Precious Life

I was a little confused about what the Precious Life program is and what exactly I would be doing at their drop-in center before I was recently given a formal introduction by the woman running the program, Agnes.  I’ve also just spent my first day working with Precious Life and I now feel very equipped to explain what the program offers and how I will be of service during my time in Zimbabwe.

The Precious Life program was established to help young mothers change the course of their lives.  This consists of two different elements, giving and educating:

The giving aspect involves the donation of baby supply packages to pregnant women within the Bulawayo area.  These woman can apply to the program and be placed on a waiting list (unfortunately they can’t support all of those in need) for a package of baby supplies.  At eight months pregnant, the women on the list can come get their package at the drop-in center.  Agnes explained to me that before the eight month mark, many women have been found to sell the supplies for cash because they aren’t in full acceptance of their pregnancy.  They would then be stuck with no supplies when the baby is born and the drop-in center has a necessary one package-per-mother policy.  I was a bit shocked that a pregnant woman could ever sell away the only baby supplies she had for her coming infant, but then I had to remind myself of the situations in which many of these women have gotten pregnant.  I realized how a little desperately needed cash in the moment could seemed much more logical than facing a harsh reality months down the road.

The educational aspect is much more involved and long-lasting.  The women apply again to Precious Life’s school and, if accepted, choose a trade to become skilled in: farming, hairdressing, or catering (management, cooking, or waitressing).  With my arrival, the option of learning how to provide childcare has also become available.  My role is to watch/educate the women’s children while they’re in class.  So far I have one assistant, Victoria, who hopes to work with children in the future either at Precious Life or in Zimbabwe’s school system.  I’m supposed to serve as an example to her because I have experience working in a preschool and she has been a great help to me because she’s a mother and native Zimbabwean.  Together, our goal is to a) take of the children b) allow the other mothers to study without distraction c) to create a sustainable childcare program that could be opened to the public to create revenue for the Precious Life program and its staff.

Today was my first day working with Precious Life at their drop-in center/school for hairdressing and catering and I can honestly say that I pleaded with God to give me guidance.  When I had originally met with Agnes to get a tour and discuss plans for the creche (daycare/preschool), I was left expecting roughly fifteen kids between the ages of one and four who would most likely have extremely limited English and possibly a helper who would be observing what I did for future reference.  Talk about intimidating.  However, after coming up with a rough plan, getting together some supplies, and leaving my success entirely up to God, I felt a bit better.  And true to form, He was there for me.  Victoria and I ended up with five kids, two of whom speak and/or understand English.  The only real difficulty came with their age differences, but we were able to adjust.  It was a nice and needed reminder that there’s no need to worry, God will always provide for those that seek Him.

Yet as fresh in my mind as that was, I left Precious Life today with a heavy heart.  The creche went well and I met many kind, God-loving people, but I couldn’t stop thinking about what happens before and after the program is in session.  These women, who are hardly more than girls, face daily challenges that I pray I never have to face.  I have never known motherhood or domestic abuse or abandonment by my family or prostitution or giving up a child or financial crisis or hunger.  I have never known what it’s like to not know if or when help might come.  These women are courageous beyond belief and I admire them so much for coming to Precious Life.  They sacrifice time out of their days and spend the precious little money that they have to catch a bus in search of fellowship and hope for a better future.  They have fought through what I consider impossible, but they know much better than I that with God all things are possible.  So as I’ve ached for these women, I’ve had to constantly remind myself that God will provide for them.  If not in this life, then the next.