Zimpeto 20 Years Later, the Mission Remains the Same

When Heidi and Rolland Baker first settled in Mozambique, they settled in the capital of Maputo to begin the work of the Gospel buried deep in their hearts. They started several bases including the one at Zimpeto. It would be the place the Bakers began to reinforce the Stop for the One lifestyle by pulling kids from the trash heap, showering them with love, and showing them the power of Jesus Christ.

At the most, Zimpeto housed over 500 children, and today is it home to just over 200 children. Their are several reasons the number of children has declined in ZImpeto, and all of them are good. 

We've seen a relatively long period of peace and political stability in Mozambique after years of violent conflict. We believe this peace is partially due to the work the Lord has done through the people in Mozambique. As such we see less orphaned children than we did before. 

In addition to social and political stability, we at Iris Global and Stop for the One have adapted our approach to serve the needs of Zimpeto and their children. In addition to caring for children we also focus on what will empower the community to keep families intact. We have seen considerable fruit in our schools as we provide a safe environment for our children to learn and grow in Jesus.