Hold on to our Hope for He is Faithful

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10: 23-25

South African is now in a 21 day lockdown. This means I am confined to the property where I am staying. I can mix freely with the people in my dormitory but remain socially distant from other people on the site. It has also meant that my placement in Zambia for 4 weeks is on hold because there would be no guarantee that I could return to South Africa where I am currently based. This disappointment and inconvenience is completely insignificant in light of the threat that the current COVID-19 pandemic is to so many vulnerable people. It is always the poor, the orphan, the widow, the elderly or person with disability who is hardest hit by any human crisis.

Hands at Work has governmental permission to continue its work because it is deemed an essential service, as it is feeds and cares for children that would otherwise go hungry. Our Care Workers in South Africa are on the frontline and are allowed to keep cooking for the children but initially chose not to for fear of the virus and accusations of spreading it. Currently, experienced Hands at Work African leaders are visiting the Service Centres that support these Care Points to help and encourage them. International volunteers are not visiting with them at this time because there is a fear that foreigners are carrying the virus.

Within all these constraints it is so important that the people of God continue to meet together to encourage one another in the faith as the scripture in Hebrews exhorts. So we, like you, are finding new ways to stay connected. Within the communities we work in this means continuing to be present and available and ready to assist in any way possible. It means talking with people about their fears and being sensitive to their needs. It means walking beside a community and demonstrating our enduring commitment to them even if they don't want us to enter right now. And, of course, we have more time than ever to pray as we are restricted to our homes with less worldly distractions.

Our great concern is not being able to have contact with children because we can't see them at the Care Point or visit them in their homes. It has been well researched that in times of crisis women and children are 30 to 40% more likely to be abused. In this crisis, vulnerable people are behind closed doors in lockdown, in a time of great fear and stress when other people connected to the household have had to return home and may not be able to work. We know this has the potential to be a dangerous time for many, even before we think of the actual threat of the virus. The Care Points and home visits offer some protection to children when the people around them are aware that Hands at Work volunteers know each child by name and will seek out and address anything that is harmful to them.

Our African leaders are breaking through with their show of strength, love and compassion and their deep trust in God. Many Care Points are now just starting to reopen as Care Workers are returning to offer their essential service because the children around them, including their own, are hungry. The picture with this post shows a Care Point with children returning in small groups and eating the meal provided at a safe distance from each other. Poverty and marginalisation is a threat to their survival as much as a highly contagious virus.

Please pray for...

• the Care Points that are starting to reopen that they would remain so and return to full working strength to feed hundreds of children daily.

• the volunteer Care Workers to be encouraged in their faith and have peace from God that he will be faithful and can comfort them in all their fears.

• the Hands at Work African leaders who are visiting communities to have the wisdom and discernment to know how to support people through the crisis.

• the Hands at Work leaders who are having to continually make new decisions in order to continue the work in a constantly changing environment.

• the vulnerable people around the globe whose isolation, lack of support or threatening circumstances make them even more vulnerable in a crisis.

God bless and protect you. Thank you for your prayers.