Rwanda:

Kim Ostern leader of the Rwanda Country Group writes—-

A special prayer for our people, the ones who have worked tirelessly and dedicated their time, faith and energy. We prayer for Anastase and Carmel, and their continued health and wellbeing. Their knowledge, skills and contributions are a gift from God.

PHARP are praying for a social worker to assist them with community development projects. They have a young woman who has qualified, and they are talking to her about the possibility of joining the PHARP Team. We pray that a pathway can open up for this to happen and that OHFI can support the development of this important role in partnership.

PHARP are praying that OHFI can visit the projects in 2026 and continue to strengthen our partnership. We pray for a successful trip that contributes to stronger outcomes for the children of Rwanda.

PHARP are asking us to pick up our paint brushes and gardening tools and join the community to paint the classrooms and dig a garden at the Kibari School. We pray this trip strengthens our relationships and understanding of the needs in Rwanda.

Life Goes on Group: "Pig Project". We are very happy to hear that 30 of the pigs are expecting piglets. These piglets will be gifted to other people in the village. We pray the piglets a plentiful, healthy and can sustain the people's needs for many years to come.

Pilgrim Nursery School Chicken Project: The chickens have increased and are producing eggs for the children to eat every day. The surplus eggs are now generating income. We pray that the eggs keep providing nutrition for the children and that the chickens continue too multiply.

Kibari School: Progressing well and getting ready to welcome students. We give thanks for the financial assistance that has been received. We pray that the Education Board approve the opening of the school with no further delays. We pray Kibari School is a safe place of gathering, growing and learning. A place where children can access education with no barriers and look forward to brighter futures. We give thanks to Gilbert and his team from PHARP and the ongoing partnerships that have made this project possible. Special thanks to Grant for his contributions and Carmel for her recent visit.

Sewing Machines: RCG have been blessed with many donations for sewing machines. OHFI have recently sent enough money to purchase 35 graduation machines. The sewing machines continue to increase people's ability to make an income and provide food and education for their children. We pray for continued donations for sewing machines.

Sudan

Could we pray for the people of Sudan, especially the women and children. It feels like the world is sitting by and watching another genocide. Watching coverage last night, it likened the situation to the Rwandan Genocide, this brought me to tears and I was left asking how this could be happening again. An image of a woman and her three young children begging for their lives appeared. There are no words to describe how they must have felt.

Carmel Hurdle, who has made many training and support visits to Rwanda, recently returned from a private visit to Rwanda. Carmel writes in addition to Kim's report.

Since 2024 the Rwandan Government has made new rules around church buildings and practices. This has resulted from numerous people starting up churches without any theological training or checks and balances. Some have claimed to be healers and people have parted with sums of money to "be healed" by "pastors" who have turned out to be charlatans. The new rules asks churches to have sound-proofing, carparking (ridiculous when most of the population in rural areas walk to church), water tanks and toilets. These requirements have closed both Jean Baptiste's and Protais's churches as they have not had the funds to meet the requirements. Both these churches have been used for community gatherings and programmes, (ie sewing at Protais's church and the sheep project group at Jenda) have met in the church. More importantly, the pastors are not able to conduct any pastoral care. Applications have been made in the meantime to have the churches reassessed for their community programmes, so that they at least can be opened for non-religious purposes.

Thousands of sincere pastors have been left unable to hold church services and provide pastoral care. This has created mental and physical health issues for pastors throughout Rwanda.

I met with both Jean Baptiste and Protais during my visit. I was shocked to see that both men's physical health was poor. Protais has been in hospital and is walking with the aid of a stick. He is very weak and could not complete the walk up his drive when we were leaving. Jean Baptiste has also been in hospital after a motorbike accident. Both men have lost considerable weight.

Julienne and Gilbert report that both men are suffering with depression as too are numerous other pastors. It is illegal for them to hold services and to present themselves as pastors. Instead of dealing with the charlatans, the government has made wide-sweeping regulations.

We ask for prayers for Protais and Jean Baptiste that they may be restored to health
We ask for prayers that the use of their churches and their pastoral work may be restored.

Blessings
Carmel

Zambia:

Report from Kim Ostern, leader of the Zambian Group and Roslyn, Zambian Director.

—Zambia is entering into a time of general elections. Please pray that the election process will be peaceful and that a new government can be elected without violence.

— The rainy season in Zambia is very near. Please pray for good rain for the crops without flooding. (Floods cause terrible conditions and suffering in Missis.)

—Rosalyn is working on a "Tie and Dye" project plan with the women of Missis. We pray for the success of this project. We pray for the women and children of Missis that they increase their financial base as they work on their empowerment projects.

—The school in Missis is going well, and the children are progressing. Our prayer is that our working relationship will strengthen and together we will build the school to ensure all children can access education without barriers. Our hope and prayer is to increase nutrition for children. The food crisis is real, and they struggle every day.

— We pray that the Lord will continue watching our families because of too many deaths and funerals causing much grief and derailing progress.

—We pray that the Ohfi Zambia review offers us learning so we can continue our mission and increase our presence and support in Zambia. Special thanks to Derek (Ohfi Board) for undertaking this piece of work/mahi.

Felito Director of Africa on Fire writes—

Greetings from Mozambique

Thank you for all the prayers,

At the Centre of Hope it has been great to see some of our children take courses and complete them successfully. We have the 3, who have graduated in this way, Divas, Valdinho, and Filipe.

We need prayers for the provision for the building of a school to serve our Centre and our surrounding community. Our first stage will be 3 class rooms. This is the greatest need for our community. The children will have a chance for education, which many of them do not get.

Thank you so much for all your prayers

—Felito

Hannah Romania.

Alice Winter, Director, writes,

"…kneeling before the Father ….Glory be to Him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine;…" Ephesians 3: 14-21

God is so good! HANNAH is being blessed by the opportunity to enter into a partnership with a like -minded, Christian organisation in Romania, the focus of which will be to deliver quality social work training to the region and beyond. We have been developing a strong trusting relationship with each other over the past 2 years so it is very exciting to be currently formalising this, in faith that what God has promised will be fulfilled.

Please pray that the details of the partnership agreement will reflect the true purposes of what God has brought us together for.

Pray for God's blessing as we embark on this new relationship together, bringing healing and hope to marginalised children and families.

We would like to ask you to pray for Catherine our trainer who also leads the monthly mentoring session for our leaders in Romania. Catherine has had a few bouts of ill health over the past 18 months and is ill at the moment. Please pray for a complete recovery for Catherine and that she will feel the depth of God's love for her and the healing arms of Jesus surround her.

Thank you for your prayers,
Alice Winter

Prayer for children.

"Lord we ask that every child in an Ohfi programme is safe and loved within a family and community."

Amen

Thank you for your love and prayers. Your prayers fan God's grace through the Ohfi ministry. God bless you beyond imagination as you pray and give of yourself to the Ohfi ministry.

Ewen Laurenson
Prayer co-ordinator.

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