One of the biggest social problems facing urbanizing Africa are the orphans and street kids. These children are at high risk of abuse, neglect, malnutrition, disease, and trafficking. Without help, these orphans, street kids and vulnerable children have NO HOPE for the future! This is your opportunity to change their world. You can make a difference by touching one child at a time with lots of love, hugs, and smiles. You can show them that there are people who genuinely care and are willing to put the love of Christ in their lives into action.
We will be building a "bridge" school for orphans and vulnerable children in Epworth, a suburb of Harare, Zimbabwe. This high-density poverty-stricken community has a high number of orphans and a high percentage of suicide among the teens. Some of these children have been rescued from forced prostitution, and all of them desperately need this school for them to ever be able to transition into higher education or obtain skills for later employment. Tragically, some of these children have learning disabilities and have previously been told they are "unteachable" and will never learn. However, at this school they are learning how to read, how to write their names, and even basic math. This school is providing them with a future.
The school currently meets in a church sanctuary, All Nations Worship Centre. They desperately need classrooms with walls, desks, chalkboards, bulletin boards, and other school supplies. Will you join us and help them on their journey of hope?
What skills & services are needed?
Skilled tradesmen like brick layers, carpenters, and welders
Medical professionals
General skilled laborers
Logistics, crafts
Teachers/children's workers
Anyone willing to help
Greatest skills needed are the abilities to love children, care for hurting people, and being willing to invest your life in others!
Dates: March 10 - 22, 2019 Cost: $2000 + airfare
Costs in Zimbabwe include all lodging, meals, visas, medical trip insurance, vehicle transportation and fuel, and a 1 night safari to Hwange National Park with 2 game drives. Here you may see elephants, giraffe, zebra, lion, cheetah, cape buffalo and other plains animals. The lodge is in the national park so the animals often come into the camp at night. We will also end our time with 2 nights in Victoria Falls where you will have an opportunity to see these magnificent falls, one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World! In March, these falls tend to have high water volume.
Application and $250 refundable deposit -- by September 1. Space is limited to 16 only so sign up quickly as it is first come first to be listed. Once team roster is full, we will wait list in case of cancellation.
$1000 due October 30
$1000 due December 30
Balance due February 10
Please note that upon application approval, a complete packet will be made available to you including all trip information and any necessary documentation. Initial deposit will be returned if application is not accepted.
Applications will not be processed, your name will not be added to the project roster, and airline reservations cannot be made without the $250 deposit. Once the deposit has been made for the safari, if you withdraw from the trip, your deposit ($ 130) will not be refunded unless someone else takes your place on the trip. At the appropriate date of which you will be notified, our travel agent will place your name (as it appears in your passport) on the travel roster. After this date, any withdrawal from the project will incur a $250 cancellation penalty as imposed by the airlines. Once airline tickets are purchased, they may not be refunded or transferred to another individual. When purchasing airline tickets, if costs come in lower than estimated, trip costs will be lowered accordingly.
Immunizations (recommended Hep A, Hep B, Tetanus & Typhoid) & malaria prophylaxis (for Hwange & Victoria Falls)
Personal spending and shopping
Personal snacks or meals while traveling
Extra excursion available on March 21. See below for further details.
Tentative Schedule
Sunday, March 10 ~ Depart from nearest international airport and fly enroute to London, England. Monday, March 11 ~ Arrive in London where all the team will meet, then fly enroute to Johannesburg, S. Africa. Tuesday, March 12 ~ Arrive in Johannesburg, S. Africa, then transfer to flight to Harare, Zimbabwe. Arrive early afternoon. Wednesday, March 13 - Saturday, March 16 ~ Work Days Sunday, March 17 ~ Am church service in Epworth with church overseeing the bridge school; afternoon interaction with older/youth orphans Monday, March 18 ~ Fly to Victoria Falls and see the Falls in the afternoon. Tuesday, March 19 ~ Drive to Hwange National Park for late lunch. Late afternoon game drive with overnight at Linkwasha Camp with Wilderness Safaris. Wednesday, March 20 ~ Early morning game drive with afternoon back to Victoria Falls and shopping. Thursday, March 21* ~ Depart lodging at 11 am for airport. Fly to Johannesburg, S. Africa, then on to London, England. Friday, March 22 ~ Arrive in London, England. Depart for either Houston or Denver.
* You will have an option at your own additional cost to either go on an elephant ride safari through a wild game reserve, walk with the lions, or go on a helicopter ride, the flight of angels, over Victoria Falls. Cost avg is $150 per person. This will be early in the morning before we head to the airport.
