another year gone...another about to begin

Merry Christmas!

So another year has passed…we can’t believe how fast it has gone and how much we have experienced and changed over the last 11 months.  It truly has been an incredible year and God has been faithful to us in so many ways.  We have learned more about what it really means to be compassionate and to serve even when it is the last thing you feel like doing.  He taught us how to be more patient and love unconditionally.  He has blessed us with encouragement from our family both in Africa and in Canada.  We feel like the luckiest people…to be completely surrounded by love and support no matter where we are in the world.  We can’t thank you all enough.  Without you, we would never have been able to live and serve in Africa…and now with us returning for another season, we again have a need that we are hoping you can meet. 

Just as before, we are returning as full-time volunteers for the year 2013 and thus need to be able to support ourselves completely during our time in Africa.  It is only through the generosity of friends and family who have chosen to invest in us, that we are able to invest in others which will have a long-term sustainable impact in the poorest communities. Whether you choose to support us through a one-time donation or on a monthly basis, it is through your ongoing, committed financial help that we are able to continue to serve in the capacity that we truly feel called to.
There are 2 options that you can choose from if you would like to contribute financially (both a tax deductible – by the way, did you know that you can get 20-40% of you donation back at tax time depending on the size of your donation? nice huh?)

1.   You can visit our SECURE giving page at http://www.canadahelps.org/gp/14876 where you can donate via credit card or bank withdrawal OR

2.   You can email alicia at alicia@handsatwork.org and I will send you a donor form (for both once off and monthly support donations) which can be filled out and faxed to 403-254-8893 or mailed to the address on the bottom of the donation form.

Thanks again for you incredible generosity!  We love you.

Love, Tyler and Alicia

Ilaje - the community on water

 

 

 

 

the boy who stole my heart

In the tiny village of Aba Afa just outside the bustling city of Ibadan in Southern Nigeria, lives the boy who stole my heart and then broke it.  Unaware of even his own age, Kaseem has seen and experienced more in the 6 or 7 years he has lived than most would in a lifetime.  I learned Kaseem’s devastating story of abuse and abandonment as I sat with him on my lap in the dust in front of his run down mud house.  Abandoned with his younger brother and left to die in his grandmother’s arms from an infection elicited by severe burn on his leg, the boys have survived only by the great mercies of our God.  As I listened, I stared at the mass scar that stretched from his hip to his knee and wondered how deep the emotional scars of rejection and pain ran inside his little spirit. Gripped with sorrow and grief as my mind struggled to comprehend how a mother could unashamedly watch the flesh of her young son burn before her eyes and how a father could so easily turn his back on his children. 
My body began to tense and anger rose up inside me as I wrestled with the injustices that these boys endured and continue to endure everyday because their grandmother has to beg from her neighbours for food to feed the children she has been left with.  Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t even notice that Kaseem was staring up intently at me with his gorgeous brown eyes.  I smiled and he smiled back.  The most beautiful smile you can imagine.  A smile which shattered my heart into a million pieces because it was a smile which reflected the desperate need to feel cherished and be loved.  I stroked to Kaseem’s arm as he clung to me.  I whispered in his ear words affirmation, telling him how precious he was to us and even more importantly to God.  His smile spread even wider as I started to tickle and tease him.  We played and laughed until sweat poured down our faces.  My heart swelled and I was completely lost in the moment until I heard the call that it was time to go.  I tried my best to ignore the call “pretending’ I didn’t hear it, but by the third time I relented and did one of the hardest things I have ever done.  I tried to say goodbye to a little boy who had experienced too many goodbyes in his short life.   Guilt and pain washed over me like a flood when Kaseem refused to let go.  My stomach churned as a care worker pried his thin arms away from my waist.  I struggled to hold back the tears when he started to weep and punch the air in frustration.  His eyes bore into me and reflected a look of brokenness and loss.  I will never forget that face and pray for the day I get to hold him in my arms again.

This was the first image I saw as I walked into Kaseem's humble village. His smile captivated me and i was drawn to him immediately

Kaseem in his house where he lives with his elderly grandmother, his younger and very sick 4 year old brother and older cousin

 

Kaseem, a neighbour and his cousin who also has been abandoned by his mother

Richard

Just sitting at home today doing some work for Zimbabwe and I started to think about Richard.  The boy in a previous blog, 'Something New'.  Before my second trip to Zimbabwe I received a text message that Richard passed away.  His name is not Richard, but I was using that out of respect for his privacy.  I say that for those of you who might know him and are confused by that name, but anyways I will continue to call him Richard. At Richards funeral, his Mom became very sick and also passed away the next day.
I was just rereading my blog on Richard and feeling heartbroken.  Even after a few months passing I'm not sure what I am supposed to do with this.  Is there a lesson in this or was I meant to see something from Richard.  It's hard to process the death of a 13 year old boy.
I remember sitting with him and asking, "what games do you like to play?"  I knew very well he was too sick to play soccer now, but I thought he might say soccer and how he missed it.  Instead he told me he never played games, the other kids would never let him because of his illness.  I felt about 2 feet tall at that point.  Floored by what he was telling me, my heart breaks for him in those moments still. 
Far too young, and far too little for him to experience.  Although he did experience the love of Care Workers who would do anything for him.  And he lit up to hear about his friend "George".  George Snyman had visited him the day before and became instant friends.
Feeling leveled by this today, and still processing.  But love gives us hope.

~T

The Return to Zimbabwe and the First Trip to Mozambique

Well I just returned from my second trip to Zimbabwe with a short visit to Mozambique.  I can say that Zimbabwe and Mozambique have challenged me deeper than I think I’ve ever been challenged.  I saw things that deeply touched me, but at the same time encouraged me to a new level.

Those that are caring for people in Zimbabwe are amazing.  To see the depth of their understanding and their willingness to learn has blown me away and re-opened my eyes.  Not to mention the love and dedication that they do their work with.  I was so encouraged by what I saw and what I heard that I feel renewed with hope.  Not because I lost hope, but at times we all need reminders and to be encouraged.

On the Friday (my birthday) I went to Mozambique for the first time.  The very first thing we did once we reached our destination was to drop off our bags and head straight out to the community we were visiting, called Macadera.  We were the first visitors to come to Macadera since the project began there.  As we pulled up the Care Workers were outside of the church singing and dancing, it was really beautiful.  We had some time with the Care Workers just encouraging them and hearing from them what they have been doing.  After that they took us on home visits.  The first house we went to was the toughest home visit I have ever been to.  So, we started off from the church and at a certain point we stopped and the Care Workers.  They were telling us about a story of 14 kids that had lost their parents and were now living with one Granny.  They told us that one family of 8 children (that made up part of the 14) had just lost their mother 2 weeks ago and they pointed to their house.

 

 I saw this structure but figured they must have been pointing to the house behind this.  I was wrong, it was this one in the picture above.  They said the lady had been living there with her 8 children, and then she got sick, and died in their home.  You can see there are no walls, I couldn't believe it.  They said she had died and was left there for days, as the ants came and started to eat her.  All I could think about was her children who had to witness that.  What does that do emotionally and phsycologically to a child?  The children moved across the road with their Granny, without having a home.  The eldest boy started to build a house and when we came it looked like this.



Here is most of the family.  Their Granny in the red and white striped shirt looks after them, but she has no food to give them.  The kids had collected wild root which they showed us, but the Granny said it was poisonous and they could not eat it.  They had no food, not blankets, no possesions except the clothes on their backs.  None of the kids are in school.  They live on a major highway, which means a lot of trucks go by and the risk for child prostitution is huge. 

You can see the two structures they are building, one in each picture.  The one structure has half a roof covered loosely with palm leaves and the second structure has no roof.  The community is so dry there isn't even grass to make thatching for the roofs.  They are completely exposed and when the rains came last week the Gogo and a few of the kids stayed in the half covered structure, while the rest of the kids went to stay at a neighbour's house.  Absolutely devastating.  It was hard to imagine any of these kids surviving unless something was done. 

We were able to make a plan with the Care Workers to get the kids some thatching for their roof and to get them some help for finishing it.  Also we made a plan to get them some food so that they have something to eat.  The situation seems hopeless, but in the midst of it all there are people who are giving everything they have to help people in these situations.  I find it hard to comprehend that this could be going on anywhere in the world and people are able to detach themselves from what they hear.  How can we go on as if we had never heard about this family.  Seeing what we see or reading about a family like this, makes us responsible.  I wish I could take everyone to this house and show them what its like to stand there with this family. To look in their eyes and be at a total loss for words.  After we prayed for them, we all just stood there for 2 or 3 minutes that felt like an hour.  No one knew what to say.  I think it was a bit like coming upon a car crash, you are in shock. Look at their faces, not one smile and why would there be?  I feel sick to my stomach still when I look at their picture.  I left that day and went home to a shower and a hot meal, while they fell asleep in the dirt, praying that the rains wouldn't come and for something to eat....

I finished the day by celebrating my birthday with friends, but the family was never far from my mind.  It was a very special birthday even though it was a rollercoaster. Somehow my friends found a cake in Chimoio, Mozambique, my birthday was very special.

Farai, Nede and Dara
 

We went back to Zimbabwe the next day and finished up our time with our new family there.  It was really an amazing time that I will never forget.  Here is a pic of the crew, minus Farai who is taking the picture.  Farai's family opened up their home to us and treated us as one of the family, it was very touching.  Miss them already.

 

~ T

 

friday fotos - Tyler's Birthday in Kruger

For Tyler's 31st, I took him to stay a night in Kruger park.  It was something he has wanted to do since we stepped foot into Africa, but just had not had the opportunity to.  Below is the "tent" that we stayed in for the night along the banks of the Sabie River.  We fell asleep to the sounds of birds, frogs and small animals rustling in the bushes....and awoke to the sound of 2 vicious honey badgers fighting over the scraps in our garbage can.  In addition to the night, we spent two days exploring the park and enjoying each others company.  It was such a peaceful and incredible time together...exactly what we needed.  These are just some of the animals we got to spend our days with...