Please pray for Tom as he visits the States for the first time ever!  Also, please pray for his family back in Zimbabwe and for Caroline Mugochi, who is overseeing the program while he is away.

We praise God for the amazing work He is doing in Zimbabwe – as Tom always says in his reports, “To God Be the Glory!”

Now I find myself staring across my own proverbial lake with a similar choice. Yet in place of a boat are family, friends and way of life I’ve become so accustomed to here at home in Pennsylvania. And ahead I find a vast, daunting expanse: a country, a people and a culture I’ve never experienced and know very little about. While there’s a flood of questions, doubts and anxiousness occupying my thoughts these days, I think about Peter to find a much needed reprieve. Just as he decided to get out of his boat that day, I hope to take a similar step of faith (or in my case flight of faith!) next month to Harare, Zimbabwe.

Peter’s journey has shown me that sometimes it’s the craziest choices in life that in retrospect turn out to be the best decisions of all

By Bryan Ko

(Bryan Ko has recently been selected to be part of the HOPE International Fellowship Program in which he will be serving in Harare helping with ANVZ/HOPE’s Savings and Credit Association Program.  Please pray for Bryan as he prepares to leave for Zimbabwe later this month!)

Beauty and Chipo -- Leaders of "Virtuous Women"

Beauty Nhete is a single mother, who has joined the “Virtuous Women Savings and Credit Group” and serves as the Secretary.  Beauty does “piece” jobs like sweeping people’s yards, braiding hair and working in the field to be able to raise her weekly contributions to the savings group. There are 8 women in her group and they each contribute $5 every week. They have also begun contributing grocery items, which are shared among group members.

Beauty testifies that belonging to a savings group has really helped improve her quality of life.  She is now able to provide adequate food for her family and has been able to pay outstanding school fees for her children. She still has debt, but is paying off her electricity and water bills.  Her goal is to not owe anything.  Beauty would like to buy a bed and a wardrobe after she has paid off all her debts — she is confident that she will be able to achieve this through her savings with the “Virtuous Women” group.

“… to bestow on her a crown of beauty instead of ashes …”  Isaiah 61:3

by Caroline Mugochi

Would you pray that those who come for financial relief would experience true freedom – spiritual freedom in Christ?

He is risen indeed!

“But thanks be to God, who leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.”  2 Corinthians 2:14

The following blog post is from a great friend of ANVZ, Tongai Makoni.  As a Zimbabwean, who grew up in Mbare, Tongai knows firsthand about the challenges kids in Zimbabwe face.  He is a constant inspiration to those of us who call him a friend — it is true blessing to see how God is using him in a mighty way!  In his words:

Tongai in red with the big smile

“If our tongues talk about religion but our lives do not back it up, our religion is useless. Pure religion helps those who can offer nothing in return, such as orphans or widows.” This is the reminder that James 1:26-27 challenges me with. I visited the ANVZ Feeding Program in Mabvuku in 2010 and what I saw were not kids in “despair” BUT a hopeful, cheerful and ever-smiling bunch of young kids. Clearly, the conditions of the kids in Mabvuku is a sad story — and growing up as an orphan myself, I can relate to the same challenges that those children face. I have gotten an opportunity to study in college in the U.S, and with the modest earnings of a college kid, I am encouraged to support the Mabvuku Feeding Program.  My hope is to see these kids grow up with a healthy mindset and be able to achieve opportunities of a good education that can secure a bright future for their lives. I am grateful for the work that Acta Non Verba-Zimbabwe is doing in supporting the children of Zimbabwe and I pray that with our hearts and hands joined together, we can truly make a difference in the lives of the children in Mabvuku.

-Tongai

A.W. Tozer

They are both dedicated, hardworking individuals whom God is using in a mighty way to lead people in Zimbabwe to spiritual and financial freedom!

Rubatsiro Ministries

Rubatsiro Ministries was started in 2007 as a Christian charitable trust in New Zealand by Nick Burtenshaw and Adrian Maarschalk, Zimbabweans who had moved to NZ. Over the past four years the names and faces of those involved in the Trust have changed but all involved have been motivated by a desire to help the people of Zimbabwe. We are challenged by the call in Isaiah 58 to care for the poor as an acceptable act of worship to God. Those currently involved are Nick Burtenshaw, Doug Maarschalk, Kristian and Grace Jensen and Joy Davidson, all ex-Zimbabweans now living in NZ who care deeply about Jesus and the plight of Zimbabweans.

Rubatsiro has been fundraising in NZ and Australia to primarily support the work of Central Baptist Church in Harare and Fathers Love Ministry in Bulawayo in providing food, medical assistance and school fees to the needy people that these ministries reach out to. We are often humbled to see how God uses the funds donated to make a significant impact. Our philosophy to helping the poor has been to not be overwhelmed by the great need around the world but to give what we have to the need our partners in Zimbabwe present to us, trusting, like the little boy in the story of Jesus feeding of the five thousand, that God will multiply what we give for His purposes.

We have a heart to not only to provide for the immediate needs of the poor in Zimbabwe but also to resource programs that enable the poor to lift themselves out of poverty through financial and spiritual training. This is why we were most excited at the opportunity to partner with the Savings and Credit Association Program started by Acta Non Verba Zimbabwe in partnership with HOPE International. This program has been implemented in Zimbabwe through churches, primarily through our mutual partner, Central Baptist Church Harare. We love the fact that through the program, not only are people benefiting from group savings but, they are also having their spiritual hunger addressed through Bible teaching in a holistic approach to poverty alleviation. What a wonderful opportunity to be part of and we trust that God will bless this work greatly.

Doug Maarschalk

I have been thinking about that this week a lot.  While I don’t strive for perfection, often I take on responsibility that isn’t mine, but His.  How freeing to remember that He is the one doing the work.

When I take over it is me trying to be perfect.  When He takes over, it IS perfect.

While programs that help and serve are important, the foundation must be laid in relationships – first to Him and then to others.  The brokenness that comes from spiritual poverty cannot be fixed with just material goods – whether we are rich or poor.  It can only be healed when our relationship with our Father is certain and then our love for others bubbles over.