This Is Africa- TIA

TIA- This Is Africa...  Always have to be flexible and willing to serve.

Our first night here there was a major rainstorm that caused a power outage at our hotel and washed out the bridge down the street.  They've been working to fix it 24 hours a day and the traffic has been challenging at times.

Thandi from Embocraft (a nearby business that supports local artists- awesome) was coming to the crèche sewing building to teach ladies how to produce marketable goods.  What a blessing and great way to earn income.

  

The crèche kids start arriving and the fun begins.  Check out this school bus and excited kids.  One of my favorite parts of Ntshogweni, the crèche kids love getting loved on.  They're always full of joy and bring great joy.

We went to Family Life Bookstore and bought every single Zulu Bible they had.  Pastor ordered more for the future.  The kids are so responsive to God's word. Sanele from the Duma family was able to recite the first four chapters of Daniel with Jessica.  How King Nebuchadnezzar learned that God is sovereign over all things.  Amazing how God works in this community, these orphans are a blessing.

Crazy times buying food for 10 families.  11 shopping  carts, 1 Toyota Quantam Taxi, 5 servants, 10,800 Rand (about $1,200 US) and Cambridge Market in Pinetown.  Picture Costco meets Indiana Jones Moroccan market.

Then the blessing of delivering the food and praying with these families.  Reminding them that all things are a gift from God, including this food.  Praying for The Holy Spirit to be in their homes and in their hearts.

There are always kids playing around the Church, how great.  Even Mlundi, a huge Virginia Tech fan...  Hokie fans are everywhere!

Road trip this morning to help the girls with clothing.  With driving and shopping for 15 kids we took most of the day to get these kids picked up, to Pinetown Shops, shopping, lunch and delivery with prayers.  Look at Jessica giving instructions to the girls.  I was babysitting Mpilo Duma, he's almost walking and I'm out of practice.  The last photo is of Jessica delivering to one of the families.  Tons of fun...

This is my primary role...  1,000+ kilometers so far.  Getting around is really difficult for Pastor and the orphans.  The taxi I'm following here is the primary mode of transport in Kwazulu Natal South Africa.  The Avis car we rented is a Mercedes diesel, manual transmission, 8 passenger minivan...  Wouldn't sell too well in the USA but a blessing here.

Thank The Lord for these orphans.  Please pray for orphans across the globe and in Ntshongweni.

These Ntshongweni girls rock!

http://youtu.be/NJmR2G9XELc

http://youtu.be/NJmR2G9XELc

Answered prayers...

OK, I'm going to share a lesson that God has taught me through Ntshongweni, being here 5 times and having my heart here for 5 years.  Whatever we pray for that brings glory to God will happen.  The Bible says so...

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." (John 15:7, 8 NIV)

Here are four examples of many Africa experiences that give me faith in this promise:

1) Jessica and I weren't sure if we were going to come to Ntshongweni this year. A move and related expenses had us doubting.  We made a decision a couple of months ago to skip renovations to our 1962 "new" house and come back to Africa.  The next day our boat sold and we had financial comfort in coming and being able to help.  Then we prayed for God to guide our efforts.  It became abundantly clear what we needed to do and God provided plenty of resources and more...  See below, the Mission Stitches at our Methodist facing church in Jacksonville Beach provided us with handmade dolls and dresses for the kids.  A friend at work provided beanie babies for the orphans.  God provided the resources to bring glory to Him through answered prayer.

2) The Gumede family boys- Nhlanhla, Sisle and Nkululeko.  We pray for God to reveal the people most in need and the means to help them.  These three orphans lost their father in 2006 and mother in 2009.  Their house fell into disrepair and they had to move into a mud structure with dirt floors and a leaking roof on relatives land.  These boys caught the attention of their principal and our two missionaries Ginger and Zeal were asked to help them.  With the help of God and sponsors in America, their new house on their parents land is built and painted on the inside.  More importantly, the boys went from shy quiet orphans to hopeful and joyful boys.  The oldest had moved to Greytown to find work and is now back working locally and helping his brothers build a better life and be an example for Ntshongweni.  These boys are inspirational.  The photos below show the youngest getting instruction from Pastor Thwala and Jessica on how to paint.  It was a priceless moment.  Imagine the youngest was 6 or 7 when both parents were gone, what a blessing to see him learning lessons from Pastor and Jessixa.  Answered prayer for God's glory.

3) The Mzobe family.  A grandfather who is 78 living with his two daughters and their children.  Through much prayer by many people this worthy family is getting a new home to God's glory.  You can see below that their home is in very poor condition.  6 fatherless kids live here that are amazing.  We went to the girls school yesterday and met with their principal who bragged about how they recently won a major reading award.  Then we met their 4 year old brother Sisle who had drawn a dinosaur on the ground that was amazing- he's 4.  I couldn't hold a crayon when I was 4.  Then the sisters proudly shared his drawing notebook with the group and it was Picasso type art.  Answered prayer for God's glory.

4) The Ndlovo family is doing amazingly well.  Nombusa on the left is over halfway into her University schooling and doing well. She will have a 6 month internship soon.  Next is Nozipo who finished earning a certificate to work in a nursing home and is finding employment now.  Phili on the right is the orphan that took these girls and their families into her own home when they lost power and all of their windows were broken out.  Phili's home picture is shown below and now she has a renovated home and new hope.  Answered prayer for God's glory.

I challenge you to pray for God's glory, open your heart to opportunities that present themselves and watch what happens.  It's truly miraculous.  Special thanks to everyone who prays for these orphans in Ntshongweni, South Africa.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 NIV)

School Rocks!

Today was school day, education is such a blessing for us all!  We started the day visiting the crèche (preschool).  The kids were loving on Rhonda and Rhonda was loving on them.  The kids went crazy when they saw Gogo Ginger, I caught a video of them singing to her and will share when we have better internet.  It's awesome.  Then Jessica helped mix sorghum stuff for the kids breakfast, they get two meals a day here.  A blessing,

We also went to Charles Primary school to meet the orphans that we're building a home for.  They are wonderful girls and recently won a reading contest at the school.  They're excited to have a new home.  The schools here are a great resource for Pastor Thwala to find the greatest needs in the village.  Principal Mazebuko was out due to surgery, so we ended the day visiting her family in Hammersdale township and praying.  She's a faithful lady and a huge blessing to these kids.  Check out the school garden, when we arrived the kids were on recess and swarmed the visitors.

One of our greatest encouragements is Nombusa.  We helped her last year get her home repaired and she's started University in Durban and is doing very well.  She proudly showed us her progress report.  What a blessing that she is so motivated and God provided for her to attend school.

Although Ntshongweni has many challenges with orphans and poverty, God has provided opportunities for these kids to grow in knowledge and faith.

Nomfundo update...  She's home from the hospital, thanks for the prayers.  We took her to Ntshongweni Clinic for a follow up visit.  We also met with her principal and let him know (different school- Woza Moya) that Nomfundo will be out...  He agreed to delay her exams. A blessing for her to have Pastor Thwala.  Here she is last night warming herself over a single burner stove.  Please keep praying for her and her faith.

Resurrection... The word of the day

Resurrection: from darkness to light, from death to life, from despair to hope.  Remember on Jessica's last visit the Gumede brothers...  Here's the youngest, Nkululako, peeking out from behind his old house door frame.  It was a mud and stick home on a relatives land that was in disrepair.

The oldest brother Sihle attended Charles Primary school where the principal pictured below notified Nthongweni Lutheran Church that these orphan boys needed some help.  Here she is with a Bible on her desk.  Amazing how God works...

Here's the original Gumede family home that had fallen into disrepair since the parent's passed away.  Pastor Thwala worked out clearing this old house and land for a new home for the brothers.

Then, see the light, life and hope...  The brothers new home is built and the boys have done amazing things with their new hope.  Check out the landscaping...

Gogo Ginger, returning missionary, was feeling blessed as she approached the boys home to see this new life for two of God's beloved children.  Both with a Heavenly Father, but missing their earthly father.

The boys even planted this awesome garden...

Sihle proudly displaying his middle school graduation certificate in an immaculate home.  The boys also proudly displayed a photo of their US sponsors in their bedroom.  What a blessing to see.

Here's Pastor Thwala helping Sihle, shepherd of all here and father to many.  We all feel blessed this evening to see this resurrected family living a new life.  Amen!

We arrive for visit #5...

A great afternoon and evening after a long journey.  We arrived , checked in and then went to pastor Thwala's house to review our plan for the week.  Usual list of opportunities to serve and love our neighbor... Build a home, deliver food, meet with a group of kids for lunch and study, spend time with the crèche ( preschool) kids and as pastor is updating us on all of the kids he tells us about Nomfundo being in the hospital.  Wow!

On Jessica and my first trip here together we met Nomfundo and her brothers and sisters.  She's the youngest member of the Duma family and is pictured below.  Her brothers are Thanthla and Senele and her sister's name is Buchle.

Great kids who lost their parents 4 years before we met them.  So they had been living alone all of that time fending for themselves and going to school as a family comprised of teenage orphans.  A miracle they were surviving.  Since then Pastor Thwala has helped be a father to then and we've been able to help with shelter, beds, clothes and food.

So when Pastor said Nomfundo was in the public hospital with TB and Pneumonia waiting for a bed to open up, we knew we had to go see her.  So we all drove to Pinetown and St Mary's hospital to see how she was doing and give her support.

She's a tough girl to be waiting in the hallway of this public hospital, alone and surrounded by people she didn't know (she's 15 now).  I have a special place in my heart for her and am certain we'll be seeing her daily.  Pastor already got the list of things that she needs and we'll deliver tomorrow.

Amazing how you come here without a comprehensive agenda and God places opportunities to spread His love right out of the gate to a beautiful child alone in a South African public hospital.  Caring for the Orphan really is true religion (James 1:27).

Please pray for Nomfundo's recovery and strength.  Ngiyabonga (thank you in Zulu )

A journey of 8,500 miles begins with one step...

Headed to Ntshongweni to see our African family.  Feeling blessed to be a part of their lives.  Do you feel better when you get something or give something?