This month, my team is exploring Zimbabwe in search of Unsung Heroes.
Definition of Unsung Hero, according to the manual:
Unsung Hero (n.):
Men and women who are dedicated to serving some of the most impoverished populations in the world, yet rarely receive recognition for their dedication and service. These givers may also live with meager conditions but give consistently from an abundance of God’s love. Their names may not be in history books, their acts unknown to the rest of the world, while unrecognized, they shake a generation and move a culture and ultimately build the Kingdom.
Vision
The vision UH Program is to connect and network with Unsung Heroes in an effort to come alongside them and provide lift to their efforts to further the Kingdom. The goal of incorporating this program into the World Race is to allow for individuals on the ground to identify persons that are working to further the Kingdom and to assess how we could serve them and the potential for host status. Many of these persons may be doing this alone, with no community or network for support, and we want to acknowledge the impact of their ministry and provide lift in whatever way possible.
Since arriving in Zimbabwe, God has made a way for us to meet several people involved in ministries here in Bulawayo, the third largest city in Zim. We jumped right into researching ministries, but most of the connections we’ve made here were not results of our work, but of providence. We’ve received discounts, coffees, meals, rides, conversation and sweet fellowship with men and women working to better this land, and to bring Jesus to those who don’t know Him. Here are some brief overviews of who we’ve met, and the awesome work they’re doing here:
Precious Life Foundation [Sophia]
Precious Life Foundation was initially started by Agnes Kwenda in 2007 as a response to the baby-dumping epidemic in Zimbabwe. Eight years ago, she and her family adopted an abandoned child and were burdened for the welfare of other precious lives in the same situation. What started as a drop-off center for young mothers has grown into a wholistic foundation dedicated to giving the mothers of these babies a second chance. Children are a gift from God, and Precious Life is dedicated to equipping and enabling helpless mothers to care for their children and themselves.
Scripture Union [Nate]
Scripture Union is a Christian school program that brings biblical teaching into the schools in Zimbabwe. There vision is to see the youth of the nation reached and discipled in Christ. They operate currently in 148 primary schools and 60 secondary schools. During the school year they have bible studies and leadership development programs for students. While school is out they operate camps for students and teachers in evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development.
Thathuka [Nate]
This is a branch of Scripture Union that works specifically with kids living on the streets in Bulawayo. Their vision is to give these kids the tools to be productive and functioning members of society through knowledge of Jesus Christ and education. They first engage with kids living on the streets with a contact house that gives them clothing, food, counseling, and love simply for just showing up at the door. If the kids decide that they would like to work to get off the street, then they are moved to a halfway house where they are given rehabilitation and education.
Red Earth Ventures [Zack]
I heard of Asha and Red Earth Ventures from a friend back home in the states. I reached out through Facebook and within 24 hours she responded. She is normally in Harare but she happened to be in Bulawayo for a couple days. Thank you Jesus.
So myself and my mediocre team leader met with her the next day. We hung out for a lil bit and got to know each other, shared some laughs… Drank some coffee. It was super.
I eventually asked her about Red Earth Ventures and what she does with the ministry. I immediately picked up on the passion in her voice and I could not help to get excited as she spoke about the ministry. What she does is help communities out in the bush realize the potential of there land and then maximize its abilities. She has dreams and prayers of turning Zimbabwe back into in export nation. This is a very lofty goal. Her work and the people she is connected to have Been so successful that the government had recently asked her to help with some government projects.
Asha talked of this “sphere” that she is a part of. The sphere is her network of other individuals and ministries that help each other flourish and build the kingdom. She seriously knows so many people, so many solid ministries. I know that she herself could take a team or 2 and keep them busy, but between her and the sphere she could probably take a whole squad.
Asha rocks. She is fun, she is motivated, she is called, she is equipped, she is simply amazing.
Our Neighbors [Georgia]
Sophia and I met with the director of Our Neighbors at a local coffee shop on Friday and before the meeting I could tell you how great the ministry looked, but following our entire afternoon I couldn’t more highly recommend Our Neighbors as a contact for AIM and just as a ministry to be connected with.
Our Neighbors has 5 different ministries and is seeking The Lord in more ways to grow. Currently they have a babies’ home for children able to be adopted, several Forever Family Homes for children that are out of the typical adoption age and function as a family. They also have a home and school for kids that live on the street who have fallen behind. They also have a soup kitchen and and do empowerment projects for girls, individuals and families in the city of Bulawayo.
After our meeting Sophia and I had the opportunity to serve at the soup kitchen and play with the babies at the babies home. We were able to step into the body of Christ that is working so hard to further the kingdom in this big city with a small town feel. We were truly blessed.
Hope Unlimited & Hope For The Orphan [Markelle]
I got to meet with Dave Beevers of Hope Unlimited and Cornielious Moyo of Hope For The Orphan with Zack. Our conversation started off by giving each other some basics about our lives & ministries, and wound up talking about the goodness of God, and the sweetness of living in freedom granted by Him. Dave and Cornelious are good friends, and both have sacrificed and laid down their lives to live out the work The Lord has called them to.
Hope For The Orphan is a ministry dedicated to providing school sponsorship to selected student who show promise and a desire to receive an education. The ministry also visits the houses in which the supported children live to encourage the families and hosts camps for the kids.
Hope Unlimited began a program discipling and pouring into pastors of churches in rural areas near Bulawayo, and teaching women/mom’s about hygiene in the home. It also supports children in the way of providing school fees.
ACET [Ross]
Today we went to ACET (Aids Care Education and Training) ministries along the way we discovered some things that would make this ministry extraordinarily enjoyable. This ministry works in 5 main activities: True Love Waits presentations, mentoring couples programs, Mana Hoo! – peer educator program about values in life, Churches Channels of Hope, and Addressing Gender Inequality. Those activities alone allow for a WR team to be effective with daily ministry. But the location of this ministries office makes for great opportunities for outreach as well. The office of ACET is in an assisted living community which provides the ability to visit and love people who don’t often get visitors. We visited a lady today by divine appointment named Joi, she loves the Lord, and she feed us pancakes with tea and shared stories of her ministry days in Ethiopia. Bulawayo can hold a team within transportation range of this ministry, and there are options at the location of the office where a team can stay as well. Bulawayo is a large enough city where internet access is available, along with food and water.
