The Sandra Jones Center

Old Hotel Rio is a place you just want to take your shoes off and run around in the grass. First because of the obvious, its grass, in Africa. But second because your running with a mass of 3 year olds behind you. You're running with the sound of tiny voices yelling, "Auntie!!!!" As you walk in for tea time, you scan the room for a chair to sit in. You see little feet, shoeless, dangling, and kicking vigorously in their seats. You sit with some older girls and they smile and giggle as you ask them about their tea and how school is going for them. They love to hear you speak, they hang onto your words as they come out of your mouth. They starve for your attention. You see, they have been left, they have been abused, they have been broken, and they need your love. They crave it, its why they ask if you will be returning to them. They want to be sure you won't leave forever. They have come to memorize the day and time of our coming and going, they wait outside as if they were just hanging out out there, in reality you can see in their faces they were waiting for us to drive up. These children have been brought to the Sandra Jones Center, now located at the Old Hotel Rio. They range from birth to 18. They have either been abused in one way or another or just simply abandoned. They are beautiful souls. Beautiful souls in need of Jesus Christ. Us Bulawayo girls have had the privilege and honor to invest our spare time and energy into these children. Some of their precious little faces consume my thoughts at times. They are so full of life, so full of joy, it just ebbs out of them into us and we keep coming back for more. So often I think we find ourselves more ministered to by those we are supposed to be ministering to. God has been good in opening doors and windows and flood gates for us to just pour into this group of children and teens. We have been given the opportunity to share the love of Christ through math tutoring, swim lessons, bible studies, and starting very soon a volley ball team! We take time to do every day things so as to invest for an eternity. We are excited to see what all is going to unfold in our time with these girls, but for now, we know that this is where the Father wants us.

VBS Offering Blesses Orphans

What does a small Vacation Bible School in northeast Texas, some Zimbabwean Baptist Women, and some Zimbabwean Baptist Men all have in common? They have all contributed toward the preparations for the opening of the Baptist Orphan Care Hostel in Southern Zimbabwe.

Ever since missionaries Gregg and Donna Fort began working with orphans, Leesville Baptist Church (the church Gregg pastored before being appointed as a missionary) has given their VBS offering to help provide with the orphan ministry. In the past, the money has primarily been used to help purchase school supplies and other needed items for orphans. This year was a little different.

In an earlier blog we shared with you how huts were being prepared by Baptist Men in Mberengwa so that a few orphans will have a place to stay near a primary and secondary school. Their meals will be provided, and they will have “parents” to take care of them and see that their physical, mental, and spiritual needs are met. It is hoped that eventually the orphan care center can hold as many as 60 children, but we are starting small this year with only 9.

One of the needs was for curtains in each of the huts in which the children will be living. With the VBS money Donna purchased fabric for curtains and cut them the right size.



Then the Baptist Women of Mkoba Baptist Church in Gweru, spent an afternoon working together to get the curtains made.



Different groups were assigned different tasks.



With the remaining money Donna was able to purchase basic school supplies for the 9 orphans who will be living in the boarding facility this year. Also purchased were a globe, a flag, dictionaries and other resource books as well as Bibles and hymnbooks which will be used by the children.



Thank you Leesville Baptist Church for helping these orphans get off to a great new start.