So, let me introduce you to Zimpeto (via Iris' website)
HOME
Zimpeto Children's Centre, located on the northern outskirts of the Mozambique's capital city, Maputo, is home to 300 children, 35 missionaries and 150 full and part-time staff. This Iris Ministries base was the first established in Mozambique by Rolland and Heidi Baker and serves not only the needs of our resident children but also the poorest of the poor from the surrounding areas. "To stop for the one" is the underlying theme of all ministry and activities here at Zimpeto as we seek to worship the Father with the purest of all religious undertakings - ministry to society's most vulnerable. "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27
Vistors
Zimpeto receives many hundreds of visitors each year from all over the world who join Iris's pastors as they outreach to jails, police stations, street kids and the workers and residents in and around the local garbage dump. Many take advantage of the opportunity to go on overnight outreaches into the bush, sleeping under the stars and ministering to villages far and wide. A highlight of our visitors' time is Zimpeto's lively church services twice a week. Sundays see the flat-bed trucks pull up out the front of church and unload their cargo of hundreds of people eager to worship, pray and dance to the Lord as only Mozambicans can!
Zimpeto receives many hundreds of visitors each year from all over the world who join Iris's pastors as they outreach to jails, police stations, street kids and the workers and residents in and around the local garbage dump. Many take advantage of the opportunity to go on overnight outreaches into the bush, sleeping under the stars and ministering to villages far and wide. A highlight of our visitors' time is Zimpeto's lively church services twice a week. Sundays see the flat-bed trucks pull up out the front of church and unload their cargo of hundreds of people eager to worship, pray and dance to the Lord as only Mozambicans can!
Zimpeto visitors also have many opportunities to pray for the sick at the clinic and the local hospital, visit other Iris bases in and around Maputo, attend the weekly youth service in the city and spend quality time giving into the lives of the children of Zimpeto. They take the kids on outings, go for walks to the local pool and market, or play soccer and do craft with them at the Centre and our kids' lives are enriched in countless ways because of the time spent with them by Zimpeto's many visitors.
It costs nothing to visit Zimpeto and the rewards will last you a lifetime! For more information about visiting Zimpeto Children's Centre, please emailzimpetohospitality@irismin.org.
ABOUT US
Location Overview of Zimpeto
Children's Centre
Zimpeto Children's Centre was birthed from Rolland and Heidi Baker's vision to take God and His faithful provision to those who needed it most in the world. He has proven Himself faithful in every way through the years and the Centre's long yellow wall and huge Iris logo are now a landmark on the main highway north from Maputo.
Zimpeto Children's Centre was birthed from Rolland and Heidi Baker's vision to take God and His faithful provision to those who needed it most in the world. He has proven Himself faithful in every way through the years and the Centre's long yellow wall and huge Iris logo are now a landmark on the main highway north from Maputo.
Since Zimpeto was established in 1998, many hundreds of children have passed through the gates, some staying for just a few months and others spending their whole childhoods here. The children of Zimpeto range in age from newborn babies to young adults, with many of the young men who have grown up here staying on to oversee dormitories and work for Iris in a variety of capacities.
The reintegration team carries out hundreds of home visits and family meetings every year. Their aim is to reunite children with their families whenever possible if household circumstances improve over time. We celebrate the fact that up to 40 children are able to return to the family home, or to extended family, each year.
Zimpeto's monthly food aid program provides food boxes for many of the poorest households in the area. A newly-established widows' home is meeting the needs of the older members of the community who have no means of support and the machamba, or market garden, grows a variety of fresh produce for use here at Zimpeto and for general sale.
The medical clinic at Zimpeto offers medical care six days a week for our residents and also for the wider community. The baby milk programme and HIV/Aids support and education round out the medical ministry here at Zimpeto.
The 700 -student morning primary school and 600 student afternoon secondary school provides for the educational needs of the Centre's younger residents as well as 500 children who come in from the local community each day. The school's resources continue to expand thanks to the generous donations of Iris supporters worldwide, with a well-equipped library and computer lab opened in the last few years.
The Bible School trains over 100 bible students every year. The students are then sent out either locally or to the bush to pastor and plant churches all over Mozambique. Those who do not become pastors return home to their families and employment more equipped to live as Christians taking a stand for the gospel in Mozambique.
Vocational Training: Many of our young men learn carpentry skills at the newly-equipped carpentry workshop in Maracuene and are equipped with good skills once they leave Zimpeto. Many of the girls learn sewing, making beautiful quality products like aprons, bags and skirts that are available in the Craft Shop in the Visitors' Compound. The Shop has many craft items made by the children: gift cards, framed pictures, sculptures, jewellery and more.
Ministries at Zimpeto
Ministry Opportunities at Zimpeto
Information for Potential Visitors
Information for Potential Visitors
Benjamin Project The Benjamin Project aims to equip young men with the training and life skills needed to enable them to become independent members of their community. Some attend university, others are studying to finish school or training in trades such as carpentry. There is a trip to Boane from Zimpeto for visitors every third Wednesday.
Bible School Due to the miraculous revival that has been taking place in Mozambique, there has been a great need to equip and train the many pastors and leaders of the churches being planted all over the country. We are blessed to have a Bible School here at Zimpeto and welcome visiting pastors to inquire about possible opportunities to teach in the Bible School during your visit with us.
Bocaria (Garbage Dump) Ministry On Friday, ministry is to the people in and around the Bocaria, including a church service, evangelism, home visitation, prayer ministry and distribution of food. Be prepared to pray and give a short testimony, and perhaps even to preach.
Clinic The Clinic is a certified facility that serves people from the community and the children who reside at Zimpeto. There are opportunities throughout the week to pray for the many people lined up waiting for attention from the medical staff or those attending the Baby Milk Programme.
Hospital Ministry Visits are made to the local hospital twice a week, to pray for and minister to the sick. Visitors will go with a Mozambican pastor.
Khongolote Children's Centre Khongolote is a small children's centre about 30 minutes from Zimpeto. There will be opportunity to play games with the children, pray, possibly preach, and to encourage the workers there. There is a trip to Khongolote every third Wednesday.
Machava Children's Centre This Iris Children's Centre provides a home and school for children aged 5 to 16. There is a Bible College, Church and also a ministry to assist the poor in the surrounding community. This centre has a very different “feel” to Zimpeto, in a rural setting with many fewer children. Well worth a visit!
Outreaches The Revival Team goes out each week to the bush for evangelism and ministry. While some of the revival team outreaches are day trips, most involve overnight stays in the bush. Join in and see a different view of Mozambique and all that God is doing in this amazing nation.
Prayer There are many opportunities to pray at Zimpeto and we encourage all workers and visitors to take part whenever they can! Scheduled prayer times... or schedule your own! You are welcome to pray for the people lined up waiting to be seen at the Clinic each day. Pray with other visitors or go for a prayer-walk around the Centre. Pray with the children while you're playing. Pray with the youth while you're chatting with them on the playground. Pray in the Baby House while the children are playing. Pray with the babies at bed time. On outreach, for the sick, in church... The possibilities are endless!
Resource Room/Library In January 2006 a new library was opened for the children and adults of the Centre in a renovated classroom of the school. It contains mostly Portuguese books, a few English books, some puzzles, and a TV/DVD player to show videos. We welcome your help!
Street Ministry Many of the children from the Centre have come to us via the Street Ministry. A church service with the homeless and local people is scheduled as well as outreach at some of the prisons and police stations in Maputo. Be prepared to share a testimony and pray for people!
Facilities
Home to 300 children
Nursery for under-one's
Baby House
Bible School
Church - Thursdays and Sundays
Maracuene youth project and church
Outreach and Evangelism - city dump, jails, street kids, police lock-up, local hospital
Overnight outreaches to the bush
“Encounters With God” Discipleship Weekends
Visitors' Ministry providing accommodation, ministry activities and outreaches
Food program - weekly provisions for families in the area
Widows' Home
HIV/AIDS support programme
Baby Milk Programme
Reintegration Programme
Primary School with 700 students
Secondary school with 700 youth
English courses, Library, Computer room
Medical Clinic
Widows house
Special Needs Program
Sewing Room skills training
Carpentry Workshop skills training
Farm Project - skills training, produce grown for sale
Home to 300 children
Nursery for under-one's
Baby House
Bible School
Church - Thursdays and Sundays
Maracuene youth project and church
Outreach and Evangelism - city dump, jails, street kids, police lock-up, local hospital
Overnight outreaches to the bush
“Encounters With God” Discipleship Weekends
Visitors' Ministry providing accommodation, ministry activities and outreaches
Food program - weekly provisions for families in the area
Widows' Home
HIV/AIDS support programme
Baby Milk Programme
Reintegration Programme
Primary School with 700 students
Secondary school with 700 youth
English courses, Library, Computer room
Medical Clinic
Widows house
Special Needs Program
Sewing Room skills training
Carpentry Workshop skills training
Farm Project - skills training, produce grown for sale
Dormitories
Below is a list of the various dorms at Zimpeto housing our 300 kids! Each dorm has an overseeing missionary (dorm parent) and a Mozambican educator/tia in charge of the dorm as well as chefes (younger youth responsible for each room).
Below is a list of the various dorms at Zimpeto housing our 300 kids! Each dorm has an overseeing missionary (dorm parent) and a Mozambican educator/tia in charge of the dorm as well as chefes (younger youth responsible for each room).
Nursery The Nursery cares for up to eight under-one's at a time, our newest and youngest residents. It's a very special place!
Baby House The Baby House accommodates around 30 children aged 1 - 5. Visitors can “borrow” a child from the Baby House for some on-on-one play time. There is also an active, educational preschool programme five mornings a week serving resident kids as well as the children of missionaries here at the Centre.
Vella's Dorm Eight 4 to 6 year old boys live with Vella and a Mozambican tia (dorm assistant). These boys are spending a year or two transitioning either from the Baby House or from the streets and will eventually move to one of the older dorms.
Tracey's Dorm Eight 5-6 year-old boys and girls live-in with Tracey and a Mozambican tia (dorm assistant).
Ros and Steve's Dorm One of the “mini-dorms” here at Zimpeto, Ros and Steve's dorm houses six boys and girls aged from 9 to 12.
Laura's Dorm Around forty 5 to 12 year old boys. Three afternoons a week, Laura splits her dorm into groups for activities. They may play football, play in her yard on playground equipment, do various crafts or bible activities.
Girls' Dorm This dorm is home to 50 girls aged 4 to 18. The dorm parents run bible teaching and discipleship groups each week as well as taking the girls into the community to evangelize and pray for the sick. The sewing programme, training the girls in skills that will assist them late rin life, runs most days and the expertise of visitors is always welcome!
Girls' Dorm This dorm is home to 50 girls aged 4 to 18. The dorm parents run bible teaching and discipleship groups each week as well as taking the girls into the community to evangelize and pray for the sick. The sewing programme, training the girls in skills that will assist them late rin life, runs most days and the expertise of visitors is always welcome!
Boys' Dorms Dorm parents and educators in the older boys' dorms run activity programmes each week, including a milk and cookies fellowship time time, discipleship groups and home group.
Visiting Zimpeto
Zimpeto receives around 800 visitors each year who come to spend two to three weeks with the children as well as evangelising to the community, serving practically in areas such as building, sewing and car maintenance, and taking part in the many ministry activities available (below).
Email zimpetohospitality@irismin.org for more information about how to apply for a visit to Zimpeto. Email us for more information!
To apply for long-term (one year and more) service at Zimpeto, you are not required to have done the Harvest School but generally need to do a short-term visit first. For more information on long-term service, emailzimpeto_longterm@irismin.org.
So as you can see, there will be LOTS of opportunities to love and serve here! I don't know if they will arrive in time to go to the dump, but I have seen videos of it and heard Heidi's stories of it. God has done many miracles here with the least of the least of these...I tried to find a very powerful video I've seen of Heidi at the dump with her arms around a man who had once tried to kill her. Because of God's love expressed through Heidi, this man now preaches at the dump. I couldn't find the video on youtube, but I did find this clip of Heidi describing a vision God gave her about the dump. Click the link to watch it:
Of course even if they don't arrive in time to go to the dump, there are plenty of other opportunities for God encounters.
I don't know what ended up happening with their bags, so pray they have everything they need for the remainder of the trip. Pray for continued rest and focus. Pray for stamina and energy, especially since they will be surrounded by so many children! Pray that this last leg of the journey ends with a great big exclamation point! As amazing as the front end of the trip was, I have a feeling the best is yet to come!
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