NEWSLETTER FOR SEPTEMBER 2017

HEADLINES:

Spiritual Growth and Progress

Housing Projects for the Underprivileged

New Kids Kitchen

Tom's Little Angels

Duck Distribution

Weet-Bix Distribution

Dear Ones,

       Before we get into the accomplishments of the month that passed, we want to let you know that our hearts go out to you with great thankfulness and appreciation for your selfless giving and determination to make a difference in the lives are those not able to help themselves. We understand that life has its own set of challenges for each of us, you, and this only makes us all the more appreciative of all you do and sacrifice to partner with us in bringing about much needed changes.

       We want you to know that your labors of love are not in vain. We are seeing amazing spiritual growth, lives changed and people finding new hope and courage as well as direction in how to turn their lives around.

       All these accomplishments are not the efforts of a selected few, but rather due to our combined efforts, each playing and essential and invaluable part! We THANK each and everyone. YOU are our heroes, and we are keeping you in our prayers!

SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND PROGRESS:

THANK YOU GRACELIFE:

The part of the Sir Lowry’s Pass family that were able to accept the invitation to Gracelife Church for some great teaching, yummy bowerwors rolls, delicious sweet and drinks,fun fellowship, jumping castle for the children, etc. in celebration of Heritage Day.

One of our five weekly Bible study groups. We are presently going through the Rooted (basis discipleship course) for the second time in a row to help those that missed classes here and there to be able to catch up in order to graduate. Some of our older students are also helping to teach individuals. 

Those that attended Rooted diligently and are waiting for the others to catch up are now having a foretaste of Bible school with Philip. In the new year we hope to start Bible school with test and certificate for those that would like to really learn and lay a strong foundation in their walk with the Lord.

Ewaldi teaching from Ephesians 6. 

We were also blessed by her homemade soup and home baked bread. Sanobiah on the far left and Romina on the far right were happy to help serve!

Philip teaching on our identity in Christ and helping the students memorize scriptures.

  
HOUSING PROJECTS FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEGED:

# 1

This house, belonging to an elderly single mother, was painted inside and out, with just they the bedrooms still to be done.

Also, some further roof repair was done and sheets were added to provide further protection

This is what the outside walls looked like before the work began.

Wayne busy painting the walls of the living room.

 PLUMBING - BRINGING RUNNING WATER AND DRAINAGE:

# 2

The plumbing of the brick house previously erected is presently being done and these pipes are part of the installation.

The plumber busy preparing to install the sink and shower.

Happy and thankful to no longer needing to catch the waste water under the sink and having to empty the heavy basin from there.

3RD HOUSING PROJECT THIS MONTH:

The first picture shows the small house that used to be, with no windows or proper ventilation. We got the house (in the second picture seen to the far right) which was attached to the already existing one. The floor in the new house was cemented (last month) and this month ceiling and some rhino board walls were put up. As seen the front of the old structure was also spruced up to make it look nice & uniform..

The walls before:

The walls no (soon to be painted):

We found there was a large window in the old structure, which had been completely covered behind the bed, in order to provide privacy. The floor in now being prepared for cementing (which Katy managed to get on her own!) This room will double as kitchen and living room.

NEW KIDS'KITCHEN:

Lita, one of our Bible students, with the help of her family, has started a small soup kitchen for the children in her immediate neighborhood. We are assisting her according to our ability and are proud of her initiative.

TOM'S LITTLE ANGELS:

Tom’s Angels is a small Daycare Center in r Lowry’s Pass recently contacted us for help. We were able to assist them with various food items this far, but they are especially concerned about Christmas and being able to bless each of the children in some special way. They have between 20-30 little ones.

Weet-Bix, milk and ducks were received with great appreciation.

DUCK DISTRIBUTION:

A BIG thank you to Leon and his family for their generous supply of ducks.  In the photo above: The pick-up. Below: Joyce’s Soup Kitchen   — Please join us in prayer for healing of the land of the bird flu and drought. Also please pray for those whose businesses are affected by either one. Thank U!

Some of the Bible students (above) receiving a couple of ducks each for them and their families. Below: Bright Stars Nomzamo. Altogether 6 ECD (Early Childhood development) centers, 2 kitchens and many individuals families were greatly blessed.

 WEET-BIX DISTRIBUTION:

One kitchen and 6 ECD centers as well as many individual families were blessed with Weet-Bix.

Emily's Play School Sir Lowry's Pass:

Lathi-Tha Sir Lowry's Pass:

Joyce's Soup Kitchen Sir Lowry's Pass:

Mila's Angels Sir Lowry's Pass:

Sunshine Kids Sir Lowry's Pass:

In closing we want to let you know that we are keeping you in our prayers and to please not hesitate to send us any specific prayer requests that you would like us to pray for.

News for August 2017

Dear friends, partners and supporters,    

  

             Thank you for your support and prayers. Due to our wonderful teamwork with each other more wonderful progress was made this month in preaching the Gospel, making disciples and helping the poor in various ways such as improving homes, helping with supplies such as food and clothing, etc.

HOME IMPROVEMENTS:

             Pictured below is the state of the walls of one of the shacks in Sir Lowry’s Pass. As seen some places had nothing more than a plastic bag shielding the home from wind and rain. Three walls have now been replaced with prefab metal corrugated plates and rhino boards were put up as inner walls.The walls still need to be painted and concrete floors to be laid as there presently is no flooring in these bedrooms.

   
    Seen here are one of the new outer walls.

    Outside walls being delivered.

   This was the state of some of the inner walls which now have been replaced with new          rhino boards.

   Pictured here, above and below, are the two bedrooms that were redone.

ANTALIS :

We want to THANK Antalis for meeting our request for assistance with paper in a most generous way. The paper was distributed 11 ways. 6 ECD (Early Childhood Development) centers, church: office and Sunday school, as well as 4 charities. The paper was received with great joy and appreciation!

   As mentioned 6 ECD centers received paper. Pictured below are a few of them.

   Emily's Play School in Sir Lowry's Pass:

   Bright Stars in Nomzamo:

    Sunshine Kids in Sir Lowry's Pass: 

    OUMA HENNA:

  Ouma  Henna got a much desired front door. It will not only improve her security but also       bring protection from the weather.

NEW BABY GIRL:

One morning we received a message at 5:30 in the morning asking for help from a young unemployed man who had just become a father. He wanted to visit his wife and see the baby still at the hospital. These new parents were basically in need of everything and we were privileged to be able to buy a basic first wardrobe for baby!

 

LEON'S DUCK FARM:

A huge THANK you to Leon’s Duck Farm for time and again filling our bakkie with ducks. This is meeting a big need and ducks were distributed to 6 ECD centers, 4 soup kitchens (one of them a newly opened by one of our Bible students,a disciples, who is motivated to reach out and do good. With your help we presently supply the food for this kitchen and approximately 30 kids are being fed daily through the initiative). Also 30-40 underprivileged Bible students living in Sir Lowry's Pass received ducks.  We also helped other missionary centers (charities) who were needy. Besides food we also helped supply the main soup kitchen with cooking gas this month.

Emily's Play School Sir Lowry's Pass:

Beacon of Hope Kids'Kitchen Sir Lowry's Pass:

Joyce's Soup Kitchen Sir Lowry's Pass:

 MONTHLY EVENT SIR LOWRY'S PASS:

At this monthly event only the students from Sir Lowry’s Pass were present (except a couple of precious helpers, May and Romina, from Gracelife). Philip taught on and emphasized love and unity, bringing out how no one is of this or that group, but that we are all one in Christ. — Rita led communion and briefly touched on some of the biblical covenants. 

Several people were in need of healing. Here Philip is praying for one of the ladies.

 Romina, pictured below, who is here from Albania visiting/training with Gracelife, loves assisting with the work in Sir Lowry's Pass. For this event she prepared approx. 50 sandwiched that were distributed to the children in the street and the leftovers were then handed out to the people attending. All were healed! Praise the Lord!

Some of the ladies attending helped us prepare a delicious hot meal of rice and chicken in a delicious mixed vegetable sauce. And besides making sandwiches Romina also helped prepare a big fruit salad that was served out as desert.

BIBLE STUDY GROUPS:

Below Philip is seen teaching and leading our weekly fellowship in Sir Lowry’s Pass! We teach two different groups on Mondays, Tuesday – Thursday we teach one class per night. Besides that we have also started ministering separately to a couple that, although they are Christians, know little or nothing about the Bible. We first taught on Identity but will be switching over to Rooted in order to lay a good basic foundation.

Pictured below is Romina as she is taking a turn teaching some of our students. Most of these students will soon be ready to graduate from the basic course and we are proud of them for their hunger for the Word and diligence to attend the classes.



 Below Rita is teaching on the book of Ephesians establishing our identity in Christ and the resultant fruit we will bear.

MORE SUPPLIES:

We want to send a BIG THANK YOU to our precious Gracelife family for all the shoes, clothing, blankets, etc that have been donated for our Sir Lowry’s Pass family. We have 3 different homes that take care of the distribution. Please know that everything is greatly appreciated! Thank you for your love & concern!

A special THANK YOU to one of our Gracelife members who indirectly made it possible for us to receive 3 boxes of rice-soy fortified meals. There is a constant need for the basics such as food! THANK YOU! Each box contains 36 bags with 6 portions in each!