Warm greetings from Zimbabwe. Once again it’s my pleasure to give a short update on the ministry of Themba.
A key scripture that comes to my heart as I begin to write this report is Philippians 4:12-13 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learnt the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry. Whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.
Last week we woke up to the shock of our life as we found our offices wide open as thieves had broken in during the night and taken everything of value to us, including our computers, printer, camera and solar equipment. We are at a standstill as we have to start afresh, all our information is gone. It is in times like these that we can stand and say our strength comes from the Lord.
RETURNING TO NORMAL
Everything seems to be now normalizing, schools have reopened, businesses are operating full time and as Themba, we are ready to resume all our activities which include Bible study, meeting with the care-givers and the Bible quiz with the children.
While the schools opened early March, half the teachers have not been coming, demanding a pay raise. Children are being advised to come to school on specific days to avoid big numbers. Just this weekend the government announced a 45% salary increase for civil servants. Hopefully things will change for the better as there has been very little work happening in all government schools.
Last week I attended a workshop on Agri-business which was being hosted by an organization whose objective is to uplift the lives of poor communities through agriculture. What I learned there transformed my mind and I believe as Themba we can partner with this organization to transform the lives of the people we work with.
Young people are being trained to grow tomatoes, potatoes and vegetables. They are also trained on bee hives and chicken projects, for both layers and broilers. I will report more on this as I feel that more of our beneficiaries, particularly the older students and younger caregivers, can benefit from this initiative.
We are so grateful to all the sponsors and partners of Themba for your continued support, even in this difficult time we live in under. We thank you!
May our gracious Lord richly bless you,