Caring for Widows and Investing in Orphans 

December 5, 2014

Life to Life Africa continues caring for the vulnerable and impacting future generations in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe. As we “look after widows and orphans in their distress” (James 1:27) we are trusting God that our efforts will “bind up,” “free,” “comfort,” “provide,” and “bestow beauty, gladness, and praise” among the old and young who are “poor,” “brokenhearted,” “captives,” “prisoners,” “mourning,” “grieving,” and “despairing.” (Isaiah 61:1-3) Thank you for your interest and concern for these dear ones whom God loves and treasures.

You can see the “gladness” in the face of Naome, the widow pictured here, whom we were able to “provide” training, planting inputs and encouragement this year as she planted a plot of corn to help feed her family. Her family along with 89 other families yielded four months’ worth of corn meal from their plots. The other eight months of the year we were able to distribute food twice a month to the 101 families we serve. There were eleven families whom we fed throughout the year as they were too weak to plant their own corn.

Naome

This widow joined 50-60 widows and ladies from our families two Saturdays per month for spiritual encouragement this year. It is during these gatherings and during individual meetings with Life to Life Africa trained “ambassadors” that heart issues are addressed to help “comfort” them in their trials and “free” them into life that is found in Jesus Christ. Bible Studies and individual discipleship is occurring not only among these widows but also among men, high school and young adult orphans as well as with local college students.

The future of Zimbabwe will be determined on what type of investment is made in the lives of the over 1 million orphans living in this troubled country. Life to Life Africa is seeking to make the love of Christ real in the lives of nearly 200 orphans living in the 101 families we serve. Munashe, with the bright smile in the front in the picture below, is one of the 30 orphans we feed twice a day and provide Christ centered instruction at our pre-school format Critical Care Center.

Munashe, with other orphans at the Critical Care Center

Over thirty high school orphans participate in our weekly Bible Studies and half a dozen young adult orphans are being discipled. We are trusting God to fulfill His promise in Isaiah 60:21-22. May His work through us in the lives of these “least” and “small” ones display His “splendor” and grow his kingdom to “thousands.”