September 2010
Today is September 2nd and marks our 5th Anniversary in Zimbabwe and at the Village of Hope. What a remarkable day! And so it is time to reflect again on what God has done in our lives and the Village of Hope over the years.
REFLECTIONS
We came innocently and with an excitement in 2005 to ‘simply care for and better the lives of children’. Sounds simple enough eh? (Sometimes it is good that God doesn’t tell us our future or we might turn tail and run.)
Who could have predicted the many zeros that accumulated on our money; the millions of percent inflation we lived through; the times we prayed for food AND IT CAME – when meat, and staple foods like flour, sugar, mealie meal and bread all but disappeared and grocery shelves were empty for months; the political sways that stressed the lives of so many around us and kept our movements within country to a minimum; and the adjustments that we would undergo in our own family – school challenges, electricity & water cuts, dealing with family losses from so far away.
AND YET, God did the impossible! He created, quite literally, ‘a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland’. (Isaiah 43:19) From 20 acres of field with only a few buildings and a vision for more (pictured above left), God declared ‘open heavens’ and we harvested many tons of sweet potatoes and maize, and revived a dieing community feeding program in our first year, while we pursued Registration of an orphanage on the grounds. God opened that door finally in 2007 and in that year, we established the Village of Hope Children’s Homes with 7 residents, and a Primary School called ‘Cornelius Hope Academy’ with 19 children. A drop in the bucket compared to today.
Over the next 3 years, we have literally been ‘running to keep up with the grace of God’, as one local Pastor puts it. People here and in Canada caught the vision and a marathon started! 17 classrooms and a double story school block with computer lab and library was built, and our student body expanded to 427 pupils. 2 Children’s Homes were funded and then built. Then another 2, then another 2. And God opened their doors for registration so we could welcome into our arms one by one, 40 lives – neglected, abandoned, orphaned, and the Village of Hope became a place of healing. There were suddenly 246 children cared for through sponsorship. Along with the growth came staffing needs and from 5 employees in 2005, we have grown to 79 staff today.
In a country with a depressed economy and people in desperate need, the Village of Hope slowly became an oasis of hope and an amazing link to the community, a home to the needy. You’ve gotta understand that in human eyes, this SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. But God made a way, made a stream in the desert! Our budget has grown, and our needs and faith have swollen with it! The Vision? We are almost there!
PROJECTIONS
It’s time to take a deep breath, reflect and then put our heads up and run again. It’s that last stretch of the marathon that can seem the most painful as legs cramp and tiredness sets in, and though that yellow ribbon waving in the wind is in sight, we can’t slow down.
God has opened a door for a Secondary School – to see our children right through their education and the first building is going up.
But more buildings are needed! We are on the verge of at last building Hope Community Medical Clinic. More Children’s Homes are yet to be completed to help the neediest little ones.
Beyond the buildings, maintaining our national staff, the buildings and caring for the day to day needs of so many children have stretched us. It is the vision of creating HOPE… FOR THEIR FUTURE, that drives us! To see a child grow in Jesus, in self-confidence, in stature, in social and emotional maturity. The miracles have names like Lisa, Tinashe, Kudakwashe, Joseph, Prosper, Blessing, Tinashe, Malcolm, Crispen, Pam, Takudzwa, Zviko & Cryless.
TODAY?
For today, we welcomed our 41st resident child by the name of Kudakwashe, a 3 1/2 yr. old into Shamwari House. He is a delight, very social, smiling and gentle in his ways.
For today, we are rejoicing that Lisa again has gained 200 gm.!
For today, we just finished 3 days of Child Protection Training for several new employees, and age appropriate Child Protection Training for our teachers, to keep our children aged 3-10 safe!
For today, we are preparing to open a 6th Children’s Home in the next 2 weeks. Rehoboth will become home to newly trained House Mom ‘Winnie’, as we begin to build a family under her care.
PRAYERS FOR TODAY
- For our babes listed above – Kuda and Lisa, and new mom ‘Winnie’.
- For God to ‘supply all our needs (at the Village of Hope), according to His riches in glory’.
- For you, and the part God is asking you to play in the vision.
- For our son Nathan, as he begins College Sept. 7th and so far from family.
- For our Cooledge family budget looking into 2011, that we might continue the work.
Thank you again for being a part of what God is doing at the Village of Hope! Thank you for helping to keep us here, caring for children.
July 2010
We pray you are enjoying the heat spell in southern Ontario, and the summer warmth all over Canada. And while you go on vacations, bask in sunshine, grow gardens and begin to prep for the new fiscal and school years starting in September, we are finishing off our winter here in Zimbabwe. There are double quilts on our beds and it is painful to startle your feet with the 2 degree concrete and bare wood floors in the mornings after the toasty warmth of the sheets. By noon however we are basking in 18 degree sunshine again – a reprieve from the evenings and overnights.
Our over 300 children from the Chosen Ones feeding program are thought of with great concern during these months because of the single blanket on dirt floor that many of them sleep on, and so the morning porridge we provide and the activity of a classroom are a welcome start to their day – to warm a tummy, the hands and the heart. Our resident children rise from mattresses well off the floors, and start their day a little better off.
This morning we are sitting tiredly and quietly at home, having said goodbye to another Short Term Missions Team just yesterday. Again – our children were BLESSED!
The team erected a new playground amidst our Children’s Homes. This is so vital to keep our smallest children under the watchful eye of mom, and encourage them to not wander away to the school playgrounds! The joy on their faces as they climbed for the first time on the new teeter-totters, swings and climbing equipment was beyond description, as was the joy on our teams faces to see what was accomplished!
They taught English as a second language classes to over 20 local moms, with children on Child Care Plus sponsorship. We have made a commitment to these women to carry this on and so help them to help their children who are learning school lessons in English.
They taught basic first aid to our house moms and to a crowd of over 150 CCP parents on a Saturday.
AND… they blessed our resident children with self made t-shirts; our Chosen One children with warm hats, underwear and treats; repaired stacks of mending; participated in coaching volleyball & youth services; and treated our workers to a staff lunch complete with maple syrup and butter tarts for a taste of Canada!
As the team spent time with our children, our construction workers began to build the foundations for the 1st Secondary School block of Cornelius Hope Academy Primary School. We hired a new House Mother and Winnie began her intensive training. And in the last month, we have also welcomed 3 new little bodies into our Children’s Homes! Please pray for Lisa, Rutendo & Denzil to continue to settle into their new home and with their new moms.
June 2010
It has been almost 3 months since we wrote to you. But it is only because of the few moments we’ve actually had to sit down. We have started several drafts and letters to you, only to be interrupted by one urgent need after another. Let us fill you in…
BLESSINGS
- We have admitted 8 new children into Shamwari House, and a newly opened Nyasha House in the last 3 weeks. We will need sponsors for these new children through Child Care Plus! First 4 older children between ages 6 & 11, then another 4 younger ones between the ages of 3 & 6 years. All 8 are from orphanages that have recently been closed due to failure to meet Ministry standards.
- Two more children’s homes are in various stages of construction. When complete, this will make 8 Children’s Homes at the Village of Hope. 5 are open. One ready to be opened once we have found another House Mother, and the last 2 yet to be registered with Social Welfare.
- Plans for the Secondary School are moving forward. The land that once grew all our vegetables is being cleared in preparation for putting up our first Cornelius Hope Academy Secondary School classroom block.
- A short term missions team from Edmonton blessed our VOH children for 2 weeks with outings off the Village of Hope grounds, with swimming lessons & a Vacation Bible School, and our housemothers with new hairdo’s and a lunch out. They built new preschool tables, and revived our many broken swings and playgrounds with new equipment and hardware. WOW! What a difference.
- We have interviewed and hired 2 new House Aunties to assist our Mothers with the growing laundry and chores needed when taking care of 37 children, and to cover them on days off.
- Term 2 of Primary & Secondary School opened on May 6th and all the busyness that accompanies those days.
CHALLENGES
- Despite their beauty, these children come with real needs and can act out in a new setting. Please help us pray each one through this transition – that they might truly make the VOH home! And fall in love with their new ‘moms’!
- The rush of activity when new children come is not unlike the rush that happens around giving birth. On top of the preparation of clothes, towels, pillows & food, this month we also had the rush of opening a new Children’s Home in the space of a few hours as not just 1 or 2, but 8 little bodies moved in with us in the space of 3 weeks. WHEW!
- We praise God for our new registration for 56 children, but the fact is that we need to hire 2 more House Mothers immediately to meet the need. Somewhere there are God fearing women that will make the difference in the life of a child. Please pray that God puts us together – and SOON!
- This week, life went on hold again, as we tended to a resident child that decided to try a ‘gravity defying’ stunt off our playground equipment and broke his forearm in 2 places! Today he is home and happy on pain killers, but has a cast and some new pins and wires in his bones after surgery to correct the serious fracture. Please pray for Tashinga’s quick healing. We’ve asked Tashinga to keep his feet on the ground for a while!
- There is a new trend across Africa, including Zimbabwe to get children back into family settings wherever possible. Although this is an awesome idea in principle, please pray with us that those that can make connections with distant relatives are welcomed, loved and prepared well for yet another transition. Pray that they would know God as their comforter through uncertain times. Pray that we use God’s wisdom and pure love in dealing with each child.
CHILD EVANGELISM
In the midst of all the business that happens to take care of children, to ensure we meet Zimbabwe gov’t standards, to continue to grow the Village, is the heart of what we do in providing HOPE… FOR THEIR FUTURE.
You see, as the Village grows, it is less likely that it will be Gord and I picking up a child that fell, praying with them as they settle into a new home and life at the Village, leading them in devotions day to day and inviting them to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord & Saviour. The larger it grows, the less Sunday School we teach, the more meetings we attend, the more staff there is to oversee. And so at a joint meeting with all our Management Team, we have laid out a plan to ensure that beyond food and clothing, each child has the opportunity to grow in God, to make their relationship with Him personal, to gain the confidence that no matter where life takes them – God is in control and cares. One day when we can’t be there – He will – here and in eternity!
As such, our Child Evangelism Plan is focused on our adults. Because if they are whole and relying on God, they will be the ones to speak life and encouragement into a child’s life. We are purposeful …
- in having devotions and prayer times with our staff 3 times/week. Sometimes in small groups to bring personal requests, sometimes in large groups for teaching and corporate prayer.
- In training our teachers in child evangelism, so that if God provides a moment, they can give a salvation invitation in the classroom.
- In training our staff, whether constructing a home, or binding a child’s wound, or repairing the water system, or growing vegetables, that all they do is to bring HOPE…FOR THEIR FUTURE.
- In placing scripture and messages of hope & encouragement all around the Village. After all – ‘EVERY CHILD IS EVERYONE’S CHILD!’ We have a responsibility to each one.
- In having a Child’s Church Service every Wednesday afternoon instead of sports. Children sing, children M.C., children usher (our Youth Pastor brings the message), as we give them the chance to find their gifts and purposes in the body of Christ.
Thank you for being part of the miracle that is the Village of Hope, Zimbabwe! Thank you for your support in every way!
Gen. 15:6 “Abraham believed God and it was credited him as righteousness”
WE STILL BELIEVE! BELIEVE WITH US!
For all the preparation to happen in the establishing of Cornelius Hope Academy Secondary School. That we be in line with God’s thoughts. For favour along the way.
For salvation for our children and their families. That staff and leaders alike be faithful in representing Christ in our community!
For strength for our own family as we settle back into life in Zimbabwe and the work ahead.
Thank you again for all the kindness shown to our family, for your faithful support of the Village of Hope, for making a difference!