Easter bunnies and all

Dear Friends,

As Christians from around the world this weekend remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, it is always good to reflect on how events leading to the death of Christ left an indelible mark in our lives. Please allow me to indulge a little bit…  I am in awe of how during the time Jesus Christ walked on earth doing so many wonderful things to bring us as humans to the full knowledge of Our Father in Heaven. The various acts of kindness, the miracles, healings and the ultimate sacrifice at the cross of Calvary were all for us.

Many of you may have watched the movie the Passion of the Christ directed by Hollywood actor Mel Gibson and in it details of the death of Christ, the struggles and His constant prayers to God for mercy on His people showed a selfless love for us. I am eternally grateful to God for sending His only begotten Son so that through Him we would be cleansed of our sin and that we would one day be promoted to greater glory in heaven.

Now the choice is always up to us. How do we want to spend our days on earth? What impact do we want to make on the lives of fellow human beings? And what lasting legacy do we want to leave behind? Thousands of years later, here we are remembering the self less love that was shown to us. This really does not matter whether you are saved or not. The gospel of Christ came so that we would learn the truth and the truth would set us free.

Quoting from Our Daily Bread today “Those who witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus saw His hours of agony and heard Him cry out in a loud voice, “It is finished!” as He gave up His spirit (John 19:30). His final words from the cross were not a cry of painful defeat but a shout of triumph, because He had accomplished all that the Father sent Him to do.

When Jesus died, He shared in what all of us must experience. But far beyond that, He did what none of us can do. He paid the price for our sins that we might be forgiven and have eternal life through faith in Him.

“It is finished!” was the Lord’s shout of victory because now, through Him, we can escape the power of sin; we can live and be free.”

It is finished! —John 19:30

I for one do not want to be left out, through struggles, pain and sacrifices I want to make a difference n this world. Reach out to the orphans, to the vulnerable communities, widows and those that have no one to look up to and be there to support them. You too, in whatever way can be that difference in the life of someone today just as the life of one person who paid the ultimate sacrifice of death for all of us. Lord Jesus, thank you for leaving a truly lasting legacy!

It does not matter the kind of car I drive, the type of house I live in nor the size of my bank account, what is important to me is to ensure that I leave a lasting legacy for generations. Join me in this quest!

 God gives us all we need, so we can give to others in their need!

God bless you!

Patrick

A year later 2SOL!

Dear Friends,

Growing up in a Christian home, going to church, attending Sunday school and as I personally accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour I came across a lot of miracles and faith enhancers. Always being prayerful and wanting to always being connected to my Maker and align my life to God’s will and purpose for my existence on earth has been my one and single most important journey. As I reflect on various events in my life, I share today one of the most interesting events that created new relationships, partnerships and a deeper measure of  faith and love for our Lord.

As the journey of my life continued in 2012, I was on a path of rediscovery after some of the most disturbing ordeals in my professional life had occurred in the 2 years prior to 2012. In From December 2011 to January 2012 I was vigilantly praying, seeking the face of God and praying for a more clearer picture of what He intended me to do since the events in the two years mentioned above had left me very confused. The Spirit of God continued to impress in my heart that I had to work with children, youth and communities that were vulnerable and to bring about peace, hope and encouragement through deeds and the word of God. That was easier said than done. As I worked with close friends and the Board of Trustees of Nhaka Foundation to model the organization and continue doing the work we had begun in 2008, it became clearer that we had to ensure that God was at the forefront of the work we did. Herein lay the problem. With over ten years experience working for both local and international non profit organizations, it was always difficult to secure funding for organizations deemed to be religiously based or put more clearly, organizations whose leadership and way of operation was aligned to a particular set of beliefs etc and in our case being Christian. The more we sought funding in 2011 as a Christian organization the more “your proposal is technically good, solid and a clear sustainable model to implement but unfortunately….” email rejections for funding we received. During this time I would continue praying to God seeking a clear answer and indication that this was the way to continue. I reached a point in December 2011 that I had had enough of these rejections, was in a terrible mental state and was as always trying to figure everything out, when I decided to set a challenge with my Maker to really be sure that this was what I was supposed to be doing. One morning I decided to ask God for a very simple thing “ if this is what you want me to do, can you please show me through some way that there are people out there, specifically Christians that you are raising up to support the work we are doing and also for Christians to rise up and take our role as Christians and support orphans, widows and those in distress.” This became the prayer on my heart for months to come.

On the 7^th of March 2012, I was driving from Mutare, a city about 250 kilometres east of Harare where I had gone to do a bit of research on organizations working in the early childhood development sector. Just before I got to the junction that leads to our home, I got a call from my friend Karl and this call led to a chain of events that forever changed my life. He had just welcomed  “a young bunch of Americans” and wanted me to meet with them because he thought I could be of some assistance to them. Driving to meet with them I was saying Lord I am tired I just need to rest, can I just phone them and turn back and meet them tomorrow? No, keep driving! As I drove I was thinking about all the things God had placed on my heart about the work we were to do as an organization and the promises that seemed far-fetched. Meeting with Kelsey Hare, Christie Heimbach and Daniel Vaichus was such a God planned, organized and executed appointment. As these 3 narrated their story and how God had told them to go to Zimbabwe because there was some work for them I just couldn’t stop the tears streaming down my cheeks…As Kelsey and Christie excitedly spoke about the events of the past two weeks prior to their departure for Zimbabwe, I felt God saying to me “you wanted a confirmation? Here is your confirmation!” The rest as they say is history.

I am writing this blog today just to help someone out there, God does hear our prayers and knows what we desire each and everyday. We need to be persistent in our prayers. Like Apostle Paul said “we should pray without ceasing”. That meeting led to us spending a busy few days, moving them out to our house for accommodation, setting up appointments and meetings with various non profits, showing them Harare and going to church together. All this did not make sense to me because they arrived on a Thursday afternoon towards end of day and on a Friday most organizations close off at 1pm so it didn’t make sense why they had chosen to arrive at that time and not have much time to see and talk to a lot of other people. They only had Monday as the full working day before leaving for the US on the Tuesday. I realised months later that because it was orchestrated and planned by God, it really did not have to make sense to my human mind. In hindsight everything started making sense and the will of God to this day continues to be revealed. This is really just an abridged version of this life changing experience.

Exactly a year later Nhaka Foundation and 2 Seconds or Less (2SOL) has a remarkable relationship based on trust, accountability, integrity and our faith in God.  We are working in 2 schools now changing the lives of hundreds of children through our programming and belief in the Word and power of God. Though we are thousands of miles apart with our counterparts the divine connection and link makes this distance seemingly small. We are preparing for the third visit by Team 2SOL and proud of the partnership that is growing.

God has been faithful all the way since then, 90% of our current funding is coming from Christian funders both individual and organizational. A sharp contrast to funding experiences I have had. God must really have a funny sense of humour!

Friends, be encouraged and may God meet you at your point of need. We pray not to obtain our will in heaven, but to effect God’s will on earth.

Blessings,

Patrick

Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit

Dear Friends,

Along time ago, whilst I was still in primary school, our class teacher told us that in order to wish for success and good things for the new month, you had to say rabbit, rabbit, rabbit on the minute you woke up on the first day of the month. As I woke up this morning, I said this and then did my morning prayers. This teacher, who I have stayed in contact with since 1994 left an indelible mark in my heart and as a student in primary school i was always touched by the warmth, generosity and the extra mile that our educators took in teaching us and walking with us.

Nearly two decades later, I find myself in the position where I am required to show the warmth and kindness to the hundreds of children our programs are impacting. Going back to those many years I have very fond memories of our primary school, the study trips we took to the museum,heroes acre, nature game parks and many more. Our teacher would put in the effort to ensure that we have exposure and that we see the world. For some of us coming very poor backgrounds this was the only excursion that we could enjoy and thus we looked forward to these every single time.

I am grateful to my 4th grade teacher not only for opening up my world view but also for affording this poor child a chance to realize that dreams and aspirations can be met if only a person decides to work hard.

As a person who did not have the opportunity to go to an early education centre, I have grown to realize that there are many things that I missed out on. The learning through play, establishing friendships and developing various skills would have helped for sure. I am privileged and honored to do the work I do, touch the lives we do and ensure that every little kid has the opportunity to access early education as well as supplementary feeding so that they grow into responsible citizens not only of Zimbabwe but of the world.

To my 4th grade teacher, words are not enough to thank you for all you did for the whole class and for believing in us!

Blessings,

Patrick

We will be known by the tracks we leave behind.-Dakotan Proverb

New Year, New Resolutions

Dear Friends,

I pray this finds you well 10 days into the new year! Team Nhaka is very excited about this year especially about ensuring that we move forward stronger as a team, our increased passion and desire to see all the children accessing equal opportunities for their growth and development.

As we begin this year I thought it would be interesting for me to share with you some of our resolutions for this year. We sat down as a team to discuss the different things that we wanted to accomplish in 2013 and how we could do these things effectively and in a manner that builds up accountability first to the donors and partners and secondly to the communities that are being served. We looked at how in 2013 we want to ensure that community participation becomes key in the transformation of the same communities from being receipients of aid to communities that have solutions and that are able to also be givers and "donors" in their own right. In this the team was cognisant of the fact that many organizations operating in Zimbabwe are offering and applying a bandaid to the problems that communities face and not an actual treatment and follow up mechanism.

We are determined in 2013 to make sure that we support the empowerment process of the grandmothers, uncles, aunts, grandfathers as caregivers of orphaned children as well as strengthening our parenting programs where we want to make sure that the caregivers have got the requisite knowledge, skill and resources to offer solutions to the challenges they face on a daily basis. In doing this we are ensuring that we are leaving a lasting legacy but more importantly the strength based approaches to development will leave the communities ready to take head on the burden brought about by caring for additional members of the family. 

We also intend to ensure that Nhaka Foundation is well resourced to carry out its work and that we are able to ensure that no child or community is left out of the circle. It is important that we do not spend much time looking at the resource side of things but that we concentrate and put a lot of effort to ensure that the communities are able to stand up and walk without any outside assistance. In this regard I was asked to have more "fierce" conversations with our friends and partners as we ask you to join in this mission and ensure that we reach out to the children and communities.

Team Nhaka aims to ensure that the Preschool program is more robust and is able to provide quality early learning for the thousands of children in our operational areas. Riding on the back of our recent approval to work in all the schools in Mashonaland East Province, we want to ensure that each district has a preschool program being implemented and that access to early education and development remains at the centre of our work. All parents are interested in helping their infants and young children learn and grow. Through parenting meetings and activities, they learn more about their children’s development and how to stimulate more learning in their children. They learn the importance of play to their infants and young children’s development, and this knowledge and experience empowers them to be their children’s most important teacher.

Friends, brace up as 2013 is going to be exciting and we all need to get our hands dirty as we work to be the change we wish to see in the world!

Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.
-Joshua J. Marine

Best regards,

Patrick

Looking back...

Dear Friends,

On the  6^th of December 2011, I was sitting in a very quiet area in the garden near our house and my mind was deep in thought. I was thinking of the year ahead and how the organization was going to be implementing its strategy. Sitting in that corner, I had lots of memories going through my mind. The travel to different destinations around the world, being trained, conducting trainings, speaking on behalf of children in the areas we served and going out to establish friendships and partnerships all played out in front of me.

As 2011 drew to a close, one thing was very clear to me. I had to stand up, double my efforts in working with children, whether orphaned or not and working with communities to reposition them as the first line of defence on matters that concern children. That was clear in my mind that this mandate I felt was God given had not yet been removed from my heart and I had to work harder. The odds for this were against me in all spheres as I looked around, trying to extricate myself from historical issues that had put a setback on my life and the future of children that we had worked with for years. How do you get up, how do you move forward, where do you find resources and how do you ensure that you have run the race and completed it?

At that time I probably was facing the turning point of my life and it was not clear how all this would play out but surely in this season God has been at work and has revealed in hind site now how those questions had already been answered. One of the things that have kept me going has been my faith. Believing in the power and word of God has kept me focussed, grounded and above all having belief that the impossible can happen. The grace of God has been visible in all facets of my life. My family has grown stronger in the Lord, my wife has been a true pillar of support whilst our daughter has provided the humour when I have gotten home thinking that there is nothing to be cheerful about.

Exactly a year later on 6 December 2012, this year has been nothing short of miraculous. We have been introduced to new partnerships and friendships that have been so remarkable in my life. From people that have been sending me very encouraging emails, supporting us financially and linking us with other new friends and partners. Some people though I desire to mention them by name but cannot do so, have been so gracious to see us through some teething problems and challenges. Though at times it has been difficult to approach them at first but after doing so and providing the requisite information, they have come through for us in ways that makes my heart melt. Melting with a joy that cannot be expressed.

Nhaka Foundation is where it is today because of the strong belief we have in that the little orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children of Zimbabwe can be the future doctors, lawyers, presidents, pilots, teachers and professionals that they desire to be.  Because someone believed in the potential that lay within me so many years ago, I want us all to believe in these little kids. Lets strive to raise them up in a caring and nurturing environment.

I am grateful to all our friends that have worked with us this year and that have become an integral part of the family called Nhaka Foundation. Let us join hands again in 2013, raise the level of support a notch higher and take time to do those things in life that really do matter and that save lives. Lets leave a lasting legacy!

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Patrick

I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.-Albert Schweitzer

One month later...

Dear friends,

In the past few days dark clouds have been hovering over the Goromonzi District as students, parents, farmers and the like keep their fingers crossed for a start to the rainy season. Though officially the rains are expected to start falling continuously on the 15^th of November any rain drops right now will bring in some respite to the dry and parched lands.

Earlier this month the beautiful Jacaranda trees started blooming and with it the thought of writing exams struck the children. The children have been in the middle of writing their exams and we are hopeful that those that put in time to study will do well. As the year is slowly drawing to an end Team Nhaka has been working hard to ensure that the plans for the next year are firmly in place and that we are able to deliver service, support and work with the communities to create sustainable mechanisms for orphan care.

We visited one school that benefitted from the Preschool renovation program a month after the official opening of the two block classroom and we were excited by how the children and teachers have embraced their new class and are learning in a clean, spacious and health environment. The different creativity corners, science and discovery areas and the drawings by the children that have been put on the walls melted our hearts as children chanted different rhymes.

My heart aches when certain communities fail to embrace the issues of ownership and sustainability. When parents and caregivers feel that they will always be recipients of donor aid in the form of cash handouts, food packs and school fees assistance whilst they are not doing anything. Team Nhaka has for the past 4 months been working in one such community that has been slow to embrace the fact that they have to work hard in order to provide the best for their children and community. At times when the team reports back in meetings, the easiest option is to simply to write to donors for a particular project and tell them we are dropping the project. However because in Romans 5:5 we read that “because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” we then have a renewed conviction of working with everyone and leaving no child behind. Nhaka Foundation aims to “leave a lasting legacy” and the team has realized that this is not going to be easy and we need to continue moving forward and providing guidance and direction to the communities.

Love is the utmost virtue in life! “Love is patient, kind, not jealous, not proud, not rude, not selfish, not irritable, not unforgiving,not glad about injustices, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails”

As we move forward we thank God for the people and organizations who have blessed us in so many ways and opened up the way for the work we are doing. Without love and a gentle spirit, as human beings we end up not fulfilling the will of God for our lives. My challenge to you friends today is to ask you: what legacy are you going to leave behind?

Please “Like” our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter on@NhakaFoundation .

Until next time,

Patrick

Love is the greatest power in life! 1 Cor. 13:13

Reflections...

Dear Friends,

I pray this finds you well.  The past month and a half has really been hectic for the team and myself. On a daily basis we have been up and about involved in life changing work and sometimes being game changers in key policy meetings with different stakeholders. All this has come through our policy of influencing the conversations that happen in communities and at a national level. These conversations we believe, should have children at the centre and should be concerned about ensuring that the child who is not accessing early learning facilities is able to get such services.

As you may all now by now, yesterday, 25 September 2012 we were part of the huge crowd of up to 400 adults plus 1200 children who came to witness the official opening of a two classroom block preschool. This indeed was a momentous occasion not only for us as an organization but for the community as well. What struck me the most was the fact that speaker after speaker spoke about community involvement in all issues to do with children and how it is important to provide early access to education for the children whether orphaned or not, vulnerable or not.

Team Nhaka has been at the forefront of making sure that the communities are directed towards using their energy for the development of their schools and public facilities. This morning I was reflecting on the work we have carried out this year as an organization and looking at the impact made, number of children reached, the perceptions on early education that we have changed and the influence we have put in high level meetings on early childhood development. All the work has been amazing and I wondered how such a small, youthful and under resourced team would do all this. As I reflected on all these things my spirit was led to the Book of Nehemiah chapter 4, where Nehemiah writes about the dangerous work he is doing in Neh ch4:11, how extensive it is in Neh4:19 but however he expressed satisfaction because the work he was doing was GREAT! Neh 6:3. 

Friends, I think the work we are doing is great! The level of community involvement, the number of children who have been reached and supported make us very happy and willing to continue this work. Your involvement, support and prayers have pushed us forward with zeal and determination. God bless you!

Finally friends, in all our endeavours, in all our work and indeed in our lives, let us continue to reaching out to those less fortunate than us. This we should not do because we feel it is right but we should do it because it is demanded of us in James 1 vs 27: "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” 

Until next time,

Patrick

Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.
-Edmund Burke