Prayer for Zodwa June 18, 2009

We mentioned the D-team and their precious ministry to the orphans in Swaziland.  The spiritual warfare over these young servants is so evident, but it also confirms their work for the Lord.  Unfortunately, one member of the D-team has had a terrible turn of events in her homestead.  Please read an update from Hopechest and see the note about Zodwa.  Thank you for your prayers for this ministry!

 If you’re having trouble viewing this email, you may see it online.

From the D-team   During the school holidays we handed out some beanies, hats, scarves and underwear.  With the winter season coming, we want all of the kids to be warm.  We also spent some time playing with the kids and building relationships with them.  It was a lot of fun to see Musa skipping rope with the girls! Currently we are focusing on teaching the kids about prayer.  We are teaching what prayer is, how we can pray, what we can pray for, and how we can pray for each other. Unfortunately, Zodwa, one of the discipler’s, had some things happen to her and her family.  They were attacked at their homestead one night, and the thieves took a few things from their home and also hit her mother on the head pretty badly.  Her mother is doing better, but please pray for them as they are upset and scared. Please continue to pray for us as we work daily with the kids and travel to all of the carepoints.  Medical Clinic The children at Thulwane, Timbutini and Ntabamhloshana (and even the adults in the surrounding communities) had the opportunity to be part of a medical clinic at Timbutini carepoint. This clinic was held by Luke Commission, missionary doctors working here in Swaziland. We are thankful for this new partnership with Luke Commission and we are looking forward to doing more clinics with them at more of our carepoints.    In the Kitchen   Ntabamhloshana now has a kitchen! The children and the ladies are really excited about this. For so long the ladies had to cook in a little wooden structure, but now they can cook in a real kitchen on a gas / propane burner. This will make things so much easier for them. The kitchen was painted blue and it really stands out in the community.   Zanele in the garden. Out in the Garden   Zanele, the pre-school teacher at Ntabamhloshana, decided that she wants to make a little vegetable garden. The older kids will help her take care of it and the veggies will be cooked for the kids.       Scarves for School   Some of the older girls from the carepoint have started, with the help of Zanele, the pre-school teacher, to knit scarves. They will sell these scarves to make some extra money to pay for their school fees.                       A Season of Holidays      Swaziland celebrated a lot of public holidays in April and May and the children were all on school break from April 24th to May 17.   Easter Most Swazi’s celebrate Good Friday by going to church or to stadiums where big church services are held. Some will even go to the National Church in Lobamba where the king and his wives will attend the Easter Service. This day is taken seriously by the Christians in Swaziland. A lot of emphasis is laid on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Monday is also a public holiday where people don’t go to work, but stay home and relax. People that work far away from home will come home for the weekend and then they use the Monday to travel back to where they work.   No Easter bunny or Easter egg hunts though in Swaziland! But all the children at our carepoints received Easter eggs and the discipleship taught about the real meaning of Easter.   King’s birthday Swaziland celebrated King Mswati’s birthday April 19th. The birth of the king is celebrated every year with big ceremonies and these ceremonies are held in different regions at big stadiums. Everybody who wishes to come and congratulate the king is welcome to do so. Different activities (i.e. cultural dances) are performed by school children and speeches are made by different political figures. These ceremonies are broadcasted on television and the radio. After the day’s events a garden party is held at night for royalty and special invited guests at a different location.   A few days before the celebration starts colorful decorations are put up in the streets of the towns. You will see colorful flags and traditional shields hanging from lampposts. You will also see a lot of the men wearing their traditional attire to show respect to the king.   National Flag Day April 25 was National Flag Day. This is the day the British flag was brought down and the Swazi flag was raised for the first time after Swaziland got it’s independence from Britain in 1968.   Labor Day This day is also called Workers Day and his held on May 1st. It is just a public holiday and people don’t go to work. When it started it was a day for workers to meet with their worker’s unions and discuss the problems they were experiencing at work.   Ascension Day Swazi’s celebrate this day, May 17th, by going to church and remembering Jesus’ ascension back to heaven. Some just stay home and relax.       9240 Explorer Dr., Suite 202 • Colorado Springs, CO 80920 • Phone: 800-648-9575 • Fax: 719-487-7799 contactus@hopechest.org • www.hopechest.org

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We’re Home…Save the date! June 13, 2009

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 Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:  to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

James 1:27

 

We’ve made it home and it seems that most of us are settling back in.  There’s no doubt that we’ve left a little piece of our hearts in Swaziland, but we’ve brought home many memories and burning hearts that are seeking the Lord and His plan for this ministry.

You can’t experience what we’ve experienced and settle into normal!  So many of you have walked this journey with us through updates and prayer support.  You can’t imagine how often we have thanked the Lord for each of you!  Our time in Africa did not come with a lot of discomfort or inconveniences, but the emotional tears at our hearts for these people was beyond what many of us ever thought it could be.  God placed the wonderful salve of His love on our hearts as we worshipped Him at Timbutini with many of the children that we had held this past week.  Being in the sweet spot of obedience to Him was certainly a highlight of our week, but worshipping our Lord through song and scripture in the very place that we had wiped little feet just two days before was more than anyone could imagine.

We sang “God of this City” WITH the congregation as tears flooded our faces.  Despite our language barriers, God spoke in the hearts of everyone there.  Another team of college age students presented dramas that they would be performing during their time at the carepoints as we left.  The message was of hope in Christ – our very message!- through reaching up to Him when the snares of sin seem to be pulling us down to the darkest of depths.  No matter what there circumstance may be, the Swazis present were reminded over and over again that Jesus was reaching for them and that they could make the choice to reach and grab His hand and be rescued from this world.  During the Bible lesson, Robin had explained the difference between an earthly kingdom and a heavenly Kingdom.  Amazingly, the pastor’s message was about hope in knowing that we are sons and daughters of the King! 

The whole experience was so surreal, and God confirmed what we had been seeing all week…this ministry goes so far beyond providing the essentials for the children of Swaziland.  Jumbo and Kriek are calling for massive prayer for these people.  One of the best questions we heard was from Kevin at Hawane Farm.  He was talking about the fight between Swazis wanting to know the Lord and grow as a Christian and the cultural pressures from family and loved ones.  He often asks the people, “Are you a Christian and then Swazi, or are you Swazi and then Christian?”  Couldn’t the same question be asked of us, “Are you Christian and then American, or are you American and then Christian?”  This is the generation that can change a nation, and God has placed incredible people in this land.  The children at these carepoints have their own Moses (Musa – literally means Moses) leading the way.  He faces cultural pressure from his family to provide for them, and despite leaving the ministry twice due to this pressure, he has returned in obedience and followed God’s call in his life.  God’s presence simply glows in his face as he leads worship at Timbutini and as he meets eye to eye with the children each day at the carepoints.

There are going to many opportunities for you to partner with this ministry through prayer and support.  We’re planning a banquet to report and celebrate God’s work in Swaziland while we were there.  More information will be coming, but please mark your calendars for August 21st.  We would love to have you there to praise the Lord with us!

 

 

Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord!  Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord!

Psalm 131  

What do we do from here? June 6, 2009

WE HAVE PHOTOS!!!!  PLEASE SEE PHOTO TAB AND ENJOY! 

We know that many of you are following our blog and hoping for pictures, but we have very limited access to the computer and it is sooo slow! We wanted to post an update, and we will try to add some pictures tonight. So, if you are checking in early with us, remember that we are 6 hours ahead of you and you might want to come by and see if we updated the pictures!

We’ve been with the Gogo’s and children at Timbutini for the last two days. This carepoint is much larger than Ruby’s, but the conditions in which these children  survive is still the same. The carepoints are only about 10 minutes from each other, so occasionally, we may see a child from Ruby’s at Timbutini. The road to Timbutini is a bumpy dirt road.

Bible Study

The children listen for the sound of cars traveling on the road, and that is their cue that someone will be waiting to love them at the carepoint. They come running from all sides to the main area in front of the small church there. It has to be what it was like when Jesus saw the eagerness of the little children and said, “Let the children come.” Some of the children here walk as long as 2 hours, one way, to be at the carepoint. We’re always very diligent to end all activities by 4:00 so that the children can walk home and be safe before darkness sets in. Because of the greater numbers of children, it seems that we’ve not been able to love on these children nearly as much as we did those at Ruby’s. We’ve hugged, carried, and played with everyone, but it seems that we are constantly feeling tugs on our skirts and pants from another child waiting to be held.

We visited 2 homesteads today…our hearts are so heavy, that it seems that we are doing so little! How Kriek, Jumbo and the D-team keep smiling and trudging forward is beyond us except that it is clear that their hearts for these children go so far beyond seeking to feed them. One of the homesteads that we visited belonged to a 14 year old girl , Hluengo, that is sponsored through Timbutini. As we were traveling, you could see the shadow of hurt on her face. We tried to talk with her, but it is almost as if there is a haze that is swept over her. Getting closer to her home, we saw a young girl running along the road. It was her 17 year old sister, beaming with a smile and eating a grapefruit. She hopped into the van and road with us to her home. When we arrived, we quickly noticed that there were no adults. These girls live alone. Since Hluengo was sponsored, she has lost a little brother and both of her parents. There is no extended family that can care for these girls. They take turns preparing meals with food that is provided through their relationship with the carepoint. Emotionally, our hearts were stirred beyond what we could bare. We looked across the valley that sat below their home and it was beautiful. It reminded us that these are God’s children, but it didn’t lift the responsibility we have to care for the orphans of this world. We prayed with the girls, but we had to step into our van and leave. The hardest part of this trip is knowing that we have to go home…that we can’t be here to protect these children, to hold them when they are sick, to kiss them when they feel hopeless, to feed them when they are hungry, to share with them the truth of God’s word when they feel hopeless. So we are left with the question…what do we do from here?

God has been specifically placing His agenda on our hearts. We’re praying that He will do the same for many back home, not only for these children, but for our own Judea and Samaria. Please be in prayer with us. We don’t want to come home and be blinded by Satan and his schemes that keep us too busy and immobilized when it comes to being obedient to God’s call for us to be His hands and feet.  We will need additional sponsors and partners in prayer for the people that work here, for the children, and for the country.

Today is our last day at Timbutini. We will actually be transporting children from Ruby’s carepoint to Timbutini. We’re surprising the children with an inflatable bouncy and birthday cake! The D-team tells us that this will surely be a highlight for them, but for us, it marks the last time we will see their little faces. Please pray for one more opportunity to plant seeds of God’s hope for these children and please pray for our hearts as we say goodbye to them. It is going to be hard to drive down the dusty road back to our hotel and not have another day to look forward to being with them, but we pray that as the dust settles, that God has placed new hope in their hearts and that through this generation, He will be made known throughout this land!

Thank you for your prayers…your love for these children and us warms our hearts!

Matthew 25 in Action June 4, 2009

We began our day at Ruby’s carepoint with the disciplers.  In the earlier stages of planning this trip, many of us felt drawn to the song God of this City.  Thanks to Andrea, we had this song typed and copied to share with the disciplers (team of 8 Swazi’s that travel to carepoints each day to share God’s Word, love and hug the children, and train them according to God’s principles).  They all have amazing stories stories of God’s grace and mercy in their lives, and they are the true foot soldiers in this battle.  As we sang the song together, many of them were certainly touched by the message of that song, and we all worshipped God!  We then placed our hands upon them and prayed for each of them claiming this land for God…He is God of this city!  Musa, one of the disciplers that has been committed to these kids the longest, walked across the carepoint with some of us and said, “You know…I come to these places and travel through Swaziland trying to spread God’s Word and love.  I’ve never thought of claiming this land for God…I’ve never done that, but I’m going to start now!”  We all did.

Today was so wonderful!  We all wore our t-shirts that had a picture of the cross with the word “Litsemba” written below it.  We’ve been spreading the message of hope through Christ to these children each day as we play with them, hold them, feed them and love them.  At the conclusion of the Bible lesson today, we had 13 new decisions for Christ!  Rub’s kitchen was literally consecrated to Lord…we had to use it for the first time to hold our lessons in.  The painters had finished adding the paint to the outside and worked on the plumbing as the children gathered inside.  They were packed!  There knees were up to their little chins, they were crowded around the window peeking in, and they stood in the doorway as they listened intently to the Truth of God’s Word.  We’ve prayed for a quiet spot and God delivered.  Just as the children finished praying, the plumber came in and forced everyone out…until then, they had uninterrupted quietness to just bask in His Word!  Just beautiful!

We washed the feet of all of the children today and placed new shoes on their feet.  If they had shoes, they usually had holes in the soles of their feet.  As they removed their shoes, it wasn’t uncommon to find large holes or even missing toes from their socks.  The smaller children usually didn’t have shoes, so you can’t imagine how proud they were to walk out with new little crocs on their feet.  One little boy that always seems to have a few tricks up his sleeves, came walking out of the storage bin where we gave him his shoes with a slight grin on his face.  He stomped his foot without saying word in front of one of our team members.  As she admired his new shoes, he slight grin opened into a smile that couldn’t stretch any wider.  Many of the children literally ran up to us and the disciplers proclaiming, “I have a new shirt just like yours!  With a cross!”  They would gather in huddles and just pour over the bookbags that contained Bibles, toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, stickers,  4 pieces of candy, and a photo of our team.”  They really thought they had a gold mine.  It was a sight for us to treasure!

Additionally, we purchased 50 new bowls for Ruby’s kitchen.  The children have to wait for others to finish their meal so they can wash a bowl and eat.  Ruby was cutting reeds from a field and using it for a broom, so we bought her a broom and a mop at which she exclaimed, “Glory to God!  Glory to God!”  She wouldn’t even let us use it to sweep the mess we made while distributing shoes.  She couldn’t really believe that we were leaving it for her!

For those of you who are personally close to us, we asked you pray for us while at Ruby’s carepoint because she doesn’t have restroom facilities.  Well…we left Augusta and didn’t hit Thompson before we had someone who needed to go.  We have 10 women on this trip, and no one had to use the bathroom both days while at Ruby’s!!!!  Thank you for your prayers.  We laugh, but God does really care about the details, doesn’t He?

We’ll be going to Timbutini today.  We’ll try and update tonight with pictures.  The video should now be on the blog.  You’ll see Ruby in the on the left side of the children leading them.  The second they sing is saying, “‘I’m searching for Jesus.  I’m looking for Him as I walk, as I go around…”  We will get those lyrics out to you.  It is really powerful!  The last thing is the Lord’s Prayer that they recite before their afternoon meal.

Much to love to all of you who are checking in with us and for your notes of encouragement.  They do mean so much!  Please forward this to your SS classes, friends and families.  Holding the little ones for you!

done

Shoes, Bags, and Shirts June 3, 2009

Today was our last day at Ruby’s carepoint.  We hoped to upload the video today, but we are using the computer at our hotel and have been unsuccesful at doing so.  We’ll go to Kriek’s office in the morning and post a full update with pictures and video.  We’re so sorry that you will have to wait!

For just a taste, we washed feet and placed shoes on tiny and large feet covered in dirt!  It was precious!

Thank you for your continued prayer!

Ruby…. June 2, 2009

We have been trusting God with all of our plans and begging Him to lead us as we have carried 15 crates to Swaziland with grandious plans to have stations with sports, art, pictures, and Bible story.  Daily, we have committed this trip to Him and placed the details of this day in His hands.  Our plans were didn’t really look the way we thought they would, but they were perfect! 

Well…we arrived at Ruby’s carepoint today.  It is a large grassy lot with a wooden structure that houses an area where Ruby and three other Gogo’s start a fire and begin meal preparation for the day.  When we arrived, only a couple of children were already at the carepoint.  We immediately walked to meet Ruby and it was very apparent that God had captured her heart for these children.  She is over 80, raising orphans herself, and she cooks 2 meals DAILY for over 120 children.  She knows them by name, she trains them, and she is providing hope for these children through God’s provision of sponsorship through many of you reading this blog at this time.  Before the afternoon meal, she led the children in praise and worship, and they asked a blessing for the food in unison.  We had goosebumps and tears streaming down our faces as we listened to these precious children praising our Lord through song!  We’re hoping to have this video tonight for you.  If not, we will load it later for you to see.

Throughout the day, older children walked to the carepoint carrying smaller children on their backs.  They wash their own dishes, feed their siblings, and continue to care for them while all of the other children play.  It was so wonderful to be able to walk over to these caregivers (children themselves) and take the small child so they could play.  One 13 year old girl was caring for her mentally disabled 5 yr. old sister.  As lunch was being served, we offered to care for her younger sister and feed her.  The children have to share their bowls, and we were waiting to find a bowl for this little girl.  In the process, Ruby ran out of food without knowing this child had not eaten.  When she realized she had no food, she offered her plate for the child.  One of the disciples took half of Ruby’s food, but Ruby insisted that she take it all.  That really is only a small picture of this woman’s heart!

Earlier in the day, a small child entered the carepoint with his two sisters.  He wouldn’t really talk with anyone and barely looked up as an adult spoke with him.  We continually tried to reach out to him.  Finally, he allowed one of our team members to hold him.  He laid his head on her chest, and after a while, she held him on her knees and began to scratch his little back.  Within minutes, he erupted with laughter.  After playing with bubbles and continued giggles, he looked with his big brown eyes at her and said, “Hold me like a baby!”  Of course, she did…for over an hour.  By mid day, he was talking and laughing with the adults, continuously giving hugs and kisses, wearing sunglasses upside down on his head, and just endearing every heart that he met.  Kriek was amazed by the transformation of this child in a day.  He was the same baby that Scott Hall saw on the back of his sister who was 5 when Scott saw them nearly 2 years ago.  Kriek explained that she had never heard him talk and couldn’t believe how he was interacting with the group.

So, our plans didn’t go as we expected, but we did have lots of sports, we did take pictures, we even planeted a garden, we did have them make pictures, there was Bible study, there was lots of singing, there were lots of hugs and kisses, there was even more cuddling and holding, and there were hearts melting in each of us.  We’re here to help be the hands and feet of Jesus for these children, but we are finding that we are receiving so much than we are able to give!

Please pray for these children that they will not only come to receive food each day, but that they will receive the love of the disciples visiting them each week and the unconditional love of the Father in way they have not ever experienced before!  We distribute shoes and t-shirts to these children tomorrow.  Pray that God will help us do this in an orderly fashion and still allow lots of time for more cuddling and kisses!

By the way, we print your comments and share them with the team as we pray at the end of the day.  They really mean more than you will ever know!  Thank you for taking the tme to share!

Two Davids! June 1, 2009

We wish that we could pack Jumbo, Kriek, and two precious people that we met at Hawane Farm today!  For all of you at home, this mission is soooo much greater than providing a meal for these children each day.  We met Kevin (a Swazi and really the brain of Hawane) and Wolfka (the most precious man that lives on site and disciples the “mothers” and “aunties”).  They walked us through Hawane, and you won’t believe their heart for these people.   It became so apparent that a society without God at the very core of their lives will grow into complete despair! 

As we walked through the farm, Kevin shared that the resource they use to train the “mothers” each week is Growing Kids God’s Way!  Many of us have used the material in our own families, and it was just precious to have that connection.  Kevin and Wolfka shared a story of a 12 year old child that was dieing of AIDS and asked to tell everyone goodbye.  He wrote a note to Kevin that said (paraphrase) “Father Kevin – thank you, I love you, and your reward will be great in heaven.”  Miraculously, he survived the night as the nurse cared and loved him.  Three days later it was apparent that he might make it.  They continued to love him and nurse him to health.  When better, he asked to see the stepmother that abused him and asked her to forgive HIM!  He said that Jesus had forgiven him, and he wanted to extend that same forgiveness to her.  It was a domino affect in his homestead…God really changes lives!

Kevin and David are fighting Goliath…a culture that is at war with Christianity.  Swaziland is 98% Christian, but they have strong cultural ties that at hard to let go of.  Kevin expressed the need for prayer for all of the people in Hawane and the strong bondage that these children have in their minds to very difficult circumstances.  Their hearts for these children were just incredible!  We laid hands upon them and prayed for them both and the children of Hawane.  Our friends, we left with the sobering fact that our war is no different…it just looks different. 

Tomorrow is Ruby’s carepoint.  This journey has been so emotional, and we have barely touched the surface.  Our hearts break as we learn about the lives of the children.  Please continue to pray that we will be sensitive to God’s leading, and the He will stretch our day so that we can just hold and love these children!

May 31, 2009

We know that God works in the details by just watching the process of getting to Atlanta, waiting for a merciful face to check in 15 crates + personal luggage, down to finding out the  t-shirts we plan to give the children actually match the new colors being used for Ruby’s new kitchen at one of our carepoints and on the posters used to designate HopeChest carepoints.

Our flight took nbearly 23 hours due to a medical emergency that rerouted us to Ghana.  The passenger is fine and we are here!  We’ve spent some time learning about the culture in Swaziland, and we understand that the kids know we are coming and sooo excited.

Jumbo and Kriek have told us that “We have watches, but the Swazi’s have time!” and “Relationships is the Swaziland currency!”  So please pray that our plans and agendas do not get in way of hugs and being hands for Jesus that love these children!

 

Thank you for praying!

The countdown has begun! May 27, 2009

With just 4 days until our trip begins, we are finalizing the last details of our project in Swaziland.  As chaos seemed to fill the air, God answered our prayer in organizing the daunting task of filling 15 crates full of the supplies we will need for the precious children that God has gathered in Swaziland.  Tomorrow evening will be our last “official” meeting to place the last items in our bins.

We met this evening in the home of Lane & Liz Lowery for a powerful time of prayer!  It is so invigorating to see how God has knitted our hearts together in this process, and we can hardly wait to see how His story unfolds! 

We all cherish the prayers of so many of you who are traveling with us in our hearts!  Please pray that we will have the opportunity to update this blog regularly so you can praise God with us and pray for specific needs as we move through each day!

As our preschoolers sing…

Our God is so big, so strong and so mighty!  There’s nothing our God can not do for you! 

Praising God for the work He has already prepared!