Hands at Work begins each year with a Watchword; a guiding scripture that our leadership team shares with the Hands family. This scripture is a promise, a challenge, an inspiration, an encouragement and an opportunity to invite God to lead us throughout the year, expectant for what He will do in and through us.
The 2025 Watchword comes from Isaiah 65:24 (NIV): “ I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!”
Several Hands at Work volunteers reflect on how the Watchword has impacted them:
Bethuel Mkhabela, African Leader (South Africa)
“My reflection on this scripture is about God's promise, as He promised us a new heaven and a new earth. God already knows what I need before I even ask Him and then His promise is that He said He would answer me before. So for me, it's a reminder that God cares about the things that are happening in my life, and He's aware of them. So what I have to do is always trust in Him and in His plan for my life.”
Terry Mabvura, African Leader (Zimbabwe)
“For me, the Watchword is the word of the season for us as Hands at Work and in the Christian community in which we serve, as the word was shared from creation, the minor and major prophets we had in the Bible. First, I checked my heart is right, standing with God, and if being born again made a significant change to my Christian life. Am I in the Kingdom of God, as there are two kingdoms, the Kingdom of God and the dark kingdom. Being a preacher doesn't mean automatically you are in the Kingdom of God. So I have to abide in the Lord so that my God will answer me, even before I call him. So the Watchword inspired me to leave the things which we do which are not good and when we face challenges we must face them with God. As our Watchword of last year was to stand firm, when we stand firm and call God, He will answer us, or He will deliver us.” –
Alicia Ralph, International Volunteer (Canada)
“There have been many times in a recent hard season where I found myself questioning God, wondering if he was even hearing my cries or my prayers. This Watchword was such a timely reminder of God’s unconditional promises – He does hear, and He does answer. The answers may just look different or come at a different time than I had expected. And as I had this revelation, I felt I had to ask myself: “as I wait, will I still Love Him? As I wait, will I remain faithful? And if He doesn’t answer the prayers that I think I need, will I hope for Him still? If He never removes the thorn, will I stay?” My prayer is that this year, as I commit to dig more into His Word and seek His truth, I will love Him more. I will remain faithful still. I will have hope and I will stay and testify His goodness, no matter what the answer is.”
Haggai Mwale, African Leader (Zambia)
“This word shows me that the Lord is a good father and He goes before me. Even before I called to Him, He answers. While we're still talking about our needs, He’s hearing and He goes before us. There are so many uncertainties but the Lord gives assurance that He has gone before us and he's making crooked ways straight. In Isaiah 45:2, he talks about how He goes before us and he makes crooked ways straight. This confirms His love for me. It gives me an assurance of His love towards us and towards His people that He has gone before, and nothing takes God by surprise. So even when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will not fear any evil because I know the good shepherd who is before me. There's hope because He has gone before me and He's a good shepherd. I need to rest in His promises that He has gone before me and He's answering our prayers. He's answering my prayers.”
