DAVE and JUDY BELL from Australia have become dear
Transcription
DAVE and JUDY BELL from Australia have become dear
JUNE – SEPTEMBER 2013 WE NOW HAVE ELECTRICITY! Praise the Lord! Isn’t this exciting…after so many years of relying on a generator, then solar panels…. Our numbers are growing slowly in the crèche and the two well-balanced meals are working wonders: we notice how more attentive and alert the children are with full tummies. KFC sponsor the food for the crèche and feeding scheme. Teachers are being empowered for leadership by taking charge weekly on a roster basis, being responsible for the everyday routines and running the curriculum themes which this term included “Transport”, “Road Safety”, “Seasons”, “Environment” and “Farm Animals”. A big thanks to Dave & Judy Bell for organising the teaching material in the storeroom so beautifully. DAVE and JUDY BELL from Australia have become dear and invaluable friends of Khula. “We first learnt of Khula crèche after our daughter married and settled in Margate. Since then we have visited the crèche each time we have come to South Africa. We have seen the difference the crèche makes in children‟s lives and now volunteer on a regular basis when we are there. Our project during this last visit was to sort through all the donated material and store it so it could be easily accessible. We would disappear in the store room at 9 am and emerge at 1 pm! At the start of each day we joined the staff in their morning devotions and were amazed at their singing and strong faith in difficult circumstances. We look forward to our next visit. „This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord‟s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.‟ 2 Cor. 9:12” Three girls from St Mary’s, Waverley, Johannesburg, came for work experience in their holidays. Tayla-May, Lungi and Simone swept floors, fed the children, tidied the crèche, helping the teachers and cooks by doing relief work. They blessed the staff and children with a thank you party with homemade cake and brownies, chips and cold drinks. We are so grateful to this next generation of 16 year-olds who are actively making a difference! LOCAL VISITORS AND VOLUNTEERS Thanks to our visitors who show such an interest in our work: Jax & Kirsten Neethling Rotary, who brought blankets Rod & Jenny Stephenson who brought scooters for the crèche Trevor & Helene Downham Jonathan Voights from Nedbank Debbie & Gail from Two Tunics John & Ann, my faithful volunteers who helped sort and pack secondhand clothes for the needy. OVERSEAS VISITORS We are deeply grateful for the support and visits we get from our overseas friends: Ken & Kim Hickman’s team from Lake Pointe who held a holiday Bible club for 5-14 year olds over four days, which went very well. The children were spoilt with fresh fruit daily. Greg Bradford and his team, also from Lake Pointe. Althea Glass from the UK Dave & Judy Bell from Australia Mike & Robyn Nash from the US Dave & Lorraine Meaker from Egypt Keith & Kimberley West, from Lake Pointe Missions Steve Flippo’s team from the US who challenged the ladies at devotions Once a year a group of Missionary Kids get together to travel to different parts of the world, e.g. Nepal, Ethiopia, Mexico and China. This year twenty-two of them spent a few weeks in Port Shepstone and surrounds under the leadership of Dan Ryder & Julie Wickes. We were privileged to have them spend a day at Khula crèche. How exciting to meet MK’s from China, Japan, Russia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Argentina, Hungary, Thailand, France, Singapore, Italy, Nigeria, Kenya, USA, Mexico, Zimbabwe….(I think that’s all !!) “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers, in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12 A touching story from Jacob Wray, a 17 year old scholar from Lake Pointe Church, Texas, USA, who initiated the hope of raising of US $5 000 for a borehole…and eventually raised US $15 000!! Our borehole is affectionately named “Jacob‟s Well”. Here‟s his story. “I had the opportunity to serve in South Africa in June 2008 and my life was forever changed. Our mission team was waiting in Johannesburg for our flight home. We couldn‟t help but speak in awe of all God was doing in South Africa. We had spent the week surrounded by countless brothers and sisters in Christ actively affecting the Kingdom. There was an excitement to being a Christian, tangible ways to share Christ by mimicking His compassion. It was out of this realisation that the Lord convicted me that action was necessary. I linked up with Janine Dillow and Ken Hickman of Themba Foundation and we began brainstorming. We decided to investigate where the greatest need was in KwaZulu Natal and the need for clean water at Khula was brought up. Once a well was discussed the Lord really united us all and confirmed this was where our faith could be put in action. We decided to sell T-shirts and items from the Hospice culminating in a fundraiser dinner in the month of December. We would sell items during school and at the youth group at Church. After asking the principal and gaining permission we began fundraising. Our first week of selling was met with tremendous support. I would sell T-shirts during lunch and was close to selling out in 5 days. Several students in our church volunteered to sell T-shirts at their schools and pretty soon we were ordering 4 times more T-shirts by our second week. It looked like we would raise all the funds by month end. Then the sales dried up…..and we faced many challenges: We had planned a fundraising dinner in December for 150 people and only a dozen tickets had been sold! I regret to say my doubts became my unbelief. I thought this project was too vast, the details too many, and the sum too great for even the God of Heaven to accomplish! I did receive incredible support in the weeks leading up to the dinner (we sold more T-shorts and sold enough tickets to offset the debt) but still a profit was nowhere to be seen. Shame on me for my doubt and disbelief! As the weeks passed I got periodic calls from the Themba Foundation as they received amounts of money. The total began to rise. Then suddenly, one month later, we had raised all the funds and thousands extra! I still remember that phone call, the excitement on the other end and my inability to say nothing but “Wow!” I remember the tears of shame for doubting our God. Our God is bigger than we can imagine and more powerful than we can ever fathom. The following summer I had the pleasure to get to see the well after it was capped. The whole mission team gathered around the well and joined me in prayer. Several of the people on the team had volunteered in the fundraising process and it was a joy to have their company around the well. It was incredible to be kneeling on a physical reminder of God‟s power to provide. If it were up to me, that well wouldn‟t be there. The well is there because God wanted it to be there, despite me. The Lord opened my eyes to the amazing work He is accomplishing and the invitation for all of us to take part in. I received just a glimpse of what the Church can accomplish and have been daily blown away at the extent to which God takes our humble actions of obedience and multiplies them exponentially for His glory.” There’s a work for Jesus ready at your hand, ‘Tis a task the Master just for you has planned. Haste to do His bidding, yield Him service true; There’s a work for Jesus, none but you can do. Thank you to all our sponsors. We appreciate you keeping this vision alive for the community. Khula is totally dependent on donations. Our gratitude to Peter and Relindis Stark and Zulu Aids Hilfe.e.V from Germany is immeasurable. I asked Peter to write a few words. “When we were young and pretty we lived for four years in Pretoria and we fell in love with South Africa, its nature and people. After that we visited South Africa quite often on business or vacation. Eight years ago, when we retired, we bought a house on the South Coast and we live here six months of the year. Our life is good and we are healthy….but we saw how difficult life is in the rural areas, so we decided to give something back and support children who suffer and need our care. In 2006 we founded, in Germany, an association called “Zulu Aids Hilfe e.V” and started raising money. At present about 150 people support us. Thanks to all of them, especially to our friend Siegfried Fricker! Together with Genesis we started the Khula Community Centre in May 2010. While in Germany we continue to raise money, and while in South Africa we support our friends at Khula. It is not easy, but what has been achieved during the past four years is like a miracle. We appreciate the progress made so far, but as we are from Europe, we sometimes would like to see things happen even faster! But the smile on the faces of the kids is our reward for our efforts and makes us happy.” Health Post & Dentist A very ill, young lady was brought to Khula Clinic in a wheelbarrow, too sick to walk. Thanks to the persistence of the nurses at the Clinic, an ambulance from Murchison came to fetch her. We don‟t know what would have happened if the ambulance hadn‟t responded. Fifteen crèche children who got permission from their parents to have their teeth checked, were attended to by Dr Zakkiya Hagad. They were issued with dental packs sponsored by Dr Mike & Carla Fisher from Lake Pointe. Treasure, the dental assistant, made visiting the dentist great fun for the kids! Widows & Orphans Vince is doing a great job, visiting the very needy folk every Friday. Vince writes: The food ministry is so helpful to the families; some are starting to draw nearer to God and saying “finally God has heard my prayers” Community GardensTim writes: The participants continue to produce sufficient vegetables to meet their own domestic needs with surplus for sale to the local community. Thanks to the support of Lake Eland Game Park the participants have earned a reasonable income this month from the sale of lettuce and parsley. When the rains come we look forward to being able to plant the seed that was generously supplied by McDonalds Seeds. In an effort to encourage the participants to become entrepreneurs we have established a source of soap that they have been able to sell to the local community so providing a significant income. Skills – Khula crafts (KHA- Khula Hlhangaisa Amakozikazi or Khula fellowship ladies) Luzia writes: The crafts project at Khula started two months ago with local woman in the Mahlabathni area and looking back, we are grateful to see the woman of KHA have progressed. From the novices that started the project, we identified those who have shown the ability to do bead work as well as those who have the potential to improve. We experience a willingness and enthusiasm among the woman that give us hope that great thing lie ahead for us. Christine and four of the woman have taken the lead and are patiently teaching the other in basics and beading. We also have combined some sewing with the beading in making pot holders from shoulder pads we covered with fabric. We gave the woman carte blanche and were pleasantly surprised at the initiative they have shown to produce lovely pot holders. We strive to give the woman an opportunity to develop their talents and give them confidence in their work and the freedom to create. We have planned to combine the sewing and the bead work in more articles that can be sold on the open market so that they can earn an income. The planning of these articles will take place at a meeting with the committee o 20 October. We thank God for giving us the heart and opportunity for this work and qualifying us in doing it! Prayer Points Thanks to your prayers, the Lord is answering and we are seeing a hunger for the Word and spiritual growth amongst the staff. This in turn has an impact on the community. As always, we ask for your prayers for Continued spiritual growth of the staff and children God‟s protection over the crèche, families and the whole community Nativity/Graduation on the 29th November for our four year olds who are going to Enxolobeni Primary School next year Our aim at Khula is to show: KHULA - Kindness to our fellowmen Help through sponsorship Upliftment of the community Love through Jesus Christ All working together Again, we thank Pastor Joseph, the Committee and Greg, our teachers and cooks, and the admin staff at Genesis for their dedication and hard work. “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2 :14-16) A Special thanks to Annabel and Gaz for their help with the compilation of this newsletter. God Bless Ally