Newsletter 01 / January 2018

“God identifies himself continually

with the most vulnerable, the most
marginalised. He actually gives Himself
this name (A father to the fatherless!).

This is who we are going to stand

before one day….and having stood as
his righteous ones the issues that are
going to last forever are God’s power
of love having worked through us,
where He used our lives to touch the
most vulnerable and everybody in
between.

There is something of exceptional

beauty when a people who are one
and yet many, all participate together
in a love mission.

It is called The Church.”

Scott Marques
Lead Elder, River of Life Church

Some babies have been known to levels of growth hormone, which

Safe Ha ven
2018 is shaping up to be a busy year
with new and exciting changes and
projects in the horizon.
One of these projects is a place of
safety for abandoned babies which will
be located at Shalom.
Due to a combination of factors, chief
among them being a shortage of
adequate care homes or better still,
families waiting to foster or adopt, a
good number of babies abandoned in
Zimbabwe end up spending their
formative months in a hospital even
when they are completely healthy.
spend up to a year in hospital, a
situation which has a huge negative
impact on their growth and
development.
Babies raised in an environment
where there is a shortage of love and
affection (like a hospital), are often
stunted in their mental, emotional,
and even physical growth. According
to a May 2010 article in Scientific
American, orphaned children who
experience touch deprivation early in
life have altered levels of oxytocin and
vasopressin, two hormones important
for social bonding, even three years
after being placed with a family.
Babies who do not experience
frequent human touch have lower
manifests in stunted growth and
learning disabilities. They often fail to
thrive, lose weight and may even die.
We believe that opening a place of
safety for between 8 - 10 babies is a
way of mitigating this tragedy by
providing a temporary, sensory rich
environment where these babies may
receive plenty of love and affection
while in transit to their forever
families.
Our prayer is that the church would
heed the call of God, take up the
cause of the orphan and do whatever
is necessary to ensure that every
child finds a family. Because no one
should ever grow up without the
love, care and support of one.

1 Email: enquiries@themichaelproject.org
Phone: +263 (0)86 7700 4009
www.facebook.com/themichaelproject/
 ACTS OF
SERVICE
BY LORRAINE SHAW
A few months ago, River of Life Church
had a month’s teaching on the orphan
crisis in Zimbabwe, and in particular,
how The Michael Project is involved in
addressing some of these areas. I sat
through some of the stories and
listened. My view in the past was that
there are so many issues and so much
heartache, that I couldn’t possibly
make a difference, so why even try?
I’m really good at being an ostrich!
However, one of the things that struck
me was the mention in the Bible that
God tells the Christians that we are the
ones who should be taking care of the
orphans – it’s what we’ve been
instructed to do.
Along with the sermons, listening to
people’s personal testimonies was
fascinating and inspirational. However,
I’m not specially gifted in any area and
certainly not in a position to do great
and wondrous things! But, there was
one person who came up and really
inspired me. A young man with very
little in the way of finances and
resources – but with some talent that
he was willing to share along with his
time. He organized that the children at
Shalom attend a local fun run!
Seemingly such a simple thing, but it
gave the children so much. In addition
Fun Run
2 Email: enquiries@themichaelproject.org
Story time at Wingate with Lorraine
“ I am ordinary and I know I have my own limitations.
However, I do have something to give (as does everyone!) ”
to building up their fitness, the in a number of different ways.
children had goals to work towards Through opening up places in my
and focus on. They were training little playgroup for families who had
towards a particular race and through adopted/fostered orphans, these
his network of fellow runners he was little ones had a safe environment to
able to source donations for new spend their mornings. By discounting
running shoes for each child. The fees or offering free tuition to one or
children built a relationship with this two children at a time (a kind of
young man who believed in them and tithe), I had enabled parents to
encouraged them. All this and many afford to send their children to a fun
other benefits from an ordinary and happy place to learn and grow.
person doing extra-ordinary things! So I got to thinking, if I could do this,
then I’m sure other great playgroups
During the month, I revisited my
and nursery schools could also have
thoughts of what I could do or how I
the capacity to take in one or two
could contribute as an ordinary
orphans or vulnerable children. I
person. I had a small playgroup and
approached another school I work
taught 2 to 3 year olds. I realized that
with and they were very open to
over the years, I had already been
help. Because of a five-minute
contributing to the welfare of orphans
ACCESSABILITY
AW ARENESS
Wingate Pre-school graduation
Phone: +263 (0)86 7700 4009
www.facebook.com/themichaelproject/
 conversation they are willing to take a
disadvantaged child free of charge!

In my mental wanderings, I went back

over the last decade and found, bit by
bit, little by little, I had been in a
position to influence the lives of 6
orphans. These little children had
benefitted from a year’s good quality,
fun teaching in a place of safety. And I
hadn’t even realized it!

So after this young man’s testimony, I

came to terms with the fact that I am
ordinary and I know I have my own
limitations. However, I do have
something to give (as does everyone!),
so I offered The Michael Project an the time they have been at the preschool. much equipment or resources to
hour of my time once a week to do The teachers are doing an incredible job do any of these activities at all.
some music and movement and read under the guidance of such a dedicated And being “qualified” is not
stories with the children at the organization. We were even able to sing always a requirement ;
preschool at Wingate. It’s not fancy or a few of the songs for the parents and sometimes we just need to be
glamorous, but it’s doable! For the last they didn’t disappoint with their amazing available, loving and kind –
term and a half I’ve been able to go out enthusiasm and everyone – children and teaching basic skills with care.
to Wingate Preschool once a week and parents - thoroughly enjoyed the music!
So my hope by sharing this story,
spend an awesome hour with 39
The Michael Project and Wingate is to get you on board with The
excited children and two enthusiastic
preschool are definitely worth supporting Michael Project – just one hour of
teachers. They are an absolute
and I would really encourage anyone who your time each week, and have a
pleasure to be with – soaking
has just an hour or so a week to get in number of people adding value to
everything up! They are so well
touch with them and see how you can the preschools and enriching the
behaved, polite and fully engaged in
add value to their work. lives of both the children and
the whole activity, listening attentively
yourselves.
to the stories. There are also preschools at Greystone
Park and Chikurubi that would also be so Please don’t hesitate or second
I had the privilege of attending their
grateful for input. Any kind of help with guess yourself – you can help!
little graduation day and watched in
craft, story-telling, singing, music, Please do!
amazement as they showed off all the
movement, ball skills, sports, etc would
things they have accomplished over
all be welcomed I’m sure. You don’t need

O n t h e Ai r
We were really thrilled to be afforded
the opportunity to advocate for
Zimbabwean orphans and vulnerable
children on the platform that Capitalk
provided.
Those early morning sessions, on
Brita’s Sunshine Saturdays, always
ended with us feeling like we could go
on. The interactions with the listeners
and Brita’s expert guidance during our
discussions , allowed us to profile the chal-
lenges that exist; but more importantly the
great opportunity we have to address them.
We were able to outline the role of The
Church in providing, the legally possible,
Family Based Placement Solutions , as well as
summarizing the psychological aspects that
affect children from traumatic backgrounds. Simba Pfupajena ,Nyasha Chari and
All with the aim of informing and Leading The Rephat Nyarenda before a session at
Conversation of our nation’s orphan crisis. Capitalk 100.4FM Radio Station

3 Email: enquiries@themichaelproject.org
Phone: +263 (0)86 7700 4009
www.facebook.com/themichaelproject/
 LESSON TIME

Farmer Clint showing Shalom children

how to plant vegetables in precise, neat
rows..

Skills Training QUOTABLE QUOTES

S e tti n g o u r c h i l d r e n u p f o r t h e “The next generation requires us to

invest in them, increasing the capacity
future for self-sustenance through
entrepreneurship.
Awareness of the plight of vulnerable
children will go a long way in influencing
abstinence and family planning choices. I
cannot overemphasise that children are
our future.
The progression of our society is directly
proportional to our investment in our
children,” .

As part of our exit strategy for the children we are incorporating skills
training into our care plans at Shalom. Apart from gardening, pictured
above, we hope to identify opportunities to teach the children other First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa
valuable skills such as carpentry, cooking/baking and hairdressing (Excerpt from The Herald - 05 Jan. 2018)
among others.

4 Email: enquiries@themichaelproject.org
Phone: +263 (0)86 7700 4009
www.facebook.com/themichaelproject/