When Something Clicks

Avery is a pretty calm and a very sweet baby. We are often asked, does she ever cry? The answer is yes. Though she has the ability to turn on the bright side when she leaves the house, there are times when Mandi and I long for the day when she is able to regulate her emotions. I find myself wondering when these certain steps to maturity will be taken. Though my overwhelming desire is that she stay small, cute, and giggly, maturity is a beautiful thing. This has become evident here on the farm over the past few months.

Over the past many years, the farm has hired the high school-aged students to work during the school break. They love the extra income and we love keeping their minds and bodies busy. Up until a few months ago, their work was helpful, but sometimes created more work for us than what we received in return. And then something clicked. Over this summer break, we have employed a group of boys who have become mature in ways that we did not know was even possible. They have played a huge role in not only getting the daily duties sorted, but have brought forth creative solutions to challenging problems. They have constructed and repaired, conducted all the breeding (natural and using artificial insemination) and record keeping for the pig operation, and completed a significant amount of the tractor work. And they have done everything with a great attitude. I would have never imagined some of the kids here being so interested in the interworkings of the farm. But now, they are having visions of what their future holds. High school students who want to go check pigs at all hours of the night? It is like a dream come true.

Anyone who has been to New Life Homes will say that the best part about this place is the kids. It is even more enjoyable now when I can look at a rarely-but-sometimes-fussy baby and hope that one day she will mature like the young men and women growing up here at New Life Homes.

Enjoy some pictures of these strapping young men in action:

A Cultural Adventure

Things have been a bit of a whirlwind lately, but having just finished our last school day for a few weeks, I (Mandi) find myself taking refuge from the chilly weather and finding time to finally get an update out.

We took a school trip this week to the Swaziland National Museum, King Sobhuza Memorial Park, and Cuddle Puddle Hot Springs (yes, that's the real name). We had a great time, and here are some pictures to prove it!

During part of the tour, our guide told the kids that Swazis believed in ancestors and pray to them. Lihle asked the guide, "Do you believe in ancestors?" The guide responded that she did, and then posed the same question to Lihle. Lihle responded, "No, I'm a Christian so I pray to Jesus Christ." I was pretty proud of my bold little student!

 The students were able to sit in the late King Sobhuza's classic car.

My growing belly has been a constant source of curiosity and in some cases, concern. Upon donning my "swimming costume" the kids exclaimed, "But you're too fat!" I assured them that my entrance would still leave a *little* bit of water in the pool.

It's been a long week at school, and I had a particularly frustrating encounter with one of our teachers today. Dealing with conflict in an open way is very counter-cultural here. However, I feel like it was resolved and I continue to pray that the teachers we work with would understand we are for them, yet we will still hold them accountable to do excellent work.

Thank you for praying for us. Stress has been higher than normal lately, and we really appreciate your commitment to pray that we would receive the wisdom, patience, grace, and joy we need on a daily basis!

Taking the Plunge

Not every day on the mission field is a joyous one. In fact, over the last two years we have faced our share of sorrows. Today, however, was a wonderful reminder that God is moving.

During our weekly chapel time in the children’s homes, we have been learning about things Christians believe. A few weeks ago, our colleague Mary Jean spoke about baptism. She shared with the children the importance of making your commitment to Christ known in a public way, just as Jesus did. Some of the children responded by sharing their desire to be baptized and publicly declare their decision to follow Jesus.

Today we celebrated the baptism of ten children. Ranging in ages from 10 to 17, the children stood before our community and proclaimed their intent to follow Christ. Many of them shared their desire to tell others about His life-transforming power. It was certainly a joyous celebration. 

So, with thankful hearts we were able to watch these children declare their relationship with Christ. It was a wonderful reminder that God is at work in Swaziland. He is being made known, and many of the children at New Life Homes have embraced Him with their whole hearts. 

We celebrated afterwards by eating ice cream, enjoying each other, and encouraging those who were baptized. Please join us in praising His wonderful work. Also, continue to pray for those who took this important step today. We ask God to guide them as they grow into mature believers who transform their communities for Christ.

Together Again

Isn’t it wonderful to be reunited with someone you love? This past month, a brother, sister, and niece were reunited at New Life Homes.

Seven years ago, due to some unfortunate circumstances, a brother and sister were placed in separate orphan care homes. The brother, Musa, arrived at New Life Homes. The sister, Nsike (n-see-ge) was placed at a home for girls. They rarely had contact and were unable to visit one another.

Last month, Nsike visited Musa at New Life Homes for the weekend. During her visit it was quickly realized Nsike, was in a fairly desperate situation. Several unexpected events left her living alone and caring for her 7 year-old niece Nonhle (pronounced known-hle). She was maintaining the homestead, fetching firewood and water nightly, all while achieving very high grades in her high school classes. It was an easy decision to invite Nsike and Nonhle to stay at New Life Homes permanently.

It has been nothing short of awesome to watch them reunite with Musa and watch their relationship flourish. As part of a proper introduction to you, I feel like I should tell you more about them.

Nsike (far right) hanging out with some of the girls during a weekend retreat.

Nsike is a graceful, funny, intelligent, contemplative, and joyful young lady who is currently in Form 4 (a junior in HS). She has jumped into taking care of the broiler chickens on the farm and has formed a reputation of staying up late studying and helping others study too. She has an awesome singing voice, and we’ve enjoyed the vibrancy she’s brought to our Teens for Christ ministry.

Nonhle is a cute, happy-go-lucky little girl. She is very willing to give hugs, hold hands, and loves all positive attention. She has started preschool and is already improving her English. She has bonded quickly with her new mom, brothers, and sisters. Her sweet, yet clever nature will no doubt warm our hearts and keep us on our toes for years to come.

We praise God for bringing these two to New Life Homes. We ask that you pray for the children, their house mother, Make (ma-gay) Shongwe, and for their futures. We are excited to see how God will continue to work in and through these two young ladies

Keeping Young Minds Busy

Our greatest goal is to see the children at New Life Children’s Homes come to know and love Jesus Christ personally.

Secondly, we desire to prepare the children here for a brighter future. We place a huge emphasis on education, which extends from New Life Primary School to individual tutoring sessions, a robust library, and learning practical skills on the farm. We are in the middle of a countrywide 3-week long school break. We know from experience that kids tend to get into more trouble when they are less busy, so we try to provide ample opportunities for the kids to stay busy. This week, we hosted a daily science camp.

The goal of the camp was to enrich their school-based science experiences with hands-on experimental learning. All the New Life Homes missionaries pitched in to teach students about simple machines and weather. Mandi organized the daily activities and curriculum, while Tommy taught sessions on agricultural machinery and the water cycle (one of his favorite topics). We had 22 children attend each day, including a few from the community. 

 

The kids provided some feedback at the end of the workshops.

“Was it too long?”

“NO!”

“Was it fun?”

“YES!”

Several students made specific comments, but I think 12-year old Mnelisi said it perfectly:

“We kept our minds busy all week!”

Turning to Teens

Winter retreats, spring mission trips, corn-eating contests, small group hang out sessions, and lots and lots of dodge ball consumed a significant amount of our lives while we were working with high school students in Davis. We loved the kids, the leaders, and the activities. We were often as tired as basset hounds at the end of each program. It was (and still is) easy to see how the shaping of one’s Christian faith is critically important during those adolescent years.

While taking a short reprieve in South Africa a few weeks ago, we began to evaluate our ministry here and we noticed a need for people to pour into the high school-aged students, both on the farm and in the community. It may be interesting to note that the biblical knowledge of these kids (even those who are not Christians) is better than the average Christian in America. That being said, their faith may be shallow and riddled with confusing legalistic ideas and infusions from other spiritualistic beliefs. We thought, why not start a youth ministry that meets teens at different stages of faith to share a Christian message that is easy to understand?

These teens play a highly-competitive game of musical chairs.

Recently, Mandi and I, and our colleague, Tiersa, launched Teens For Christ. We had more than 25 high school-aged students come to the first meeting and an equally impressive crowd at the second meeting. It was awesome to see teenagers engage with faith questions and discussions in a way that is both different and inviting. We played games, I gave share a message about Jesus, had some small group discussions, and enjoyed popcorn afterwards.

Teaching about sin.

Lots of laughs, good questions and comments, and a plethora of high fives filled the preschool classroom where it is being held. This accomplishes many objectives of our ministry. It reaches out the community, we get to know the “farm” kids’ friends (like any good parent would want to!) and we form relationships with kids who are in desperate need for attention and affirmation. 

We are currently having Teens for Christ once a month and are looking in the possibility of expanding it to every two weeks. Please pray for this undertaking. Pray especially for relationships to be formed that will allow us to share our faith in a real way. Pray that we would be able to communicate clearly with the teens, and that they would be receptive to what we share. Most of all, pray that kids would come to know Jesus Christ in a personal way.

Life is Sweet in Swaziland

The children at New Life Homes learn many practical skills around the farm. In fact, on any given Saturday, you can find the children cleaning pig pens, feeding chickens, harvesting beans, or even sprucing up their homestead gardens. Even if these kids aren’t successful within the current education system, at least they will have some skills and may be able to create their own jobs in the future. 

Recently we worked with a few of the teens to harvest some honey. We keep three hives in the farm, and the bees are useful in pollinating everything from veg crops to mango trees. Honey harvesting time is quite a celebration, and the kids LOVE honey. Mlandvo, Donald, and Ritta helped with the harvest. Mlandvo has become very proficient in his role as head harvester, so the rest of us stayed inside to help receive the frames, cut the comb, and minimize the stickiness of the floors.

Afterward, we packaged the honey and delivered it to the homes, shared it with workers, and enjoyed some ourselves. Despite a few stings, the labor was well worth the sweet reward!

Please continue to pray for our work here. We are excited to be receiving a few short term teams this summer. Pray with us that they would arrive spiritually prepared, physically equipped, and ready to jump in. We are still praying for one or two teachers to join us!

Meet Siyabonga

Have you noticed how easy it is to miss changes that happen slowly? One of our little ones has been making slow but steady progress and we just had to share!  

Five-year-old Siyabonga became part of the New Life Homes family in August 2012. The circumstances leading up to his placement at New Life Homes were very poor. He was living with a grandmother who was unable to care for him properly. When he arrived he was obviously sick and very malnourished. 

Over the past year, Siyabonga has transformed into a happy and healthy little boy. He is constantly entertaining us with his rodeo clown antics (somersaults, chasing dogs, karate chopping, climbing trees, and other general mischief). He also loves to start worship songs at our weekly prayer gatherings. Looking at him, it is hard to imagine the child he was when he arrived. He is full of energy and life!

It is still amazing to us how children respond to a loving and stable environment. The kids at New Life Homes are fed in many ways—healthy food we produce ourselves, love and discipline from the housemothers, teachings about God’s bottomless love. It seems that for Siyabonga, this has been the perfect recipe for producing a happy and healthy child.

In Siswati, “Siybonga” means “thank you.” Will you take a moment to thank God for what he is doing in Siyabonga’s life? Pray that Siyabonga would continue to thrive physically, and each day would trust more and more in God’s love and grace.

From One World to Our World

Have we mentioned that the kids at New Life Homes LOVE soccer? You can find them playing soccer at recess every day, and we even have our own soccer field (part of the pasture) and competitive soccer team. The problem is, with terrain like ours in rural Swaziland, the balls don’t last long. Traditional soccer balls will last a few weeks at best. That’s why we were so excited when a friend here told us about One World Futbols. These soccer balls are made especially for kids living in third-world conditions—where rocks, mud, and cow patties are part of the sport. My mom made a brief inquiry to the company to see if they would donate some balls for the kids, and we were shocked to receive such a generous and speedy reply. They wanted to donate 20 soccer balls.

Shipping became the most obvious obstacle, since the balls don’t actually deflate. Tommy’s parents bravely volunteered to transport 20 official-size soccer balls from California to Swaziland when they came to visit us in September. Nothing like adding some extra stress to your typical travel concerns! Their gigantic duffle bag caused a few raised eyebrows at customs and several requests to deflate the balls, but they did arrive to the farm safely, much to the joy of the children here. 

We laughed at their initial comments about the balls. 

“It feels like kicking a stone.” (Obviously not used to fully-inflated balls.)

“Sit on it!” (Marveling at the engineering.)

“This thing is a soccer ball?” (Skeptical of the color and material.)

Needless to say, they were a huge hit. Each of our classrooms has their own ball, as well as each of the orphan homes. We’ve also stashed a few away for the future. We (and the kids) are extremely grateful to my family for requesting them, One World Futbols for donating them, and Tommy’s parents for lugging them half way around the world. The kids have received so much joy from this gift!