Progress Report

Progress Report October 2010

Hope Valley Assembly Rugare, Harare, Zimbabwe
Rugare is an area that contains 1118 homes in one of the poorer areas of Harare. I (Stan) visited four homes with Pastor Henry. In one home a grandmother was the caregiver for her eleven grandchildren in a two room house. All three of her children and their spouses have passed away leaving her with their children. In another home an older lady was caregiver to 19 children and youth; so although 1118 homes doesn’t sound like much, the population of impoverished children is significant.

Hope Valley Assembly built this church building in the early 1950s when Rugare was a thriving centre of the Rhodesia Railways. Many of the railway workers were from surrounding nations and when the railway died many of them returned to their homes and left their families in Zimbabwe to look after themselves.

Pastor Henry and Maritzin Zihove give oversight to the church and about 240 children in the community. Most of the children live with caregivers (like the one’s I visited), but are fed twice a day at the feeding centre. They are advocates for the children with the school, government and their caregivers. In the three years since our first visit the food has increased to include greens and often goat in addition to the staples of sadza and beans.

They recently purchased a small home in the community to set up a girl’s home and have plans to do the same for boys as the funds are available. Henry is making plans to begin raising chickens for food and as an industry to raise funds for school fees. Henry has growing connections with UNICEF and other agencies that are helping to expand the care for these many children.

Our team spent two full days at Rugare in August; children’s ministry in the morning with close to 200 children and medical clinics in the afternoon with about 180 interviews’ each day. Thank you for your gifts and prayers

 

Missions Team — August 2010
A team of nine people from Sonrise (including the Goertzen family of three from Manitoba) travelled to Zimbabwe from August 15 to September 6 to work with the Zimbabwe churches in their orphan care ministry.
• We shared in Sunday services in two churches; Oasis of Grace in Harare and Family Life Ministries in Kadoma.
• We had nine days at five churches with children’s ministry in the morning and medical clinics in the afternoon. Two days at Rugare, two at Mbare, three at Musana and two in Kadoma (Family Life Ministries and Rumilka). We also participated in the feeding times and consulted with the leaders about the needs and vision of their ministry to impoverished children and families.
• Pastor Stan taught ‘leadership’ at two Bible schools; first for 10 hours over 5 nights in Kadoma, then seven hours one day at Musana. Al, Greg and Val participated.
• We met many new friends and had some unique adventures. The ladies had a ’once in a lifetime experience’ at a wedding shower in Kadoma and we all had an unforgettable day touring a rural Salvation Army Hospital and accompanying them on some home visits.
• We helped put the roof on the dormitory at Musana and left plans in place that will find the Musana site in full operation with on-sight supervision and water within a couple of months. Please

 

April/May 2010

A team from Vernon was able to travel to Zimbabwe to start the dormitory project. Thank-you to all the wonderful women of Curves, Airdrie Rotary Club, Vernon Alliance Church, family and friends for funding this project. This dormitory will house 32 orphans. When we arrived the foundation was put in which allowed us to help with construction of the walls. We also helped plaster the pastor/caretakers house. Thank-you to the Kelowna R.C.M.P for donating work boots for the builders. Most of these men would work in barefoot or sandals wi.thout these boots. In the later summer early fall a sewing bee will be organized to make quilts for the dormitory project. For more info contact Peggy at 250-545-1013 or Angela at yablonskifamily@gmail.com

On Saturday we were able to help give the children lunch at the feeding center. There is a lack of funds to help feed the children we need your help to ensure the children are receiving adequate meals in Musana. We also had a birthday party for all 130 children, with cake, candies and presents. Thank-you to Vernon Christian School Secondary Campus, Eric Rande family, Hailey and Hannah, because of your generosity the children had a wonderful day. The children in Musana sent home letters to share, one letters says. " My name is Persuade and I live in Musana under Bindura Province. I am doing grade 4 at Mashambanhaka Primary School. I am 12 years old. I was happy to receive your birthday card. I urge you to keep on seeking God's purpose in your life. Have great birthday. I hope you like the gifts we sent you and have a bit of fun. Hope you are healthy and enjoying life."

We also visited the Mashambanhaka Primary School. The teacher's wage is $150/month. The students tuition fee's are $10/term. Each term is 3 months.Most children have no notebooks or pencils. We learned that there is not enough funds so not all the orphans have been attending school at this time..

This trip we spent a day in Chikumba. Chikumba is about 4 hours from Harare. Right now in this village alt of people are dying of malaria. They are fortunate to have a operating medical within 10km but most cannot afford the medication. We were welcomed at both the primary and secondary school. Both of these schools are in desperate need of the text books for their students. Right now the students are sharing 1 text book between 10 children. These textbooks are in rough shape most of them starting on page 50.The children were shown a picture of an ice cream cone and could not identify it. The secondary headmaster said that he has contacted many organizations but no one has offered any help. This village is also wanting to help locals with pig projects and a tree nursery. Thank-you to Vernon's Soccer Association and Shelley Zupp for putting together soccer cleats, jerseys and balls. It meant so much to so many, because of you we were able to give many children jerseys, 18 pairs of cleats and balls to the primary school. 2 men's team received jerseys, cleats and balls, while 2 women's team received jerseys and balls.

If you are interested in helping feed or educate the orphans in Musana please make your donations on the website.

 

November 2009

Zimbabwe Orphan Care: Thank you for your generosity. As of November 1st we were able to forward $8,237 to help the Zimbabwe church feed and care for impoverished children in eight Orphan centres. This cares for at least 257 orphans. Thank you.

Our goal is still to raise enough funds to help 400 orphans a month in 2009. You can help by recruiting new partners!

Our funds are used to resource food and care for orphans at seven centres in Zimbabwe (Kadoma, Musana, Rugare, Mbare, Bulawayo, Wedza & Glenora) as well as one location in Mozambique. Pray for the pastors, churches, caregivers and staff who serve these children and their families by supplying food, medicine and school fees. Any donations to Sonrise Church or through this website will assist this need.

Read more in the November newsletter.

 

August 2009

The situation in Zimbabwe continues to fail the needy children and most of the people of that nation. Since the acceptance of the Rand and the U.S. dollar as the primary currency in Zimbabwe, the availability of goods in the country has increase significantly, but it still takes money that they don't have to care for the orphans and impoverished children.

The leaders of ACOP in Zimbabwe no longer need to drive to South Africa to buy all the food, so some things are simpler. However, the overwhelming need for food, medicines and school fees continues to increase.

Emmanual Zihove has responded to desperate needs at two additional Orphan Care Centres and is resourcing them from the funds we send in addition to the six other centres. One of these is at Glenora, Zimbabwe with Pastor Jeffry, the other is in Mozambique with Simon Mudiwa. Simon is a missionary sent from Zimbabwe and cares for 42 children. Recently, a group that was resourcing his work stopped and after selling his car to buy food he appealed to Emmanuel for help.

We will be sending a team to Zimbabwe around October 23 to November 13, whose task will be to put the roof on the pastor/caretaker residence in Musana and also put up the water tower for the toilets building. This work will allow for the complete functioning of the buildings to date at Oasis of Hope in Musana. We need to raise another $6000 for completion of the roof. Any donations to Sonrise Church or through this website will assist this need.

As of August 1st Sonrise Church was able to send $7320 to help the Zimbabwe church feed and care for impoverished children in eight orphan centres. An additional $2000 was sent to help with school fees for September. This cares for at least 230 orphans. Our goal is still to raise enough funds to help 400 orphans a month in 2009. Read more in the August newsletter.

 

July 2009

Our orphan care funds are used to provide food, medicines and school fees for six centres, however our project work has been concentrated at Musana. Musana is home to the Oasis of Hope which is a centre that the ACOP of Zimbabwe is developing to care for more orphans because its rural location has given them more opportunity to own land and expand. Their goal is to be able to move older orphans from Harare (the capital city) in order to get them out of the city and free up space for more children.

In August 2007 we financed and helped build the feeding centre which now serves as a church and feeding centre. In November 2008 we financed and helped build the toilets building and in March 2009 the pastors/caretakers residence was begun. We are currently fundraising about $15,000 to help complete these last two buildings. If you would like to help with these projects, please send your donations to Sonrise Church and designate them to the Zimbabwe project or donate online through the Projects page. We currently plan to send Al Miller with a team in mid to late fall to complete these two buildings; if you are interested in joining such a team, please contact us.

Future plans for the Oasis of Hope include several dormitories, a medical clinic and a dedicated larger church building. Also, Emmanuel Zihove reported to us that school fees had gone up and we have been able to raise an additional $2000 to make sure that school fees will be paid in September for the children. Thank you! Read more in the July newsletter.

 

June 2009

In March many of the schools in Zimbabwe were re-opened after being closed the past year. A recent email from Emmanual Zihove reports that the school fees have increased significantly. Where the fee for a term of three months was once $2, it has now gone up to $10, $20 and $50 depending on the grade. The result is that because of the need for food for hundreds of orphans, they were unable to pay school fees for this past term. We are talking with Emmanuel to determine the best way to help with this challenge. Read more details in this month's newsletter.

 

May 2009

Since the team was in Zimbabwe in March, a partnership with the Harare and Aldergrove Rotary Clubs have received a proposal to provide a well and a cooking shelter for the Mbare Feeding Centre. These are new contacts that have come through networking with other people who care for orphans and widows. These projects are in addition to the pastor/caretaker residence and water tower to service the toilets building at Musana.

As of May 1st, the Sonrise Church forwarded $7439 to help the Zimbabwe church feed and care for impoverished children in six orphan centres. This cares for at least 232 orphans. Read about Elizabeth's story in the May 2009 newsletter.

 

April 2009

One of the team member's that traveled to Zimbabwe in March is a nurse, who was able to obtain donations of prescription medication from several clinics in Canada and delivered over $30,000 in supplies to the Howard Hospital in Zimbabwe, which is run by the Salvation Army. She led the team to do several on-site medical clinics and administer nonprescription care to hundreds of needy children. The team started construction of the pastor/caretaker residence getting it to the roofline, plastered the toilets building, and built a cooking shelter at the Rugare Orphan Centre. Also, a donor responded to the need for bikes from the February newsletter, which were purchased for Pastor Thomas and Supervisor Never at the Musana orphan care centre (they visit families who care for orphans up to 30 kms away). And the Sonrise Church purchased a van for the organization in Zimbabwe which will be used to transport teams while there helping. All in all it was a very productive month. For more details and photos read April's newsletter.

Future projects include a water tower in order for the toilet's building to be operational and plans to build the first dormitory on the Musana site.

 

March 2009

This month's newsletter features one of the children from the orphan care centre in Musana and a short description of his life's story. Another team from Canada is heading to Zimbabwe this month to minister to the children and continue with the pastor/caretaker building project (read more in April's newsletter).

 

February 2009

Read about Never Ngubule and his family in this month's newsletter. Never is the project manager at the Musana orphan care centre and his wife cooks for the orphans every day. The upcoming building project is to build a pastor/caretaker residence at Musana.

 

January 2009

Schools are no longer operating as teachers aren't being paid. Read the latest report from the Sonrise Church newsletter.

 

December 2008

Currently, there is an outbreak of cholera in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital. Many stores are no longer accepting Zim currency, food is scarce, and the political situation has continued to get worse and extremely unstable. Without outside food help over half the country will be starving by the end of the year. Aid agencies have been allowed to bring in food but the political situation is still a hindrance.

The Sonrise Church in Surrey, BC continues to forward funds to help the Zimbabwe church feed and care for impoverished children in six Orphan centres at Rugare, Mbare, Musana, Kadoma, Wedza & Bulawayo. In December they sent $8147 helping approximately 254 orphans.

Al Miller and Abe Friesen traveled to Zimbabwe in November. They purchased and distributed 622 Christmas backpacks with food, nourishing drinks and other practical items to the six orphan care centre. They built wooden benches for the church feeding centre in Musana which now feeds approximately 200 children per day, worked on the toilets building, and brought a wheel chair for a gentleman that needed one. A well and septic field have been completed.

Read the December newsletter and Zimbabwe update.

 

May 2008

Rev. Emmanuel Zihove and his wife Betty are in North America for a short while and have visited us in Calgary, Alberta and Vernon, B.C. to give us an update on what is happening in Zimbabwe.

There are currently four operational feeding centres in Zimbabwe which feed a total of over 375 children per day. Reverend Zihove has arrange for 233 children to attend school - 226 in elementary school and 7 in secondary school. The cost per child including food, medical & school supplies, and clothing is $30 US per month. The cost to send them to school is $30 per term (4 months) for elementary school and $40 per term for secondary school.

The first feeding centre in Musana opened early this year and is already feeding over 120 children per day. Sonrise Church from Surrey, BC has provided funds to build a well, bathroom facilities (with running water), and a safety wall around the area. Once completed, a guard will need to be on duty 24 hours a day to watch over the facilities. Various organizations and groups are working to raise the funds for the boarding house/school, medical clinic and church construction.

The immediate need is for funds for food and fuel. They feed over 375 children per day and have increase the meals from one to two servings per day. The cost for food is approximately $3600 per month. They need funds for food for the newest feeding centre. They have received a pledge for $600 per month from another organization and now need the remaining $200. That amount covers food only - not medical supplies, school and clothing. To provide all of those items they need $30 US per month per child. In order to be able to travel to South Africa to buy the food then distribute it, they are required to purchase fuel tickets from the US at a minimum of 2500 litres up-front which costs $3,375 US (will last six months or less). They recently ran out of their last supply and need to purchase more fuel before being able to get more food. They have $1,500 so far but need the remaining $1,900 before May 28. Without fuel there is no food, so we must help to provide the much-needed $1,900 in the next couple weeks.

Last time we spoke of prices due to inflation (fall of 2007) the price of one loaf of bread was approximately $250,000 Zim. It has since increased to $15 million Zim. Their dollar has decreased in value to $7 million Zim for $1 US in only a few months.

The food shortage and government situation have also declined substantially. Supposed 'democratic' elections were held in April and the vote count showed the opposition leader (Morgan Tsvangirai) winning over President Mugabe, the first time in 28 years. Mugabe is disputing the outcome. The election commission says Mr. Tsvangirai won more votes but not enough to avoid a runoff, and that they will meet soon to set a date for a second presidential election. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on the Southern African Development Community to fast-track its mediation in the post-election crisis. There are discussions with the SADC and African Union officials as to a possible U.N. role but nothing has been decided yet. In the meantime, Mugabe remains in control.

 

December 2007

We received a list of families in the Musana area that we had worked with on building the feeding centre as we wanted to send them Christmas packages. We found families in Canada to partner with each family, sending them a box of items for Christmas. We were originally told that if we sent packages to the church that they would receive them. Later we discovered that only a couple of the boxes made it through. We learned that if anything was to be done it had to be brought there by a group of people or was to be purchased there.