from outside Emmanuel through drip irrigation too.
Flower Garden
The flower garden is still attractive despite the low amounts of water and well catered for by both the children and Caretaker.
Children and Youth Ministry
Both children and youths gathered during the quarter for spiritual upliftment and sexuality issues. It has become common in our society for children to embrace and accept homosexuality and lesbianism as sexuality options. We had to invite a health professional, renowned Nurse to guide the children and youths in a godly manner with regards to such issues. Pastors have been labelled insensitive when it comes to such issues, so we thought it prudent to have somebody from the health side to explain such issues from both a health and biblical perspective. She delivered well and consequently, few youths who opened up got help.
Small children had ample time to play games on the day.
Children and youths had several games as energizers which were educative. Of particular interest was the one shown above which encouraged alertness. The partners would scramble for picking up the shoe first upon hearing the instruction to pick it up.
Evangelism
Children and youth evangelism was encouraged during the empowering meeting. They were given gospel tracts to read and also share with other peers whom they got into contact with at school or anywhere else.
Leadership Development
The leadership attended a one-day training workshop on discipleship. This was meant to encourage leaders to mobilize their church members to spread the good news of Jesus Christ through the proclamation of the gospel in simple ways.
A prayer convention was also conducted for godly parents, foster parents and children. It was well attended, and God saw us through and fully prepared us for the great assignments ahead.
Partnerships
The church organization continues to enjoy partnerships with umbrella bodies like National Association for Non-Governmental Organization (NANGO), Zimbabwe Aids Network (ZAN), Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children (ZNCWC) and Masvingo Association for Residential Care Facilities Trust (MARCFT).
Foster Parenting
Foster parenting continued in the homes with children being trained in the ways of the Lord. The routine activities continued as per adopted schedule. The health and nutrition status of the children was really good during the quarter. Foster parents were trained in biblical ways of raising children and how best love could be shared in families as exemplified by Jesus Christ. Such teachings have seem family members reconciling and forgiving each other.
More Foster parents have been identified where children can be taken during holidays to enjoy life outside the Homestead. Slowly and surely, foster care is being understood by Christian families and hopefully this shall be expanded so that children in difficult circumstances could be adequately assisted and cared for in a godly way.
One child with special needs, Austin was admitted into the foster care program. Austin is 5 years old; he was born without any disability until 8 months. He began to be epileptic having frequent seizures and mental challenges. Medical assessment revealed that the boy had autism and management began. But before long his father passed on and the surviving parent had challenges in looking after him in terms of food, medication, education etc. since she was unemployed. Some relatives later on found her a job some 200km away from her mother’s home where they had been accommodated. This compromised the care of Austin together with two more children she has. The grandmother took care of Austin in the absence of the mother but because she is a teacher, she could only attend to hiss needs after work. During the day, a maid had to take care of him despite her lack of special skills.
By God’s grace, Dawn David Foundation came to his rescue. The organization paid his school fees at a special school in Masvingo city, secured his medication and linked him to Emmanuel Homestead which shall provide psychosocial support and monitoring progress at home. To date his life has changed remarkably.
Training of the grandmother and maid shall be conducted so that proper care is enhanced.
Church Construction
Muchakata assembly is near completion with roofing being outstanding.
Coordination
Coordination continued with sister children homes continued, Rose of Sharon, Tanyaradzwa, Horizon Zimbabwe children's homes and Esteemed Children Trust.
Challenges
In this quarter of project implementation, the following were the challenge faced:
Hyperinflation remains the common challenge resulting in exorbitant prices for commodities.
School fees hikes were a major challenge at all levels, primary, secondary and tertiary.
Future Plans
In the subsequent quarter we envisage the following:
Conduct sleep over night with girls
Maintenance of a drip irrigation system
School fees payment for the children and youths.Maintenance of layers, road runners, goats, pigs and sheep
Purchase of feeds and medication for the animals
Conduct a Youth and children outing in Mapanzure
Conduct children's competitions on poems, dramas, choirs etc.
Administrative obligations.
Acknoledgement
We are grateful unto the Lord for the continued partnership with Every Home for Christ Canada, Change A Life Foundation and International Cooperating Ministries.
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