The story behind a boy named Nqobizitha

Life in Zimbabwe is not easy for the caretakers and children of Peniel Centre Orphanage. Please keep them in your prayers. They are so incredibly grateful for your support.

Dear Janet and Zazzy Bandz Followers,

Zimbabwe continues to face many socio-political and economic challenges. In February this year, $1US was equal to $3 Zim. Today inflation is once again running riot with $1US = $16 Zim on average. Prices of basic commodities are sky-rocketing daily which means life is extremely difficult for the average Zimbabwean. Salaries have not kept up with inflation. Public hospitals are almost empty as the doctors and many nurses are on strike seeking salary increases just to keep up with inflation. School children are left without teachers for many days, as teachers try to make ends meet in various ways. Orphans and vulnerable children who live with their old grannies scavenge for food from bins (which are normally just empty) and beg for food in the community. 

Against this backdrop, Peniel Centre continues to do its’ best in the face of these challenges. We have been trying our best to ensure that the wonderful children whom the Lord entrusted unto us have food on the table on daily basis, that they go to school every day, that they have clothes to keep them warm on cold days, have shoes like other children and have wide smiles on their faces every week. We are very much indebted to Zazzy Bandz for all the support that is being rendered to these children. Without support from you, life could be extremely difficult for the children.

Amidst such challenges in Zimbabwe where the health sector is as good as none, 3 of our Peniel children got sick in October and we did not know what to do since there are no doctors at public hospitals. Thank you that through your support we were able to take these children to a private clinic where they were treated very well. One of them Mitchel still needs attention since she still coughs a lot. We suspect that she might have a TB infection hence we need to further take her for a medical checkup. The other 2 are doing very well and have since started going back to school. Would you please keep on praying for our children to remain healthy especially amid the challenges that Zimbabwe is going through?

We thank you so much for all the ways that you are touching and brightening the future of children who once lived very difficult lives but now have a home, family, hope, and a future; please find hereinbelow the story of one of the Peniel children;

Nqobizitha, affectionately known as Nqo never got to see his mother because she died when he was very young. He was therefore left in the custody of the father who didn’t have a proper home in the town of Bulawayo. This boy was raised by the father in the streets of Bulawayo up until the father got sick and eventually died. After the death of the father, the other street children and men became the brothers and parents of this young boy. He lived a dangerous life in the streets where he was taught how to steal, how to fight, how to abuse drugs etc. at a very tender age. Thank God that someone from one of the Churches in Bulawayo started doing ministry to street people and bumped into this young intelligent young boy. He quickly referred to this young boy who had no identity documents to Peniel Centre where he was accepted and provided with a home and proper family for the first time. Thank you so much for the support from you, through your support this young man was taken to school and has been in school ever since he came to Peniel Centre. Counseling was provided for him and he now lives a normal life like anyone else. We are grateful that he is writing his ‘O’level exams this year and we are confident that he is going to do well in the exams."

Thank you again to Zazzy Bandz for the support.

With much gratitude,

Gideon & Jennifer