New Jerusalem Missions

2011-09-24T14:26:00.005-05:00

Life in the Loft

with

Wayne Jacobsen

October 5 – 7, 2011

For more info call Penny Dugan @ 316-207-7128

Wednesday, October 5,	6:00 p.m.	Food & Fellowship - Meal provided
Wednesday, October 6, 2011	6:00 p.m.	Food & Fellowship - Potluck (tba)
Wednesday, October 7	6:00 p.m.	Food & Fellowship - Potluck (tba)

Wayne and sharing from 7 – 9 pm

Location: New Jerusalem Missions

Big Red Barn @ 100 W 93rd St N Valley Center, KS

From I-135 to Exit 17 (85^th St)

Go West to Broadway (first stop sign)

Go North about 1 mile to 93^rd St, a gravel road (after “Park City” sign)

Go west and it will be the first drive on your right by the two mailboxes. It follow the lane past the log cabin to the big red barn.

Angels? Pink guardian Angels, Could it be?

2011-08-27T09:01:00.011-05:00

Well, I am going (Lord willing) to blog. I awoke with with two separate revelations on my heart! As I look I haven't blogged in over a year. Probably because I have just come through one of the busiest, most trying years of all times. My first cross-cultural pioneer plant, Ukukhanya has come with many blessings, many heartaches, many defeats and many victories, but all have been part of an incredible journey I am in on with the One who loves us ALL beyond anything we can begin imagine.

I tell people who join me for a short or long outreach in Africa, don't worry if you can't share things when you get back to the states, it is something many struggle with.

Why can't we share things? I think for me, it is hard to recount the amazing things you experience and see God do, words cannot come to many of the emotions and people and feelings we encounter. We don't realize the miracles and blessings until we can sit and let Him reveal the miracle of it all. We are too busy learning something or doing something we often miss the mighty answers to prayers. Second I think people don't really want to hear. Sometimes they don't have time, or the desire to hear, and sometimes they do not want to know of danger, or suffering or poor, denial or a false guilt, none of which is ever the intent of the one sharing. Whatever the reason is, people say the emotions and experiences are such that words and pictures can't easily be put to the sights and encounters we have had. It is later we are able to see and share the wonder of our journey in this visible and invisible Kingdom of God!

This morning I woke up remembering a teaching I was in before going to S. Africa this April. It was on angels, and I saw my experience with them and had a desire to blog about them. Yes you heard me right, Angels!

You don't go serve as one of the only white people in a township in South Africa and not pray for angels to encamp round about you! I guess my point is .... we DO see our prayers answered and often times don't acknowledge them or realize they have been answered. And for those of you praying for protection and safety for friends and loved ones in dangerous areas, your prayers too get answered.

In this course I was attending there was a teaching on angels and being able to see them. Well I believe in the presence of existence of angels but have never physically seen one (still remains today). To set the record straight, it seems all angels are men (hear me right, all angels are men, not ALL MEN are angels) lol! Time was given after the class to experience seeing an angel and sharing with a neighbor (still didn't see one), however, I turned to my friends husband and said, I did not see one, but I sensed one standing by me. He said, same here it was right there and he pointed to a place, the same place I had sensed it. My dear friend (his wife) who I so trust her walk and journey with God, said, "well I saw it, it was there,(pointing to the same place her husband and I had sensed) and Penny here is where I think it sounds like I am crazy, but it was by you and it was big and pinkish in color," Pink? she was serious but we both laughed. It was funny on two fronts, first of all, when working with AIDS in America, let's just say I work with men who are extremely in touch with their feminine side, so a pink angel for the AIDS lady is appropriate, secondly.... pink IS my favorite color, I wear it, I painted the first group home (a pinkish peach), and when the sunset is especially pink, I say how "especially fond of me He is, because He used MY favorite colors", lol! So pink is special to me. We laughed and later I stayed on to have some time on my face with God, I was gearing up to go back to Africa in a few days, I had gone through as "the shack" describes it a "Great Sadness" and disappointment, and I knew I was about to enter a great battle for righteousness to prevail in the work we were doing and I was frightened, feeling alone, and vulnerable. As I sought Him for the wisdom to Go!... when I finally sat up (I was on the floor behind chairs on the side of a room. A man I know (who is known to operate in the prophetic), came over and said...."what was going on over here? (my friends had gone home and I had stayed on alone). I greeted him and said I was just having some God time, why did he ask? He said, well, I looked over and saw you lying on the floor and a Big angel just standing over you, but the wierd thing is the angel was pink!pink?!!! Well I did laugh out loud!!!! What is it about a witness of two or more? I know my God has a sense of humor, is creative, but I have to say I am convinced my guardian angel must be pink in color? I shared what I was facing in S. Africa, and the man prayed with me, encouraged me and we parted.

I know in 2007 when I spent my first 3 months in S. Africa and the car I was driving broke down in the worst area of the township, a place where I was told to run red lights and NEVER stop! It broke, and I called for the Pastor who had a car and was filling in for Prince (Khaye a Pastor and Policeman and now an Ukukhanya Board Member). My car broke it was terrifying, a man pushed me and told me to pop my clutch make the turn and keep going! It didn't work, I was dead on the side of the ramp leading to the highway. Suddenly, I was surrounded by about 10 zulu men maybe more, all looking under the hood, asking me to try this and that, I remained calm, peaceful actually, yet fully aware, it was not a good scenerio. Later I realized I did everything a missionary wasn't supposed to do, wore my best jewelry, had my purse in plane view on the floor, window cracked as no a/c and boiling and basically opened it to the man helping.....it was like a most natural thing to be receiving their help. When Khaye came they exchanged some words in Zulu and eventually I was towed by him and his family to safety. It was later, over lunch that he shared the man had asked who I was, and he said a lady from America who was here helping the church with people with AIDS, the man said, well you tell her, that her God is with her, we don't help people we rob, steal and kill. It was later that night when I melted down, realizing the danger I had been in, how helpless I was and it was in that quiet little room the Lord whispered a huge reality to me. "You are NOT alone"! He promises to never leave us nor forsake us!

Then in 2008 my first year living in S. Africa,at 10:30 in the morning, while waiting for the ladies to come out from a home assessment, on a main road in Ntuzuma, a man knocked on my window, motioning with a gun to get out of the car, as I squeezed between him and the partially opened door asking him to please not shoot me, he cocked what seemed to be an extremely LARGER than life pistol, and then an amazing thing happened, his hand began to shake violently, I slipped past him and ran for cover (shaking and crying), and he got behind the wheel and sped off (we did recover the car two hours later), But as I relived the event, I realized this man had to have seen something (more frightening than this grandma with a mission).

2009, found me in danger again, a man broke into my flat (in a nice area of Durban) on the second floor. He climbed through my bedroom window at 2:30 in the morning. I was on the computer in the lounge and realized it was so late, and turned off my computer(a barking dog, had brought me to the awareness of the time). I saw movement over my right shoulder, and thinking it was my guest from America who had gone to bed at a reasonable hour, I was not alarmed. As I turned I got the fright of my life, there running from the hallway door, into the lounge directly toward where I was standing was a zulu man. Charging my way! I jumped up and screamed and backed toward the gated, locked sliding door, unable to move and nowhere to go as the door was locked, I was cornered, immobilized trapped! He let out a growl and then a scream, reached over the counter grabbed my purse and turned and ran down the hall, jumping out the window to a gate he had leaned against the wall to break his fast escape, and over the wall (which was electric). I was terrified, and when all was said and done I realized, in all my encounters of robbery and vulnerability, not a hand had put laid on me, not a finger had touched me, that man could have at least shoved me down or something, but no, in all cases (he too looked scared and ran). Fortunately, I was awake and fully dressed. I don't think my heart could have taken opening my eyes in my bedroom to someone in my room, it barely took the shock of seeing him. The amazing thing was no matter what the scenerio, I had been protected, something had kept them from harming me and two out of the three cases the person robbing me, seemed to see something that scared them and they fled, without touching a hair on my head. My angel or God Himself? I don't know but I can now marvel at it, it is becoming more natural to know THE ONE whose eye is on the Sparrow, has my back!

As I woke up this morning I was recalling something that happened in June of this year. Trevor and Welcome and I had driven to Umlazi (another large township in the Durban area), we were on our way out of the township on a main road, but feeling a sadness at the closing of a season in Ukukhanya history and with our wounded friend Prince. I had my sunglasses down as I was a bit teary eyed and we were all fighting emotion, not saying a word, in our own world processing things, I describe it (when grieving) as on automatic pilot. A car came around mine and stopped in front of us (causing us to have to stop and make a plan to pass them), the driver jumped out, the car had a lot of people in the back seat and the driver was motioning for them to get out, I casually put on my indicator and was waiting for a gap to go around this car (which I assumed was broken). Trevor began to say "go, Gogo you need to go, go now, hurry", I was calm and said, "well trevor, I have to wait for a break in traffic" eventually it came and we passed the vehicle, (where the driver was still motioning for the people and arguing as to why they were not getting out). Trevor and Welcome had exchanged some words in excited Zulu, and finally after we are on the highway again, said, "Gogo, we were almost carjacked?" I said, "when?" They were amazed and a bit shaken, and told me the car that pulled around us was intent on carjacking us, but the people wouldn't get out of their car. I said, "well maybe the driver saw me as a white lady and thought I was an easy target, then when he got out saw your black faces and were intimidated, changing their minds". They said, "NO gogo, they would have attacked us all, you really do have God's protection and angels, you move around clueless to the dangers (and He protects you)." I later thought of Psalm 91:7-10, a thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand: but it shall not approach you you will only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked For have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High your dwelling place. No evil will befall you Nor will any plague come near your tent"

I really didn't give much thought to it, until I heard them talking quite a bit about the encounter, then I realized we must have been in real harms way, and once again...... something caused those attackers to stay in their car and not follow through with their plans (much to the drivers frustration) I can now see him, yelling and telling them to get out of the car, and nobody moving from the back seat.

Well, I may be blond, and I may be clueless for MY King, but I have learned.....I AM never, (nor are you), ever alone! Whether it's a big pink angel, or God Himself, He IS with us! He is able, and He loves us!

Psalm 91: (Security of the One Who Trusts in the Lord, I have been for years on a long journey of learning to trust, so this scripture is so meaningful to me).

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the Lord, "my refuge and my fortress,

My God, in whom I trust!"

For it is He wo delivers you from the snare of the trapper,

And from the deadly pestilence,

H will cover you with His pinions,

And under His wings you may seek refuge:

His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.

You will not be afraid of the terror by night,

Or of the arrow that flies by day;

Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.

A thousand may fall at your side,

And ten thousand at your right hand;

But it shall not approach you.

You will only look on with your eyes,

And see the recompense of the wicked.

For you have made the Lord, my refuge,

Even the Most High, your dwelling place.

No evil will befall you,

Nor will any plague come near your tent.

For He will give His angels charge concerning you,

to guard you in all your ways,

They will bear you up in their hands,

Lest you strike your foot against a stone.

You will tread upon the lion and cobra.

The young lion and the serpent you will trample down.

Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him securely on high, because he has known my name.

He will call upon Me and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will rescue him, and honor him.

With a long life I will satisfy him,

And let him behold My salvation."

A Brief Encounter

2010-05-04T13:47:00.004-05:00

Tonight I want to write about one of our residents and her child. I wish to share what God has taught me in the last 5 days. He has taught me how simple it is to show His Love and words are not always necessary (which those of you who know me...know that is a huge feat). Of course I will change the names.

Sometime in the 6 years I have been coming to Ntuzuma, I met this girl, I will call her Miss S. She was the niece of one of caregivers and the cousin of a family we have helped with several orphans over the last few years. I didn't remember meeting til we got the call from her cousin that told us she had lost a baby and was very sick. We went to the house she stayed in and she was on a mattress on the floor of a tin attachement to the house. As is tradition she sat on a straw mat, with a candle burning on a saucer at the end of the mat and baby clothes folded. I believe she had lost a son about 3 weeks prior. Not only was she sick but heartsick as nobody was helping her bury the baby. No money and some family issues. We were called to see if we could help. We prayed with her and later I put out a plea and many of you gave and we were able to have a funeral for her child. While we were at the cementary I saw her other child, a spitting image of her mom a little girl 3-4 , I will call her Star. They were so grateful to get the baby buried and at the funeral a drunk man went to hug the little girl Star, (I think he was the father of the baby) and she fell down.

A few weeks later she was admitted to Ukukhanya Life Care Centre and brought her 4 year old Star as there was no place she was comfortable to keep her. They have been with us now a couple of weeks. Miss S. is 26, as a child she was abandoned in the township by her grandma and an auntie went looking for her and brought her home. So she was an abandoned child (I learned this over the weekend). Poor girl she had tremors so bad, she would sweat and her arms just trembled as well as her hands and even her head a bit. Friday we took her her to the hospital, I was driving the loaner car, she was in the back seat along with another resident waiting for the caregiver. Suddenly she says Gogo, I am going to throw up, we opened the door and called for a bucket. Bless her heart....we took her straight away with a caregiver to say with her.

She sat in casualty (ER) from noon til l0:00 pm when we left knowing she'd be admitted. What a night. She lay on a gurney with a drip, no pillow, a sheet, and oxygen mask. To her right about l8 inches away was an older lady who had abcesses on her leg open to the bone about 5 open wounds that stunk so bad. On the gurney on her left was another young lady who had several siezures while we were sitting there. The room was Chaos. People patiently and some not so patiently waiting for a decision. Usually it is a 3 hour wait from when they draw the blood, minimum. I arrived at 5:00 and the caregiver and I stayed on til 10:00. But what I observed in those 5 hours was amazing.

First of all you must understand that most of our patients dread going to this hospital, most have lost a loved one there and all fear theywill die if they go there. Miss S. did not want us to leave. So we waited til we were sure they were going to admit her (as it is risky to drive in and out of the township at the end of the month when everyone gets paid and drinking, and well....when you are white. So we waited.

A nurse made her way by each bed, and the old lady next to us who had been rubbing her leg and moaning in pain, there was an exchange in zulu and I asked my caregiver what happened... she said, the nurse told her "she'd be the last one they would help". Soon I went to her and asked if I could pray for her... she said yes and showed me her legs and then she cried. She just needed someone to care. Later she was struggling with a pillow to put against the wall so she could sit back, I went and helped her and felt the Lord say, these little acts of kindness are "compassion" you are putting yourself in their pain and feel what they are feeling. We asked the Lord to help them notice her and give her something for her pain. Sure enough in about an hour that very same nurse came and took her and bandaged her leg and gave her a pain shot.

The other lady had a spinal tap, now I don't know if they give something for pain in the states, but here she put her legs through the rail that wouldn't go down and bent over it. The dr comes with a cart and says she has to put a needle in her back. this moves the gurney closer to our girl (who is afraid to be there ) we are sitting accross from the beds in chairs. It is a huge open room we all see everything. The Doctor wipes a spot and jabs in a needle.... the girl screams, the worst scream I have ever heard, and begins to cry, the Dr takes samples of fluid I think... it lasts forever and I think....how painful it must be and how rough the Drs. are. My poor Miss S. the lady screaming inches from her face. The Dr. pulls out the needle and then the girl faints and begins to seize. The Dr. turns and walks away. Soon a nurse comes back as the lady has passed out now over the rail, and my caregiver and the nurse lay her in the gurney and she seizes several more time in the next few hours. I am sitting there thinking....is this what is coming to America? Will our government medical care be this way so insensitive, so rough, so limited? Nothing for pain, hours of waiting, and staff that are over worked and over whelmed. All I can say is God help us. But for me .....as we left that night, Do unto others as you want done unto yourselves." Simple.... just put yourself in their place.

Saturday I was afraid there would be no family, so went to see Miss S. again. Her cousins (who they call sisters) were there, Just looking at her and saying she'd be alright. I had stopped and gotten some amahewo a drink they like when they are so sick and berry energade, ice cold, the only think I could drink with the measles. She was in the ward, with her IV and I asked is she wanted the juice she said yes (I wonder if they had given her anything to drink as she can't lift with her arm tremoring. I lifter her little shaking head and gave held the bottle of juice to her mouth. It has a sippy thing so it is like drinking a bottle sort of. She drank and drank, when I pulled it down, she smiled, her teeth all red from the juice and she smiled and said "that is nice", I gave her more, and soon she had drank half the bottle. She was enjoying it!!!! A simple thing. Then as I was talking to her I said do you think you can drink it all, and she smiled and laugh as I couldn't leave her til the whole thing was gone. She enjoyed it so much. "I was thirsty and you gave me drink"

Monday I went again, it was right after visiting hours and I brought her more to drink, she drank about half. I asked her if they had told her what she had, she said "my funeral". Then this morning I got the word as I drove in to work that she had passed away. Thankfully we had talked about Jesus and she assured me she knew Him so I know she was in eternity.

26 and her life is over here on earth. Friday night when I asked who should care for her child if anything happened she said "you Gogo". Monday night as I went to leave little Star was trying to climb in my car, I asked Zipho what she was saying (another orphan boy living with us 9), he said she wants to come home with you, we all do....Oh my aching heart. And now this morning I have to tell this sweet little baby who waves to me when I drive in....that her momma isn't coming back. For her in about 6 weeks her family is all gone. Prince and I prayed and then Hillary and I spoke with her, I would say things and Hillary would ask her, but first she explained heaven to her an what had happened. We don't know how much she comprehended. She let me hold her on my lap for a long time and layed her head on my shoulder. And later she took crayons and made pictures for us while I worked she sat on the floor and drew pictures.
Oh my heart! I have never had to do anything like this before. And the sad thing...nobody has asked about her yet. I know tonight that "Jesus Loves the little children, ALL the children of the world" I pray she is resting in His Love tonight.

I know I don't preach a huge sermon to millions, or have crusades or healing services, nor have I seen mighty miracles performed, but I just want you to know that in those moments of bringing a smile to someone dying because you gave them a drink, or holding a child who is sad and lonely, or giving a pencil to an orphan who is writing with a 1/2 inch piece of pencil in school. Or transport someone to the Dr who can barely wallk, a smile, a prayer, and a kind word are pretty mighty in the bringing of His Kingdom and it is something we can all do.

I can't help but remembering my first trip to S. Africa preparing to go to my first township, and feeling some fear for seeing orphans and sick children and knowing there are many more capable people and fancy ministries that are so organized and efficient, and saying "what am I doing here? Africa is already responding"> And He told me the same face I see in the US with AIDS is the same face I'll see here. It is the face of fear, shame and hopelessness .....all over the world the face of AIDS will be the same, but as "the church", we have the Answer....Jesus, A loving personal relationship with the One whose perfect love casts out fear, He is hope,and He covered our shame. That is what the difference will be. I pray His Kingdom Come!

Orphaned & Vulnerable Children's Camp

2010-05-03T18:26:00.005-05:00

OVC Camp is coming soon...

help bring a light in the darkness

Ukukhanya Life Care Centre is sponsoring this outreach to the community of Ntuzuma, a township in Durban, South Africa

June 13 - 17

the 2010 outreach will be from May 28th through June 19th with the OVC Camp the last week. The estimated cost is $3500.

commit now so we can book flights as it is the World Cup in South Africa. If flights go higher we might need to raise the price.

if you need more information contact: pennydu@juno.com

Ukukhanya Life Care Centre

2010-03-22T04:07:00.002-05:00

Well, I believe it has been about 6 months since I last blogged. So again I don't know where to begin to share what all we are seeing happen here at Ukukhanay Life Care Centre. Since the last blog we began working on the facility and have remodelled the 7 rooms for patients, we added two bathrooms right outside the old sactuary, we have converted the sactuary into our "everything" lounge, we have the offices up and running and the kitchen is in full operation. By Princes room and the old bathroom we have a laundry room and we are only now preparing to work on the last 7 rooms and the existing bathrooms.

We opened the facility 3 weeks before I returned to states and over the period I was gone (Nov-Jan) they only had a total of 7 people max and only one baby with her mom. Upon my return with my friend Faith from Newton (for 3 weeks) and Rachel Griffis from Andover for 3 months. We have grown in leaps and bounds.

We had hired 4 caregivers, and 2 cooks and 2 security guards before I left. The Lord was so faithful to send some caregivers doing their practicals to fill and we hired them the end of February....by March we were so overwhelmed with patients we just hired 4 more caregivers, brought Trevor and Welcome on Staff, and 2 more cooks and one more guard....I'm sure the Lord knows our grown and our needs....things are quite tight.....but He has always been faithful.

We got two more babies in February a 4 month old and History the orphan we have helped with his Gogo for l8 months now. When the babies arrived we added the additional workers. Then we filled up all the beds. We now have the babies in the lounge. We have a mom with her l4 year old daughter and we have the 3 orphan boys we have been helping for almost two years. They were not making it at home with their brother....their mud house washed away during a rain storm and they were not eating even though they were now granted. The said they wanted to stay with us and well, it just seemed right. They are doing well. So that gives us 7 men 5 women and one is a l6 year old mom of the 4 month old, and 7 children. 19 in all. With the staff the kitchen cooks for about 32! that is a lot of food.

For those of you who have been here you won't recognize the place. We are up and running and daily people from the community come in to report cases. We actually have a waiting list.

Now a typical day is Rachel and I leave our place about 6:45 to get to Ntuzuma. By 7:l5 Prince and I are taking the girl to Inanda to school and the boys to lindelani to school. Then we have to pick up about 2:30 and 3:00. When we get back we are usually taking people to the clinic and dropping off with a caregiver. We have prayer and worship in the morning at 9:00 am when the office staff get in. Sometimes the patients join us and usually by then the singing is putting the babies to sleep as they have started their day very early. Since opening the babies started crawling especially History who was so underdeveloped with muscle tone. Trevor and Welcome love the kids so much....welcome got History to take his first steps this week and we were all cheering. For being and orphan he is blessed with many people who love him! His Gogo still comes over and goes to the Dr. with us and stays with him when he has to go to the hospital.

We have some very sick people, and some are actually getting stronger. We see them live better, with nutrition and people to care for them and they are beginning to thrive. We see people crying about coming in and now not ever wanting to leave. Many have come back to their faith and are receiving hope.

So usually we have l2 hour days....if we get out of there before dark, rachel and I call it a holiday!
We celebrate birthdays for the month. Prince and I are usually driving all over, it is good he can now drive the car without me so we can divide and conquer. I would say my worst day is grocery shopping day. It freaks me out to buy so much food. We go to the butchery and buy a freezer full of meat, and to Makro (like Sam's) and by bulk the other things. Then we go to fruits and vegetable stands for that part. Weekly we go to the store and fruits and veggies.

Baby formula and nappies (diapers) are a huge expense for us....we find many of the gogo's giving their babies waterd down porridge and tea to drink, so we supply those in our care with formula til they get granted.

We are building relationship with Welfare and they now come to us to see our patients. Welcome is really like a social worker and escorts the babies and patients to the Dr. Pretty does the medication and overseas the caregivers. Hillary manages the office, Trevor, does our forms, and helps with our building stuff, and we see him moving into our human resource part.

We serve several Gogo's and their positive grandkids in the community, when we go to Mccords hospital where are children are treated, Welcome packs sandwiches for about 6-8, and juice and yogert for the babies, the leave early in the morning and return in the afternoon. The good news is that won't be monthly now but 3 months soon. History goes with Rachel and Welcome and sometimes his Gogo, Luanda goes with his aunty sometimes and sometimes just with us, he is 9, sarah and her mom go, sphe the tiny baby goes with Rachel, we have another Gogo and her baby that goes. It is a full vehicle. But all the children are doing well and we thank God for this.

Recently we had a mom die and she had an l8 month old, and we had several others who had children to be tested, we went to their house and tested and all 5 tests were negative....we just pray first and everytime has been negative.

After school welcome has about 40 boys that come and play soccer and he and one of guards take them to the beach to jog in the sand and train. It is amazing. HMMMM, I guess when God told us to call it a Life Care Centre He knew why. We see life happening, we see church happening and it is all so natural and day to day. nothing spectacular in the natural, but we are seeing people helped, receiving hope, seeing them believe in the power of prayer, seeing them respond to a little Love and dignity.

Sometimes we labor and labor and think....Is God ever going to move, but when He does....it just comes into being before you know what has hit you and you just look back and stand amazed. His Love is Amazing, His Grace is Amazing, and His Faithfulness is Amazing. What and Amazing God we serve. Thanks to all of you who help support this work.....your support is needed and if any others are looking to sow into His kingdom here in Ntuzuma, it is needed as I only see us getting bigger and bigger.

I know His Grace is Sufficient.

Breakthrough!

2009-09-16T14:05:00.004-05:00

Wow, how long has it been since I blogged? May 30th.......sorry, it has been a whirlwind. Seems that is when the outreach team began to arrive. two girls joined me first Kensi and Lizbeth and mid June 3 more joined us for the Orphans Camp...then 3 more from S.Africa friends who have helped us in the past. It was truly the nations at work. :) I love that. Also Campus Crusade had just helped on the hospice for two weeks and we have 3 longer term staff helping every thursday....it has been great.

God was faithful! Surprise, and Orphans camp where 82 children from Ntuzuma received the "extravagant love of the Father".... frankly I have been speechless, it is too hard to begin to share, except God blessed them with new shoes, new clothes, blankets, towels, a game drive, wonderful teaching and loving volunteers to love them and encourage them. They played, the ate well, they travelled to the camp first class. Then the moment God led us to pray a blessing over them, me standing in the gap and praying a mothers blessing over her child, and pastor prince as a fathers blessing. Wow.. tears flowed, words were proclaimed and His love extended, later I looked around and the children had been held and prayed for, time of ministry was about 3 hours and they all waited for their blessings....God is amazing!!! We had extremely grateful hearts, YWAM Durban, helped with the camp as well as our outreach team, staff, and friends of Ukukhanya Life Care Centre. Thanks to all who gave of themselves and finances. (of course they are hoping to go again next year).

One little boy got sick the last day and after settling the others at the game park, we raced him home to the clinic. He was diagnosed HIV+ and we are starting to get him situated with medical care and talking to the aunt. I never expected to find a 9 year old just now getting his diagnosis. We have so much to learn......

i had a great trip back to the states, but in 6 weeks stayed in 5 different states, and saw lots of you, it was great...but fast, and it is great to be back and digging in to the work here......I guess what made me want to write today was to tell you the importance of extending Hope and importance of prayer.

I feel I want to encourage the body of Christ to not dispise the dark times that come before a breakthrough. We have a real adversary....who loves to discourage us....after a huge experience that you can do nothing more than thank God for his goodness, and blessing for the children, then to return to discouragement.... the enemy whispering lies....that we are not making an impact, doing everything to distract, and discourage. Well, he looses....we are seeing the vision unfold and we give God all the glory!

The first 7 rooms are almost painted as is the meeting room "sactuary". The new bathrooms are walled up and plumbing to be placed this weekend. Fans and electrical things hopefully done this weekend. God has provided a stipend again for the current caregivers, and encouraged all involved in ukukhanya life care centre.

The more I see the staff reach out, the more I see God move. Recently we met a girl very sick with tb and AIDS in fact 2 CD4 cells. Ginger was with us and insisted we pray right away.... she was so right as we picked the girl up to transport to the welfare department to get her a grant for her and her children, she said, "It was the prayer...everything turned around after the prayer" Encouraged us to start a service so people could testify of what God was doing.

Then Fundi led me to a lady across from our offices, raising her 9 year old nephew, but so sick...oh I wish we could have done more for them, but we bought some food, arranged to take her specimen to the clinic and her to the dr in the morning, her boyfriend had just left (as he was not helping her as she got sick), he took her money and left her, very sick....she lost her boyfriend one day, found out she was positive the next, and her mom had to return to the rural area to care for the kids living out there. We prayed, and blessed and are hoping to see the same turn around the last two girls have had. Please pray Jesus becomes so real for her during the night and comforts the boy.

We had a day at welfare, where after a year our orphan boys (child headed household,) still don't have a grant, and actually now the one is l4 he won't qualify nor will the l6 year old. How do they expect kids to finish school when they can't eat and have nobody at home for them. We need wisdom and we will continue to keep buying food for the boys as the Lord has been faithful to provide.

Well..... I just wanted to share what we have been up to,, what we are seeing, what we are learning and that the hospice hopes to open the 10 of October... alot to do in a few short weeks.
keep us in your prayers and know He is Faithful to complete the good work He has started!

Trusting and Loving Him more than ever as He reveals more of His amazing Love and Character.

2009-05-30T14:50:00.002-05:00

The goodness of the Lord is great. This is my favorit time of year in S.Africa. the township with it's block homes come alive with the big bright yellow flowers amidst them to give them life. In the middle of the poverty you see life.

Well, that is what I am beginning to see and I believe God to see more. Nomusa the mom of the baby who passed away a few weeks back is out of the hospital and doing so much better. Sometimes I feel I only write about sad things, but seeing her home and moving around reminds me of His ability to heal. Her two boys were with her, and the oldest son who was having trouble stealing and not going to school has agreed to come to chance, I think He just needs to know the goodness of our Lord.

About 21 students from america have come with campus crusade for an outreach....they decended on Ukukhanya only a week after receiving our funds, they are prepping the building for painting from the roof, to the exterior to the hospital beds, sorting clothes brought over for our orphans camp, and books for some local schools. Monday we start visitng the orphans and sick. Prior to coming to us they have been working on the University Campus with studetns. So I am asking God to prepare them for the things they will see.

Two girls came early to outreach here and arrived last night. Pray for Lizbeths lost luggage.
I guess I just wanted to write and ask for your prayers for this season of young people coming to help with our orphan camp, for God to provide for all the needs so all 76 kids can come! He will I am confident... He Loves them and is wild about each one.

RAINBOWS for Nothando

2009-04-26T16:41:00.002-05:00

Greetings, this will be short as it is quite late again. This morning I was awakend by a call, I THOUGHT our caregiver for Nomusa (Grace) now in the government hospital, Fikile, I thought she was sick. I was worried about Nothando getting her TB meds, she had been released Friday from McCords the Christian Hospital after a 5 day stay, and appeared to be doing much better. I was a bit worried as she was in a home with about 8 small children but they were caring neighbors.

I called Prince to tell him I thought Fikile was sick throwing up and running stomach, but he was just dialing me. He said she figured I didn't understand her, as the news was that the baby had passed away. I was shocked! We had taken her to the other hospital where her mom was and we wheeled the mom out to see for herself how Nothando was doing. Both mom and baby seemed good, I hope to attach a picture taken in the lobby of the two of them.

Have you ever been so glad you did something? Well taking the time to take the baby there was the best thing we did. I actually sat there and thanking the Lord and thinking this was going to be a happy ending both would recover for a bit longer.

But now on this cool and cloudy and rainy day, I made my drive up to the township, embraced Fikile, she is such a great caregiver, we greeted the neighbors and waited for her brother to come. Then we went in to see the baby. I have seen lots of death in this line of work, but never a three month old little girl. I was grateful it was dark and there was no electricity.

Prince went to a church where the Pastor is a mortician and negotiated the rate (you see they have no funeral policy and no job even the brother is without a job, so no money to bury the baby). Rl000 a bit over a $l00 US. Phew! We left the brother to wait with the body for the hurst, and the neighbors went to town getting the house in order and the yard trimmed so with a sickle so the hurst could come in.

Prince, Fikile and I loaded into the car to go to the hospital to tell the mom. I was DREADING IT, When we got there, the nurse said, not to tell her. She was so weak, they were afraid she couldn't handle it now and her mourning would upset the ward. Well it was different, but honestly I was relieved...we will go back Tuesday and she will get a pass to go home and we will tell her then, and the funeral will be Wed. We think she might sense it in her spirit as she was so good Friday and today so sick again.

It was hard...we then drove the brother to inform a few relatives.
But through it all, I sensed the presense of the Lord so strong.
We couldn't promise to pay the funeral, but we got a break.
The neighbors were so grateful for the medical help they both got,
I was amazed at the neighbors pitching in and serving...it spoke so much to me of community and what that looks like.

As we drove the brother and an aunt back to the "shack", we saw a HUGE rainbow over Ntuzuma.... then a double one, whenever we turned a curve there it was. Always in front of us. I think I know what "chasing rainbows is". I said... maybe Nothando is learning to color! They were the biggest rainbows I'd ever seen and vibrant.

I guess all I can say tonight is Thank You Lord for loving us, Thank you for life, no matter how long, you gave that little girl life, and you knew she probably couldn't have handled all the strong ARV's she would start come Monday morning. She is with you Lord and you Love the Little Children. We trust you to comfort those that mourn and be with Nomusa...give her the Grace, she is named for. Thank you for your Promises and the beauty you create around us when we can be in the darkest storms, you Shine Through!

Amazing Grace!

2009-04-18T02:30:00.004-05:00

I guess this is more of prayer request, asking you to pray for this family. Oops! I just typed pay first. Okay! If anyone wants to send support!? I am thinking of starting a "Gifts for Grace," that allows me to do the things I am already doing, like stepping out in faith to take someone to the hospital. When you put yourself in their place, you can't help but be like Jesus, "moved by compassion." Trust me I know the difference between emotion and pity, and "compassion."

I just read an article in last years, “Bodylife,” by Wayne Jacobsen, (there is something about those paper copies still ministering long after we turn off our computers). It was entitled "the power of living in love." In the June 2008 issue, he writes:

"The meaning of compassion is right in the word itself: ‘come to passion.’ Passion in the old English meant suffering. Thus compassion means “to run to suffering" to be there at the worst moment because someone we love needs us." - I will add, because someone GOD loves needs us. (I love that too Wayne).

Here is my "Amazing Grace" story:

I was taken again to a shack; but, it was the cleanest shack I have ever seen. The walls are built with timbers and cardboard. The tin and thin pieces of wood are tacked around to create the walls. There was a refrigerator, but no electricity. (Is it hopeful thinking?) I saw some wires and asked if they buy their electricity with cards like airtime for phones. I thought maybe we could have power in the house. There was an extension cord used to borrow from a neighbors, but the neighbor couldn't afford to supplement them.

The shack had two rooms: a "lounge" and a sleeping room. On a big bed lay a thin woman of 33. She was very pale. I would say yellowish in color. In the middle of a heap of blankets there was a small, about the size of History (see pic from previous blog), three month old baby with a head of dark curly hair. The Mom, Nomusa, which means "Grace," was coughing and had labored breathing. Fikile, an amazing home-based caregiver, told us of this family. We bought formula and porridge for the family. (Thanks to Amy and Mark, we have designated your monthly gift to a fund that allows us to have formula and disposable diapers for sick babies with no food and diarrhea.) After we saw the need Deb and I had two new requests. We took another financial gift that had come in and went to buy groceries.

Wednesday, we took a large box to Grace and her baby because they both were in need of diapers. (Remember one has to haul water in a big plastic bucket that is filled at a tap down the road.) I carried in a smaller parcel with the diapers, a few baby pampers, formula, porridge, and wipes. A little squeal of gratitude came from Grace when the other four carried in the food, oil, rice, mealy meal, beans, long life milk, butter, etc. You'd have thought she had received a million dollars.

By this time it was about 4:oo p.m. and it was starting to get dark. While the others were bringing in the food, I asked her how she was. She spoke in fairly good English, with bouts of coughing. She explained the coughing doesn’t stop and that she has been on TB medication for 3 months. A caring neighbor was giving the baby a bath next door. It was then "Auntie Fundi," a woman who works with us at Ukukhanya, stopped by because she needed a ride somewhere. Before we left I asked Welcome, another Zulu volunteer, to ask her if it was okay to pray, because I wasn’t sure how much English she understood. There was a hesitancy, so I asked her, "Do you know Jesus?" She ducked her head as if she was embarrassed. I didn't know if it was because of the question, or her circumstances. She said we could pray for her, but “What do you pray?” You invite Jesus into the room and the situation. You speak of who He is and How well YOU know His Love for us and you ask Him to show her, Grace, His love. Then you believe He will. You don't feel eloquent sometimes you even feel awkward and rushed, but you speak and believe - it is by faith.

I thought about Grace all next day. That Friday I was determined to talk to Fikile about placing her in a hospice. My heart was aching because we couldn’t take her immediately.

Friday at the caregivers meeting I asked about hospice for Grace and her baby. Fikile said, something had to be done she was "too sick." In addition, she has a 13 year old son, who has been stealing from neighbors, not going to school and out of desperation. (Hmm! Makes me think differently about my own robbery.) Anyhow the son told Fikile he would go to school if he had the fees, uniforms and shoes. (Shoes you guys?) Friday afternoon I was "moved with compassion." We went to the house and gathered Grace and her baby.

The Folks.....the scene...first community.

Fikile goes in to tell Grace we’ve come and helps her to a sitting position. A neighbor is in the living room trying to calm the crying baby. I take the child and Fikile begins dispatching. One neighbor comes in washes her hands from a bucket, pouring a small portion of water into a basin and using the dish detergent we had brought. After she washes her hands, covers the basin and takes the baby from me to prepare her to go to the clinic. Fikilie walks over to another older lady, who comes in with a mask on her face and towel around her waist. The older lady just came, leaving her own agenda, and begins to help dress grace. As Fikile draws water from the tap I am in the car with Prince making a plan; but, I don't miss the community effort to ready this family (might I say - an opportunity for help)?

We load them in the car. Grace is so weak you almost hate to move her. Fikile carries the little pink bundle (I think they keep their babies too warm. The Zulu would freak out at how we let kids just lay in T shirts in the open). Our Dr. friend, says the mom needs to go to the hospital. In my mind, the two options for hospital is McCords or Ghandi. Ghandi is where they wait hours, almost days at times and don’t get much treatment and usually die there. McCords is quicker and efficient but, you pay up front for your services. My mind is made up we are going to McCords. The Dr. tells us the baby probably won't be admitted but is likely to be positive and needs ARV's, AIDS medication, and a chest x-ray to detect if she has TB. Grace is diagnosed with TB and AIDS. I think her CD4 count is around 40 at last count. She’s not on ARV's but very jaundiced. So her liver is either reacting to her disease or the TB medication. The baby gets a shot of antibiotic and we go back to their house. We pack diapers, formula and Grace's blanket. We tell the neighbor and Grace’s son we are going to the hospital.

I wanted to tell the Grace to speak or hug her son, knowing she might not come home. Instead she instructs him to bring something, he is shy around us, but obeys. There is no way I could have left my l3 year old alone for a weekend in the house with no electricity, and fearing for what remains of his family. Again, I am moved with compassion for this young man that I don't know YET.

On the way to the hospital Grace asks why McCords? Why not Addington, another government hospital? They tell her she wasn’t referred to Addington and it would take to long. She knows this will cost her money and can’t understand why we are doing this.

We arrived at McCords, I take Baby to the pediatrician side, and Fikile goes with Grace. Meanwhile, you pay everything up front. I knew I had a support check coming in; but, Mike, the NJM staff handling my accounts state-side, hadn't deposited it until that afternoon - it was still A.M. in Kansas. Deb, the volunteer from Switzerland, pitched in as we paid the $70 for both to be in the ER and get the chest x-ray. Baby was treated and released with medicine. We are to bring her back for tests to get her on ARV's. We wait with Grace, it’s about 3 hours and still no word on admittance and it is 8:00 p.m. We pray and feel certain she will stay, so I write a note and take Fikile and baby back to the township. A neighbor volunteers to care for the baby. It is late on a Friday night so if we are brining Grace back, I would need Prince to go back with us for security. If not I can go back and pay for her admittance. Fortunately, the call came while I was dropping off Prince - she was being admitted. We go back to McCords and pay the R4700, about $500 USD, for her to stay in the hospital. If something happens, or she gets discharged they refund the balance. The doctors want to find out why she isn't responding to TB treatment.

I’m reminded of Someplace Else, the group home I worked in Kansas, knowing this is what I am created for - to show His Love as best I can. Earlier, the baby had thrown up on her clothes. I sent Prince and Deb to buy a blanket and dry outfit. Deb went wild and bought 3 outfits, a lovely blanket and some shoes and outfit for Dana, the 2 year old sister of History. When Fikile, proudly beaming, showed Grace her baby, she giggled and said she looks lovely. She thanked them for doing this.

Again, I said, “Jesus loves you and your baby.” Grace said, "I know... it is ONLY HIM." By this time she was so hungry. We got her a toasted cheese sandwich and orange juice which she immediately scarfed up. This was a good sign. The doctor’s hydrated her with two units of fluid and she was ready to chat. I squatted by the gurney and we talked in good English. She asked how much this is going to cost. I told her don't worry, God always takes care of it. I explained that we pray, and if God says to bring someone to the hospital we do, and trust Him for the rest. I expressed concern for her boy. I told her I would ask someone for uniform money to get him back in school. She asked, who told you? I told her Fikile shared. She was beaming, it’s amazing that food, water, and clean environment, can bring such hope to a sick person. I told her we took her baby back home and came back to admit her and that we'd visit over the weekend while they ran tests. She looked better, like her color was coming back. I can't tell you of the gratitude...

It is God's amazing grace that allows us to move beyond our own desires, comforts and sacrifice. I know for myself I don't always do it. It was around 10 p.m. as Deb and I drove home. We were feeling exhausted (I guess with the emotions and the decision-making it drains you - and the DRIVING, so much DRIVING). The peace we had, knowing we'd prayed God's peace for her and she was in a dignified place being cared for, gave our exhaustion purpose. I am reminded that His Grace is sufficient for us, and He is the Peace that surpasses ALL understanding.

Bless you this weekend and may you pray for Grace, her baby girl and teenage son when the Lord puts them on your heart! We are THE BODY bringing LIFE!

The Cross

2009-04-08T13:17:00.002-05:00

I found myself last Sunday about a week after my intruder had come into my home, scared me to death and robbed me. I was looking over my calendar and wondering, is this normal? One day you are at a lovely game park seeing amazing scenery and animals. and the next day you have people in the ER.

Then you are starting a baby on TB medicine, and next day you are giving a tour to a friend at a traditional restuarant... good, tragic, fun, frantic....praises and victory, frustration and warfare.... amazing the ups and downs. Then I remembered we are to identify with Jesus....how must He have felt.....Sunday Praises and Welcome, Friday the Cross,..... ahhhh but Sunday. He OVERCAME IT ALL so we could have LIFE....eternal, beautiful, and with HIM. that is Victory, that is extreme ups and downs, why should I expect any less. I wish you all a joyous Easter weekend. Be blessed and Loved,
Penny

History the baby is doing much better on tb medicine and starts ARV's in a week, and his sister (2) got her results today.... Negative we are thanking God.

The Reason

2009-03-24T16:25:00.002-05:00

Some days I wonder what it is I do. What do I really do here? It seems I do a lot of driving of people to the clinics and hospitals and grocery shopping. Doesn't that seem ordinary? We take food to our orphans and help others in need.

We aren't building a hospice yet, no funding and waiting on the land.
We don't have a big workforce as we don't have stipends for the caregivers yet.

But today.....I was reminded of why I do this and why I am here.

A Gogo( grandma, I think she is almost 60 (so no pension yet), I met her last fall when Brooke and I were here, I went to a house accross the street from our offices. Actually a l room shack behind a house. One of my office workers and I went over as we were told we might need to tranport a woman to the hospital. There we found a very sick, actually delireous woman in her 30's she was the mother of 5 children one only 6 weeks old. We took her to the hospital and she died shortly after that.

When I got back this week the Gogo (who we think drinks alot) arrived with a small baby, the 6 week old was now 5.5 months old (now 6mo). His name translated Is History. he had diareahha and was loosing weight. We took him to the clinic and they tested him foro HIV took a few weeks, and then we took him to the hospital so he could get tested for TB (we get the results for that on the 30th.) It turns out Gogo has 2 of the five children the younger two. the oldest boy had a different dad so he went to that family to live, the other 4 from the same dad who took the older two, but couldn't handle the babies. Here is this Gogo, living in a community that isn't hers, she acutally moved back with the two to get treatment etc. and help from us.

The baby History didn't have the right formula, and the clinic who usually gives it to them was out. So we got medicine and food. And of course prayed Life and Health over him.

Today the Gogo came in again, she had the two year old (two in June) granddaughter and the baby with her, she cried as they were out of food, we had a donation so gave her some of that and some of ours. Then I drove her to the clinic as History and his sister (a doll) both had coughs.

Now going to the clinic isn't easy as it is not in a good area and I need to take one of the guys with me so Welcome came, Jozien who was helping that day, and Fundi who interprets and waits with the Gogo's at the clinic for us sometimes. Today we all went. Our friend Dr. Meryl let Gogo and I in with the two kids. History had bad cough, pnuemonia but did not need to be hospitalized and a skin rash that she said wass fungal. So she gave medicines, his sister just had a cold.

Then Gogo and Fundi went to get the sister tested and History's results.........they came back and what we all suspected was upon us. History was positive. Dr. Meryl had to draw blood to send off for his CD4 count. Gogo and I held this little 4kg boy down (that is about 9 lbs I think). Seriously ....I held his hand she held arm as Dr. Meryl tried to draw blood from that little arm. Of course he wailed and wiggled and she couldn't get enough blood out of his little arm. So she had to go into his groin, which was so red with rash, and she had a hard time entering because of a swollen gland down there, now I held his foot still and he still could wiggle his leg. Anyhow she got enough and as Gogo held the cloth on his leg to stop the bleeding....she cried. I just stood silently by her...rubbing her arm....we assured her we would help them, and we left. It was a long drive home, as we all were grieving the idea of how sick this sweet little fighter was.
Gogo was very overwhelmed and later we sat in the office I held History, Jozien the girl and Hillary got Gogo a "cool drink of water" I was reminded again of the simple acts the Lord asks us to perform to our neighbors.

Please join us as we pray for Gogo, Baby History, and his sister Danna. It really seems more than she can handle.We prayed again before she left. We will try and be here however we can
to help her.

Thanks for praying and remember sometimes standing by someone hurting and saying nothing, just being there is what He counts as great!

2009-03-11T13:06:00.000-05:00

Greetings from Sunny and Warm (very warm) South Africa.

I have not been a very good blogger, as when I went home to see familly and have a break over holidays, I focused on just that. I was worn out and needed to recharge and I was blessed to see many of you and my beloved family!

Now I am back, I have actually been back just over a month, and what a whirlwind reentry.
I got off the plane to find out Pastor Prince had rolled the truck and actually totalled it.Praise God he is fine, but the truck was a write off and turns out the insurance company is not covering it. I was grieved yet grateful nobody was seriously injured.

During this month, (besides dealing with a totalled vehicle), I have found accommadations (and I am happy to say I can house small teams and several guests at a time. Please come!!!

This season back we are still resuming with our work. The boys still don't have their grant so we are taking them food parcels as well as little Londiwe and her sisters. Little man, who I wrote about last time continues to battle sicknesses and bouts where he stops breathing, it is apparent he has siezures, almost weekly we transport thombile and little man to the hospital in the city to as they continue to do tests. He is on siezure medicine, and seems a bit delayed.

This past week I go in and wonder what was on God's agenda for the day and there would be a granny with a baby. The first one was a granny that lives across the street. Last November we went over when her daughter was so sick, having given birth 6 weeks prior and had 5 kids. 6 weeks, 1 year, and so on up. She died that weekend which is often the case...they wait so long to deal with their illness. And the medical care is sooo sad.

Anyhow this Gogo, came in for help. She is now caring for the two young ones. The baby is losing weight she said. His name means history and I keep speaking over him that he will be a history maker and survive. We is 5 1/2 months old and weighed 4.5 kg, and now is 3.9 so tiny and so skinny, but what a smile. The clinic was out of fomula (I guess like our wic) anyhow we bought the Gogo nappies (disposable) as he has diareahha, and food, just trying to help her cope better. They are testing for TB and HIV.

Next day we had another Gogo, with her sons 6 month old daughter, needing food, baby is loosing weight and sores all over her little body. the mother is in the rural area with TB and the son or father of the baby is in prison for a year, so no grant and the gogo can't work so we took this little one to the clinic for medicine and testing as well. weighing very little she is another sad case.

My eyes were opened when we went to the store to buy baby food and got the last box off the shelf. But God is good. He showed me we need to have baby formula in stock for the gogo's in need and cereal and then someone writes wanting to send support to the project ...so again I know where to plug that money monthly.

Okay, last story and I am going to sleep. This one is Philany, the nephew of Khanyo a worshiper at the church, when I got here about 4 weeks ago we buried her mom who had just died, and her mom was the caregiver of her sisters l5 year old child Philany who has CP and very disabled. Bedridden and contracted with his legs and arms severely he had not eaten or gone to the bathroom for 4 days, khanyo and her brother l8 were very worried. So we took him to the clinic.

Over here you take people to the clinic (all they can do is diagnos and give medicine if obvious, and then hydrate and refer to the hospital). Philany was to leave as soon as his drip was done for the hospital, Prince and left him with the brother to go in the ambulance.
It was about 4. when we headed back into the township at about 8:00 friday night first of the month, it was horrible, we found out khanyo had gotten off work and waited at the hospital only to find out he was not going to be addmitted as the hospital was full, so this little guy who has rickets, contractures, and so thin you can see the stool in his intestines. Is being hydrated at the clinic. We arrive and drive him into the city (as per dr) to another hospital, place him on the gurney, people are just staring at him, he is quite the sight, and get in there and they say they can't help him as he needs to be at the hospital that handles that neighborhood. The Dr. refused to treat and sent us all the way back to the hospital that was full. I will tell you this girl from Kansas had never seen some of the sites as this hospital showed me. Shocking, heads split open and people beaten beyond recognition, not to mention the sick. Anyhow they did let us in and Prince and I left khanyo at 2 in the morning. She called at 7 to say he passed away. As we were waiting in the ER. Khanyo shared that her mom had said she would come back for him (many mixed beliefs here. I reminded her that the Lord was in control of Phiany's life and that he might just go because his heart is broken and he misses his granny and God might allow him to go home. She said, "oh Gogo, he has to live at least 3 months as my mom's funeral policy got transferred to me after she was buried and we aren't covered until 3 months pass. Well, he passed, and someone tithed just in time that we could help her with $l50 dollars which is Rl500 and coverd a small funeral (plot, casket) and taxi to take people to the burial site.

Oh the burial site is a new cemetary and the ground is pure clay. A hole is dug and the casket gets carried to the grave and the men lower it in often having to jump into the grave and get it handed down. then Prince prays and marks the length and the women begin to sing and the men take turns shovelling the dirt into the grave. maybe four small spades, but this soil was like rock, it was such hard work So they dig, and then when tired drop the shovel and walk away and a few others begin to fill in, and the singing takes place until the job is done, then they place stones around the grave and we all go back to eat. It was so sad, and as we walked back to the car (my hired car and the taxi (van), Khanyo's children came up and took my hand and walked with me. So much loss. So I leave you there and ask you to pray for Khanyo and "Colin" her brothers english name. He has just agreed to work with us on a garden project we are getting sponsored for, I felt he needed something else to focus on besides his grief or he woulld maybe get steered into trouble as the township is a rough place. He seems excited to have something to fill his days.

Well I am going to sign off now, pray for our babies, our orphans, the sick and thos that mourn. God promises to comfort them all, and I am standing on that promise.

Blessed to be a Blessing

2008-11-03T12:12:00.000-06:00

Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.Well, I am quite sure I am not doing well at blogging and I am not sure how many are following the blog. I get confused as sometimes I revert to email. Honestly it has been quite a week and Brooke and myself are quite tired. My scripture these last few days are "not to grow weary in doing well".

I will try and update you....but the money we received to purchase the truck has enabled us to be a blessing. The hired car we use and the truck have both been needed very much. We...have to divide and conquer sometimes. Here is what the week turned out to be like, but please look at our truck that we were blessed and able to buy. It has made many trips since we purchased it transporting people to the hospital.

This week alone, we had little man in the hospital (we used some funds to pay for him to be there and get tested). The government hospitals are overwhelming for the Doctors, and the poor patients just wait til they are gotten too. Gurney's and wheel chairs, and people just waiting to be looked at. We knew we wouldn't take the baby there, when he quite breathing. We went to mcCords a private Christian Hospital. We took little man there a week ago Sunday. we went home for the night and back on Monday, where he spent the night. We had an ultra-sound of his brain as the Dr. feared he had nuerological damage. the brain was normal looking, they decided we need to take him to a nuerologist but the next appointment was May, and we have to believe we have enough money come in for this. They released him Tuesday, still gulps and chokes a bit, but they feel all is well and released him, if he is having siezures they might have to see after he is older. Please believe with us for his total healing.
Pray for his father (who is not married to the mom yet). He was so grateful we took him to the hospital, but he has a drinking problem and just lost his job. He really needs Jesus so pray for that. The young mom discribed him as almost being choked in their house (the babY), so when he was released we went in and prayed quite a bit for the home. (his whole stay, and ultra sound totaled R1200 about $l20) what a blessing with exchange rate helping us.

Monday night after leaving little man at the hospital with his mom and dad (who was there a bit), we came home. Prince had transported a 20 year old Nogwazi to the government hospital near Ntuzuma. (we had taken her and her granny their Friday after our care givers meeting. She was so frail and weak, a beautiful young girl wracked with AIDS and probably TB. She has a 3 year old daughter. They sent her home Friday night telling her to come back on Monday. Monday while I took Thobile and Little man to McCords, Prince took Granny and nogwazi to mahatma Gandhi agian. (he was there at 7:00 am). When I got home about 6, from mccords, prince called and said, he was on his way to Gandi again (now that was about 12 hours later), he thought maybe I should come up there. (we have learned unfortunately when my white face brings attention, and when his zulu face, brings connections)...actually it is rather maddening to think the poor granny can stand their for (as it turned out about l4 hours,) with no answeres except there is no bed, and I can ask to speak to the Dr. and get my request met. It is sooo unjust!!! Actually makes my blood boil, it is out and out ungodly and wrong. Anyway he asked that I come up, so brooke and I got in the car and drove to that hospital....I walked into ER, where this poor frail girl was still sitting in a wheel chair. You look around and see stretchers and chairs and such sick people just there alone waiting for some attention. The poor girl had only had blood drawn and no food, and just sitting there all day, not even laying down. They wouldn't let granny and me in, but Granny asked if we could please help. I said do you want us to take her to McCords, she said yes. PLEASE. I went in to the girl, she looked at me, with eyes bigger than her face, and said "I just want to lay down" "i am so tired". I told her we would help, she needed to trust in Jesus.... He would help her, but so would we. I finally got a Dr. to talk to me and aked what we needed to do to get her discharged. He informed me she was discharged. I said, she has been here so long and nothing was done for her, he said, she has TB we think and anemic. I said, why is nothing being done, he said, she is stable she can go home, and come back in the morning. WE HAVE NO BEDS. Well we left, and she went home where we learned she did ask Granny to pray with her. I kept telling her to call on Jesus. So throughout the week, she would hold her hands up in a praying position to ask us to pray for her. Tuesday we picked them up and brought them to McCords, we checked out the Baby and in Nogwazi. She was horribly enemic, her belly was swelling and her legs wer swollen. She remained in the hospital. And received 2 blood transfusions and they diagnoses her as having TB of the abdomen. Last night Sunday, Brooke and I went up for the last hour of viiting hours, she was almost comotose, but she roused to look at us, we prayed over her and read the word to her, there was one point where she yawned and then siezed a minute, then she settled down. At 12:30 am I received a call from the hospital, i was awake and prepared I think, they told me she passed, we couldn't reach the granny the rest of the night...and Prince was down on the south coast he had gone for a wedding and see his family. It was so sad, this morning we told the family, and prince spent all day, helping the granny by transporting her to the mortuary, funeral home and hospital to sign papers. Brooke and I spent the day waiting at the hospital to settle accounts, after a long morning of prayer. She was in the hospital for 6 days and had 2 transfusions, lumbar puncure, blood tests, x-rays and began TB treatment,and drainage of her fluid. It cost just under $l,000 US, we just felt we had to help her get some relief. I believe she died more comfortable, and we know the word doesn't return void, it crosses language barriers, and we pray she saw Him through us. It was an honor to be able to help, so thanks to those of you who partner with us through support for Brooke myself and for the work over here.

In the midst of the week, we had battles, with rumors we were pitching people off the property (the magistrate is moving squatters), and regular warfare stuff. Brooke and I have had dreams of home and people from home. Neither of us are big dreamers in our sleep, and it has been strange. We feel burdened to pray for our country as the election is approaching, and we watch parties splitting in this country. So much happening in the world! It becomes more and more evident we need to fix our eyes on Him. Our prayer is that we walk daily in obedience, that He truly orders our footsteps to the right person or place He wants us. Both Brooke and myself have struggled a bit this week it has been hard, and we really realize we are not in America anymore as we, wait, and communication usually needs to be face to face, and you wait and wait and wait. The Zulu have patience down like we can't even believe may we learn to wait upon the Lord as He will renew our strength.

We are praying for the elections.
We are praying for our homeland.
We are praying for Nogwazi's daughter and granny and huge family as I am sure the funeral is this Saturday.
We are praying for God to make a way for our hospice to come soon. The need is bigger than I ever thought. yesterday one of our fellow believers a worshiper in her mid twenties. Has two children of her own, her mom is in the hospital for weeks, and she has to go after work to bath her, then get home to bath her l5 year old nephew a disabled orphan of her sisters, whom her mom was caring for. His bones apparently are popping out of place as he is trying to grow and can't... we will see them this week. They lock him in the house as there is no one at home to look after him. The brother comes home after school and feeds him and then she gets home from work and the hospital to bathe him. And still comes to prayer and worships God with the most incredible voice.
Please pray for her family and us as we go to see how we can help.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.
Pray for Londiwe the orphan girl 7 who we took to McCords and signed up on theier wonderful ARV program, as opposed to the government one. Her aunt is amazing at 20 who cares for her and is "writting her high school exams (or finals as we call them) this week.

Hope these requests remind you how blessed we are, it gives me such a grateful heart. May we all be able to PRAISE HIM in good times and bad, for He is worthy.

Pictures aren't posting I will try and post later. One is sweet Nogwazi who has not gone to be with the Lord, and the blessing of the truck that has helped so many like her. Bless you all.

"Moving on Up"

2008-10-22T15:08:00.000-05:00

Well, I apologize for it being so long since I blogged. Our motto is "nothing is easy" in Africa. Sometimes, we have trouble with our internet access, very tempermental. And lately we have been exhausted. Many late nights and full days. Hopefully we are back in full focus now.

My bone infection and teeth are healed, my new glasses are here, and all in all, we are back in business.

Why did I title the blog....."moving on up", well for several reasons.

First, Brooke and myself had to make an unplanned move. Our roommate who owned the house we were renting rooms in, decided it was best we move, she is trying to sell her home and well, lets just leave it to say, we felt it was necessary to make a move. We were only homeless (not literally, but knew we were moving and didn't know where) for about 10 minutes. We were offered a 2 bedroom granny flat on the property of some dear friends, Malcohlm and Vanessa , it is secure and has a TV (tee-hee) not that we needed that. Anyhow we will stay here until we leave to return to America in 4 short weeks, and we can leave our things here until we return in February when we will look for permanent accommadations. God is faithful.

We also are moving up in our vehicle department! You got it, we have made a purchase (thanks Jim and Jeanne). We bought a Mitsubishi Colt (4 door, truck or baakie as they say, with a canopy or topper as we say). It is silver in color, it is a 2X4 which will be good on all the potholes in Ntuzuma, and well we are pretty excited!!! Oh yeah it is a 2001 with l02,000 km. Of course it had a tracker on it (a device that if you report your car stolen helicopters and vehicles go out an locate it due to the tracking device) an anti hijack system was installed in order to get insurance in our "hood" Neighborhood that is. Which is the picture of what you see. We are thanking God for this provision and after 4 hours in the registration office (i am a foriegner you know, extra work) we are proud to say we are in operation again.

Prince is transporting patients, and we go tomorrow to get supplies for the caregivers. Again the government kits are not in so we are needing to purchase some supplies. We are Praising God for all He has been up too.

I would like to give some praises and some prayer requests.

Pray for Baby Boy in our church I call him "little man", this sunday someone asked me to come and help as the 2 month old child of one of the young girls in our fellowship was choking and gagging and having trouble breathing. I went back to hold the baby.... He was I can tell something isn't right, whether it is seizures or apnea, something was wrong. We prayed and he did better, we took him to the clinic and got medication for upper respitory issue and now we are monitoring his discomfort and gagging to see if it might be more serious. It is hard because the first thing you want to do is ask mom and baby if they have been tested. So pray for him and timing to address status with mom.

Pray for the family of the "baba" father with gangrene that we got out of a Shack about 2 weeks ago, He had his leg amputated last Wednesdayh and two days later he has passed away. He was so sick. Funeral should be Saturday but lots of family issues.

Pray for the team back in Kansas, I think there is weariness for them and the Board. So please cover both locations where the work is going on.
Pray for Brooke as she got bit by something and it is quite red.
Pray for safety for us and our families as we move abotu our lovely Ntuzuma.

Praises: For my dental work and glasses to be replaced.
Our new home and those who blessed us by giving us a place to come
Headway with the orphans grants,
Our new Baakie......it is so nice.
The counsellor Magistrates for the area, are asking the squatters to move off our property this will enablel us to prepare some rooms for emergency hospice care. The people need to move by november l5th.

Thanks for all your prayers and I hope to do better at the blogging business.
Penny

THE SHACK.....AGAIN.

2008-10-09T16:11:00.000-05:00

It has been a long day, and I won't write much. In fact I think I will blog in the form of a prayer and ask you all to agree with me as I need to ask Papa for some help!!!! This has shaken Brooke and Myself and Prince. You see....the board of Ukukhanya says we should get 3 rooms ready and cut doors through to each other. Put a bed in the middle one and the rooms on either side would have a bed for our first hospice patients. Well....today we got a tip of someone, and we followed up on the one we got yesterday. Not just weary families, or poverty....today we found a man locked in his tin shack, it was quite warm...and he was laying not on the bed but on the floor, covered in feces and urine, his legs stiff, his extremities freezing, and his flesh rotting. Not only did he have bed sores, but his foot was black up the leg and the big toe was almost rotted off, someone said he had maggots, for sure he had gangrene....once at the hospital we received a call that they can't amputate due to his other health conditions, so sending home. We prayed, he is still in, the daughter is making arrangements to deal with him so he doesn't go back to the abusive wife, who isn't her mom, but drinks up the pension and leaves him to rot. MERCY, MERCY, MERCY.

Dear Lord,

I need to pour out my heart and tell you I don't understand a place, where the hospitals (and I know they are overwhelmed with the need), can not attend to someone and the whole five hours our team was there he didn't get cleaned up. I don't get it, a dog would be treated better and more humanely than this dear man, made in your image. I pray for him and the woman who neglected him, I pray for the hospital staff, and all the family that is just finding out his living conditions. I cry for Grace and Mercy to prevail for all of us.

Lord, I come to you and say, this is so much bigger than we are, Orphans yesterday and this man today. Help us to help them. I pray for funding, the ability to hire help enough to sustain these two sick rooms we are feeling led to open. Lord we need to hire some staff 24/7 to care for these ones. You said our Project would create jobs for people, I ask you continue to bring in the laborers and the funding to pay them something. Why have you asked me with no admin skills and definately not a nurse.

Brooke too feels stretched as I am sure Prince and our team from Good News, thank you for each that helped on this side and those that have given on that side. Your kingdom come through us, your will be done. If the shack represents our hearts, mine is breaking and I believe it is the same thing that breaks yours. People too busy to care, to afraid to be involved, I am not judging Lord, but the hospitals and clinics have too much to handle, I can see they have to take each case as it comes before them. But Lord the need is so great!

you said, we had the answer....it is YOU!!! Lord help us show it, be it and give it...this answer that is you. We go to bed tonight asking that you be with this man in his hour of need, your word says you will wipe away every tear. Reveal yourself to him and his daughter. Let your glory shine in the midst of his suffering. Please take his pain, and comfort them that mourn.
You are great....and I know you see and know the need. We are asking You to move, give us wisdom and more grace. For your word says "YOUR GRACE IS SUFFICIENT." We need a hospice Lord and I believe the time is NOW.

Amen

My heart was so stretched......but God ordered our footsteps!

2008-10-08T14:14:00.000-05:00

Any of you who have prayed with me, know I usually pray.."The footsteps of the righteous are ordered of God". Today we gathered in Ntuzuma and Prince prayed God would order our footsteps. I also opened my email before we went out and Dr. Dan wrote that they were still reeling over the carjacking, and he had a scripture for me: james l:27 my translation reads: Pure and Undefiled Religion(in the message it says...the kind that passes muster before God)before God and the father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep on undspotted from the world.

Prince and I headed out about noon from the property, we were going to Lindelani to pick up the youngest of the orphan boys (Brooke and I call him "YES", because when we went clothes shopping for him everytime i said do you like this, he said "yes"). He is seven and we noticed he had a huge mark on his head that was oozing, his brother thought it was a reaction to sap on a mango tree, but it looked infected and prince thought we should take him to the clinic, so today we headed up to pull him out of school and go. Prince missed the turn and where we needed to turn was the street we turn down to pick up the kids that live with Laurah (the 8 orphans in a house we fixed this past June). We hadn't seen them in a couple of weeks, so we planned to check on them this week. I said, we are right here, lets just check on things.

We turned down their road, parked the car, and Prince and I got up, he was ahead of me and walked up to their house, I saw the little Indian/Zulu girl Pela in the yard in front, she was so dirty and didn't look good, then I noticed her lip was so swollen a HUGE fever blister, maybe more lots in a cluster, so pussy and swollen and her little eyes looked sick. I walked her up to the house where Prince had gone and said, "Penny,this little one is throwing up" there in the house was the 6 year old Amanda, the one that has come to the ministry with her grandma (before she passed). I've know her since she was about 2. the age of my Emily.
Prince asked where her mom was (who we never see there) and she said not here, hadn't been there since Sunday. Even the older Cousin who is l8 was Portia was not there. I went over and felt her head and she was burning up. One of the other children went and found the l8 year old from another house, we made her go with us to the clinic. We picked up "yes" and then back to them and then the clinic!!! Oh the clinic. The Drs. were out to lunch, here we were 3 orphans, waiting. Both Pela and Yes got medicines for their sores and antibiotic. Amanda was so hot...(can't tell you her temp, it was in celcius I think didn't know how to convert, but the nurses said it was high). She just sat on may lap and almost fell asleep.

The gave her a big shot and she cried and cried on my shoulder, it broke my heart as I didn't have zulu words to say. Then they put her in short stay to hydrate her. She fell asleep. Then we took her home, the cousin had all the medicine, and I phoned her mom. It was so hard, I just wanted to comfort her and stay take them home, they are so neglected.

Then we took the medicine to the big brothers of "yes", and the boy looked so handsome in his new uniform as did "yes". When Prince picked him up at the school, the teacher said she was so grateful to see him in his uniform, and she had no idea his mom had died(6 months ago). Isn't that unbelievable that a childs parent dies and the school doesn't even know??? We have been instrumental in getting id's and hopefully we will see the new social worker get them a grant. The older brother might become the guardian as they always feel it is good to keep them in their familiar surroundings. We will work along side the brother and take one of our moms there to build relationship with them. We found out they had no food, when I told Prince to tell them to make sure the boy ate with the antibiotic. So we had soup made from our feeding of tb patients this morning so we went back with that and a loaf of bread. Prince and Brooke and Lynel went and two zulu ladies fundi and pretty that work with us (both have sons). They found the boys wearing their new clothes and washing their uniforms. It was good. Fundi told them to clean the house and they were doing good. The older boy said Gogo (that is me) and Umcoolu (spelling wrong, which Brooke calls Prince who is 37 "grandpa in Zulu). the boys had laughed at this, but that is what they call us now. Pretty funny.

Well, we aren't dispising small beginnings, everyday we are trusting the Lord to order our footsteps. yesterday we had a pastor his wife and elders from a church in durban (white) come up and say they want to get involved. It was most encouraging, we also met a Dr. who works nearby in the township she is Indian and a christian and said she wants to be involved and help us. It was most encouraging.....one week after the carjacking. I also got an email that funds might be coming to help redeem the lost items, this was very enouraging too.

God does take care of us all. He is a father to the fatherless whether you are 55 or 5. I don't have resources or answers to all the things and needs I see, but I know the ONE who does. Pray we can draw close and know....His will for each life He draws us too. He is the LIFE we have to offer. We appreciate your prayers as we Love with the Love He gives Us.

ALOT OF MONKEY BUSINESS GOING ON

2008-10-03T15:10:00.000-05:00

Okay, maybe tomorrow we can post the picture of me with a monkey in our backyard, just to remind you I am not in America anymmore (in case the carjacking didn't do the job). This blog, I am writing for prayers as it has been the end of a long week.
We are moving forward on so many things:
Facillitor checking on the caregivers patients
Social Worker with the Orphan Boys (but we did get to take them shopping)
Next Week, we start feeding scheme for TB patients.
need to take a few to the clinic, and help another orphan family of girls.
Anyway, today I woke up l:00 am with a horrible tooth ache. bottom line I had a root canal, and need two crowns to the tune of $1,000 for it all and on several antibiotics as the infection was bad.(pray no reaction)...I know $l,000 isn't bad for all that,
but on top of the car needing rekeying I have to pay the excess of $3800, about $450, and glasses will have to wait. I know God is able and will, it just is alot of stuff to deal with as we are trying to launch so much.

I realized the enemy was wearing me down through no sleep. I hope to get rested and have some wonderful time with Him tomorrow and NOT leave the house. Please keep brooke and I in your prayers as we take a step forward and get slammed back again.

I knew I had reached a new low, when I had to rejoice that I was alive to feel the pain in my tooth. The monkey in our yard, gave us a bit of distraction this afternoon as well. It was symbolic to us, that there had been alot of monkey business going on this week and we were over it, ready to move forward and overcome the hinderences and the robber of our joy.

Thanking God it is Friday and ready for those mercies...those new mercies that come every morning.

Toto, I don't think we're in kansas anymore.

2008-10-02T17:30:00.000-05:00

Wow, I will try to blog tonight. 2 days after a very terrifying experience.

Tuesday morning at about 9:30 I set out from our office in Ntuzuma. Prince was out taking people to the clinic and I took two of the girls working with us Hilary and Pretty (Hilary is receptionist and really a personal assistant to Prince, and Pretty is the facilitator for our home based care workers) and her job is to visit the patients of our caregivers to verify they are having the services done and being seen by our caregivers. This was the second day of us doing this.

Day one, we visite 3 orphan girls the youngest being 7 and HIV+, then a young lady with a 5 year old daughter who has AIDS and something on her face I think cancer or shingles. And two brothers in their 50's with TB+ as they call it TB + HIV. we were drained.

Day two, was Tuesday morning. We visited one patient, and the car was parked on the street so I stayed in the car while the ladies went out to check up the caregiver's work. I was reading my word, 1Corinthians 13...one of my favorites. Then we went to a second home and it was on a side street not so good, then from that patient we went up to Lindewe (I shared about her during our outreach time, I thought she was close to death, we kept visiting and praying with her and today she is walking around again, cleaning her home and raising her son). She was so bad she went to her sisters, but now she is great. Then we quickly went to our last patient's house. We were running late to take the oldest orphan girl to the hospital to get the 7 year old's ARV's...I said lets just finish this caregiver's patients. One more and we would get the girl and meet up with prince.

We pulled out on a road that is kind of main, for those of you have been to Ntuzuma it was the main road going toward Hillary's neighborhood, G Section. One lane going down and two lanes coming up. I dropped them off and decided I should turn the car around because I was waiting in the one lane on a curve going down hill. So I pulled around and pulled up in front of the patients house. A block home with two old parked cars on the side yard. I pulled with two wheels off the road and waited, we were going to hurry. Well....I got out of the car (not a person on this street (busy street). I rearranged the wheelchair in my hatchback so I could put the back seat upright so we could pick up the girl. Then I climbed back in the drivers seat. Opened my bible again to finish reading Corinthians, with some worship music playing and waited I think I locked the door. Suddenly someone came up beside the car (drivers side) and I turned thinking it was the girls and I needed to unlock, instead it was a man, who flashed me a pistol and said, get out I am taking the car,...at first I couldn't believe it, but as I opened the door (of course i was going to give him whatever, he stood between me and the door, with the pistol at his side (below the window so nobody could see it, and said get out now, I said "okay, I will...with my small bible in one hand I was "clutching it hard", and then I reached for my cell phone instinctively as it sits in the cup holder and I usually grab it when I get out of the car. He said "leave the phone", the cocked the pistol.....I dropped the phone on the seat and said, of course take it whatever just don't shoot. (IT WAS the biggest pistol I have ever seen, very long barrel and kind of had to slide it to cock it like a rifle). I moved past him, expecting a shot and moved toward the back of the car, he jumped in, and then I dashed over behind the junk cars, wanting metal or something between myself and his bullets. He slammed shut the door, and gunned it, my tires where in a dirt pile and my hand brake was on, so he spun out and it really squealled as he took off. The ladies in the house, pulled back the curtains and I dashed and I heard them screaming, what is it...My God, and I ran to the door, saying help he took my car, he pointed a gun at me, I was shaking so bad, Pretty just held me and kept her arm around me as we walked to the door. I said call Prince....nobody had airtime.

The patient jumped out of bed (a healing??? I wish), but he ran out with us, as did his mom who came out, then she ran house to house looking for someone with a phone with minutes (couldn't find one). Pretty was able to text Prince, who thank God called right back. He was near lindelani as he was getting a patient from Lindelani Clinic, which happens to be near the police station. He went right up and told the police, called the car rental place and got the tag number, sending a friend "blessing" down to get us ladies. WE went to the offices dropped off the ladies and gave Brooke Mike's number and told her to call and have him cancel the atm cards and credit cards. I was then driven to the police station. We called the lady again and told her the car had been stolen, she said the had Netstar a tracking service to recover stolen cars. I told the police it was pretty identifiable because it had a red wheel chair in the hatchback part. Prince and blessing took me back to the office and they were going to drive around to see if they could see the car. When I reached the office everyone was praying, I joined them we asked we could find everything. 2 hours from the time of highjacking the car rental place called saying they had recovered the car in Kwamashu the township next to ntuzuma between some hostels. i was to go to the station and wait for it.

I gave a report, the car came and didn't have a scratch on it!!! Inside, my purse was gone, but the wheelchair was in there, my box of paperwork was still on the back seat and cd's still on visor (he didn't want all my worship cd's and wayne's book on CD He loves me. (darn I wish he'd have taken that.) The car hire place had her driver escorted in with a spare key for me.

I have been rejoicing ever since that I am alive and well and able to communicate this all to you. You sure appreciate life after an experience like that. I don't think I noticed his face, only his shaking hand after he cocked the gun and the gun, my eyes probably fixated on it.

I think God got testified too quite a bit that day, I really think he was told to kill me, but he didn't. Honestly at that point he seemed as scared as I was. I have been able to pray for him already.

Apparently what happens with a carjacking is they just grab stuff out of it, and park it for several days to make sure there is no tracker on it, then return to strip it. The poor robber. CD's didn't take, Wheelchair, didn't take, box of receipts didn't take. Broken flipflops and tennis shoes, didn't take.

What did he get??
My purse from India with my wallet from there as well, with 3 ATM cards that were already stopped. checks already stopped.
Cash (I had paid some funds out my wallet and had NO cash only a few coins... NO RANDS NOT ONE.
Usually, I have airtime vouchers in my wallet....nope, I was out and in need of buying more.
Make up (for a mulungo (that is a white person) probably wouldn't look good on his girlfriend.
My bifocals are probably the biggest ticket item as well as my brand new cell phone.

I was shaken but not turning back.
I know I am where God wants me.
I know He is able to take care of me.
I won't be travelling around without Prince though.
I will be more alert and as my friend Alan advised, probably not the best time to have a quiet time in the word, should be all eyes and ears. This is true.

Yesterday was spent sorting out things, turned in my car and found out have to pay R3800 in excess (like a deductible) to have the locks rekeyed since the robber now has a key. about $500 US
I got a new sim card which enables me to keep my same cell phone number. (011-27-72-226-2774).
Got my local bank details so we could wire money into this account (no debit cards now).
Called Emprise Bank, my wonderful International local bank (tee-hee) and had them wire money.
My cell to replace will be about $l50.00 and the excess in $500, and my glasses value about $400.

Praise God my passport was at home along with other things I normally have in my purse.

I have been thanking Him for Life and Life abundantly!!!! The sky seems bluer, the flowers prettier, and you my friends and family more precious than ever. I am blessed and protected, and very very thankful.

Pray for the team, here and there, Pray I can recoup what the locust have eaten. Pray for our project to continue to move forward. Today we resumed business as usual. We were blessed to take the orphan boys shopping for school uniforms and shoes, and street clothes (each got a pair of dress pants, jeans, 2=3 pair of shorts and about 4 shirts, tekkies (tennis shoes), and socks, underwear, and flip flops for the two youngest. I believe they were so blessed. Thank you Mr. S. for giving to them so generously (it was fun for Brooke and I to help them shop, after being robbed.

Well dear friends..it has been an exciting few days....to quote a phrase...."Toto, I don't think we're in kansas anymore".[
I have had two nights where I didn't go to bed til 2:00 AM. I will sign off now with my grateful heart, and exhausted body. I say thank you those who pray for us, I believe it makes such a difference and those who support me to do what I do...I think this shows we must be being Ukukhanya (Zulu for "light in the darkness")to the people of Ntuzuma. Bless you all. Penny

P.S. take time to make ammends with those you have ought with, forgive those who have wronged you, tell your family and loved ones how much you appreciate and love thim. We never know what can happen. And all the little stuff....falls away after a moment like this. Live Loved and Love Life.
We

The end of a month and end of a week!

2008-09-26T15:53:00.000-05:00

Well, I am truly digging in here. No longer do I feel I am on an outreach, I feel I am immersed and learning so much.
I'm a bit lonely, but very glad brooke is here. I think we are making progress.
Today is Friday and we had to make our end of the months report to turn in to the Dept of Health. This is exactly why I don't work with the government in America... too many forms, South Africa is the same.

We have l0 caregivers, and we had to tally all their visits and clients. With the language barrier, it was amazing we got it done, but it took ALL day. We will turn in the forms Monday and see where we went wrong, or right!

Out of l0 caregivers, we had 3 deaths this month and one of the caregivers turned in another OVC (orphan of vulnerable child).
This little girl we will go see monday. She lives with a l5 year old sister, no grant coming in yet and she is 7 and has AIDS herself. Pray for wisdom as we go to help this family. next week we will also take the boys from last Friday to get uniforms for school and shoes as some people have come forward to provide this. We do need to continue to help a bit with food. Pastor Prince and Brooke drove out to the Aunts yesterday and she wasn't there, but amazingly the older brother 21 (who went with them to the country looking for the aunt), called prince today to say, they now had all the documents so off to Social Services Monday for them as well. Praise the Lord, we are moving forward.

Today there was a TB meeting so our caregivers came in two shifts. At lunch with the first shift, one of the caregivers started sharing with me (she has good English) about the need for school fees for her l4 year old daughter, her 23 year old daughter had been helping her until she was murdered a year ago July. It was the most tragic story. Just left with a friend of her ex-boyfriend and never returned, her body was found mutilated and decapitated. The mother accused the boyfriend who, now has threatened her so she lives somewhere differnt. it was so sad. After she verbalized it all to me, Prince came in and she told it all over again to him (he later told me he had read about it but they never knew it was her daughter). She cried and I ministered to her while Prince took the others next door. It is pretty hard telling a mother of such a horrible act, that for her sake she needs to forgive and trust the Lord for vengence. (please pray I didn't say anything stupid as there is a bit of language barrier and it is really hard to express yourself sometimes when ministering. Must rely on the Holy Spirit to bridge the gap and cover the errs.

It was a long day. Glad the weekend is here for a bit of a break. Monday we will move forward with the orphans, and begin to check on each patient seen by our caregivers to guarantee the visits and needs are being met. Then the first full week in october we begin feeding the TB patients.

Please pray for our meeting with the 7 year old with AIDS and her l5 year old sister.
Pray for finances for each of these projects., The caregivers need support (trying to raise $l00 each) and we have l sponsored
9 to go.
Also for the extra funds to begin buying food for the TB feeding scheme.

it is a bit wierd as the schools have "spring break" next week and all the stores are breaking out their summer stock. Strange stuff. Enjoy the colors if they are out and one of those crisp fall days for me.

Much Love and appreciate your prayers. I know God is going to show himself to each of these we come in contact with. Great Is His Faithfulness.

Update!!!

2008-09-23T09:31:00.000-05:00

Just a quick update. We took the older brother to the schools, the elementry school waived the fee, and the older boys we need to get a letter for. The 21 year old was nice but admitted he couldn't raise these guys (the 3 have the same father deceased, the older one had a different dad. He was a nice boy, but that is a commitment, apparently there is an aunt who has all their documents, so we have to track her down. There is a chance she is getting their money. Please pray we can track this down. We do have some funds now and we will buy them shoes and new uniforms. At the elementary school,the principle said 1/2 the students are orphans isn't that amazing.

Well, we are trying to not be overwhelmed. Our scripture Brooke and I got was "Don't grow Weary in Doing Well....the harvest is coming". I will have to give you the reference later...have to run for now. Thanks for your prayers, i will fill you in on the household of girls we went to today! We have been working with them since May.

Be blessed and pray, God is the Love we have to offer, the hope, their provider, and the lover of their soul.
Penny

The other shack:

2008-09-20T13:45:00.000-05:00

Okay, no pictures this time, sorry for the previous blog my picture titles got mixed up with the text and so the first few paragraphs read funny and niether Brooke or myself could edit it. We'll learn.

It is saturday and I have spent the whole day inside, a few people have popped by, but overall it was a day of catching up and resting in the Lord after a very busy week. So much to process. It is rainy and cold here which I hear is unusual for spring, it is more like winter. After yesterday I am so grateful for my home with electricity and all my electronic things working (ie computer, ipod, etc). We take those things for granted don't we? I want to share yesterdays experience with God in another "shack"........

Friday morning Brooke and I were ready early and made our way to the grocery store, we bought food for the lunch we serve the caregivers, but I felt led to buy some basic things to take with us as we went to find out about the orphans living in the mud and stick shack. I bought rice, beans, mealy meal, sugar, tea, cookies, cornflakes, long life milk, and butter. We had a good meeting with the caregivers and shared the good outcome of the man in the shack!

After the meeting, we went to see the man and his family with supplies and then headed over to his neighborhood to take a picture of where he lived and then down the path to check out the orphan situation. When we arrived, it was muddy, drizzling heavily, gray and cold, the wind whipped right through our thin jackets. We carried our parcels and went to the house, as we went aroung to the front, we found l window with most of the panes of glass broken out and door barely fitting the hole it occupied.

Prince knocked and as soon as the door was opened the three of us stepped into the dark room out of the bad weather. (I always feel so bad, people are so shocked to see us whites in their area especially when we step into their homes, usually if there is a lighter person with a Zulu it is the police...not us). The one who let us in was a tall boy, we were to find out he was 15 years old, he was in a school uniform, the sweater was tattered, the tie was short (like a 5 year old's tie) and the shirt was not very white. Oh he seemed shocked but gentle and sweet. There was also a little 7 year old boy there. You could smell the paraphin stove was cooking something. Prince introduced us to him and we handed him the parcels saying a neighbor told us they were struggling a bit.

We found out there were four of them living there, all boys. A 21 year old who worked opening doors for the taxi's (not much money), and then this 15 year old a 13 year old (not home) and the 7 year old. Their mom had died in April of this year 2008. Their father who had never been in their life had died in 2004, and because they didn't have his death certificate they hadn't gotten grants. There was no social worker, and the school was going to kick them out if they didn't come up with R110 ($15 ) each for the 3 still in school. (didn't the school know their circumstances?)

The neighbor had given them a few potatoes to cook, they were almost out of paraphin for the burner, Prince handed them R20 to purchase more. The kitchen area was up one step and the walls were mud and wood with gaps allowing wind in. there was a double bed in the corner. Prince asked if they had blankets and they said yes 2 (there were 4 of them and the 15 year old was tall, it had to be freezing. Yep the house was messy and brooke noticed a room off the main room with the door locked but we could see a made up bed through the crack. They said it had been their mom's room and she had been a very hard working to mom who tried to make a life for them. (this was very much Princes life so he was really identifying with all except the loss of a mom).

No electricity (only candles), no water (only a pump outside somewhere and an outhouse).
We told them we wanted to help and got the brothers number and left ours. They thanked us and we left. Tears or rain, it was hard to tell. I felt God was weeping for the grief of those boys and they lived there barely noticed in their sorrow. Where was the church?

I was ready to go shopping for everything. Prince held me in check and as we went to the store, it was hard, I wanted to buy meat (they had no refridge), I wanted to buy a kettle (no electricity), we bought, candles, cups, Milo, matches, salt, bread, peanutbutter, laundry soap, body soap, deodorant, toothpaste, soup, it was so hard. We took 4 washed blankets we had. You know they wanted to keep clean but no money. To move them from their house means they could lose their land. We definately need the Lords wisdom and guidence.

Well, Monday we will go to the councellor, social services and the school after we meet with the older brother, who called prince and thanked him for what we did???? What we did? buy a few meager groceries and promised to look into options. Well I guess you know I am ready to clean out and paint some rooms to let them move in and finish school at the ministry. They are near the area the councellor wanted to give us buildings in. You want to do so much. However I am seeking Him for understanding of all the things He has shown me this week and what steps we are to pursue...buildings, taking in kids, what is He asking us to believe for? Please pray with me.

People who are mourning and can barely bury their mom
People who are dying in shacks, alone and sick. (but this had a happy ending)
People, children who are trying to maintain school and live, with no parent, no income and the most pathetic living conditions I have ever seen.

What do I know..... His heart has been in each one of those shacks, loving on those people, and amazingly He used us to come and help them with transport that many of you have helped us with, with food out funds you have donate, AIDS education, do a funeral, offer hope to the orphans and healing to the sick. I think of all the believers, and all the church buildings and I say.... come and see.....as much as we don't understand, or comprehend, all I can say is I see God's heart breaking for each of these ......and He is giving His Church the opportunity to help.

The strategy??...we wait for, the funding??... we wait for, but I am beginning to understand George Mueller a little bit more as I go to Him and say.....we have kids to love and feed and house and educate, we have sick we need to feed, and house and care for. This is what you have put before me today so please provide this need. I believe the more we give out the more that will come in and we will never lack. He said ask.........believe me I am!!! And as long as He goes with me, I will go to shack after shack after shack, because no matter what we have or don't have, we have the answer..... a relationship with a loving and caring father, who will NEVER leave us nor forsake us!! He is there in each shack I've seen so far.

Please pray for us and be blessed......He loves us.
Penny

The Shack in South Africa

2008-09-19T15:45:00.000-05:00

'The Shack' in Ntuzuma, S. Africa

To those of you reading this, many of you are friends and family and also fan's of the book,
"The Shack" (an amazing book if you haven't read it).

I heard it said, the shack represents our hearts where we meet with God. Well this week doing ministry I met the heart of God in a shack (viewed to the right) and another mud shack not pictured.

Please bear with me as I am attempting my first
The inside of a shack where we blog entry, it is about my experience Thursday
found a sick man the door pictured and friday of this week September 18 and 19.
is where we found him laying

The work we are starting here is called Ukukhanya Life Care Center, and the area we
have begun reinstating is our home-based care.
We have 12 caregivers who work in the section they live in and care for those with HIV and AIDS, the elderly and disabled and to identify the
OVC (Orphaned and Vulnerable Children).

The week began for us with my first Zulu Funeral, many of you got my email about my first day back in S.A. and Zola the Zulu lady who died two weeks back. Her funeral was Tuesday and it was a cool and windy day, the family was so poor they couldn't rent the typical tent and chairs for a

A man's home from 1984......the shack! funeral, so they put up a tarp and borrowed chairs from our church. Prince did the funeral and I helped with a short word. 3 ladies from our team came to do the singing (no instruments of course only their god given voices, lovely). The cemetary was desolate, there were already about l0 graves dug, and Zola's was one. Prince and I were the transport, with my rented Hyndai Getz, and his corolla. plus one van from the funeral home for family. After we get there and say a few words the men lower the casket covered in a blanket, and shovel the pile of dirt over it, there are about 3 shovels so they shovel and fill in the deep grave, and then when tired others take over. The observers stand and sing the whole time.

no headstone, only simple crosses (if they can afford) and no flowers. Since we didn't know we were doing the funeral til 6:30 in the morning, we picked flowers at the last minute, we were the only ones to do that. The son, laid a stick with leaves on the grave. But this isn't what I wanted to write about... it is the shack story.

Wed. night two of our caregivers in "C" section (actually one of the nicer sections of Ntuzuma) called and asked if Prince and I could transport a patient on Thursday to the clinic, a new, very sad case. Of course we said yes and arranged to pick them up at 8:30 am. We went to a cul de sac (where we know a Pastor with a sick wife lives). but we walked past his house, around a few other houses and came into a clearing where there was the shack.

A neighbor came up to talk with us, and then I followed the two caregivers into the shack. It was dark, with light shining through the slates of the two wooden walls, and the flapping piece of rusty tin. On an elevated door covered with a folded blanket, lay the thinnest man I ever saw. One eye was missing, his hair was matted and thin, and clothes were hanging along the wall, covered in dust and dirt. He pulled himself to a sitting position when i entered. (I think when they see me around as a mulungo (white person) they think a ghost has just entered. Whites are almost never seen in Ntuzuma, let alone off a footpath in their home).

He immediately tried to put socks on as he knew we were taking him to the clinic. (apparently the place was quite cleaned up by our caregivers as today at meeting they said there had been feces everywhere (as there is no running water, no electricity, and and outhouse somewhere but not in the vicinity as I looked today and never saw one). We grabbed his I.D. book, got some pants on him and began to walk him out. He was leaning on our caregivers as we picked a path straight up a hill strewn with tin cans, alcohol bottles and weeds. A neighbor going before us kicking the path clear. When we reached the top, I took the keys from Prince and Prince scooped the old man into his arms and carried him the rest of the way. He was in such bad shape. We all piled into the car, I gave him my water bottle as he said he was thirsty. We headed to the clinic.

Prince asked where he was from and he told him a rural area. He said he had no family around.

We left him at the clinic with the caregivers and we called an old folks home prince knew about in the rural area. We thought we would take him there and post a picture in the paper asking for family (does anyone know this man)? When we went back to the clinic, he was getting an iv of fluids, and prince was able to get an address out of him for family in Kwamashu the neighboring township. We decided to go there since he wouldn't be done until 2:00pm. If no family we would go to the old folks home in the rural area an hour away. J1111 was the house number, so we drove around. We had his name and ID book with a picture in it (like our passports).

We found the house, and walked around back, a child came out and a teenager. Prince spoke zulu to them, then a woman in her 40's came out, probably a niece to the man who turned out to be 58. She looked at the picture, said (in zulu) it looked like her uncle but the name and info didn't match. (later we were to find out the white man he had worked for got him a fake id so he could get services as he had lost his). The niece went in and an older woman maybe 60's came out. She looked at the picture and confimed he was her brother.

I held my breath.....would they care, would they help, what was all this history. I knew from my AIDS work in america alot of times there are burned bridges. The story unfolded...............

this man had left home when he was 23, never to return. He lived in this shack not that far from his family (quite a distance walking but a neighboring township). They had no contact with him except a few years back they bumped into him at a clinic and he ran away saying he had diahrea, but I am sure it was shame. The two ladies spoke to the children in the home, and put on shoes and jumped into the car with us. We still had an hour til his IV was done so they wanted to see where he stayed and we wanted to see what they wanted to take. We went to the shack

again. The neighbors saw us and came over. When they saw this was the family the look of shock was unmmistakable. They had helped care for him and then called in our caregivers. He had lived there for 24 years and said he had nobody. The neighbors were so relieved and grateful to us, for finding his family to take him in. My heart ached as I walked with the shack with the two ladies, tears filled their eyes as they saw the gaps in the walls and said how cold he must have been, and looked at the door he used as a bed. They accessed his meager belongings and began to pack his things. Prince came in and said, lets go see what is happening at the clinic and we will come back for his belongings.

At the clinic we went back to the room where he was laying on a bed receiving IV fluids, he was dehydrated. he had just received an HIV test where it was confirmed he had AIDS and TB.

We went in the room and he raised up when he saw his family. It was all in zulu, but I knew they said he was coming home with them and that was that. The nurse confirmed no point in going to the hospital at this time, and we could take him with us. (oh that room had a 14 yr old or so girl, so thin and getting IV's along with a mother (young who was pregnant) with a 1 year old getting IV's. I was quite sure all in that room had AIDS. The girl went to the hospital. And when the nurse asked about us, Prince said we were here since our caregivers had found this man, we had found his family and our plan was to build a hospice. She said there is such a need.

We took the man home and I waited in the car with him, while the ladies and Prince went down to pack and lock the shack. Up the footpath, came the neighbors and family carrying garbage bags of clothes and blanket, and a plastic pan filled with pots and pans. (amazingly all fit in our car. The five of us thanked the neighbors and drove to the sisters homesite in kwamashu, where we helped them unload and take him inside. We informed them of his status, advised they burn the blankets and we would bring new tomorrow. We would bring gloves and diapers (PTL). we exchanged numbers and left.

Prince and I prayed as we returned to the office for the family and the man, and actually rejoiced that in such a dire, desperate situation, we witnessed the fathers heart, inside the shack!

The family forgave, and took him in like the prodigal! the neighbors showed love and compassion as papa tells us we are to do. Loving one another. The caregivers, gave of themselves as they had cleaned him up and called for help, in a situation of very unsanitary conditions. I think it is called laying down their lives for one of the least of these.

Today, Friday, after taking the caregivers home from our weekly meeting, we took supplies to the family and checked on the man. He lay on a mattress in a home filled with kids, cleaned up, filled up (as he had started to eat), and on clean bedding. He looked 75% better. Isn't it amazing what Love can do????

I leave you with that as I must go to sleep. Tomorrow I will blog, where this encounter led us to another shack needing the fathers love. This one ......was pointed out to us as we took the family to the man's shack a neighbor thanking us for helping pointed down the path to a mud and stick house and said there are some orphans living there in dire straights. We promised we would come Friday, and today (friday we did) .......I will write tomorrow.

He loves us and He continues to show me, He is especially fond of each one! He will go to great lengths to reach the one person. Knowing what to do and how to do it, keeps us so utterly dependent on Him!

Much Love,

Penny