Healing, Hope, Help
The three siblings Baraka, Rashidi, and Rehema are barely recognizable: they lived neglected with relatives until they moved to our children's village, where they were able to gradually recover. Now they are bursting with the joy of life. Like these three, many children have found a loving family through the ACP Children's Village. Previously, they lived in broken, sometimes dangerous family situations. Some have experienced hunger and violence. With us, they find a safe home with a hopeful future.
In the children's village, we also ensure that the children receive a good education and training. This will enable them to stand on their own two feet and provide for themselves later in life. But the most important and beautiful thing is that they get to know Jesus and are healed in their souls.
Youth center under construction
The children's village keeps everyone busy. Test fields for sustainable agriculture are being created, and a well house and a youth center are under construction. The latter will provide the older boys with more space so that they can develop better.
Three German craftsmen actively supported us with the construction for three months. With their help, we made rapid progress. Soon the shell and roof were completed. This was not really a big deal, because compared to European buildings, Tanzanian houses are very simple. But the local materials and lack of tools can turn construction into an adventure at any moment. For example, while working with the concrete mixer, the gears started to spin. We realized that the mixer had been poorly repaired before being shipped to Tanzania and was beyond repair. The solution? Mixing by hand—as is common practice in Tanzania.
Full speed ahead!
The children's village is on the move, and at the beginning of August, the time had finally come: after a long wait, we were able to purchase a minibus for Agape Children's Village. Thanks to the generous donations from ACP supporters, we had the necessary funds available.
The search for a suitable bus had been challenging for months: market prices fluctuate greatly, and it took a while to find the durable model we were looking for. After several viewings, it once again looked like we would be unsuccessful, and we stood helplessly at the car dealer. But then the manager approached us, listened to our request, and agreed to sell us the bus we had chosen at a good price. We experienced God's favor with us! Grateful, we drove back to the children's village with our new vehicle.
Danger on the ground
We were recently reminded of how necessary God's protection is in everyday life. We wanted to spruce up our compost corner, so I gathered some hoes and shovels. Before I returned with the tools in my hand, I heard the others shouting, “Come quickly, there's a snake here!” Indeed! Buried in the loose dust, the well-camouflaged animal was easy to overlook. It was a puff adder, one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa. The locals say that after a bite, often the only option is to amputate the affected body part. Without noticing the danger, I had walked past the spot just a few moments earlier. A shiver ran down my spine. It wasn't just luck; God had saved me from a life-threatening danger!
