Happy Wednesday Morning!

Good Morning All!!! It's been a few days since the team has last updated the blog. Power and Internet are sometimes rare commodities around here. To catch everyone up to date since Sunday night, we will go through this day by day. Here goes...

Monday - We went back to the church at Rugare. Like mentioned before, this is the place where around 50 kids hang out during the day because they can't afford school fees. While we were there, we introduced the children to play dough (whoa....that was interesting...), colored pictures, sang songs, had face-painting, and then helped serve around 150-200 children at the feeding station. Later that evening, the team then went to Runyararo - another home connected to the organization. The children made name bracelets, decorated visors and created their own journals. A polaroid camera was brought so that the children could have their very first picture of their own. Oh how they loved it! It was so much fun watching them look at the pictures for the first time and then telling them that it was theirs to keep!

Tuesday - Again, we spent our morning at the church feeding station at Rugare. Then that evening we went to another home - Glen Norah. We made salvation bracelets (the kind where each bead represents something concerning the road to salvation), journals, polaroid pictures and sang songs. At each home we have had the opportunity to present each child with a gift bag containing: pencils, bouncy balls, bubbles, crayons, coloring pages, kazoos, stickers, and a hodgepodge of other items. It feels like Christmas at every home we enter!

It is early Wednesday morning and we have stopped at the Hands of Hope Headquarters to catch up on e-mail and blogging before we go back to the church at Rugare and then later to visit another home this afternoon.

Please remember to keep us in your prayers as we continue to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Zim Team '10

A Few More Pics

It's so hard to pick and choose pictures! Here are a few more... :)

The Fun Continues...

Hello again everyone!! Wow! What a busy last couple of days we've had. Our Saturday started with a visit to two homes in the morning, Fern A and B. These homes were filled with wonderful children who were such a blessing to meet. Again we played soccer, Rachel showed the girls how to sew and brought them each a bag to decorate and the boys made their own colorful visors. After a couple hours there, we ate a quick lunch and visited with the Westgate Girls. These girls are so athletic! Many of them are on their school's soccer and volleyball teams. We made friendship bracelets and had a couple of wild soccer games in the backyard. Our Sunday started early at a church in Rugare. Cameron was asked to preach a message and the rest of the team performed a short skit. Believe us, a genuine African service is something everyone must witness at least once in his/her life! The spirit of the Lord was in that church. There were people filling every pew, standing in the back, children sitting on the floor and even people waiting outside. The people there had such sweet spirits and welcomed us with open arms. We went to be a blessing, but we were blessed more than words can express. Once lunch today was finished, we went to the Presbyterian home for a few hours. We did more crafts, sang songs and what else? More soccer!! We are getting ready to eat a nice dinner, go to bed and begin again in the morning!

Like promised, here are some pictures!

Zim Team '10

Hello Again!

Hello all!! It is late Friday night and we are winding down at the home of Sean and Kim Doyle - local missionaries here in town. Today was very busy with a visit to a local church where we did crafts, story time, songs and soccer. There are about 50 kids on a daily basis who are unable to attend the local schools and spend their free-time playing at the church. Cameron and Woody managed to play soccer with over 100 kids! It was amazing how the kids wanted to learn and play! Around 1:00 p.m., the rest of the school children were released and nearly 150 kids showed up to eat lunch. Lauren and Lori dipped the sadza and beans at the feeding station. They definitely had their hands full!

After the church, we returned to one of the homes that we visited yesterday - Rugare, a home for 6 young girls between the ages of 9-13. We helped with homework (thankfully six out of seven of us are teachers!), Kathryn cooked in the kitchen and the children each received a pair of shoes, a goody bag and made a craft.

The Lord is so wonderful and continues to bless us! Please keep us in your prayers. Because of a low Internet signal, the pictures will have to be posted later. They are coming soon! Promise!!

In Christ,

Zim Team '10

We Made It!

Hello everyone!!! We have finally arrived in Zimbabwe, Africa! After a long 24 hour flight, 3 layovers and 4 airplane meals, we made it into the capital city of Harare around 2:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon (the time here is about 6 hours ahead of the states). Thank the Lord that all 14 bags (700 lbs) and all carry-on items made it here safely! We unpacked everything and set up our stay at Shalom - a home mentioned in one of the earlier postings. We even managed to pig out on 2 large pizzas!

After a nice, restful night we started our day around 9:00 a.m. and visited a pre-school. There we played with the children, sang songs, passed out tootsie rolls, played soccer and had tons of fun with bubbles! It was truly a blessing to see the faces of the children and the workers that we have heard so much about. For the remainder of the day, we will be visiting different Hands of Hope Homes.

More updates and photos are coming soon! Please continue to pray for our team that we will be a blessing to those we meet.

Zim Team 10

Departing Tomorrow!

Hello again everyone! Tomorrow is our departure date and we are ready to go! Our team was able to pack around 700 lbs. of supplies, crafts, presents for missionaries, books, toys, soccer balls, clothing, shoes and toiletries into 14 bags of luggage! Knowing that the Lord is in control surely is an amazing thing. At first we were discouraged thinking that we would not be able to bring all of the supplies that were donated, but we soon remembered that God is in control and nothing is impossible to Him! You will find an itinerary posted below. Use this as a way to see where we will be each day and pray for our safety and ability to be used by God. Beside of our calendar, you will also find a prayer request from each member of our team. We know that even though we are in a far away land, heaven will be reached by thoughts and prayers of our friends and family from back home. Again, the blog will be updated every few days so make sure you're keeping up with us!

Itinerary - June 22nd: Fly out of Greensboro. Pray for our luggage and a safe flight.
23rd: Arrival in Harare 12:45 p.m. Pray for energy!
24th: Visiting Hands of Hope Homes.
25th: Dinner with Missionaries (Doyles, Gopperts).
26th - July 3rd: Visiting with Hands of Hope Homes.
4th: Possible lunch at U.S. Embassy.
5th: Bally Vaughn Game Park and De-briefing.
6th: Departure from Harare, Africa. Pray that we make our flight home!
7th: Team arrives at Raleigh at 1:34 Pray for safety.

Team Prayer Requests
James Woody - pray for the health of his aunt who just recently had a stroke. Also pray that he be used to uplift and encourage the people of Zimbabwe.

Rachel Rogers - pray that she hears God and is quick to respond and obey. Please pray that God will minister to her family while she is away.

Jessica Reece - that God will help her toward finishing her Master's Degree in Education by providing funds and opening doors.

Lori Rogers - that she would be open to however God would use her and to what He wants to teach her.

Cameron Sastre - that God prepares him and works through him as he begins to lead the college ministry at Westover.

Lauren Sastre - that she would be able to get her online physiology assignments submitted while in Zimbabwe and that God will help her school work to not be a burden.

Kathryn Smith - that God gives her peace of mind about her family while serving and that God will be with her family while she is gone.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers.

In Christ,

Zim Team 10

Almost There!!!

Tomorrow we will be heading out bright and early. . . our flight leaves at 6:15 out of Greensboro! While we are away we would love to be surrounded by your prayers . . below you will find some of the personal prayer requests of our team members! We will also try to update the blog as frequently as possible!!!

Team Member Prayer Requests:


Kathryn Smith: Prayer for her aging parents while she is away, that she would become closer to the Lord during this time away from her family and that she would bring this "closeness" back after returning.


James Woody: The health of his Aunt who just had a stroke. That he be used to uplift and encourage the people of Zimbabwe.


Rachel Rogers: To hear God and be quick to respond and obey. That God would minister to her family while she is away.

Jessica Reece: That God would help her towards finishing her masters in education by providing open doors and funding.


Lori Rogers: That she would be open to however God would use her and to what he wants to teach her.


Cameron Sastre: That God prepares him and works through him as he begins to lead the college ministry at Westover.


Lauren Sastre: That she would be able to get her online physiology assignments submitted while in Zimbabwe and that God would help her school work not to be a burden. That she would walk closer with the Lord.

A Few Pics...

This is a picture of a few of the children at one of the many feeding stations in Harare. For many, this is the only meal of the day. While in Africa, our team will be assisting with preparation and serving of sadza - a ground corn substance that is often served with beans or greens.

One of our areas of ministry will be playing soccer with the children. We are fortunate enough to have 3 soccer coaches on our team this year!! Soccer is Zimbabwe's sport of choice and the children there absolutely love it! We will be deflating and packing dozens of soccer balls to bring and distribute. We look forward to having lots of fun and intense soccer matches!

As well as putting on soccer clinics, our team will also be creating several arts and crafts in the homes. Many of the homes are made up of adolescent to teenage girls. Decorating bags, creating bracelets and coloring are just a few of the things we have in mind.

We will post new pictures as we meet and fellowship with the children from different homes!

7 Days Til Departure

Hello everyone!! Our team is almost one week away from embarking on an incredible journey. On Tuesday, June 22nd, we will be leaving out of Greensboro International Airport at 6:15 a.m. where there will be a connecting flight from Washington, D.C. to Ethiopia and then on to the capital city of Harare in Zimbabwe. It will be a long 24 hour flight, so please keep us in your prayers as we change planes, keep up with luggage, deal with jet lag, etc. Please also pray that none of the aid items will be "confiscated" by airport security during our layovers. We will spend most of our time upon arrival at the Hands of Hope feeding stations, residential homes and preschools. At these places, we will spend time loving on the children as well as the "Aunties" (caregivers). If you would like to know more about the Hands of Hope organization, check out their website at http://www.hohafrica.org/index.html.
During our 15 day stay, we will be residing in Shalom, a home purchased by Westover. The home is presently empty due to a hold up in bureaucratic paperwork. The home was housing 0-2 yr old orphans who have been removed for the time being. Please pray that the Lord will open the necessary doors for Shalom to soon become a running home for these small and precious children.
We are extremely excited and grateful for the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We hope that the light of the Lord is able to shine through us so that others may see Him. The Bible says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." James 1:27. Our team looks forward to working with this organization and would like to ask that you please keep us in your prayers!
We hope to update our blog every two to three days to let all of our followers know how the Lord is using us. Please feel free to post some words of encouragement in response to our blogs! :)

Zim Team 10

Zimbabwe Kids Team 2010

James Woody, Cameron & Lauren Sastre, Lori Rogers, Jessica Reece,
Kathryn Smith, Rachel Rogers