Giving Voice to Kawama Evangelical Church of Zambia

Kawama is a remote township situated at the most end of the city of Ndola. It is one of the oldest settlements in Ndola that was established by retired miners. This community has not been spared by the situation of children being orphaned by HIV/AIDS and as Forgotten Voices, we are proud to be partners with Kawama ECZ's orphan care ministry. Currently the ministry has sent 34 orphans back to school.

Echoes of Mercy, as the local church orphan care ministry is mostly called, has also been supporting the elderly with food supplements and household chores. Am always humbled by the sheer love the local members have for one another and for the community. The poverty, though so evidently around, has not stopped them from their life of joy and readiness to share what they have. Currently a sweet potato garden has been started at the church plot to share the produce and sell the surplus.

They remind me of Christ's words in Matthew 6: 25-31. They have chosen to trust The Lord for their provisions and never to allow anxiety reign. Your support through the ministry of Forgotten Voices has so far been their portion of God's answer for their provisions. As you continue doing so, you are making it possible for most of these children's dreams to be realized.

We need to raise $750 by the beginning of August to keep this project going because we paid most of the expenses already, but still some to go. Give today at ForgottenVoices.org to help the Kawama Evangelical Church of Zambia continue to reach out with the love of Christ.

Thanks. Sincerely,
Remmy Hamapande, Program Director - Zambia

Giving Voice to Northrise Evangelical Church of Zambia

Northrise ECZ is currently helping 17 orphans through their education. The church's orphan care ministry also gives food supplements to those affected by HIV. They also hold orphan Sundays once in a while to have food fellowship and games with orphans and other children from both the church and the surrounding community under their care. This has made orphans feel welcome in the family of believers; especially those from the surrounding community. It has become an evangelistic ministry to those that are yet to know Christ as their personal Saviour. The food fellowship brings memories of early believers in Acts 3:46 and 4: 32, when non lacked food as they ate together as brethren.

The local church pastor, Rev. Kambungu, is also in the police service as a chaplain. His ministry therefore, extends to his community service duty as a police officer giving counsel to fellow police officers and to juveniles. He has a heart for the church ministry's positive influence and tangible impact towards the wider community. He has organized a number of seminars at his local church and in police camps bent on equipping widows and children on, not only how not to get on the wrong end of the law, but, how to live a life free from drugs and HIV and above all, of service to fellow man.

Forgotten Voices is proud to be part of this local church's ministry to the children and widows that are being given a lifeline to continue the journey of life with dignity. Join us and be part of making it possible for these children to realize their dreams through donating to FVI's ministry in Africa.

We need to raise $2,000 by August 1 to keep this ministry going. Give today at ForgottenVoices.org.

Sincerely,
Remmy Hamapande
Program Director - Zambia

Giving Voice to Ndeke Evangelical Church of Zambia

Ndeke is simple, yet a powerful force upon the community.

Ndeke Evangelical Church of Zambia has been caring for 48 orphans through their schooling with the help from Forgotten Voices International. In the last year the church embarked on equipping its members to actively get them involved in home based care for the sick. It trained 20 home based care givers who have since been visiting the sick and incapacitated, most of whom are suffering from HIV/AIDS. They help with household chores and assess on their nutritional needs and other help they may require. This has also helped in rolling out more information about prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS.

I have always been encouraged by their home based care ministry as it reminds me of Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10. The pastor and his team do not only love the Lord with all they are and have, but they love their neighbors as themselves; especially the sick and vulnerable members of their church and the surrounding community.

Remmy with Ryan and leadership at the Ndeke ECZ Church

Currently the church is trying to stock up their already constructed tuck-shop with groceries and they hope it will help the orphan care ministry in the years to come as a source of income. For the local church to manage taking these orphans to school and realize the hope of running a sustainable shop, they need your hand...!

Sincerely,
-Remmy Hamapande, Program Director - Zambia

You can give toward this project right now at ForgottenVoices.org.  We need to raise $3,500 by the beginning of August to keep this project up and running. Thanks for your support!!

Giving Voice to Free Methodist Church - Ndola

Update: This project was just featured in the latest eVoice from Forgotten Voices. You can read that here.
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The Free Methodist Church is currently assisting 26 orphans through their schooling and other nutritional needs. The church also has a farming program where members, every farming season, cultivate maize to improve on household food security for most of its vulnerable members. Each family, through help from Forgotten Voices, is given seed and at harvest, three bags are donated to the church for redistribution to the sick and old, then the rest is sold to buy other food stuffs like beans and dry fish for sharing.

The pastor, Rev. Francois Murekezi is a Rwandan refugee whose story of escape from the 1994 genocide into Zambia always reminds me of God's promises to the Israelites in exile. In Jeremiah 46: 27, God promised to save His people in exile. His ministry with the local church in this 'foreign' land has been testimony to how God uses those who avail themselves for His service.

The increasing number of orphans and widows is the reason their program should continue. More and more needy children, especially orphans come to the church door step for help. They will better manage the program with your assistance. As you pray for the local church, remember too, to donate through Forgotten Voices's ministry in Africa.

Sincerely,
Remmy Hamapande, Program Director - Zambia

We need to raise $2,500 to help continue this program. Give today at ForgottenVoices.org.

Have you met Eddie, age 14? He's a future pilot and one of the 26 kids supported by this project. You can read his story here.

Giving Voice to Lubuto Church of Christ

Lubuto community is a highly densely populated township of Ndola in Zambia, and most of the people are poor and cannot afford three meals a day. Through the local church's partnership with Forgotten Voices International, Lubuto Church of Christ has managed to purchase a hammer mill which, when installed, will help generate some income to support the 32 widows and 80 orphans currently under its care. The surrounding community is the target market for their business as they will bring their corn for grinding into corn meal at a much affordable fee than buying a $14 bag of mealie meal. However, the hammer mill installation is yet to be made as the church needs more money to pay the power utility company to connect power.

During my visits, I have always seen God's love for the weak and fatherless being demonstrated through the ministry of this local church to the community. Young and old, very old women find it a haven in the compounds of Lubuto Church of Christ. With the hammer mill in place, one can only say AMEN! to God for their presence in Lubuto community.

Through your support for Lubuto Church of Christ's ministry; your actions will resonate God's word in Psalm 82: 3 "...Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed"


Sincerely,
Remmy Hamapande, Program Director - Zambia


We need to raise $4,000 by August 1 to keep assisting 32 widows, sending 80 children to school and help build the church's hammermill project. You can give at http://www.ForgottenVoices.org.

Ryan reflects on Lubuto Church of Christ:

Giving Voice to New Life Christian Centre, Mushili

New Life Christian Centre's orphans and widows care ministry is running a tailoring project aimed at empowering widows from the church and the surrounding community so that they can sustain themselves. Through partnership with Forgotten Voices in Zambia, two groups of fifteen widows each has so far been empowered with a sewing machine each and some cash to get going. Most of these widows are HIV positive and with this empowerment, have been given hope and a new start in life with their families. The local church has also managed to take back to school about 50 orphans through buying school uniforms and paying school fees with the help of FVI.

I always thank God when I see widows and their children, most of whom suffered persecution at the hands of their husband's relatives when their husband/father died, being helped pick themselves up and move on in life. One can't help but shed tears when listening to some of their stories; but with churches like New Life Christian Centre around, hope has been given to these widows and their children.

I visited one of the widows that recently graduated from the church initiated tailoring program. I was encouraged when she told me that she was managing to fend for her family's needs better than she used to. They can afford better and more regular meals now.

As James 1: 27 puts it; "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress...,"

James echoes the core ministry life of New Life Christian Centre. With your help, the local church will continue empowering the needy in our community as the number of orphans and widows continue growing.

-Remmy Hamapande, Program Director - Zambia

We need to raise $4,000 by August 1 to cover this project for 6 more months. Donate today at http://www.ForgottenVoices.org.

Watch Ryan reflect on New Life Christian Centre

When hope is rekindled

The dusty road leading to Mrs. Mwale's home was rugged and winding, but the spirit we found her in was very jovial and friendly. Mrs Mwale lost her husband a few years ago and is one of the widows that are being empowered by the New Life Christian Centre through the partnership with Forgotten Voices International here in Zambia.

The church empowered all the fifteen women that graduated in tailoring last January with a sewing machine each, and a little start up cash to kick start their business. She was all smiles when she started narrating how the knowledge she acquired in tailoring and the sewing machine she was given is helping her. She told me how she one day made a school uniform for her daughter but little did she know that this was going to be an advert at her daughter's school. She now has a steady stream of school uniforms that need to be made because of her daughter. Further more, she has a number of people bringing their clothes for adjustment and mending. She actually feels her life has been dignified as she can now fend for her family's needs with her own hands.

She extends her gratitude to all those that rekindled her hope when she was losing it. I therefore take this opportunity myself to thank those who donate to Forgotten Voices towards their ministry in Southern Africa; and I just encourage them to continue as their efforts are very much appreciated. Indeed, people's hopes are being rekindled.

Your fellow servant in God's ministry,

Remmy.