Africa Day Update!

Hi Robin

We are happy to let you know that the sports day was very well attended by children as well as by  some adults. We played soccer ,netball etc with the children and had really fun together with the kids. The adult  women`s netball team was beaten 16 to 2 by the young girls team while the men and the boys played for a draw, 2-2. We had  four Bibles to give to the winning team and one for the sports person of the day. The girls’ netball team won the Bibles while Pellargia who is one of the orphans who live at Peniel centre was the sportsperson of the day and was given a Bible for that.  

We managed to launch the Bible kids clubs on the same day which will be in full swing in the next month. Justice is going to lead these kids clubs. The desire of our hearts is to make sure that every child in this community grow in the knowledge of God. Please keep on praying for us ,Justice and the team that he is going to work with that through the grace of God we raise up God fearing kids in this community. Pray also that their parents and guardians will allow them to keep on participating in these clubs. I have attached some of the photos of the sports day.

Thank you again for praying for us.

Blessings,

Gideon

Africa Day & Community Garden!

Dear friends,

Greetings to you from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. We would like to let you know that tomorrow, which is Africa day, our Church will have sports day by the school playground to promote unity between parents and children. So please pray that we will have fun with our children in Church and that the games that we will play will enable parents and children to bond together . This is really a new thing in the community for its normally taboo for a parent to play with his/her child but we have realized that this has enlarged the gap between parents and children. We so much believe that united families have got power to transform communities, so tomorrow is our  first day of transforming people`s worldview through sport. 

We are going to launch our Bible kids clubs after the games and we want to do this with the parents so that they will be able to allow their children to be part of these clubs. Please pray with us as we sow the seed of the word of God into the lives of these children.

We are also glad to let you know that as a Church we established a nutrition garden at Mthombothemba primary school with the aim of providing school students with fresh veggies to enhance their participation in school activities and this week we managed to harvest our first fruits from this garden . This is part of our mission to preach Christ through practical ways and we believe that this garden will go a long way in reducing malnutrition ,hunger and starvation at the school and eventually the children will know that there is God who loves them. The desire of our hearts is to see all children in this community grow in the knowledge of Christ . Thank you friends for all your prayers and support. Please find here-in below the pictures of  children ,teachers  and some members of our congregation harvesting the veggies.

Blessings,

Gideon

Mind the Gap Orphan Care

Mind the Gap – Africa

UK office – Mrs. Sheila Stunell, Peckham Park Road Baptist Church, 121 Peckham Park Road, 

London, SE15 6SX phone 0207 639 0836 jennyhensman@gmail.com 

May 2012

Hi Everyone,

The amazing news is that we are within days of owning our own farm on which to build ‘Harvest Family Village’.  We have been blown away as we have seen the Lord’s provision for this project.  We have sold our ‘Ebenezer’ home which gave less than half of the needed amount.  The rest has come in through your kindness and we are left with a shortfall of only £8,000 which has been lent to us as an interest free loan.  One church in America gave us a gift of 39,000 US dollars when they heard the name ‘Harvest Family Village’.  They are a church which had recently amalgamated, with one church having been called ‘Harvest Church’ and the other ‘The Village Church’.  What a confirmation of the vision!

Tinashe Motsi

Tinashe is the 12 year old daughter of Ray and Angela.  Angela has been our manager at ‘Mind the Gap’ for the past five years and an invaluable member of the team.   The Motsi’s are more than friends to me, they are my Zimbabwean family.   Sadly Tinashe has been diagnosed with leukaemia and they are now in Johannesburg where she has begun a 6 month course of chemotherapy.  It has been a difficult time for us all as we have seen the intense pain she has experienced and shared the distress of the family.  Please pray for Tinashe and for all the family, Ray, Angela, Hannah, Shaun and Rudo, that they may know ‘the peace that passes all understanding’.  Please pray for the money that is needed for this life saving treatment.  The amount needed is around £50,000 of which £16,000 has already been raised.  

All our children at MTG are very concerned about Tinashe as we are a big family.  They want to help, so we discussed it and agreed if they were willing to walk 10km’s (including Primrose in her wheelchair!) then I would ask my friends to sponsor them – that’s you!!  We have our sponsored walk on 9^th June and need sponsors!  I am enclosing a sponsorship slip so if you felt able to sponsor one of our children please fill it in and return with your cheque made payable to ‘Mind the Gap-Africa’ to Mrs Sheila Stunell at the above address.  Or deposit your sponsor money into our Mind the Gap account (details at the end of the letter) and write ‘Sponsor Tinashe’ as a reference.  Thank you.

My family are all fine, and I am grateful for all your prayer, especially for Mary.  There has been an improvement in her behaviour so don’t stop praying!  It has been good to have mum over here for the past six months, she loves it here and has been kept busy with writing, crocheting blankets and seeing friends, in fact she has a better social life than I do!   I have asked her to share her thoughts on life here so read on. . . 

With love and gratitude for your kindness, love and support, Jenny

Dear Friends, 

Greetings to you all as I return to England after my third trip to Zimbabwe.  I have been most grateful for the response that has been given to my book ‘Joy’s Journal’ which was published in Sept 2011.  This is something I never thought possible (even in my wildest dreams).  This has brought in quite a few pounds towards the purchase of ‘The Harvest Family Village’, the vision that Jenny was given as she sees the ever increasing needs of the countless numbers of orphans in the land of Zimbabwe.  This vision is now in the process of being fulfilled, but it will take time before the children are living on the farm as there are still obstacles to be overcome.

It has brought much pleasure and joy to see the small children at ‘The Ebenezer Home’ that opened during my stay there last year.  They all look so happy and healthy and have obviously benefitted from the loving care they have received from their mother and aunties.

The children at ‘The Windles’ have all grown, they are well looked after and cared for.  These are older children but we all realise that none of them have had an ideal start in life, and as a consequence they have more issues to face.  We trust God to bring His wisdom and help into their lives.  Please continue to pray for all these children and for the staff at the homes.

I am thrilled to share the news that the church roof, to which many of you have contributed, is in the process of being completed.  Since this picture the roof tiles have now been put on.  

It has been good to meet the many visitors who have been to see the work of Mind the Gap.  It was a special blessing to have Christina & Jeff, and Maureen & Arthur here, who are friends from my home church in Bridlington.

At the end of my third visit to Zimbabwe – conditions are not much different from my first visit. There are many unforeseen obstacles, always unexpected demands, frequent electricity cuts and an abundance of flies!!  The country is still in crisis with no pensions or no free health care.  Many people have impressed me by their lives as they have overcome problems and poverty, and in spite of their conditions, are living lives fully committed to the Lord and His work.

There is also the inevitable turmoil resultant from living alternately in two different worlds.  This has been an interesting process and a steep learning curve for me (even at my age!).  I thank God for the vastness of His love and for the privilege and richness that my times in Zimbabwe have brought into my life.   Hopefully you may be able to share more in these events in a further publication.   

Thank you for your love, support and prayers. Joy 

(Please note I have a new phone number - 01262 228296)

Bank: HSBC    Name of account: Mind the Gap-Africa   Sort code: 40 02 16    Account No: 11507508

I would like to sponsor one of Mind the Gap’s children to walk 10 km’s to raise money for Tinashe’s treatment for Leukemia.

Name __________________________________________ Address _________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

Email _______________________________________________ Phone ______________________________

I am sponsoring a child _________ per km (10 km’s max).  The total sponsored is £___________ for the walk.

I enclose a cheque for £_________.  Or, I have made a deposit into Mind the Gap-Account for £_________.

Update: Delight Mpofu's family

Hi Robin

Thank you very much for your care and concern for Delight`s family. They were in Church yesterday and they seem to have accepted that Delight is in heaven in the hands of the father. We all appreciate God for all that Delight as young as she was accomplished here on earth.

The children`s teachers are all fine and doing well. Justice would like to talk with you this week if you do not mind concerning our plans for the children`s ministry. I will let you know when you can phone us so that we can talk that is if its fine with you. We are seriously planning on how we can effectively minister to children .

Jennifer and Xetsha are all fine.

Please pass our regards to Greg and the children.

Blessings

Gideon

Delight Mpofu

Thank you very much for praying for us and for passing the message about Delight Mpofu`s death to the Church. I am quiet sure she must be on one of the pictures that you took. She was 7years old ,turning 8 this coming August.

We really appreciate you very much for praying for us ,for it was very difficult for all the members of Church to really accept it ,most of them are still remembering her testimony. We all realized today that when she gave the testimony she sang a song which is all about going to heaven to be with the Lord and the thing that pains the Church most is how we failed to discern that her going was so imminent. It was so difficult for Church today when we buried her as some of them like Kepalotse Nare failed to give a speech as she vividly remembered how she ministered to her on Sunday only to be told on Monday that she has died. We had to stop the procession for some time to allow some of our people to release their emotions before burying the body.

We also involved some children because we wanted them to really believe that their friend has gone to be with the Lord. Thank you very much for allowing us to share with you both sad and good news. We appreciate you for all the prayers. You guys are a family to us and that’s why we share all that we go through with you. We have inserted here-in the pictures of the children singing during the burial procession as well as the grave of Delight. The girl on the far left(children singing picture) with a blue trousers is Delight`s sister who tried to pull her out of the water but failed. Today as the Church we spoke with the community leaders and they all have agreed to close the well ,for the community not to have more accidents.

Thank you again, pass our regards to the whole Church.

Blessings,

Gideon & Jennifer

Praying for the Mpofu Family & Hope Fountain

Dear family

Greetings to you. We are sad to let you know that one of our children from the community( Delight Mpofu) drowned this afternoon into an open well and died inside the well. She had gone to the well to fetch water together with her sister and in the process of getting the water she slipped into the well and the sister failed to pull her out. She then called other people for help but they came when she had already died. She had been one of our best children who recently also testified about what she learnt and quoted the scriptures that she was taught during the March conference. No one knew that this was going to happen and if we knew  we could have recorded her testimony that she gave in the church. We are planning to involve the children and their teachers on the burial of Delight. Please just pray for us that we will be bale to make all our children understand this as they are all shocked and have got questions all over their faces. They were with Delight yesterday and Justice taught them and everyone was so happy and only to be told this afternoon that one of them has passed on.

Some ladies from Church are also struggling to accept this and please pray for us that God will give us both Jennifer and myself the right word of comfort to the Church. We are letting you know about this because you a family to us and we really need your prayers and encouragement .

Blessings

Gideon & Jennifer (below)

The children at Bible Club back in March.  Delight was there and was where she learned the scriptures Gideon was referring to in the letter above.

Prayers for Tina Motsi

The Motsi Family: 2011

Tina, Hannah, Ray, Angela, Rudo, Shaun

 TINA

Tina, March 2012 

 Standing with Tina to fight leukemia

Being run by Bulawayo Baptist Church 

and ‘Mind the Gap-Africa’                                                                                                                    

April/May 2012 

Dear Friends,

Tinashe Motsi has leukemia and the estimates are 63,000US dollars for life saving treatment – will you help?

It started in July 2011 when Tinashe was first admitted to hospital in Bulawayo with severe pain and high fevers.  The doctors ran many tests but nothing was forthcoming.  Finally after a trip to Durban, in South Africa, Tinashe was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.  The treatments she received masked the real disease of cancer. 

Tinashe was hospitalised again with severe pain and despite being given morphine she remained in terrible pain and couldn’t move.  She was given a bone marrow test and on 6^th April we finally heard it was Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.  This is the easiest type of leukemia to treat with around an 80% success rate.

Tinashe and her parents went to Johannesburg on Sunday 15^th April to begin an aggressive course of chemotherapy.

Tinashe’s family

Tinashe is the (12 year old) daughter of Ray and Angela Motsi.  Ray is currently the principle at the Theological Collage of Zimbabwe but previously was the Pastor of Bulawayo Baptist Church for 23 years.  Angela has been the Manager at ‘Mind the Gap-Africa’ for the past five years, an organisation that looks after orphaned and abandoned children.  Both Ray and Angela have given themselves to the 

                                  community here in Zimbabwe over many years and now need our help. 

Tinashe has an older brother Shaun, and two older sisters Hannah and Rudo.  Please pray for this family at this time that they would know ‘the peace that passes all understanding’.

Along with the prayer support this family needs financial support.  There is no free health care in this country.  So far there have been donations of 11,000US dollars.  The family would like to thank everyone who has given and have been touched by the support of so many.  However, this money has almost been exhausted hence this urgent appeal.  

Costs so far

Platelets – 2,500US dollars; Blood – 1,500US dollars; Lumber puncture – 625US dollars; Drugs – 400US dollars   

Hospital stay – 325US dollars per day; Doctor’s fees – 40US dollars per visit (can be up to 3 times a day)

How you can give

Giving in Zimbabwe

If you live in Zimbabwe please direct your gifts to Charles Wawn, The Church Office, Bulawayo Baptist Church, George Silundika/2^nd Avenue, Bulawayo.  Please contact us if you require the church’s bank details.

Giving in the UK

If you are able to donate in the UK or are able to pay into a UK bank account, here are the bank details:

Account name: Mind the Gap-Africa; Account Sort Code: 40 02 16; Account Number: 11507508
BIC: MIDL GB 21 15C; IBAN: GB56MIDL40021611507508 

Branch Address: HSBC BANK PLC, 240 Lavender Hill, Clapham Junction, London, SW11 1LH 

Or send a cheque payable to ‘Mind the Gap – Africa’ to Mrs. Sheila Stunell, Administrator - ‘Mind the Gap-Africa’, Peckham Park Road Baptist Church, 121 Peckham Park Road, London, SE15 6SX

Giving in USA

If you would like to donate within the USA please send a cheque to:

Debbie Ryan, 370 La Perle Lane, Costa Mesa, CA 92627.  Please mark on the envelope Tinashe

(Please mark all gifts for the support of Tinashe Motsi.)

Thank you for your prayers and support for a special girl.  Any gift, however small will be appreciated to help Tinashe in her fight against cancer.  If you would like more information or be kept up to date with Tinashe’s progress please contact Jenny Hensman on jennyhensman@gmail.com or Pastor Jeff Scorziell at jscorziell@gmail.com.  

Best wishes, 

Rev Jenny Hensman                                                                                   Rev Jeff Scorziell

Director – ‘Mind the Gap – Africa’                                                            Senior Pastor – Bulawayo Baptist Church