MURRAY BELL
When my wife and I travelled to Zambia inspired by the ‘Hands at Work in Africa’ we saw with our own eyes the needs of the people this organisation serves. In 2002 George and Carolyn Snyman founded this Christian charity, with the goal of supporting vulnerable communities, initially focusing on areas hard hit by the AIDs epidemic. The organisation partners with local churches to provide food and care for orphans and vulnerable children and now benefits 8 countries including Zambia, Nigeria, Mozambique, Malawi, Eswatini, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe.
In Zambia alone 4,500 meals are provided 5 days a week. Each child up to primary school age (13-14 years old) receives one meal at midday consisting of sheema or nshima (maize porridge) one vegetable and a protein. Gogo’s (grandmothers or elderly women) play a vital community role, cooking, distributing and caregiving on a grassroots level. We found Fathers had simply walked away leaving siblings and family units struggling to survive.
“Kachele Farm in Zambia, is where we went. They had purchased 40 hectares of land originally in jungle they had started to fence. The aim was to disciple young people and to teach and train those coming through the Care Points to farm the land, grow crops and provide food for their community. They had purchased a further 140 hectares of bush three hours from the existing base. That undeveloped site attracted a couple to oversee the DTS (Discipleship Training School) for those ones from the villages keen to learn and join in Christian fellowship. Whilst building the dormitory and attached flat, we realised mechanical support would take their farming and development to a bigger scale”. We saw the need, loved the people and knew this was the way God was calling us to make a difference in His name.
Back home in New Zealand we prayed and planned how this vision could become reality. Even though we are humble farmers, we are also all sons and daughters of the living King and so partnered with others to share the vision, offering them the opportunity to contribute their knowledge and prayers to God’s work. Within a few months, we were able to purchase 2 older (without electronics) tractors (one red and one reddish) and the associated machinery, farm implements and building gear all at remarkable prices. A practical man, Murray recognised the need for the second tractor for parts and inspired by our vision, others were drawn to donate or help in the search. It was clearly God’s timing and provision. His hand was in the detail.
“We filled a 40-foot shipping container which sat on a family farm closest to the port of Christchurch, ready for its long journey to Tanzania and Zambia. God led us to a couple who were shipping agents, skilled in all the necessary documentation. They reached out to more than one shipping line, but God had gone before us and reserved the last container berth aboard the ship at 2/3 of the price we had been quoted by another agent. We had a date and within that time we received a request from Celeste’s parents asking if we had extra space for boxes of teaching resources destined for an orphanage in Zambia. The timing was perfect; the boxes were delivered by Celeste’s father and packed around the tractors and machinery.
Once the container was unloaded at the port of Tanzania, we entrusted Hands at Work with arranging all the documentation and customs clearance. They arranged a truck to then take the container across the border to the Copper Belt in Zambia. We prayed the container holding valuable cargo with buildings tools, machinery, clothes and teaching resources would not be opened, tampered with or stolen. “The fact that the goods made it not just to Tanzania but all the way to Zambia without hijacking or damage was nothing short of a miracle. So many things could have gone wrong but didn’t. Once the truck crossed the border and just before pulling onto the farm, it was stopped and surrounded by local ‘police’ holding AK47’s demanding papers and identification. Finally waved on through, the truck drove through the farm gates, and the workers, relieved and overjoyed, set about unpacking the precious cargo just in time for Christmas”.
After unpacking the tractors and machinery, the boxes of resources destined for the orphanage were found and by God’s timing, delivered on Christmas eve. Hidden among the teaching resources were Christmas gifts; something special for every child at the orphanage. A surprise that brought them their very first Christmas gift and a moment they would never forget. Only God.
We believe the success of this mission, to source and provide for those in need in Zambia, and the perfect timing of the delivery to the orphanage children, was a miracle. “The experience certainly strengthened our faith, and we shared the joy with many others both in New Zealand and Zambia. We felt so humbled seeing the Gogo’s, and care workers, walk humbly and give everything of themselves to this community. The strength of their faith strengthened our faith. We set out to help, but we were the ones blessed and humbled. Truly anything is possible when we submit our plans to the Lord”.
Mathew 19:26 “with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible’.
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