BACK TO THE WINTER
Just before Christmas I bade farewell to the Summer heat of Durban and arrived back to temperatures of -9 in the UK! A bit of a shock to the system!
I had a good time catching up with my family over Christmas and enjoyed the snow briefly before it all melted. I hope to see people this coming year and catch up with you then if possible.
In this final newsletter I’ll detail what happened at the end of my time in South Africa and look forward to what 2011 has in store. Happy New Year!
END OF YEAR @ INCHANGA PRIMARY SCHOOL
Victoria from the sewing co-operative managed to get the rest of the uniforms for the 20 children to me just before the end of term and on the last day of term I distributed them along with food parcels for each of the 40 orphans.
Fikile the new Project Manager, and Mr Mkhize helped me to organise the children. It was a good opportunity for Fikile to explain to the children that she is taking over from me and they were sad to hear I was leaving but excited that she will be taking care of them from now onwards.
As we had decided not to feed the children each week I’d put together a food parcel with extra food in it plus stationery that will be useful for next year. About 30 of the ‘40’ were there to receive this and the rest was given out to other needy children.
It was sad to say goodbye but I know I’ll be back to visit them one day and Fikile will work hard to make sure they are looked after. Thanks again to Maureen from Our Journey,inc for providing the uniforms. The children were especially pleased with these.
SIYATHEMBA – WHERE HOPE BEGINS
Since September I have been going regularly to visit Mlu and Goodman, 2 ex-GGA young men, in the township in Pietermaritzburg to give them basic food items and to check on their welfare. At the end of November it became urgent for them to move out of their lodgings. As we looked around an exciting opportunity arose to purchase a small government-built township house for them to live in. Using some of the money from the sale of the Hilux (see over for more details) I arranged with them to buy this one-room breeze-block house which is part of our Siyathemba project that I wrote about last time.
Goodman (20) and Mlu (18) are now living in their new home and are very excited about it. They’ve already made a start on clearing the small plot of land to create a vegetable garden. Steve will keep an eye on them next year and there are various other people around to help out if need be.
This whole venture has been God-ordained and directed from the beginning and all came together very quickly in my last month there. Pray for these young men as they settle into independent living in their own home and for protection and further provision of jobs and finance for future training.
‘For I know the plans I have for you, (..) plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’‘ Jeremiah 29v11
Church@GGA – YOUTH ALPHA
Once we dealt with the distraction of the Apostles Church, the Youth Alpha Course got underway and was a runaway success. 30 children participated and each one benefited from it. At the end of November they came up to our house for the Holy Spirit Day and we baptised 2 of the children in the pool which was a joyous occasion. In particular the children appreciated having the opportunity to ask hard questions and also the space to receive prayer and be listened to. Many of these children will be starting boarding school in January which is new and exciting and so church@GGA will have a different dynamic. Please remember them in your prayers and also pray for God’s continuing provision for God’s Golden Acre as a whole.
What’s happened to the Hilux?
The plan to sell the Hilux to Russell and Precious fell through, but we all agreed this was a God-incidence as the house for Goodman and Mlu came about just around the same time. Instead I was able to purchase the house for the boys and get them kitted out with basic household equipment as well as blessing Russell and Precious with a donation. As they have just got married (see below) they were exhausted and also desperate to visit Cape Town on honeymoon. When I suggested to them that they use some of this donation for that purpose they were filled with excitement and gratitude and I think a trip is being planned. With so many kids living in their home a time away for relaxation and refreshment is well overdue!
RUSSELL AND PRECIOUS – THE WEDDING WEEKEND
Russell and Precious’s Wedding was a 3 day affair. We started on Friday afternoon when the first goat and cow were slaughtered. I had to take photos and it was a bit gruesome but also fascinating to get an insight into local ways of doing things. Saturday was the White Wedding. We were expecting about 20 people to turn up at our house for the service but ended up with well over 120! Steve and Mike, in their over-sized shiny silver suits, performed wonderfully in the wedding dance. Our outfits on Sunday went down well too with the boys in traditional skins and me in the Zulu beaded skirt and top. It was an exhausting but joyous occasion and I was pleased I could offer them lots of photos as a gift of memories for them.
FUTURE PLANS
Back in the UK I’m applying for Children’s Ministry jobs in London as that is where I feel the Lord is directing me to next. I’ve thought about living in London for a while now and it will certainly be different from the valley! Whilst applications are processed and I await news I’m using my time productively to write a book about my time in South Africa and a testimony to God’s faithfulness and provision. I really sense that now is the time to write this, while I have little else to distract me. Pray that the motivation and focus that I have currently for that will continue and I will see this project through. Pray also for someone to agree to publish it too.
Bob’s visa was denied on Christmas Eve, which was frustrating. He is reapplying and will come over to visit as soon as he can get it sorted. I was upset that he couldn’t meet my family and friends over Christmas but am comforted by an inner peace that tells me this is somehow all in God’s timing and eventually, at the right time, he will arrive here. Continue to pray for us and for direction as he would like to move here and work. Especially pray for the right work for him, he has his own business and would like to continue something along those lines.
Finally, a huge thank you for praying and supporting me during this past year in South Africa. It’s been an amazing time of experiencing God’s love and sharing it with the children and people of KwaZulu Natal. I’m constantly surprised by God’s attention to detail and provision for our needs. I have a very real sense of completion of my ministry over there, even though the work still progresses. Although I shall go back to visit as often as I am able to, I know that my time of living there has come to an end for the moment.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVESTING IN GOD’S KINGDOM WORK IN KWAZULU NATAL.
Much love from Caroline xxx
