‘I am now a changed person... and I hope through my experience, others can be encouraged’

Since the 2015 El Niño, Zimbabwe has seen widespread drought that has affected crop yields, food supplies, and triggered acute food shortages. According to reports, almost 4 million people are in need of food aid and assistance.

Evans Chipfumbu lives with his wife and three children. Life for Evans has had its challenges; the devastating drought meant it was impossible for farmers to grow a successful harvest and as such, Evans struggled to provide for his family. But, thanks to your faithful support and the work of Tearfund’s Church and Community Mobilisation Process (CCMP), Evans’ life has been turned around.

Without any prospects of employment, Evans found himself unable to pay for his children’s school fees and stress filled the household. The relationship between him and his wife broke down, which led Evans to turn to drinking causing even more alienation from his family.

Evans said, ’I felt like a huge failure as I had let my family down in a big way.’

But when his local pastor, Pastor Jongwe from Tearfund partner River of Life (RoL), introduced the community to CCMP, Evans joined and started to attend Bible studies. Evans says, ‘This was the boost I needed to inspire me to get out of the situation I was in.’

One of the first things that Evans learnt was that he was created in God’s image – the realisation of this helped to restore his self-confidence, as well as his self-image. He realised that around him, he had all the resources needed to provide for his family.

Evans joined a group of farmers and slowly started to build a successful business breeding rabbits and turkeys that he then sold for grain and maize.

Today, Evans is able to provide for his family and save for the future – wonderfully, he has cleared most of the school fees he accrued while not in work. The relationship with his wife has also greatly improved and they are now spending much more time together.

Evans says, ‘I am grateful to CCMP for bringing joy and peace to my family, as well as self-belief to me. I am now a changed person... and I hope through my experience, others can be encouraged.

‘My self-belief has also resulted in the community seeing me as an instrumental person in development. I see myself as a key player in helping my community better prepare for disaster in the future, and I am happy because this is how God is using me.

‘CCMP has helped me to engage in development mode, to be positive and to look forward to a good future. I don’t know where I would be without CCMP.’

PLEASE PRAY

• Praise God for the wonderful transformation in Evans’ life. Pray for continued restoration between him and his wife, and for his business to flourish and grow.
• Pray for all those involved in the farmers’ group – for good crops and provision, and for God to supply their every need.
• Pray for the ongoing drought situation that is affecting families and communities all across Zimbabwe. Lift up all those who are working to bring hope and aid to those in need.
• Give thanks to God for the work of RoL, CCMP and pray for all those helping to change lives through this transforming work.

We pray because we're desperate for God - to walk with him... in step with his will for the world.

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