Our month in Zimbabwe was one of my favorite months on the race.
We worked at a children’s center called the Sandra Jones Center (SJC). Children who are in physically and/or sexually abusive situations are removed by the Zimbabwe Child Protective Services and brought to the center. Children who are brought to SJC are considered lucky because the other option is over-populated orphanages.
SJC’s main goal is to have children return to their families. They go through great lengths to ensure that the perpetrator is not around and that the abuse will not continue when the child returns. This of course is the ultimate goal, but not feasible for all children. Some children are put up for adoption.
SJC tries to give the children everything they need to be successful. The younger kids are enrolled in school and many extracurriculars such as ballroom dancing and swimming. The older girls, who are 13-20, are either enrolled in school or in the center’s vocational program. The girls can choose from agriculture, hair styling, catering, sewing, and jewelry making. In a country with a 95% unemployment rate, the center aims to ensure that the girls are employed at the end of their program.
We were beyond impressed with the center and what they were able to do with limited resources. They aim to love and empower the kids who live there. We had the privilege to live there full time during our month. The center is in a old hotel, which was great fun. While living there full time had its challenges, never really getting a break and constantly being interrupted, we wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. We had the chance to love these kids and young women at all times of the day. We did everything with the kids from playing, eating, cleaning them and just loving on them. With so many children, they are starved for attention. Our main goal of the month was just to make sure the they felt seen and loved. We are positive that we reached that goal.
Our favorite day of the month was toward the end. Our Squad Mentor, Beka, her mom and her small group sew dresses. We were able to bring 75 dresses to the center. Each girl had the opportunity to pick out on that they wanted. This was huge for them. They so seldom get to choose something, let alone have something be purely theirs. They were all beaming as they put their new dresses on. You could tell that they felt beautiful and loved.
These were the hardest goodbyes. My heart still aches when I think about some of the children that I had to leave behind. But I constantly tell myself what we told the kids as we left, “Jesus loves you more than the Aunties.” Our love for them comes from God, and as much as I loved them, God loves them infinitely more than I could even imagine.
To find out more about the Sandra Jones Center please visit: www.sandrajonescenter.org
-Caitlin
