Mercy Kuzvidza and her three children Macanaca, eight, Mac, 13, and Lucy, 22, have been living in Hoyland for around a year after relocating to South Yorkshire from London.
The family has settled well into the community but have been told they must go back to Zimbabwe after failing in their bid for asylum.
The news has prompted the community to swing into action in support of Mercy and her family.
A petition has already attracted 300 names and Barnsley West and Penistone MP Michael Clapham has backed the family's request to stay in the UK.
"What we are waiting for now is a letter from the Minister for Asylum and Immigration, Tony McNulty." Mr Clapham said. "He's our last line of appeal.
"I think it's a tragedy that we're thinking of sending this family to Zimbabwe, particularly in view of the last few weeks.
Teaching union official George Arthur said the family had suffered a number of racist incidents while in London but had been welcomed by their new community in Hoyland.
"They've had nothing but positive relations since they moved here," Mr Arthur said.
"They have made a lot of friends and regularly go around to their friends' houses.
"There's a feeling in particular that Macanaca has grown up in this country, having been here for five years. To send her to Zimbabwe would be like sending her to foreign country."
Mr Arthur added that Mercy's mother was a member of the Movement for Democratic Change, the opposition to Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party.
A house Mercy had bought for her mother has already been seized by the local chieftain who is a Robert Mugabe supporter, according to Mr Clapham.
The MP said they had received a letter from a solicitor in Zimbabwe saying they would be in danger if the family was deported.
"My own view is that if they are sent to Zimababwe, they will be harmed," Mr Clapham said.
"The little girl's whole cultural context of development has been the UK. It's great that the community has rallied around this family and shows how compassionate people in Hoyland are."
Macanaca, a bright and polite girl who attends St Helen's RC School, told the Times she enjoyed living in Hoyland because there was no bullying.
"Everyone is my friend at school," she added. "Nobody is nasty to me. My friends helped me to learn how to do a handstand against the playground wall."
She added: "In London some people were bullying my brother. I really love my brother and didn't want him to be bullied - nobody bullies him here.
"Our friends come around to our house and we go out to the park with them. They buy us ice creams and I really appreciate that."
Phil Harrison, headteacher at St Helen's, said the school had tried to move Macanaca forward since she started with them.
He described her as a popular girl with plenty of friends who was always smiling.
"They are a really nice family who have adjusted so well into the community," Mr Harrison added. "We're supporting them as part of our school ethos of caring for each other."
The Kuzvidza family received some hope last week after a senior UK judge and an expert on immigration law, Mr Justice Collins, urged the Government to halt deportations to Zimbabwe because of Mugabe's hardline rule.
Just over 100 Zimbabweans in the UK are facing deportation after failing in their bid for asylum here and at least 30 of them are now believed to be on hunger strike.
• Michael Clapham will be happy to receive letters in support of the family at his constituency address. People can write to Michael Clapham MP, 18 Regent Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2HG or sign the community petition.
Mr Clapham will then pass the letters on to the Minister for Asylum and Immigration, Tony McNulty.