Thankfulness

New Church

We are excited to share that one of the new churches we visited last Fall, Myrtle Point First Christian Church in Oregon, has chosen to partner with JM2Z on a monthly basis! We felt a connection with them from the moment we met everyone there. They immediately caught the vision and were excited with all that the Lord has been doing through JM2Z. We are thankful for another partner in ministry! In addition, they have recently raised quite a bit for our building project. We are thankful for their generosity and our 8th supporting church!

Aftermath

Things have calmed down in the country in the last couple weeks. Violence and protests have stopped. However, many rape stories have come out in the meantime that took place in mid-January. Please pray for those victims and the recovery process, as there are no means or availabilities for counseling, most probably wouldn't seek physical treatment due to being embarrassed, and there will be no legal recourse. Thankfully, none of the women we work with were affected.

Dropping off some ladies from our Tuesday group yesterday

People's Stories

Financially, things continue to be very tough for everyone. We are quite aware of how blessed we are, but we are reminded each day that we have much to be thankful for. Our electrician was here the other day and was sharing how hard things are for him and his family. His youngest children are triplets, who just start first grade last month! Expenses are the highest for a parent when a child begins first grade or first year of high school. In addition to regular tuition, there are extra fees since it's their first year, also new school uniforms and books. He was telling us that textbooks are $17 and each child needs 10. And obviously all of these expenses for him and his wife are triple!

The women in our groups tell their own stories about lacking money for school fees or uniforms or both. Trying to find work. Trying to find money for hospital bills. Trying to cover expenses for grown children who can't find work or expenses for grandchildren/nieces/nephews who have moved in with them for one reason or another. Coping with ailments. Etc. They didn't ask for any handouts. They just shared.

After telling all these stories of hardships and pain, they changed topics and discussed the possibility of taking a day to clean up the litter in the area where they live as a group. Yolanda also asked if they had ideas how they could help the community. Their idea was to visit an old people's home (similar to a retirement complex, but much more rugged and bare-bones) and each of them would provide a little food to put together and make the residents there a meal.

In the midst of their struggles, how wonderful it was to have them come up with ideas of generosity and sacrifice to give of their little in order to help those in even worse circumstances! Nothing is scheduled yet, but just the idea that they would volunteer to give when they are lacking themselves. We are encouraged by the growth they are showing.

Prayer

While you've been praying for the women here and all they are dealing with, they have been praying for you. When Janeece was still here, and the chaos was ensuing throughout the country, she received a picture from her home in Indiana. It had just snowed 4 inches and the picture was a beautiful blanket of white. So Janeece thought the women would enjoy seeing a picture of snow and she showed it to them. When the ladies saw it, they exclaimed, "It is good you are here in Zimbabwe where you are safe. We must pray for the Americans and this danger they are facing!"

Perspective can be everything. In Zim, people were burning tires in the streets, the poIice were causing problems, riots were taking place, and the women were thankful Janeece was in a safe place, away from 4 inches of snow :-) 

Blessings

Items we are thanking God for:

• We have had relative ease in filling up our cars with gas when needed
• Thankful that the violence has calmed down
• We were able to buy bread in Harare, after not finding any in the stores for 3 weeks (not a necessity, but appreciated)
• We are finding ourselves extra thankful these days for each meal on our table

Please pray for our safety in travel as we make the 10 hour drive to South Africa at the end of the week. South Africa continues to be the wisest location economically for us to purchase VBS and women's groups supplies, as well as personal groceries, toiletries, and non-perishables. We are thankful to have a neighboring country with this option.

We were excited last Friday to find bread for the first time in 3 weeks

Western, jr likes to drive the truck down the driveway, from the garage to the gate

We have been blessed with LOTS of rain the last few weeks. Everything is very green!