Allelu!

  

God meant it when He said He would build his church on the solid rock of Jesus.  He has been faithful.  He is raising up men and women who love Him and therefore love to serve His people.  We are staying at the new site for Hands of Hope, helping host a camp for 53 orphans all of which arrived overflowing with excitement yesterday evening.  It is 134 acres of land and trees, ponds and open fields, and now bright white smiles.  God has blessed the people here in remarkable ways, two of which are gorgeous teeth and amazing singing.  Everyone here can sing, the entire nation is literally a choir.  

Both church services we attended yesterday were taught by "the white man that speaks Shona"…aka Pastor Lynn.  Lynn opened the second service with a Shona idiom that had the entire congregation laughing out loud.  If there was any cultural gap before that moment, it was forever closed when he began speaking.  But in full honesty, there was no gap to fill.  We have been welcomed and embraced everywhere we go.  The other church we attended is pastored by Pastor Ephraim. 

He lives in a small home (maybe 15 x 20ft) with his wife, his four sons, and 8 orphan boys.  His humility and kindness brought instant lumps to our throats.  In addition to pastoring his church, he also serves 300 orphans everyday in his kitchen (an outdoor fire with a grate over it).  300.  Many of whom are very sick.  His countenance was like an angel, confident in the Lord, but humble in spirit.  We all wish you could have met him.

Our first day of camp is almost complete, and the children are already writing their names on our hearts.  We never have an empty hand, if a child spots one they quickly claim it with their small hand and a smile.  We have also fallen in love with their caretakers, Elizabeth, Milca, and Grace; young mothers that volunteer to care for and teach the children.  And the men that run Hands of Hope, oh my goodness, there are no words to describe them.  They smile all the time.  All. the. time.  Jephat's laugh is strong, beautiful, contagious.  He loves all people.  Garikai knows every child and their story, loving them all.  Farai is quiet, but always smiles and you can tell he is very wise.  Oscar and Tawanda are younger men that are full of energy and willingness to serve these children.  All of these men are gracious beyond anything we can really put into words, and it is nothing but a privilege to be here and see the work they are doing in the name of Jesus.

Please continue to pray for them.  Pray for these kids that are thirsty for the love of God.  Pray for the team also, we want to serve the way they serve, and love the way they love.  

An bonus gift for us has been meeting Jordan McDevitt.  He is from Washington, and he and his family are here in Zimbabwe seeing where God would have them serve.  He joined us yesterday and today, and most of these pictures (all the good ones) were captured by him.  You can read and follow him at http://cornerstoneleavenworth.com/africa-blog/.