Day 31 - Meet the Lobi Service Centre (#40Days2024)

Across Africa, Hands at Work has local teams comprising of Christian men and women who have answered God’s calling on their lives to serve the most vulnerable. Each of these teams exists to encourage, challenge and support local volunteer Care Workers as they care for the most vulnerable children in the most broken and desperate communities across Africa. We call these teams Service Centres.

In the Lobi Service Centre are: Tanaziyo and Harold. They serve five of the most vulnerable communities across Africa.

• “Ask God to give us strength because without Him, we can do nothing.” (Tanaziyo, Local Leader, Malawi)

• In Malawi, the cost of food is expensive, and many people find it difficult to purchase the basic necessities. “Pray for wisdom from God and that He will make a way.” (Tanaziyo, Local Leader, Malawi)

Day 30 - Meet the Dedza Service Centre (#40Days2024)

Across Africa, Hands at Work has local teams comprising of Christian men and women who have answered God’s calling on their lives to serve the most vulnerable. Each of these teams exists to encourage, challenge and support local volunteer Care Workers as they care for the most vulnerable children in the most broken and desperate communities across Africa. We call these teams Service Centres.

In the Dedza Service Centre are: Beatrice, Ivy, Madalitso, Rashid and Violet. They serve six of the most vulnerable communities across Africa.

• “Pray for our Primary Caregivers to know Jesus as their Saviour. Pray for the team to have strength as we have just divided into two Service Centres: Dedza and Lobi. Pray for smooth transitioning.” (Violet, Local Leader, Malawi).

Day 29 - Welcome to Malawi (#40Days2024)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:5-6

Malawi is one of eight countries Hands at Work is serving in across Africa. Malawi has a population of 22,402,783 people, with 73% of the population living in extreme poverty. Ranking 169 out of 187 on the Human Development Index, there are 57,000 children living with HIV/AIDS and 470,000 children who have been orphaned because of this life-threatening illness. –Sources: UNAID, UNDP, World Poverty Clock

As we start the week, please join us in praying for the country of Malawi:

• “Pray for a good transition as more Primary Caregivers become Care Workers. Pray for Malawi as the economy deteriorates which has made life for people in the communities very hard and tough. Pray for God’s intervention.” (Royie, Regional Support Team Leader, Malawi)

As you pray, remember the International Offices in Australia, Canada, Germany and the US who serve with Hands at Work to care for the most vulnerable in Africa. Pray for each of the advocates and churches in these countries that partner with Hands at Work. Pray that they will remain steadfast in their calling to serve. Pray that they will be encouraged even in times of difficulty.

When Audrey (Regional Support Team Leader, South Africa) was asked, “If you could ask people to pray for one thing in South Africa and Eswatini, what would it be?” she shared that we need to pray for justice. It is common for people who commit assault against the vulnerable to go free because they don’t have the resources available to them to get the help that they need. Pray for justice!

Day 28 - Care Workers and Primary Caregivers across South Africa and Eswatini (#40Days2024)

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For your name’s sake, Lord, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. - Psalm 143:10-11

In many communities in South Africa, Eswatini and across Africa, the Care Workers are also the Primary Caregivers of the children that they are serving. A Primary Caregiver is the mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings or other relatives of the children coming to the Care Point.

• “One of the biggest things in South Africa for the Primary Caregivers is not having identity documents and the kids also don’t have documents. In South Africa, if you don’t have documents, you don’t have access to a lot of service delivery. You can’t get a house, you can’t get food, you can’t get a government grant. My prayer is that even though they don’t have documents, God can provide something for them to live.” (Audrey, Regional Support Team Leader, South Africa)

• “Pray for the Primary Caregivers in our community to be involved at the Care Point and able to understand the vision of Hands at work and know the Jesus we know.” (Mnelisi, Local Leader, Eswatini)

Gogo Rebecca* is a Primary Caregiver in Sommerset Community in South Africa. She cares for her three grandsons. Many families in South Africa have come from other countries, such as Mozambique, meaning that they don’t have identification documents. This limits their ability to access government services and to receive schooling. To support her family Rebecca farms, but life is still a struggle.

Audrey (Regional Support Team Leader, South Africa) shares: “She doesn’t just sit and fold hands and say, 'I'm vulnerable’. She has a farm she ploughs. Some years she didn't even have seeds to plant, so we managed to provide her seeds as Hands at Work so she can plant. But, again, the good thing with her is that after planting, after some years, she stops us to say, “don't ever give me seeds because the seeds that I'm harvesting I eat, grind some to have a mealie meal, and some I'm keeping for planting other years”. When she has challenges with the children, she goes to the Care Point. The prayer request that I have for Gogo Rebecca is to pray for God to keep her for these three grandchildren. She's very old, but she tries to work very hard. Pray that the grandchildren can help provide for the grandmother”.

Day 27 - Care Workers and Primary Caregivers across South Africa and Eswatini (#40Days2024)

In South Africa, there are 54 Care Workers and in Eswatini, there are 47 Care Workers who have committed to loving and caring for the most vulnerable children.

• “Many of the Care Workers are in abusive marriages or relationships. They are being abused physically, emotionally or even financially. They have to care for the children alone. Their husbands are not supporting them. They have so much responsibility while also being abused. Some Care Workers have shared that they would save money but the husband ends up taking that money and buying alcohol. Pray for God’s hand upon the situation.” (Pinky, Regional Support Team Leader, South Africa)

• Growing up, the Care Workers have experienced a lot of problems in their lives and have grown up with without healing. What we see today is what happened when they were young and they are not able to share. “Pray that they will trust the Service Centre and other Care Workers with their challenges. Pray for Relationship Groups to be a safe space where they can share challenges and heal together.” (Pinky, Regional Support Team Leader, South Africa)

• Pray for the Care Workers to have love and unity as they serve the children. “Pray that God will strengthen them in all they do for children.” (Mnelisi, Local Leader, Eswatini)

“My name is Dudu. I am married and have five children. I have been a Care Worker for three years and I became one because my own children were also being cared for at the Care Point. The best part of being a Care Worker is serving, because I was also broken and wounded.”