This blog post is a little different from my usual, but I thought it would be interesting to do something a little out of the norm.

I currently lead Cornerstone International Church in the Brussels, Belgium, area. Cornerstone is part of the family of churches known as Lifelink International. Lifelink is a smaller network of churches and ministries across the UK, USA, mainland Europe and Africa, with close links in India and China, all with the purpose of supporting one another in the role God has given us in the advance of His kingdom.

Something that has been impressed upon the hearts of the leaders within Lifelink is that of supporting a special project with the churches of Zimbabwe. The project is to help strengthen the ‘Rekai Tangwena Children’s Home’, which already exists in Nyanga, Zimbabwe. This home originated out of the increasing need to care for orphans and vulnerable children, resulting primarily from the high incidence of HIV-AIDS in Zimbabwe.

The children’s home is currently run by those in Holy Cross Church under the direction of Livingstone Nerwande, the founder of the home and Holy Cross. There are currently 20 children between the ages of 5 and 18 being cared for at the home. Through partnerships with churches in the UK, it has been possible to make some improvements on the home. However, this site is poorly suited to the needs of a children’s home.

Thus, the vision is to create an Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) center on a new site. The church in Nyanga has already acquired the land for this site. With continued support from churches in the UK, a perimeter fence was initially erected and the construction of a ‘mini-village’ is now on its way. The OVC center will accommodate up to thirty children, each home consisting of six children and a house parent. The center will also include accommodation for staff members and visitors; office space and leisure facilities such as a sports ground and television room; a grain mill, chicken run and kitchen gardens for education and income generation.

Some £75,000 has already been raised with the ultimate goal of reaching £120,000. You can view the video below to get a glimpse into this wonderful and much needed project: