TEN YEARS ago, Port Macquarie’s Martin Barrow left his job in corporate finance to assist the poorest of the poor in Zimbabwe.
Today, countless abandoned and orphaned babies have been placed in families, street children’s lives have been restored, the hungry fed, sick cared for, and children who dropped out of school due to poverty given basic schooling.
Martin leads Our Neighbours Ministry, which reaches out to assist very vulnerable children and people.
They operate homes for children, a soup kitchen, health service, lead projects and run a school for disadvantaged children.
Martin will be back in Australia telling of his remarkable work in Zimbabwe and inviting contributions so it can continue. His whistlestop tour in October include Port Macquarie, where his parents, Robyn and Brian Barrow, still live.
Local presentations will be held on Friday, October 11, at 7pm at the Heritage Christian School, Saturday, October 12 at 5.30pm at the Sovereign Church and Sunday,13 October at 8 and 10am at Grace Church.
Martin’s proud parents say they are amazed at the way Martin’s work has grown over the 10 years, with ministry staff numbering 36, and also many volunteers from various countries.
“We see Our Neighbours as like a light in a dark place, where there is joy and hope and practical help in Zimbabwe for the poorest of the poor,” Mrs Barrow said.
“They’re helping people who often don’t have their basic needs met. There’s a loving home for abandoned babies or orphaned children, meals for the hungry, education for some who would not normally have had the chance, a health advisory service and other amazing and worthwhile ministries.
“We see the abandoned babies or toddlers come into the babies’ home, often with malnutrition and bewildered looks on their faces,” she said.
“Then to see them grow over the years into healthy, loved and beautiful children, the ideal being that they are fostered and adopted into loving families, and or reunited with extended families.”
“Martin working in Zimbabwe has opened our world to include Zimbabweans,” Mrs Barrow said.
“We love their sense of fun and the way they love to dance and sing.
“As one smiling man, whose situation was very challenging, told us, ‘We’ve learnt to live for today, because yesterday wasn’t so good and tomorrow may not be much better’.”
To find out more about Martin’s work, sponsor a child or make a gift donation, visit www.ourneighbours.org. For further information about local gatherings please contact Robyn Barrow on (02) 6582 3300, 0427 335 555, or email brbarrow@bigpond.com.
