Our Lesibovu logo

The story behind a FB profile photo and our logo:

Once upon a time in 2012, Allison Shirley and I were heading to Swaziland for the first time. During a brief layover in Atlanta, we met a young lady who was flying back to South Africa as well. We chatted a bit and became FB friends. A year or so later, after I approached her about using her graphic design training to consider creating a logo for our new official partnership and connection with the Lesibovu CarePoint. Happily, she agreed and created this beautiful image that perfectly depicts the mountainous scenery, children sitting together under a tree like are so often seen at Lesibovu, and symbols for items so needed in this community of Bible, community and water.

This logo, designed by Kyla Trammell​, also signifies the important focus of Children's HopeChest and Adventures in Missions' partnership to feed, counsel, and work to improve the quality of life for those in the community of Lesibovu through meeting basic needs, providing encouragement and Biblical teaching in a safe location, and teaching sustainable skills to impact the future of this beautiful area.

I'm so thankful our paths crossed when they did, Kyla Trammell, and forever appreciate your talent! 

Back to Swaziland We Go!

Dear friends, 

 

We are excited about our trip next month to return to Swaziland, Africa on a short term mission trip to Lesibovu, the CarePoint we've had a relationship with now for nearly five years. Here are some questions answered that you may have about the upcoming trip: Who is on the team? We will be serving with Kids Around the World, a great organization whose mission "is to impact the lives of kids with God’s transforming hope. We engage children across the globe through the simple strategy of ‘Play. Feed. Train.’, restoring opportunity to war-ravaged and poverty-stricken communities. Households discover the freedom of enough food, joyful thriving children, and the life-altering power of the gospel." 

 

How long will we be there? Our goal is to arrive in Johannesburg on May 24 and leave on June 4. We will see some sites, visit with local missionaries, and spend the majority of our time with the children at the CarePoint, and in home visits. What are we going to do? We will build an enormous, sturdy playground to give the children of that community a safe place to play for years to come. A million meals have already been delivered to the country of Swaziland and more are on the way. Training of local leaders will also be done in the art of story telling and sharing of God's Word in a practical, simple way. This wise method will change generations of people without any need for materials or even those outside their community since leaders will be able to train more leaders, and the Bible will be able to be shared continually. 

 

How can I get involved? We would love for your prayers as we prepare to go. That preparation includes many things like fundraising, spiritually focusing on the ultimate ministry goals, packing, having our boys cared for while we are away, asking neighbors to feed pets, and mentally getting ready for about 30 or more hours of travel each way. Africa is so far away!! If you are led to give financially, we would greatly appreciate a gift of any amount! We need to purchase airline tickets this week and are excited to be so close to this goal. Here is the link to give directly to our family's account.

 

Thank you for your support!

Returning!!

Dear friends and supporters of Lesibovu,

It's with great excitement that I announce that our family is prayerfully moving forward with plans to join a missions team with Kids Around the World traveling to Swaziland in late May. We have longed to return and serve at the CarePoint at Lesibovu for the past two years and have not been able to travel due to health and financial concerns. God has provided some funds over the past two years and so we do have a great start on finances needed this time. Also, James, Abi and I are the only members of our family planning to travel this time and so that simplifies things a bit.

There are ways you can support us, and we will share more info over the next month. If you have questions, please ask! If you'd like to pray, I'll be happy to share prayer requests, if you'd like to be added to that email list. If you want to give financially, here is the link to do so.

 

Thank you for your faithful friendship to us and to Lesibovu!

Wonderful News!!

**HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT**

We are THRILLED to announce that Lesibovu has a new partner in Kids Around the World!! This ministry has blessed Swaziland with over 1 million meals and is preparing to take a team to the CarePoint this coming May. They are going to build an incredibly huge playground to bless the kids we love so much. It is really exciting to see how God has continued to work in this community and is spreading the news of the needs there and bringing others to share in serving and encouraging them!!

Storage building complete!

This storage building is complete! It was made possible by those of you who have given generously to benefit the precious ladies who cook and teach and serve at Lesibovu daily. It will protect food that can be stored here without pests getting into it. Thank you! There's more exciting news coming soon about the CarePoint and we'd love to have your involvement so stay tuned!

CarePoint update

I love this update from Children's HopeChest. You will appreciate reading how the children at Lesibovu are benefiting spiritually and physically, plus there's a great personal story too. Please continue to pray for the staff who minister daily to the community of Lesibovu and read in their own words how God is working: 

Here are some examples of what the discipler has been teaching the children:

1-Perseverance and Resilience (July 05 – July 08) In this lesson, we will learn what perseverance looks like. We will consider challenges where it is easy to give up and ways we can choose to persevere. We will look at Job’s life and hope for what will come after trials. Memory Verse: Revelation 2:26 

2-Hope for my Future (July 12 - 15) In this lesson, we will discover that we can hope in Christ and God’s love. We will see how hope can help us to live our lives when it is hard. Memory Verse: Jeremiah 29:11

A few months ago the country started rolling out the de-worming campaign by administering de-worming and bilharzia tablets to school-going children all over the country. This campaign was re-introduced after a seven-year suspension following public outcry after pupils reacted to the medicine in various ways. The World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that; saying just about every medicinal drug has its effects and schools should not be closed for the reason that pupils are displaying side effects.

Prayer request-When I look at the life on Nokwanda Mamba I am impressed with her maturity. She is just 10 years old but her responsibility is even above a married woman with ten children. She has a brother and a sister who are both younger than her. She is doing grade 3 at Lomveshe primary school. Her academic grades are very though, reasons for that are based on the fact that she is engaged in so many responsibilities at home. She does all girls chores at her homestead since she’s the oldest child. The head of the homestead is her old bed ridden grandmother who depends on her. This family fully depends on CarePoint of Lesibovu because no one is a caregiver to them except for the CarePoint. The CarePoint has made it possible for a home visit with a food package is done almost every month. Nokuphila do the cooking during weekends whenever there is no cooking at the CarePoint. During the course of the week they all eat at the CarePoint, and bring home a portion for their grandmother. Please pray

for this family and for Nokwanda!

Ride for Hope 2016