Hambani kahle!

This week has been so great having Dan and Earl here. It is always so refreshing to see people from home. Tuesday they were able to take part in a medical clinic, which isn't always the easiest thing to see. We saw a ten year old boy, who has tested positive for HIV, but whose parents don't want the responsibilty of giving him the medicine everyday. They would be able to get the medicine for free, it is not a money issue, it is simply the responsibility of handing him a pill everyday. We are working on getting them to sign guardianship to one of our workers so that she can give him the medicine att he care point. Please pray that this will work. Tyrone also left today. Sad to see them all go but good to know we will be home for Christmas. See you soon!!

Monday

God is so amazing!! We had an incredible weekend of relaxation and taking in God's goodness. Charles is going to be preaching at a youth group this weekend so please be praying for the presence. We are so excited about being here, serving God and following His will for our lives. Don't ever feel sorry for us, we are living in His will and loving it!! We miss you all so much!! Have a great week :)

Sanele at Hawane

charles, me and sanele

play equipment right outside sanele's new home

this is the garden that sanele's house is in charge of

kitchen

this is the lving/dining room in Sanele's new home

charles and sanele

charles and patrick on the beautiful grounds of Hawane

sanele and his new house mother


God never ceases to amaze me. Sunday morning, we woke up, went to the International Church and then went to lunch with some friends. On our way home, as we were beginning to turn onto our street, we saw Sanele sitting there on the corner. We didn't know what else to do so we picked him up, brought him to our house and gave him a bath. Afterwards, Charles wanted to go find his mother and find out why he was at our corner waiting on us, so he and Sanele drove down to where she stays. As soon as Charles was getting getting close, Sanele started crying. Charles knew he didn't want to be left with her. After about 20 minutes of looking, Charles finally found her at one of her boyfriends houses. She didn't seemed to be concerned with Sanele at all so Charles asked if he could just keep him for the night and then Monday we would bring him to the orphanage Hawane. She agreed and started to go inside and Chalres asked her if she wanted to give him a hug, knowing she wouldn't see him for a long time, so she started back towards him. As soon as she stooped down, he flinched back in fear of her. It breaks me heart every time I raise my hand to give a high five or stoop down to give hug and the childs natural reaction is to flinch back. Well Charles and Sanele made it back, we ate a good dinner and put him down to bed. The next morning we had a staff meeting, gearing us up for the busy month ahead and then we left for Hawane. It is about a 45 minute drive away. We had tried getting some of our Swazi friends to explain to Sanele what Hawane was and that he would be living there. It didn't take long for us to figure out that he did not understand. The way the orphanage works is that it is a huge farm with many homes on it. Husbands and wives live their and almost become like foster parents for the kids. That way the kids are still growing up in a home, with a mother and father and siblings. Each home is in charge of a garden, teaching the children responsibility. They go to school and have the opportunity to go to college or learn trades. The home Sanele is going to live in is very nice, there are 7 kids who live there now. When his house father and mother started showing us their home and introducing their children, Sanele started really crying hard. He did not want us to leave him. It was also very hard on us. Charles was very upset and as he says, he had a lot of dust in his eyes, causing them to water really bad :) After about an hour of goodbye's we had to leave. Tuesday morning we got a phone call that he was doing great and really loving it. They gave him a brand new bike and he was playing and laughing with all of the kids. Wednesday, two men from Hawane met with the mother where she signed over her custody and agreed to let him stay there for good. God has a huge plan for Sanele's life and we are so excited for the new chance at life he is getting. We are going to visit him on Friday and will continue to keep you posted on how he is doing. Thanks for all your prayers!!!

THANKS

To everyone that was involved in the 40 days of prayer we just wanted to say thanks from the bottom of our hearts. There are times on the mission field that you really face obsticals and because of your prayers devils are defeated. There are thousands of kids that are loved and taken care of because of your support and prayers. Again Kristen and I want to thank you for everything. You guys are a blesseing. Please stay in touch.

Scarey, Painful and Exciting

Well let me just start off with saying this has been a wild weekend. It all started when kristen myself and some friends went to south africa for a holiday vacation. Swaziland had its annual reed dance were the king picks his next wife and the whole country shuts down pretty much to go and watch 40,000 girls dance topless for the king.So we decided well we don't want to be apart of that so lets get out of town for a little while. Its the last night when were in joburg and as we are coming home from eating out we see this husband and wife getting robbed at the stop light. It was a guy begging at the street corner and saw the ladies purse sitting on her lap so he bust the window out grabs the purse and takes off running. Then the husband jumps out of the car and chases the guy down leaving his wife in the middle of the road by herself car running and both doors open. As we see all this happening there are two guys walking up to the lady so me and doug jump out of the car and run over to her to try and help her, she is crying like big time. With us running over to her the other guys take off running so we think they were working together and they were going to steal her car. So after that we make it back to swaziland and we have a date night that one of the churches put together for married couples it was very nice our friends doug and tasha did a great job. So were in the middle of eating and i started feeling some pain in my back, nothing to bad just uncomfortable. So i got up went to the bathroom and it started getting worse. By the time I got back to the table I was in so much pain that I could barley walk. Kristen said I was crying I say some dust got in both my eyes. But that not the point. I had to go to the hospital it was hurting so bad. By the time i got there the pain just went away, the doctor said that i had a kidney stone. People if you never had one don't get one they HURT. He said it is worse than labor pains, so when i have a baby I can say I know how you feel. So as Im going home Mike Hamen called me I mean can you say the dude moves in the spirit are what. But thanks man it was good hearing from you. So the next day rolls around and we have a pastors breakfest that we put on to try and bring all the pastors and youth pastors together for the youth crusade that were doing in november. That was exciting I was a little nervous cause its me the nobody tlking to these head pastors and get this they all listened to what I had to say and were fired up with what we are doing . They want to be apart of it and what to help bring more churches together THANK YOU HOLY GHOST!!!!!!! So that was the fun filled past three days of the life of Charles and Kristen. Love Yall and Be Blessed