“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in me and I in him bears much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

Give a Child a Family Africa is rooted in a godly focus. Each day begins with prayer, worship, and devotion, alongside the manuals, work-related programmes and projects that have a Christian foundation. This sets the tone for each day, creates unity among the staff, and serves as a constant reminder of what truly matters.

Working as a social worker with children in need can often be overwhelming and emotionally demanding. It is easy to feel personally responsible for every child’s well-being and health, which can lead to stress and a persistent feeling of never being enough. The reality is that no single person – and not even an entire organisation – can save all children in need.

By focusing on God and trusting that He is in control, has the power, and leads the way, this overwhelming burden is eased. Instead of carrying everything alone, we can place our work in God’s hands and trust in His goodness and loving intentions. As the Bible verses remind us, God works through us; we are His hands and feet. He equips and strengthens us for the work we do. These verses emphasize the importance of dependence on God in all activities. In this way, we can shift our perspective – from trying to do the heavy, difficult work on our own to allowing God to do the hard work through us.

When we focus on how God defines us – both in our private lives and in our professional roles – it invites us to look beyond the labels and expectations the world places on us. In social work, emotions are deeply involved and what we feel shapes how we see the children, how we respond to challenges and how we carry responsibility. When we acknowledge our feelings honestly, we create space to bring them before God, allowing him to guide us in how to respond. In this way, we can learn to hold our emotions in a healthy way, letting them deepen our compassion without overwhelming us, and reminding us that our identity and strength are found in Him.

Let us never forget what truly matters and trust in the Lord – the one who created us and holds the whole world in his hands.

Written by Jennifer Johannesson, GCF International Volunteer (social worker in Sweden)