every 25th of the month

January 25 at Nalabumba - ZOE met again. ZOE - Zambians helping orphans with extended hands. A smaller group than last month, but still worthwhile. Samuel Moono independently organizes this group of the church community to meet monthly so they can share their struggles and their victories. ZOE was started a few years ago after Jean Webster of ZOE (Zimbabwe)visited and shared her/their story of Zimbabwe communities helping orphans and vulnerables through the church, how God intended. Read her story on the net - google - Jean Webster - and Zimbabwe or ZOE and you'll find the information. In short, church leaders of all Christian churches get together and encourage volunteers to care for the orphans within their communities. In the first 10 years of the work that Jean began, about 60,000 orphans were being cared for - no orphanages...no expensive buildings or staff to pay....people helping people. And in my opinion, if it can be done in neighbouring Zimbabwe, a country with more woes than Zambia, it can be replicated here. ZOE (Zim) did this without handouts - no containers, etc. Now, ZOE (Zim) has staff and they do more formal work with some help from Tearfund International. They use funds to teach about IGA's, conservation farming, health issues. Money is utilized to equip and release folks from not being able to care for themselves. The people in the picture are mainly church volunteers - from C of C, SDA and others. One headman (a woman) was with us, a couple of Bible teachers, an UNZA student, a sponsored student and several volunteers who weekly and monthly visit and encourage the orphans who they've taken under their wings. Magi - one of the ones being assisted in this way was with us. She is a young granny. 4 of her children have died leaving her and her husband with 9 grandchildren to care for. Her one daughter died last month. We've now put the baby from that mom on the milk program for a couple of months. Her neighbours spend time with her - visiting her and praying for her and helping her in other ways as they are able. We spent this meeting mostly in prayer - for each other and for the ones that do this great volunteer work and for the kids! And then we shared practical ways that each of us can help assist. For the next meeting we've asked that the one headman bring purposefully invite the other invite the other headmen so they can know more and participate in this activity.