Letter from George

We will never understand God or His love if we do not love our neighbour actively, and we will never love our neighbour actively and regardless unless we understand the love of God. We do not have the capacity to love our neighbour with our own love. We can have sympathy and even try to care but we cannot love without God. God is love. The first sign of dead religion is running from this love (to practise it) and replace it with rules and commands. This also will never work and is done out of guilt. The only love that will last is love from God. With that love we can love our enemies and we can love when it is not appreciated.

Henri Nouwen wrote in Open Hands, “It is hard to bear with people who stand still along the way, lose heart, and seek their happiness in little pleasures which they cling to... You feel sad about all that self-indulgence and self satisfaction, for you know with an indestructible certainty that something greater is coming...” Luke 9:25 says, “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” C S Lewis said (my own words) “men and women who really changed the world are people who thought about the next world the most. People who think about this world and its pleasures spend their time to be as happy as they can in this world.”

John Piper asked this question, ”If you could have heaven with no sickness, and with all your friends, and all the food you like, and all the leisure activities, and all the physical pleasures, and no human conflict, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?” What a tough question for many!! Paul writes, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

Love only starts when you discover and acknowledge who you are and where Christ met you – in your condition. I studied theology and listened to many wise people on grace and yet I had no clue because I never saw myself. When I met Niki I saw myself and asked God why me? Why her? That is grace!! Out of that understanding we are compelled to love. Not commanded, not out of guilt but out of a deep sense of gratitude. What kind of God will do that – Phil 2? David Livingstone once said, “People said I made sacrifices in Africa... they must not talk like that I never made a sacrifice. We ought not to talk of sacrifice when we remember the great sacrifice which He made who left His Father’s throne on high to give Himself for us.”

Now Hands is saying our testimony is that we defy the rules of culture and perception. We believe Africa need outsiders and outsiders need Africa. We believe submitting to each other and servanthood and giving up rights and the “us and them” attitude. Although many bad things were written about Christians (and rightly so) we believe there were amazing communities living out the Mount Sermon principles. Radical love! Are we there? Are we sinless? No but we believe! We aspire and dream if not us then the next generation. We refuse to let the stinking world and materialism and peer pressures tell us what is important! We believe in the parable of the man who found the great treasure and sold EVERYTHING to buy that field. We challenge and defy the world telling us to gather and out of security to give a little! We rather face uncertainty and criticism with those that we serve. We chose Christ unashamedly and in a world where it is so unpopular to trust Him we will should it out... mostly by what we do... but we will shout it out!
-George Snyman

The Spirit of a Champion

Osborne Mwape is 11 years old and lives with his grandmother, Bana Kulu, in a community in Kabwe Zambia. His parents were HIV positive until they passed away in 2003. His mother died from Tuberculosis. She was not a believer but did give her life to the Lord on her death bed. The suffering and hardships Osborne endures are great. The hut that he and his granny share, burned down recently, and they had to use plastic and grass as a means of shelter during the cold and rainy winter season. Food is also scarce and Osborne sometimes misses school to look after the house while his grandmother goes out to look for a job or food.

Hands at Work representative Floyd Mwila, a home based care manager in Kabwe oversees, New Life Christian community school which Osborne attends. The establishment of the school was partly due to a request by Osborne whose wish was to get some education to prepare him for the future. The school not only provides education but also helps to support and encourage Osborne, giving hope for his young dreams to be realized.

Osborne has the spirit of a champion; even at school, he is known as an encourager of the other young boys. His energy and willingness to participate, far surpasses his small size, be it in sport, school clean-up chores or any other school activities. Osborne is in grade 4 and is achieving good marks; he is positive and his little spirit is on fire!

40 Days of Prayer for Orphan Care

My friend recently read Richard Rohr (a Franciscan monk) describe prayer like this: "Prayer is indeed the way to make contact with God/Ultimate Reality, but it is not an attempt to change God’s mind about us or about events. Such attempts are what the secularists make fun of—and rightly so. It is primarily about changing our mind so that things like infinity, mystery, and forgiveness can resound within us. The small mind cannot see Great Things because the two are on two different frequencies, or channels, as it were. The Big Mind can know big things, but we must change channels. "



Today, as Hands at Work, we are starting 40 days of prayer for orphan care. I would like to invite all of you to join us. Please spend some time over the next 40 days and join us in prayer and meditation for orphans and that people will join the cause of caring for them. If you would like to join us, please click this link and look for the prayer guide link at the bottom of the page.