I could never have realised that visiting a community deep in Malawi could still hold such an impact in my life and heart to this day as I continue to share this story ……
Frederick is aged 63 years and lives in the community of Mngwere which is part of Malawi. He is the CBO (community based organisation) coordinator for the feeding point and has had a great impact building relationships with the people living in the community. He is married and living on a farm close to the care point so he can walk there every day. He enjoys farming in his spare time and likes to teach young men who can't afford to go to secondary school the basic skills in agriculture that would be helpful to them in the future. He grew up studying agriculture so he knows a great deal about farming. He also loves to do holy home visits to maintain the relationships that he has built up over the years. The people in the community have a high respect for him as he sees the vision of “Hands at Work” and can see the effect it is having in the community.
Mngwere started with the government trying to offer people in the community assistance, though it failed as there was no vision, so the people were left to maintain the community by themselves. They started with limited resources from Roy's church to help feed 33 children in 2010 and now in 2013 they are feeding 200 children. Since Hands at Work have been involved with the Mngwere community it has helped them a great deal with support and mobilisation. Having Christ as their foundation has reshaped their relationship with each other within the community. Since the government has seen a vast improvement they also have shown a willingness to provide assistance.
When Levy from the Hands organisation first visited the community he wanted to build strong relationships with Roy and Frederick to see them take more community ownership which Roy understood. This vision excited Roy and the potential effect involving Hands at Work could have on the community.
Frederick has built up great relationships with the people and has many stories to tell, though one in particular is about a young girl who was found by Hands at Work at the age of three. Her name is Natalie. Living in a devastating situation with her grandfather and siblings, older brother 4yrs and sister 7yrs. She was found in a tiny cold goat shed. Frederick felt such compassion for this girl and feared for her health and well-being and has taken her under his wing to care for her. Traumatised by life itself unable to speak or eat, Frederick visits them every day in their new two bedroom home which Hands at Work have graciously help to provide. This has allowed Frederick to teach her basic skills that will benefit her in the future. Even though she has not fully recovered, Frederick feels the best way he can help her is by maintaining a great relationship with her and her grandfather and build trust between them so he can help take care of Natalie and continue to teach her basic skills. Since Natalie has been coming to the feeding point there has been great progress in her overall well-being.
Frederick is a great man of God who humbles himself and goes into the community and demonstrates through his actions the love of Christ and wants to see others in the community of Mngwere know the love of Christ and be transformed by his unfailing love.