Pray

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

~ Psalm 91:1-2 (NIV)

God’s unfailing love

“Life is not easy,” says Gladys, a widowed grandma who is raising six grandchildren, including these two – Sithabisiwe (grade 6) and Azlom (grade 8). Azlom is a diligent student who loves math, and dreams of becoming a dentist. Sithabisiwe, described as “playful” by her grandmother, enjoys studying English and says that her favorite Bible stories are those about the life of Jesus. She hopes to someday become the wife of a pastor.

They are two of the 14 children their local church is supporting through its custom plan, with funds from Forgotten Voices. The community is challenged by a prevalence of grandmothers caring for multiple orphaned children after their parents have either died or abandoned them; a high rate of unemployment; and prominent abuse of alcohol and drugs by desperate young people.

The church is concerned with meeting the physical needs of community members – for example, a special “Deacon’s Table” collection provides needy families with supplemental food… But the pastor also worries about the emotional and spiritual health of children he visits. He puts great thoughtfulness into his family care visits, often taking the time to ask questions such as, “How do you feel with your mother not being here anymore?”

In the midst of whatever challenges lie ahead, Azlom, Sithabisiwe, Gladys and their whole family are experiencing the love of Jesus through their local church. One of the ministry volunteers says invites us to join her congregation in prayer: “We ask God for patience, trust and healing those hearts which are broken.”

Special thanks to one of our Zimbabwe Area Impact Coordinators, Pastor Vu, who contributed to this beneficiary spotlight.

Your gift equips local African churches to serve the physical and spiritual needs of orphaned and vulnerable children and their families.

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