The government papers that allow the Village of Hope to operate an orphanage have finally come through!

These will be difficult meetings because there are so many needs.

Zimbabwe is in trying times right now with inflation at nearly 7000% and unemployment around 80%.

God has proven his sovereignty once again and granted us our orphanage permit!! All glory to God!

Isaiah 55:8-9 ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts are your thoughts.’

My heart aches for the many needs in Zimbabwe . But as we watch helplessly, and as those that even have money like ourselves, are not sure what groceries will be on the shelf next week and what we are going to put in our children’s mouths the day after tomorrow – my dull ache has become a searing pain. There are times I wish I could change the channel and forget the horror of it all. But we live in it day by day and there is no easy remote button to make it all go away. As the economy continues to decline, as the government freezes prices in an effort to control the inflation, as business owners are having trouble turning a profit, here a few challenges we are facing at the Village of Hope right now, and would ask for your immediate prayer!

Feeding our 34 preschool children a full lunch every day. Protein is hard to come by, butcher shops are closed.
- Keeping our 7 children in our orphan home fed 3 times/day with the groceries disappearing off the shelves and wondering if and when they will be replaced.
- The fact that we need to expand our feeding program as our numbers are doubling with the crisis in the nation. But our resources are already being taxed as you are no longer able to ‘bulk buy’, or to ‘hoard’ as they are now calling it, to avoid people from storing those goods still available. How can you feed 75+ children every day without ‘bulk buying’? Every grocery store has signs up stating no more than 2 of any item can be sold to each customer.
- The lack of work that is getting done in the office of the Village as the electricity seems to be more off, than it is on. This is making copying, printing or typing a simple document on a computer a race against time when the lights flicker on and everyone shouts “hallelujah” from behind their office doors.
- The water that is now in scarce supply because the lack of electricity means the borehole pumps don’t work, and the holding tank can’t refill enough in between power cuts, sometimes running it to bone dry.
- The concrete mix that is now not unavailable anywhere, threatening the future of our building program. We pray we have enough to complete our current projects.

- The firewood that is being depleted rapidly as our preschool and orphan home meals get cooked over an open fire, when the electricity is cut.
- The meat and other perishables that go bad quickly as our freezers defrost, then freeze up, then defrost again.
- The fuel that is now hard to come by, meaning lines at the pump are now 2 km. long in spots. (And they can only pump with electricity on.) The affects our trips with kids to school, shopping, paying bills and running errands have to be carefully planned to conserve the precious ‘blood’.

Yet in the midst of all the trouble at, around and beyond the Village of Hope – the bank machines that no longer print your balance, the queue’s for bread, milk, oil and other basic necessities ……..

VILLAGE OF HOPE REGISTRATION /

 

Though we had verbal confirmation almost 3 weeks ago, today we have been physically given the paperwork that will move the Village of Hope forward, for God’s glory and for the sake of the children! This picture was taken this afternoon as Mr. Mafa, our VOH Management Committee Chair, handed off the long sought after paper to Gord. Mr. Mafa has tracked our progress through the various government offices through this last year. We are so very thankful to him and to his beautiful wife and daughters for the time and energy they have committed to the Village of Hope!

This is a huge moments in time for all of us! For those that started the vision of the Village of Hope 5 years ago; for the workers that have been faithful to the Village through it’s bumpy history; for you who have supported the Village from its inception; for you who have supported us and believed in our calling to Zimbabwe over 2 years ago; for the current Village staff and Board who have been an integral part of growing the Village and its outreach to the community with us through the last 2 years. We praise God!

Despite the current troubles, we are hanging on to God’s word to ‘make a way where there seems to be none’. We believed! Thank you for believing with us!

A HEART FELT MOMENT /

As Father’s Day passed at the end of June, dear Ruvimbo (from our orphan home) made a Father’s Day card in preschool. As not all children have a father at home, those little ones were instructed to give the card instead to someone they thought of, or looked to like a father. Ruvimbo shyly walked across the lawn and handed her card to Gord. It is proudly displayed on his desk and I think, will be there for a long time to come!

PRAYER REQUESTS /

- for the people of Zimbabwe and their future!

- For wisdom and God’s timing as the Village continues to grow and develop.

- For our families wisdom and safety in the current political and economic climate.

- For God to supply His chosen House Mothers and child care workers as we expand.

- For upcoming meetings to choose those children for Child Care Sponsorship program. These will be difficult meetings. There are so many needs.