Charis Update August 2025
'Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom, one generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They tell of the power of your awesome works—and I will proclaim your great deeds. They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.' (Psalm 145:3-7)
Life Centre building complete!
Developing Life Centre prayer garden
The Vision of the ACM Life Centre in Vilanculos, MOZAMBIQUE is unfolding before our eyes. I am reminded of the prophetic word God gave us from Zechariah 4 a few years ago when we were sensing a real urge to establish a place of training, equipping and encounter - the Lord asks the prophet 'What do you see?' Similar to the prophetic picture Zechariah saw, we saw a place brimming with the transforming life of Jesus - full of God's Spirit, a place blessed by God, a place where the oil of the Holy Spirit would be poured out in worship and truth bringing revelation, freedom, change, growth and joy not only to the surrounding community but moving out beyond to touch and impact the nations.
In the prophet's vision the Lord spoke to the mountain of impossibility declaring it would become level ground and declared: 'Who dares despise the day of small things..' In our smallness we sometimes felt and still feel the impossibility of this venture but God is more than able to do immeasurably more than we can hope or imagine!
As the building has grown so the clarity of the vision has come into sharper focus. In October 2024, whilst we were in Mozambique, we all felt the Holy Spirit's promptings for Orlando to be trained further in worship theology, music and discipleship. God provided a wonderful course at Hatfield Worship Academy in Pretoria, SA, which Orlando attended February to July this year.
We were delighted to be in Mozambique for the month of July to see the Life Centre and the fantastic job Sergio has done in overseeing the build, and hear and see the powerful impact of the course on Orlando's heart and life as well as his increased skills and knowledge.
Orlando’s Joyful family reunion
As Orlando has shared his heart and we have prayed and reflected together, we believe with the help of God and partners that the Life Centre can become a Worship Academy offering training in discipleship, music and worship theology creating next generation worship leaders, who know and love Jesus and His gospel and lead others to powerfully encounter God. This is our prayer please join hands with us in this.
In October we will return to Mozambique for the official opening and commissioning of the Life Centre, when we will invite local church and civic leaders - and celebrate Jesus together.
During our visit in July we had the joy of visiting Frederico's new church plant. Frederico's vision is to see families healed and transformed by Jesus, set free from fear, idols and addictions. We join our hearts with them and pray - AMEN! This week Orlando and Sergio held kids club at the church - as Frederico said - his prayer is that the children will go home full of joy, singing and chatting about Jesus and the parents will follow!
Orlando leading Kids in praising God
During our visit we visited old friends in the villages and families we support. We were very happy to visit Jenny, whom we have known since she was born. Jenny was born with a problem requiring surgery which saved her life but left her paralyzed. She is the happiest girl you could know and gets around on her knees..shes pretty quick too! But we have been looking for a good wheelchair for a while and finally have sourced one. Her delight and her mother's gratitude was so humbling. Her world has been made a little larger:)
Jenny
What a blessing!
We are celebrating with BENTO this month, who has successfully graduated his engineering course after 18 months of hard work. We pray God will bless him with a good job, which will abundantly provide for his beautiful family of 6 children!
God bless you Bento!
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Charis continues to help the poorest of the poor in the communities. In the coming weeks the team will travel up to Bandua to assess the situation there as well as providing a number of families with water pumps. Water pumps have the potential to transform the lives of families who survive on what they grow. At the mercy of the harsh seasons, crops in Bandua often fail leaving many families barely able to survive. Water pumps will provide year round water and hence year round food.
In July, Andre our Bandua co-ordinator, distributed much needed food to some very vulnerable families and elderly.
Grandparents who care for their grandchildren
CHARIS ETHIOPIA - A Growing Ministry!
'The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down...... The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.' (Psalm 145:9,14-16)
Food distribution to some of the families July 2025
Life in Ethiopia continues to be very challenging with many families on the move having fled conflict and poverty in neighbouring provinces. They seek help and a new life in the capital Addis Ababa, only to find equally desperate conditions there with the only option to beg and live on the streets. The police have been directed to move them on so they are always on the move. These are often mothers with 3/4 children and life is dangerous.
Elizabeth and Febien are busy reaching out to such families offering them safe rooms which Charis rents and monthly food and medicines. Recently after a long search they found a new compound (below) with space for 5 families - to date 4 of the rooms are filled with space for one mother and a baby. Outside this compound 5 more families have been housed in various rooms close to each other. In another area of Addis we also support 5 elderly individuals. In total 10 families plus 5 other elderly individuals are being supported in Addis.
New compound
In May Elizabeth and Febien came across Fatima, 38, a muslim lady with 2 children living in great trouble on the streets after coming from Oromiya 2 months previously. Her husband had died 2 years before leaving the family in a dire situation. Four of her children died of malnutrition, which led her in desperation to leave Oromiya and seek help in Addis. It can only be the grace of God that led Elizabeth to find this desperate family who now have safe shelter and food.
The day Elizabeth found Fatima with her children on the street
Hope and joy for Fatima and her family!
More recently in July, two more families were rescued off the streets; Nuriya and her 2 children (below), who came with her husband from the Somali region due to the conflicts. Her husband died 7 months ago leaving the family unable to pay the rent and forced to live and beg on the streets and Mulu with her 3 children, whose husband also died. Her eldest son then went missing leaving the family with no option but to live on the streets trying to survive.
Nuriya and children
Rescued by the love of Jesus
A day in the life of Elizabeth and Febien is challenging - mainly due to transport difficulties. They do not have a vehicle and so have to use taxis for everything - to visit, distribute food, look for accommodation and office space, move families off the streets to the rooms, buy mattresses and other basic necessities etc. We have personal experience of these small taxis and driving around in them feels like you are back at the fairground riding the dodgems! Dodging people begging on the streets, horses, goats and relentless traffic jams. Our prayer is to be able to help with transport in the near future.
The forward vision is to establish partnerships with other associations and ministries which train women in life skills, so that the families can eventually become independent and find self-sustaining ways to survive. Tigist, the mother of two, who was found very sick living in a small public toilet is now strong and has started a little street-side business making coffee.
In order for this plan and vision to be realised, Febien is leading the process of registering an association - Charis Ethiopia, which we pray, will open up new doors of opportunity as well as a platform to raise funding and support from local churches, government initiatives and potentially businesses. Presently they are seeking office premises which is a requirement for all NGOs.
It is a privilege to be working together with Elizabeth and Febien in this mercy and compassion ministry; we often zoom and pray together. The ministry also continues in Nekemte, Elizabeth's home town in Oromiya, where 13 elderly widows and children continue to be supported monthly with food and the children in school.
Our prayer is that Charis Ethiopia will also establish a discipleship focus so that each mother and child will come to know and trust in Jesus, who loves them and gave his life for them.
And finally we celebrate the news of Sergio, our Mozambique co-coordinator and Amelia, who in April became engaged. May God bless their relationship and unite them in His enduring love and purpose.
We thank you all for supporting our work in Mozambique and Ethiopia; you are partnering with us to bring the love of God in action to those who are suffering and to provide all with the opportunity to encounter the truth and beauty of Jesus through love, worship, bible teaching and discipleship.
God bless you richly, Mel, Mandy and Charis teams xxx
If you wish to donate - Barclays Bank: Charis Ministries. Sort Code: 20-09-72 Account Number: 63652572 or contact Mel – melwel72003@yahoo.co.uk
Registered UK Charity 1138859