Blessing others & being blessed

Yesterday was a special day. The Home that was built by the YWAM Orlando team was dedicated prayed over. There are still a few minor things to be done, like a door to be hung, the floor to be poured in the old room & a few more panes of glass to be put in. But with the team leaving today for Rustenburg, we wanted them to be able to bless the home & the people they have worked so hard to provide a home for.

The Orlando team did a fantastic job with the help of 2 of our favorite workers, Steven & Simbisiso. I must say, I think it is one of the prettiest homes we have built. And during the building process, the team took the time to build relationship with the ladies that live near by. The kids loved playing with everyone & would often bring them mangos.

The team decided to take up a collection to get a home warming present. They were able to get quite a few necessities as well as some special treats for the kids! After the prayer time & presenting of the gift, the gogo thanked the team& told them that before they built the home, every time it rained she would not be able to sleep. Just seeing her smile blessed the team. I think they were as blessed as the family. And that's what it's all about!

Breaking ground!

Did I mentionin my last blog that there are 29 people on the YWAM Orlando team? They wouldbe tripping all over theirselves trying to build the one home, so we had them start digging the footin for the care center in Kabokweni.

My wonderful friend, Elizabeth, pictured above, and her group of volunteers feed approximately 140 kids 4-5 days a week out of her garage. Ten Thousand Homes has been in the process of getting a care center built on the donated land behind her home. There has been lots of prep work, from building a new road to erecting a water tower.

The past 2 weeks, part of the Orlando team have been digging the footing. Let me tell ya, it's some hard, back-breaking work! Some spots are nice & sandy, while others are solid rock! Here's a few pictures of them getting started. And while they are rotating out team, they all take time to play & love on the kids! More updated pictures to come!

January started off with a bang at Ten Thousand Homes! A wonderful outreach team from YWAM Orlando arrived the first week with the money they had raised to build an orphan home. Knowing they were coming, we asked Elizabeth to help us locate a family in need. She connected us with a Gogo (grandmother) who is raising 3 small children & had taken in 4 more girls ranging in age from 7-15. When we went to meet her, it was obvious that this family needed help & hope. They were living in a small, 1 room house with a roof that was a mix of patched tin & plastic. The 4 girls had been staying in a wood shack beside the house, but the recent rains had knocked it over & so it was unlivable.

After making the necessary arrangements, we went to work! The team was so quick that I wasn't able to get pictures of the original wood shack. They had it torn down before I got the last load of people out there! Then came the hard work! Hauling loads of brick, sand, water & rock down the hill was only the beginning. Working under the hot African sun doesn't make it much easier, but this team has done an awesome job! Here's a few pictures of the beginning stages of the new home. I'll keep you updated as the progress continues.

Please keep our Orlando team in your prayers, as well as the family that God has called us to help.

Youth Camp

We had the pleasure of hosting a youth camp with Pastor Sthembiso on our campus the week before Christmas. There were over 80 teens/young adults here. It was amazing! John, Rae & I all had the opportunity to speak.

John spoke on Ephesians 5 to the young men in the camp. He talked about the role of husbands & what that means. God's word transcends cultures. Women are to respect their husbands. And husbands are to love their wives like Jesus loves the church. The role of men in any society is crucial. And for most of the young men in SA, there isn't a role model. So many of them have grown up without a father figure. But God has specific instructions on how to do this. It was a very open discussion with John challenging them with God's truth. Once you know the truth, you are responsible for it. Of course, mentoring is the key. John, Pastor Sthembiso & Stanley are meeting weekly with the young men to discuss what is going on in their lives & what God's word says.

Rae spoke on "A Generation of Change". God put this on her heart a year or so ago. It doesn't matter what your age is, you can make a difference. She spoke to the young women about making a change in their communities & in the world. She then asked them to write down ways that they could make a difference. Afterwards, they shared. One young lady shared that if they were always holding on to the past, they couldn't grasp hold of the future. Rae did a wonderful job & God used her in a special way.

I taught on the Motivational gifts. We talked a lot about what ministry is & isn't. It's not about what you do on Sunday mornings or only at church. It's about life & everyone you come in contact with. Then we talked about the different kinds of gifts, looked at the motivational gifts & did a survey to see what each persons gifts were. I asked the group to please be interactive & ask lots of questions. And they did! It was an awesome experience. There is nothing like God using you in a way that brings change & transformation to others!

I think the camp was a great experience not only for the youth, but for our family as well. We are so blessed to have this amazing relationship with Pastor Sthembiso. And to be able to live this life that God has called us to. Thank you to all of you who make that happen!

Katiwhe

This is my friend, Katiwhe. She is one of the amazing young women who serves the children in the community of Kabokweni. When I first met her back in March, she was not doing so well. She was depressed & had talked of taking her own life & her 2 childrens as well. Her life seemed hopeless & sad. She is 20 years old, has a 6 yr old & 18 month old. She lived with her father & step-mother. Her step-mother would withhold food from her & accuse her of stealing food if she ate. She was nursing her baby, looke liked she was nothing but skin & bones & had no way out. This amazing young lady volunteers 5 days a week to cook & serve over 100 kids who have even less.

Recently, she was able to get a "home" of her own. Her father worked out a deal with a neighbor & fixed up this tiny shack for her. It is tiny. One room, no window, dirt floor. It has a bed, a light bulb & extension cord & a little shelve on cinder blocks for her hot plate & tea kettle. Yet, when she told me about it, her face lit up! She walked me to her place & with pride, showed me her new home. The change in her has been amazing! She is happy & has dreams for the future. Some day, she would like to have her own little cafe. She dreams of being able to provide for her girls. Although Ten Thousand Homes did not provide her home, it just goes to show what a difference a home brings to those who don't have one. It brings a place of security & hope.

Christmas

So, for the first time EVER, we weren't with family & friends at Christmas. We decided to just take it easy, hang out at the pool, throw some cream-cheese stuffed, bacon wrapped jalapenos on the grill and relax...Not too bad! Then we spent the evening Skyping the kids, grandkids & parents, watched a few episodes of "The Office" and relaxed some more. Overall, not bad at all!

Ticket from South Africa to Texas: Expensive
Walking your daughter down the aisle & dancing at her wedding: Priceless!