Trip Reflections: The Rock Church

Friends, Over the past 3 weeks, I've had the good fortunate of traveling across Zambia & Zimbabwe meeting church leaders across all denominations, all doing unique work in AIDS orphan care. The trip's objectives were the following: 1) Discover potential project partners in Zambia; 2) Document the work of Forgotten Voices partners in Zimbabwe; 3) Improve communication channels between USA donors and African projects.

My reflections each day this week are related to the first 2 objectives of the trip, as I outline where we are going from here as an organization.

Today's reflection is on James, pastor of The Rock Church. Forgotten Voices partners with James' church at $1,000 right now, but we plan to increase that project to $2,000/year in 2008. Your gifts will go to this effort!

The Rock: Led by James Moyo, Age 26
With about 200 people calling the church home, this "small" rural church is having a big impact! While weekly attendance is closer to 60 people, many more consider the ministry of The Rock to have a direct impact on their lives.

The Rock is led by James, a 26 year old young man that became a Christian at the age of 18. He is a guy that wrestles all the time with what more he and his community can do to help orphans. He, too, is convicted constantly by James 1:27.

We currently work with The Rock by helping send 23 orphans to school and by helping provide funding for a house James is building by himself. The house will be used as his personal house (his first home since he was 15), a prayer place for the church, and a safe haven for orphans that are homeless. The house will have a permanent extra bedroom for kids that need a home temporarily until James can help locate a long-term option. All for less than $1,000 USD.

Below are photos of the house, along with photos of James. Here is a photo of the tent he is occupying while his home is being built.

Now - in 2008 - we'd like to continue helping the church grow its ministry to orphans by working with them to repair a well and construct a new one at a strategic location they've identified. These 2 water sources will be piped from the central water spot down to James' house, where the water will provide for a Farming God's Way garden that provides food for orphans in the community.

We plan to support The Rock at $2,000. Look for additional information on James, including a video interview in Spring 2008. If you'd like to give to this project, we ask you to make a donation at www.ForgottenVoices.org and list The Rock within the comments section.

Thanks for your interest in James, The Rock, and the ministry of Forgotten Voices.