New for 2014: a Well for Lesibovu!

Though we only promoted it for a few weeks,

As we felt overwhelmed by the great need,

When we worried the amount was too large to be reasonably raised,

And we knew that ONLY GOD could send supporters and $11,000 for a well at Lesibovu...

He saw the need. He heard our prayers. He sent supporters and stirred hearts. 

And late on the last day of 2013,

His will was clear. 

There will be a well at Lesibovu in 2014. He provided the $11,000 and then some. 

We screamed, prayed, cried, jumped around hugging and shot off fireworks. Because that's pretty much the only way to celebrate something of this magnitude. 

Change Their Story update!

We are overjoyed at how God has led many to give toward our goal of raising $11,000 for a well for Lesibovu. We have a matching donor, and if we can get to that number, the expenses of digging and placing a well at our CarePoint will be completely covered. Our desire and prayer is that God will provide the funds soon so that it will not be many more months of hauling water and drinking contaminated water for the people at Lesibovu. On our next trip to Swaziland in June, I would love to see a well functioning in that community.

 

Lastly, enjoy these before and after photos of how your giving is impacting this community. The first photo we took on the trip in 2012, of some sticks in the ground that marked off the proposed kitchen area. There was no roof, and when we were there this past summer, on a rainy day, we were struck by the idea of these sweet ladies cooking out in the elements. Until that moment, we had never thought about the cold, rain, and heat that they endure daily to cook for over 100 children. We left money when we were in country for the kitchen to be completed, and today, it is done. Walls protect children from toddling into the fire, and keep animals out of the way, while a roof protects the bomake from being rained on or baked in the hot sun that is present this time of year.

These photos remind me that we are investing. We are making a difference. We are not just sending money and hoping it helps. We are doing things that make a real, practical change in the Swazis' daily lives, and that type investment is powerful. The kitchen, the shoes bought for 160 kids - those things give hope!! They represent a relationship between Lesibovu and our community here in the US, who are their partners in this life, and who are wanting to show Jesus' love to those who are learning that they are valued and important.

We have two days left to raise funds as part of Change Their Story! If you have contemplated giving, or have any questions, please let me know. You can go to this link to directly donate right now: http://tinyurl.com/lesibovuchange. We have had donations of change received from many children over months that has added up to hundreds of dollars. We have a church family selling magazine bead bracelets to try and reach the goal - set by their children! - of $1,000 to donate to the well. Other families collected funds instead of giving gifts at Christmas, or just donated generously from their personal accounts or business fund so that now our total is over $6,000! We are over halfway there, so please pray that God continues to bless and provide. Thank you for giving already! We are so grateful and encouraged.

Super Duper Awesome Swazi News!

What a joyful Monday this is! I was notified officially today that Lesibovu has received a matching grant by the awesome non-profit 3for5. 

They will pay for HALF of the cost of putting in a well at Lesibovu!! This means we have to raise much less money. Every $1 we earn, donate, or raise becomes $2!! Though $11,000 seems like a daunting figure, it can be done as we have seen God work in many other circumstances already to provide for the CarePoint.

If you are considering a donation as year-end giving, any amount you give will help us to reach our goal of $11,000, and then that will be doubled by 3for5! I know of families already choosing to collect funds instead of exchange gifts for Christmas and that is one way you can help. You can also join our Change Their Story campaign here.

We need additional team members and have a few weeks left to make a real difference in our fund raising by requesting that people give NOW, before December 31st, if they would like the tax deduction. Please consider joining us, sharing on Facebook, emailing friends, and talking to those you know about the need for clean water at Lesibovu, and how we can work together to meet this goal. I am praying God uses those who are willing to join in this effort. I'd love to see it completed by the time we travel back in June! Will you please pray about that with us? Thank you friends!

Answered Prayer!

We are overjoyed to announce that God has graciously provided through you so that 160 children at Lesibovu 

will receive shoes and socks!

In less than a month, He has met that need through friends we know and numerous folks we don't.
Facebook helped spread the word.
Co-workers rallied behind this cause.
Sponsors of children generously donated.
Some gave in memory of my grandmother, some in honor of loved ones' birthdays.
Shelby Crossings children worked and donated. A teacher then matched the children's funds.

We are blown away and so excited. Children's HopeChest says that the children should start the new school year in January with their new shoes and socks. What a huge blessing! Thank you for being a part, through prayer or financial support, because we couldn't have done this without all of you.

So, what's next? I am so glad you asked!

Amazingly, as of today we may have more money than needed for the shoes, and that will just help us launch our major project that is highest on the list of priorities. We need to help get a well at Lesibovu and through Change Their Story, we believe we can reach our goal of $5,000. That would be a great start toward the total of $22,000 needed for this project. That total sounds huge, but God has proven Himself faithful through the shoe project. We raised the needed $3,700 in just over three weeks! We have over five weeks to raise $5,000. Can you be part of this great investment? It is a tax deductible donation that will have lifelong benefit to hundreds of people. You can read and give here.  

We are thankful for you and how you've partnered with us already. If you haven't given yet, please consider doing so now. If a family member has asked what they can give you for Christmas, would you consider a gift for Lesibovu in your honor? We want to the change the story of these people in a dramatic way, that is life sustaining and can only do it if God blesses our efforts through all of us.

Matthew 10:42

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.

Shoes for Lesibovu

When our team went to Swaziland in August to work with the Lesibovu CarePoint, we were made very aware of the physical needs of these sweet children.  Yet, they never complained about anything.  

On our third day there, it was cold and rainy. One of the girls hesitantly asked in broken English, “Can you get me shoes?”   

She wasn’t asking for much; just shoes so that her feet could be protected and warm.  It would have been so easy to just give her the shoes I was wearing, but we were told that we couldn’t give one child something without giving something to all of them. As we looked around, there were so many children at the CarePoint who were barefoot.  They walk over very rough terrain to get to Lesibovu for a meal and this is very difficult if they don’t have shoes. Plus, they can’t attend school without proper uniforms, including shoes.  I told her that we would pray that God would provide shoes very soon.  As a team, we prayed and decided that one of the first things we would do when we returned to the US would be making sure that each of them receives a pair of shoes.

This is where you can help.  We learned from Children’s HopeChest that we need 160 pair of shoes for the children at Lesibovu.  The preschoolers and the younger children will receive sturdy casual shoes.  The older children will receive the required school shoes.  These shoes will run anywhere from $12.50 - $24 each depending on the size and style.  It is too expensive to ship shoes to them, so we are asking for help financially to send to Children’s Hope Chest so that the team on the ground in Swaziland can buy shoes there (which benefits their economy and provides the exact shoes needed), and they will distribute them to the kids.

 

If you feel led to contribute and be part of this great blessing to the children of Lesibovu, we want to be sure that all donations are designated to the Lesibovu Carepoint specifically for shoes for the kids. 

Checks can be made out to “Children’s HopeChest” and mailed to:

 Ronda Chandler

5005 Bridlewood Parc Lane

Helena, AL 35080

You can also go to hopechest.org, select 'Designated/Sponsorship: One Time Gift', and in the 'Notes Field' MAKE SURE to put Lesibovu CarePoint-Shoes to ensure it goes for the shoes donation!

OR 

If you know a team member from the Swaziland trip in August feel free to give them your donation and they will ensure it gets to Children's HopeChest.

If you wish to donate shoes in honor of a friend or family member, please let us know and we would be happy to provide a nice card so that you can let them know.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email Rondac3@gmail.com.  Thank you!!

After the trip: Marilyn's perspective

It’s been a while since we returned from Swaziland but it feels like yesterday.  I miss going to the CarePoint every day to see the kids.  I miss the smiles and holding hands and watching them sing praises to our Lord and Savior.  As with any short term trip I always wish I would have had more time to spend with the people, get to know them better, giggle with them, cry with them, and just do life with them.  I love the simplicity of their lives and yet hate the disparity in our lives and theirs.  What we feel are our needs here in our “comfortable” world would be extreme luxury in theirs.  My heart cries for the children who are raising children.  Why because their Daddy died and their Mommy remarried and the new husband doesn’t want them and so they leave them.  My heart cries for the grandmother who is lame and has to wait for a neighbor to come and carry her to a mat outside her hut where she spends the day.  She’s a widow who is raising her children and grandchildren from the mat where she sits.  My heart cries for the 2 young teenage girls whose parents died leaving them to raise each other.  My heart cries for the lack of jobs, of job skills, of food and clean water in most areas.

I’m proud of our dear friends Jennifer and Alli who came over last year.  They were soon connected with a sweet Pastor who wanted a CarePoint at Lesibovu.  I love how God allowed Pastor Welcome to connect with Steve McAdams about Lesibovu.  I love how Steve then approached Jennifer and Alli about sponsoring this CarePoint.  I love that Jennifer & Alli were obedient and with the help of LaShea were able to find sponsors for nearly 50 of the 82 children who needed sponsors.  Lesibovu soon became a part of these women’s families. 

When we arrived we found that there were now 180 kids on the roll with about 160 attending each day we were there.  By the end of the week there were closer to 200 kids.  The cooks make sure everyone is fed even if it means stretching the food.  Jennifer once again made sure that each child was photographed so that more kids could get sponsored.  Believe me, Jennifer knows each child’s name and prays for them and looks at their sweet faces night after night.

We hear a lot from people asking “Why would you spend all that money to go for a short trip?  Would it not be better to just send the money?"  Well, God tells us to Go in the great commission.  God tells us to look after orphans and widows in their distress.  God tells us that we are to be ambassadors for those who cannot speak for themselves.  If Jennifer & Alli had not been obedient, kids would not be getting the food they needed, uniforms for school etc.  If we had not gone, children who never get hugs would not have been covered with hugs every day we were there.  They got the gospel, they got love, and they got hope.  There were widows who were lonely who got a hug, food and a Bible.  The Pastor was encouraged and prayed over by James.  Kids played and giggled and were so affirmed as they presented us with their traditional dances and songs.  And they know we will return…maybe not the same team but a team of supporters giving them hope.

And the money….everything belongs to God.  It is not our money…we are to be good stewards of it.  We Americans don’t think twice about upgrading our homes, our cars, our clothes, computers, TV’s or taking the family to Disney world for a week but spending it to encourage the extremely poor across the ocean seems foolish to some.  My heart was completely wrecked several years ago when we went across the ocean to share the gospel.  I truly believe it was the most significant thing that ever happened to me.  You see I was so comfortable being comfortable that I forgot the true meaning of the great commission… in my life it had become the great omission and I’m ashamed to admit it.  After my first trip I was able to see life like God wanted me to see it.  So these trips, are they worth the money? 

My hope if you read this is that you don’t say “good for them…they answered the call”.  My hope is that you join us as we help the beautiful people of Lesibovu.  Sponsor a child, pray, donate toward a capital project like a fence, building to store food, a well and a church. Or how about going next year?  Pray for God to reveal to you what He would have you do.

Blessings & Love,
Marilyn

"Jesus Come" - August 2013

Oh my goodness, how much do I love these kiddos! Sweet memories with Londiwe and Marilyn leading them as they sing: