Our special relationship with Mother of Peace Community began in 2012 when we heard Mama Stella, one of the directors of MOPC, speak at a church in the Bay Area. Since then, she has come to visit the Bay Area and included a stop at two of the Creek Kids school clubs where we were fortunate to get to know her. It was very powerful to hear the story of how MOPC came to be, and how it makes such an amazing difference in the lives of 127 orphans, whose ages range from toddlers to teens.
MOPC is 100 miles east of Harare, toward the border with Mozambique. There is a tar road until you reach the settlement of Mutoko. Three more miles on a dirt road leads you through the bush and past an old leprosy colony until you finally arrive at the orphanage. As you travel, the countryside becomes increasingly less fertile due to low rainfall, and the landscape changes to one of rocky, boulder-strewn mountains.
MOPC was established in 1994 in response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The orphanage provides shelter, education, and healthcare in a loving family atmosphere.
The children and workers at MOPC engage in a variety of projects and activities aimed at self-reliance and sustainability. The farm feeds the community and generates income. Crops, including maize, wheat, ground nuts, and vegetables, are grown, and chickens, cows, goats, and pigs are raised. Products, such as eggs and piglets, are sold locally. The farm also provides employment for local residents.
An on-site clinic, staffed by trained nurses and visiting doctors, provides healthcare for the children, workers, and the community. The younger children attend the on-site primary school and pre-school nursery. Older children attend local primary and secondary schools.
Our Mother of Peace Projects:
Working with MOPC reminds Creek Kids that many children in the world have so little, yet a lack of wealth has little impact on their happiness. It puts our own troubles into perspective and reminds us that material trappings most often complicate our lives and distract us from what is truly important: family, friends, and love.
Chickens: In 2012, Creek Kids donated $5,800 to pay for chickens and chicken feed for the MOPC farm. Selling eggs in the village market is one source of revenue for the orphanage. They also use eggs in their bakery.
Sponsorship: For $365, an individual, group, or family can sponsor a child at MOPC. This money (a mere $1 a day) covers the cost of education, school supplies, a school uniform, and one meal a day. We currently have seven families who are sponsoring a child through Creek Kids. Creek Kids chose to sponsor two additional children with money earned through selling stationery.
Dairy Cows: This year, Creek Kids voted to spend their earned funds on the purchase of two dairy cows along with feed for the year.
Letter Writing: We are establishing pen-pal relationships between interested Creek Kids and children at Mother of Peace.
