The preacher says that there is a time for every season (purpose) under heaven. My post is the most difficult one today and I hope my communication is up to standard.
Three years ago God opened a door for my family to serve him in Nsoko. It has been the most blessed season of our lives. God has touched us in many ways as we died with people on a daily basis. We have seen the glory of the Lord and learnt what it meant to love people. We have met many great people and built relationships that are so valuable to us.
However, it has pleased the Lord to release us for something else that we are not yet sure about. He has as always used circumstances to make this clear to us. We feel we are leaving behind a family that so much treasured and valued us. We are leaving behind a global family that loved us so much. This as it may, it is our desire to encourage you to continue supporting Nsoko Project. This has never been about us but the Lord Jesus. Those who have met me in person would understand what I mean.
Dear brothers and sisters, thank you everything. Your support has been phenomenal. Please do the same to the person leading Nsoko right now. Currently, there is my dearest friend and brother Matt Slawson. He lives on support just like us. I would encourage all those who supported us financially to consider taking our support to this brother who has modeled to me that he has what it takes to lead the ministry here.
Thank you
May we take this time to say thank you to Gary Black. My brother you are hero to me and you will always be my hero. Thank you for everything. Seth Barnes, you are a visionary and I have learned a lot from you. Thank you sir for everything. Scott Borg, what can I say? You have been a father to Philile and I. You have loved us with the deepest love imaginable. You are amazing and we love you so much. Mama Lisa Black, Mama Karen Barnes, Mama Marcia Borg and all the mothers out there who have been a pillar to my wife as she gave her all to the women of Nsoko, I say thank you.
Thank you to the World Racers, Real Life Teams, Vision Trips 2007, 2008, and 2009 for your service alongside us. Nsoko is what it is today because of you. Thank you Morgan and your young adults from church. Morgan, you are special because you know what it means to see Nsoko as it was. You were there from the beginning. I love you my sister. You are amazing my friend and hope to keep our friendship going on.
Lastly, I would love to say thank you to my wife for being a pillar of strength from the beginning until now. You are the best sweetheart, as God moves us I trust that we will keep together and enjoy his presence.
There is no other reason I can give to you except that it is time to move on. It is for the best believe me and God has granted us so much peace. We are taking a step of faith. Our email is giftmistries@yahoo.com . For ethical reasons we would like to refer all communication concerning Nsoko Project to Scott Borg scottborg@adventures.org.
We are still on our Sabbatical and this is supposed to be our last week away from Nsoko. The past weeks have been a challenge and a blessing at the same time. I do not remember doing so much thinking, reading, talking, listening, and planning. Yes, I cannot speak for Philile here, but I have had a great time of rest. However, in this rest there has been a wrestling.
I kept on thinking about the word PURPOSE. The reason behind the existence of something. I have asked myself a thousand times many questions and the answers are difficult to share. Nevertheless, one thing I am willing to share is the following information because it becomes my prayer request as I enter this final week of prayer and fasting.
I have been humbled by God in showing me that Nsoko is about Him and Him alone. I said amen to that. He then showed me that the globe is bigger and he has bigger things in store. I said hallelujah. Now, He revealed that there is unfinished business for me and my wife in NSoko and we have to be ready to do it and do it fast because He has manifest His glory there.
Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in something so much that we miss the point. I am glad that we had not lost focus while ministering in Nsoko for the past three years. One confession though, Nsoko became more important than us. We died and we were reincarnated as the ministry itself. That is why when the people here suffer, we suffer with them. While away several people dear to us have died and it was so painful not to be there. Just to share the last moment with them. One lesson learned though, God is in control. He is the minister not us. We so much want to be used of Him and be part of what He is doing. From this experience, a day is so important and I would like to make a difference one day at a time wherever I am. It is not about me.
May I take this opportunity to say thank you to all of you who are readers of this blog for your support spiritually and financially. If it wasn't for your support Nsoko would not be touching so many lives. You believed in the vision and came along side us. We will forever treasure you. If you are interested, please email me at giftmistries@yahoo.com and share your prayer request. This week I will be focusing on prayer and nothing would be a blessing to than to pray for your specific need.
We are preparing for a five week time away from Nsoko dubbed a Sabbatical. This time away will be a blessing to Philile and me in many ways. Nevertheless, we will be in heart and soul part of what is going on here in Nsoko since the community has become our family. I now understand why Jesus responded the way he did when he was told his family is looking for him outside while he was teaching.
It is for the good of the ministry though that we go away. I have been looking back and counting the blessings and indeed God has been good. Since we started June 2007, that is 3 years ago, God has done mighty things. Many great men and women have come through Nsoko and they have left the community better than they found it. There are so many that have never been to Nsoko but they pray and give to this ministry as if their lives depended on it. We have been privileged to be part of a great awakening. God is rebuilding the walls of this small community and what an honor to be a Nehemiah during this time. It is through his grace and his grace only.
Yes, we have had to build with one hand and with the other guarding the enemy. It has not been easy. It makes sense since God never promised it would be easy, but that he will be with us always. The difficulties though can never match the joy of seeing individuals being transformed before our eyes. There are people who will not be alive today if we never said yes. There are people who would have died very painful deaths if it was not for the sacrifices untold. Glory be to God who has made all this possible.
As much as God has saved so many lives from the throngs of death, it has been a heart wrenching experience to see the people we serve die from the dreaded disease.
We have heard people like Moses, Dudu, Norah, Make laMyeni, Nomsa, Maswane, Sibongile, Bheki, Make Tsabedze, and many others have taught us how to die. As I write another gogo from Joyela care point has passed on. Her name is Sibongile too. She was such a kind soul, dedicated to her work of being a care giver at the care point. She will be buried this weekend and she is leaving behind about 4 orphans. They now have no one to take care of them since she was everything to them. When Sibongile's daughter died of AIDS related sickness she left behind these fatherless children. In all this we are learning that God is greater than we are. When we visited the home yesterday there was no reason to hope. However, something that I would call hope against hope arose within me. I somehow know that one way or the other God will take care of these orphans. I am saying again and again, if you need anyone to send Lord, here I am send me.
It is in these times that we plead for your continued support. These orphans are now our children and they cannot be sustained by the care point system only. They need a family where they can be groomed and natured. We have introduced a system that we call safe houses. We currently have four boys that are being helped under this program. It is our desire to accommodate the many children in this predicament. There are so many of them. The situation I saw yesterday revived the feeling that something needs to be done for the children who are now forced to fend for themselves in this dog eats do community. I wish I could communicate this as well as possible. There are children out there that cannot be helped by the care point system only, they need more than that. If we do not help them who will?
May I take this opportunity to thank the helpers of Winile Dlamini and Bhekumusa Maziya. They will today be sitting for their exams. Please pray for them as they write the exams this month. They have worked so hard, persevered in difficult circumstances. It is a milestone both for them and me to see this happening. Bhekumusa is one of the boys that God has been doing a great work in him. He is being transformed into a real man of character. Innocent will be writing his exams too and this boy is amazing. I just love him to bits and it shows. This coming week is going to be Majabane's first week in school. He sent me a very encouraging text message and that made me cry a tear or two. He will be staying in Manzini now and I am going to miss the men times we spent together with the other boys talking about things that made sense. Yes, Nelly too will be writing her exams too in Manzini.
Some of you will be surprised why writing exams seem so important to this guy, is he mad. Yes, I am MAD. That is Making A Difference. When we came here 3 years ago we discovered that there is no one that had a professional qualification in the community. The teachers at the school next to the center are not even qualified. People were going to school just to pass time until they can be fit to work at the nearby farms weeding and harvesting sugar cane or raising cows for beef. This had to change and through friends from the United States of America we will soon have Accountants, Computer Programmers, Project Managers, and Business Management gurus. In small steps we are together with all of you making people great. That has been the dream and it is being realized.
The Sabbatical
We are leaving Nsoko on Friday the 18th June 2010 and will to be back by the 23rd July 2010. We hope this will be a time of renewal for my wife and me as we do different things. This is not a vacation; we already had one in March. This time we will need your prayers as we reflect on a lot of things including the ministry here in Nsoko. It will mainly be a time of prayer and reflection.
Now more than ever, I personally feel called to this community and recent events have proven to me that God has more things to do here. He is not done yet. When we come back we will be motivated to see more of God's glory. We covet your prayers, your support, and your love. Even as I will be leaving this place on Friday it will be difficult to know that I will be away for 5 full weeks. It feels like I am addicted to this place. I cannot wait to see Christ formed in them.
"O LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make the known; in wrath remember mercy."Habakkuk 3:2
We are looking forward to a renewal both in our personal lives and that of the ministry.
Sometimes we concetrate on the mountains we are facing and forget the sunshing soothing our own backs. Today I would like to take some time and count the blessings and see what God has done.
Personally, I am more then blessed to be married to a very beuatiful woman, my only wife Philile. Together we have 3 children in Nothando Petunia, Nduduzo Rehoboth, and Okuhle Cheyenne. Philile has stuck with me during the most difficult times of my life. She has been a pillar of strength in times when relatives and friends have seemed far and uncaring. I thank God for such a blessing of a wife. She is my sister, my mother, a friend, a partner, and a lot more other things. She is my love.
The Prayer
I thank God for the children that He has blessed us with. They are healthy, intelligent, and full of energy. They adapt easily to all kinds of situations. They are true missionary children.
In addition, God has blessed us with a people, a whole community that is willing to submit to Him. The center, care points, and church are such a blessing. We have a priviledge to see God at work everyday. Each day has a special miracle for us. We have come to realize that when we feel down to nothing God is up to something. He is an amazing God. On a daily basis we behold His glory. It was not until Lazarus was dead that Jesus responded to the invitation of the sisters (John 11). He encourages Martha, that if she could only believe she would see the glory of God.
Heavenly Father we do praise you for the opportunity to serve. We thank you for so many people who have chosen to support your work in Nsoko. You know Father how much they have sacrificed and we trust that your Word will come through in their lives. Thank you God for the many teams that you have brought to Nsoko from the beginning until now.
Abba' Father I thank you for Seth Barnes. Thank you for his visionery leadership. Thank you for the way you have gifted him in the ministry of empowerment. I also thank you God for Scott Borg. Thank you father for providing us with a wise leader in him who does not think any less of anyone but speaks the truth and lives the truth. Thank you for the father spirit you have given to him. Thank you also for Gary Black. Father you raised him up in Swazi for a time as this, and when it was good to you, you chose to plant him back in America. For we thank you for providing us with a man who can model unconditional love. We are able to understand your love God because we experienced it through Gary. He is such a lover and we thank you for it.
Father I thank you for the women in this leaders' lives. If it was not for their godly character we would not have enjoyed this great leadership. Thank you for mama Barnes, mama Borg, and mama Black. Father we do bring their families before you and pray for your providence over their lives.
God I take this time to thank you for Matt Gerber and his wife Kriek. I thank you father for their patience and long suffering. Thank you for their generous hearts. We appreciate their sweat as they serve the people of Swazi. Dear Lord, it is our desire to see you bless them beyond imaginations in every sphere of their lives.
Father I thank you for my collegues in the ministry in AIM Swazi. I thank you for Matt Slawson, Mpumelelo Nkambule, Dennis Brock,Thulie Brock, Marius Dietlief, Jodi Dietilief, Julie Anderson, and the D Team. I thank you father for everyone who is involved in what you are doing here in this country. Thank you for the staff in Gainsville America. These are all the blessings you have chosen to give to us as a people.
Thank you for those you are to bring across our path.
Amen
Item for Prayer
This morning I received one of the most devasting news. One of our care givers, a young woman from eS'khaleni has been arrested for hacking her husband with a bush knife. The case goes to court on Wenesday. I cannot believe it nor understand it myself how it happened. The gogo is very kind and the quite type. She is the last person I would have expected to do such a thing.
Please pray that the husband heals from his injuries. Please do pray that this become a turning point for the better for the gogo. It is in times like this that people may find Christ. Pray with me that as I deal with her I may not come across as condemning but convicting is fine. I pray that God may use this incident to restore this family.
As I write I am not sure what to say as this topic is about
the lives of real people. Nsoko is a community being ravaged by HIV/AIDS. The
main cause of this is the loose morals of the people of the community, a
culture that has been engraved in the fabric of the community for a couple of
decades. It is true that Nsoko is by far the most poverty stricken community in
Swaziland. It is also true that HIV is more rampant in this community than any
other in Swaziland. It is a fact that in Nsoko people are not living but
surviving, and they will do anything to survive.
The Problem
For some time now I have encouraged myself that as much as
the old generation is dying before our eyes, at least we are going to have a
remnant. The problem is that hope may prove to be false hope at the end of the
day.
We are having young people being exposed to gruesome
immorality on a daily basis. The children's innocence is being ripped away from
them. Recently we had a very successful HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. We were able to
test young people from as young as 14 years old and upward. There were 47 young
people who took part in the testing and only 3 were discovered to be HIV
positive. In the three tested positive, there is one boy we would choose to
call Siza (not his real name) who tested positive. This boy got HIV from an
older person. The girl is almost 25 years old and I don't for what reason, but
we are now aware that she does abuse boys sexual. What we did not know is that
she was giving them the deadly virus.
How do you then save a generation when all odds are against
you?
The Challenge
We have also discovered that not only this girl has abused
boys, but four boys that are in our care are also victims of this kind of abuse
from a different person.
The challenge however, is that these boys have become
abusers themselves. There were first reports of sodomy amongst themselves. Of
late they have begun to sexually abuse girls their age. This is not a joke but
reality. There are three young girls not far from the center that have become
easy targets for the boys because they are also orphans staying with an old
grandmother who cannot protect them. In fact, even bigger boys have begun to
abuse these girls.
As a father, I am not comfortable to have my children live
in this child unfriendly community. I can protect my biological children-what
about the many children with no one to protect? A generation is being destroyed
even before it is born.
Why Tell You About
All This?
I have realized that no one can save a generation alone. We
need one another to make a difference in this community. It is unfortunate that
the community of Nsoko is self-destructive. Nevertheless, if you and I can come
together this community could be saved.
First, we need to get the boys and the abused girls through
professional counseling and that is very expensive. We do not have the funds to
get them this kind of counseling. Also, we need to begin taking some people
before the law. Unfortunately for us, that translate to massive lawyer fees and
other related expenses. And lastly, we need to create an awareness of this rot
in the community. That means a lot of money to invest in events and other means
to communicate the message. We need to call upon other organizations and
advocate for the elimination of this cruelty to the next generation.
I plead with you to do something, however small it is it
will go a long way. Thank you for even
reading this blog post and I ask that you share this information with as many
people as you could. In case you would like to respond to us please email me at
giftmistries@yahoo.com or contact
Matt at mdslawson@gmail.com or better
still Scott Borg at scottborg@adventures.org
.
Talk to you soon! (The
above pictures above do not imply that these are the perpetrators or victims of
the subject)
I know it has been a long time since I posted a blog. There are valid reasons which I may not be able to reveal here today, I missed you though.
Things are still going great in Nsoko. God is manifesting himself in amazing ways. We still facing the challenge of hunger, HIV/AIDS, promiscuity, degradation of human rights, mainly women and children. We are daily called upon to be advocates for the poor and marginalized. There are days when one wakes up with a lot of questions and no answers. To live in Nsoko is a daily miracle and I and my family we are so blessed to be part of this church history in the making.
Some of the gogos' from our care points are getting weak because of sickness. As a matter of fact, one gogo has since died and to be buried this coming weekend. We have a couple of them very sick and may die at any time. In Nsoko, most of the infected are now getting to full blown AIDS and it is the season for more deaths like three years ago. In the midst of this we do see God at work. It is amazing how hopeful people are in this place where there is hardly anything to laugh about.
Our response to all this is to try and prevent the youth from geeting infected with HIV. As many of you will know about our Sports' Ministry, I am happy to report that we have been successful so far in keeping a majority of the boys safe. Yesterday (Wendysday) we had an HIV/AIDS education day and most of the youth went for testing. Fourty-Two young people got tested and only three were positive. These three might be the ones that are not directly linked to the activities at our centre. I say this because most of the ones participating at the activities at the community centre did share their results with me.
The Novas team is due to leave and we are expecting a team of 19 people from the United States. This team is from some university in the US and we do hope they will assist us acomplish a lot ministry wise. Also here is Journey Church led by pastor Todd. This church has adopted eS'khaleni care point. They are busy building the fence and a kithen. We looking forward to more teams this winter which is summer in the United States.
I want to say my welcome to Matt Slowson. He is coming to Swaziland for the third time. last summer I had a great time working with him and hope that now he has come as an intern manager, things will be for the best. Thank God for sending someone who can share the load. Matt is already proving to be of great help. Welcome my friend, and I do appeal to everyone to consider supporting this young man even financially. The longer he stays here the better.
I love you all. I will soon take time to update you on detailed progress in Nsoko. Today I want to make you aware that I still have breath in my body and crazy working with the Lord here in Nsoko. As Paul says, "When I am weak, then am I strong. His strength is made perfect in weakness."
Thank you so much for your unending prayers. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for your financial support. We pray for you.
Let me take this opportunity to wish you a blessed New Year.
Every year starts with a lot of hope, people making resolutions and commitments
on certain things. A new year is a new dawn. What does that mean for Nsoko?
Personally,
I started the new year very tired spiritually and physically. I felt emotionally
drained. Praise the Lord for his mercy and grace. He allowed me to be sick so
that I spent quality time with Him in a hospital bed. This is when I got the
chance to read, pray, and above all, think. I can assure you, there's a lot you
think about when you can do nothing but sleep. It was during this time that I
thought about my life and how can I make it count. Most of what I thought about
is private and personal, but I can tell you one thing- God is in control. There's
nothing anyone can do to alter his purpose for my life and for yours.
For
Nsoko there are a lot of prospects. Initially, there were supposed to be no
teams coming to Nsoko because of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa that has
made things very expensive for us. When South Africa catches a cold, Swaziland
sneezes. God being God, we're having a lot of interest from people saying
expensive or not, we are coming to Nsoko. This is God, because we are fully
dependent on what the teams do when they get to Nsoko for now. I would like to
say thank you to all those individuals who are making decisions every day to
say "we want to be part of what God is doing in the community of Nsoko".
There
are those of you who are interested in helping meet my medical needs. You may
contact Scott Borg at Adventures in Missions, scottborg@adventures.org. I know
some of you would like to know what was wrong with Pastor Gift. The doctors
have said it is a stress related sickness. I am currently seeing a clinical psychologist.
I humbly request your prayers as I go through this difficult patch in my life. The
things that are happening in Nsoko will never be ignored. Today I met one of
the gogos waiting for me in my house. She cried and said, "Pastor, I don't have
anything to eat. I used to depend on farming, but the sun destroyed all my
crops. Help me, Pastor." In my pocket I had fuel money and needed it, but the
need for the gogo was more urgent than me being mobile and secure with gas. So,
I drove to Nsoko, bought her Mealy Meal and some vegetables. She will eat and
when it is finished what is she going to do? Things like this can depress you.
They can cause you a lot of stress. They can mess up your mind. So please pray
that I learn not to take these things to heart, but to trust the Lord that he
will make a way for the people.
MY HOPE
IS THAT THIS YEAR COMES WITH A NEW DAWN. GOD GRANT US WISDOM IN HOW WE SHOULD
APROACH THE CHALLENGES AHEAD OF US.
Posted in General Posts by Pastor Gift on 12/17/2009
As we come towards the end of the year, we are grateful to God Almighty for graciously leading us thus far. When we look back we realize that it is not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of the Lord. I would like to look back and say God is good for He did send the right people at the right time. Nsoko is never the same again because of their efforts and sacrifice.
I may not have the teams in order, but we're thankful to Scott Borg for leading a team we called an "Adult Team". Mahangeni CarePoint has a store house and potential regular support because of their work. We can't forget Matt Slawson and Amanda Roberts for leading the first Real Life team to live right on the premises with us. You guys were the turning point of Nsoko. You will be forever remembered. Guys like you all are forever embedded in our hearts. I would also like to mention Coach Hannah and the World Race team. Oh girls, you made the sport ministry exciting. Your work at the CarePoints will live on. We are grateful also to Morgan who led a young adults team from her church. Oh the children games were a bomb. This has paved the way to a working relationship with Pastor Mkhwanazi through Kristy and her church. Morgan, the G42 Football Club owes you a lot. You linked us with Jeremiah whom we love so much and we are yearning to meet him this side of the grave. The soccer team that you support is turning boys into men. It has become an integral part of the ministry here in Nsoko. Thank you for your support. How can we forget Pamela, Ericka, and Sydney? You girls led an all girls Real Life team. But I'll say, you are my best men. Thank you for all the hard work, sacrifice, and prayers. I can never forget the prayer support you afforded to me and my family. You would stop me on the path and say "Pastor Gift, can we pray with you?" And I would say "Sure, do." Crazy, God answered all your prayers. I now bless you in all your future endeavors, may the God I serve reward you a thousand times more than what you are now. Thank you to the World Race team that is still on the race. We remember all of you guys- William, Matt, Tiffany, Coli, and Scotty. Thank you for coming to Nsoko. Though it was short, it was worth it. We say thank you to the combined Vision Trip 2009. Thank you Mr. Mudd and Borg for leading this team. The prospects are great. We also want to thank the NFL wives. You blessed our women and my boy MuchMoney. You left an impact in Nsoko. Thank you so much. We currently have a team of five- Jon, Bryan, Jessica, Katie, and Lila. I would like to call them our temporal staff. Thank you guys for being here ministering together. That's the Novas team. I would like to mention Patty and Bob. You guys are amazing.
Yes, the year that was.
We have seen a lot of things happening. Praise be to God. The Luke Commission came down to Nsoko and people were helped. Thank you to Echo, Jumbo, Dennis, and the whole AIM staff for your commitment during this time. We have been able to transform what was a community center into dormitories. This year has seen the clinic operating fully. How can we forget the soccer team that has been instrumental in uniting the community? God has blessed the church, the womens ministry, and community outreaches.
The storm tried to spoil a lot of things, but God is still good. We do have some minor damages, we trust though that all will be fixed soon.
In the new year, we would like to concentrate on leadership development and infrastructure. We're expecting a team that will be instrumental in the achievement of this goal. However, the main thrust is to have Nsoko become what God would like it to be. Nsoko will be a community that brings glory to God. Our hope is to give hope to the people of Nsoko. Recently we've witnessed rains and that gives us hope.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO SUPPORTED US IN THE YEAR THAT WAS. WE ARE INDEBTED TO YOU. JAMES 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Posted in General Posts by Pastor Gift on 11/10/2009
People say a lot of things about being silent. They say 'Silence is Golden', 'Since is more vocal than words', and 'Silence is a virtue'.
In this case being silent, that is not posting blogs, was a matter of not getting time to do it and a lack of close by facilities. Somehow, I feel the happenings of the last two months or so were a challenge to express in words. We had several people from our HIV/AIDS group die, children being abandoned by mothers because they can no longer support them financially and emotionally. There were a lot of other challenges we faced but through it all the Lord has been with us.
Praise be to God our heavenly Father because he knows how to encourage us. We had in the month of October a Real Life team that ministered in Nsoko. These young people have been indeed Jesus to the people of Nsoko. I want right now to say thank you to the leaders; Erica Z, Pamela, and Sydney. Yes thank you to the team; Mollie, Bailey, Beth, Faith, Abbie, Jenny,Julie, Linldly, Brooke, Ashely,Amy, Rachel, Erica B, and Laura. Thank you all girls team for such a wonderful work while with us in Nsoko. You came at a time that we were implementing changes but never gave us a problem, but stuck in with us in serving the community.
Thank you for working at the care-points, visiting with the people, helping in sports ministry, helping build the camp house showers, giving of your money to worthy causes. You did a lot and I cannot because of time constraints count it all. Above everything else thank you for being Jesus to the poor. You became part of the community like a real 'incarnation' (identifying with) to the world of the needy. People will never forget how you helped Dudu's (God bless her soul) family during their time of great need. From transporting the body, buying the coffin, picking up the stones to make the grave, and those genuine tears as grieved her death. Thank you.
There is heroin I want to thank.
Traci Vensumeren!You are THEE MAN. How I wish you lived in Swazi with your soon to be husband. You can do almost anything, the ideal missionary. Your accomplishments while here in Swazi are inumerable. Your heart is amazing. Your dertemination wonderful. Your focus on a task and professionalism astounding. Hey girl I am running out of words to discribe how thankful we are for your hands on efforts while you were here. Thank you for the way you care for the Gama family.
Vision Trip
Vision Trip 2009. Thank you guys for coming over to Nsoko even for those short momennts. You renewed our hope. We can dream again. You made us regain the vitality for ministry. We will always treasure those personal conversations. Scott and Bob, thank you for doing such a good job leading this vision trip and I know for sure that the objectives were met as planned.
I hope by now you understand about the silence. A lot has been going on and God has been faithful as always.
There are a lot of people in the background here and in the USA. They are praying for us, daily encouraging us, and giving financial support. To all of you we say thank you and your giving is not in vain. We need your support more then ever. There are a lot of simple projects that are making a huge difference in Nsoko. We are now in the process of fully establishing a "Foster Parenting" program. If you happen to want to know more about this you can email me at giftmistries@yahoo.com or scottborg@adventures.org
Thank you again; hope to be a regular poster again. I love you all.
When I walked into the room, Pastor Gift was talking with a woman named Busisiwe. I had seen her down at the Nsoko Center an hour or so earlier, but she didn't speak enough English to explain why she was there. I noticed the growths on her neck, and assumed she was here to ask for money for the doctor; for which I later felt foolish for judging so hastily.
Pastor Gift had asked me to come up to meet her, and took a few minutes to fill me in on what her story was. Busisiwe is at the of her rope, and has run out of ideas and even hope. She has been unable to provide for her children for some time now, and at this point doesn't feel like she can even care for them if food was supplied. She mentioned that she is supposed to have surgery for her tumors, and the doctors said there is a good chance she may not survive. She is dying, and is at the point that she is ready to leave her children somewhere...anywhere.
Busisiwe tried to hold back the tears as she continued to communicate the desperation she has reached. Her three children range from six to eleven. Busisiwe and her kids have been squatting with another family, but resources have run out, and they no longer have anywhere to stay.
While Busisiwe was fixed some food in the kitchen, Pastor Gift and I tried to brainstorm how to handle this immediate need. After a while, we came up with an idea that we thought would work well, at least temporarily. We made a couple of phone calls, and with a little walking through the community, we had a home for them. One of the gogos (grandmothers) in the area has her own homestead and lives alone. She has no source of income, and relies on her children to support her. I know one of her daughters, another gogo, and she is struggling to make ends meet as it is with her own family, and the son of her deceased sister.
We agreed to buy one-months' worth of food for the go-go, Busisiwe, her three kids, and Abigail in exchange for the go-go keeping them with her as her own family. This is true community, and family--taking in one another and working together to make sure everyone has food and other basic needs. This has the potential to benefit all of the individuals involved, if it is a good fit.
Busisiwe was beside herself with gratitude, and even was able to smile for a few photos before she left. I gave her some money for transport, and sent her off with a small meal for the road. She will be returning in a day or two with her kids and their meager belongings, to begin to settle in.
Please, be praying for her health, her hope, and her heart--they all need a good boost. Pray that we are able to be Christ's hands and feet to her and her children, and that it will be a good fit for them, Abigail, and the go-go. Pray, also, that we will come up with a more permanent solution to this frequent and ongoing problem here. This is not the first, and certainly won't be the last time someone shows up wanting to leave their children.
We agreed to buy one-months' worth of food for the go-go, Busisiwe, her three kids, and Abigail in exchange for the go-go keeping them with her as her own family. This is true community, and family--taking in one another and working together to make sure everyone has food and other basic needs. This has the potential to benefit all of the individuals involved, if it is a good fit.