Missional & Outreach Work

Hands at Work is a Christian non-profit organisation working in some of the most vulnerable communities across sub-Saharan Africa where HIV/AIDS, poverty, and numbers of orphans are highest, and where support structures are very low. Hands at Work serves in eight countries: South Africa, Eswatini, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria.  The charity helps the local church in those communities to care effectively for the orphaned and vulnerable by providing three essential services: food, basic health care and education. 

Partnership with the church outside of Africa

Seeking to respond to the biblical mandate of justice and the call to care for the dying, widows and orphans, Hands at Work believes this is not solely the responsibility of the Church in Africa.  The charity extends a challenge to churches outside Africa, inviting them into a relationship with the very poorest, by partnering in one of the communities we serve.  Partners get to know the local care workers & children, and support the provision of the three essential services. This is the partnership that St. Michael’s has entered into with Mutaba.  Read more about their Mutaba project, and please consider donating.

'Hands at Work' in St Michael's

As a church we are very fortunate to have two retired vicars in our congregation who help our clergy & ministry team, David and Jane Newsome.  They also run the UK office for the charity, fundraise and organise regular trips out to Mutaba for volunteers.  On Sunday 16th March 2025, St. Michael’s celebrated it’s launch of it first partnership with Mutaba in Zambia with a special service.   At the service, we heard how care workers at the care point in Mutaba look after each child individually, knowing them by name just us God knows each person by name.

Later in the month, they visited the Rainbows, Brownies and Girl Guides in Boldmere, to tell them about what life is like for children and young people who live in Mutaba.  The children had the opportunity to play the games children in Mutaba play, try out their local, staple food, Nshima (a thick porridge made from ground cornmeal), and learn how care workers at the care point look after the children and their families.

Our CMS Partners are David and Azaria, who work mentoring children and young people in Guatemala, as well as developing local mentors out there.  In Guatemala, many children and young people are growing up in extremely challenging contexts, such as vulnerable communities where there are high risks of violence, abuse and neglect, or in children’s homes having been separated from their families.

David and Azaria visited St. Michael’s on Sunday 25th May 2025. Catch up on youtube to find out more about their work helping young people like Jeancarlo and Gisel. For more information, please visit their profile.