Hello again

Well it’s been a while since we have updated this which we apologise for but we are now into routines and have stuff to tell.

I (Stephen) have been working in the church and they have been great accepting me and letting me get involved, they even gave me an office! The church is very busy active in the community some of the areas I am now involved are:

‘Youth’ on a Friday evening - works with teenagers, there can be between 50 and 80 each night I have been involved in the worship and did a talk last week.

Kids club at Izotcha Primary school on Friday afternoons after school – just like CONTACT.

Scripture Union run Life skills programmes in secondary schools which teach about HIV/AIDS and the importance of good values and good choices it promotes abstinence and Christian values but we have to be careful how we present this material, there are voluntary sessions during lunch and break where we can present the Christian message. Next week from 1st Oct we are in Port Shepstone High so please pray for that work and that the pupils will learn from the sessions and that God will be Glorified. Also pray for all the facilitators we will have groups of between 8-10 pupils and it can be stressful.

Overcomers – we work with a group of five 7 year old boys selected from a local school because of difficult and challenging behaviour. We have a new group and are just getting to know them. We give them tasks like making a fire or building a fort, teaching them to work together.

Youth academy is a mentoring and leadership scheme the church runs in local schools I am currently reviewing the material used and getting to know the scheme.

I have learnt a lot since we arrived and been really challenged by how God has really led us and blessed us. I will now hand over to Karen who’s English and grammar are more gooder than mine!

Sawubona unjani (hello, how are you?)
You can tell Stephen is having fun with all he has to talk about! Work for me is not quite so exciting and can in fact be very frustrating. Ultimately a lot comes down to a lack of resources – equipment and staff, but we try our best despite the difficulties. And Praise God because miracles do happen – three weeks ago a baby was born at just over 1kg, too small to qualify for intensive care in Durban we did what we could and prayed for the rest. She has survived thus far having managed through initial premature lung disease followed by an episode of sepsis and is now slowly gaining weight. In conjunction with work I am also doing a weekly ward round at the Genesis AIDS Hospice and have been added to their Medical Advisory Board – a very grand title of which I feel very inadequate in view of my still limited experience in this field. Genesis is a wonderful place though and it is a pleasure to go and add what little I can to the care being given.
Outside of work life is a lot more fun - our small group is going well and we are both taking part in Seeds – a ministry to those affected and effected by AIDS. We visit the AIDS hospice and various children’s homes and orphanages with a group of teenagers from the church. It is amazing to work alongside these kids who have such a heart for these people and approach the ministry with a maturity well beyond their years. Though they have already lost all hope of teaching Stephen any Zulu songs, he just doesn’t have the rhythm! We are both also on a new committee at the church which is seeking strategies for bringing young married couples into the congregation.

We are off to Cape Town next weekend for five days – we are both looking forward to the rest after what has been such a busy, exhausting time since we arrived. Please pray that we will be kept safe and come back refreshed.

Thanks to everyone who has been in touch – we appreciate your prayers and hearing all the news from home.
Karen