Ian and Jenn Stephens are missionaries working with C.H.I.P.S, Children HIV Intervention Programme in Swaziland, to help the orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS pandemic in Swaziland, Africa. Their home base is in Vuvulane and they travel around to various communities testing for HIV, assessing medical needs and treatment options, teaching job skills, providing workshops, and occasionally conducting Crossroads training (character building/positive living/HIV & abstinence). Ian and Jenn's main desire is to share the love of Jesus for each of these precious children while working towards fulfilling the vision of a HIV free Swaziland.

CHIPS Video

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Project: Mushrooms moves forward

The Maphiveni group went out to look at some mushroom houses this week. It was a great trip despite pouring rain. We found out that the houses are relatively easy and affordable to put together, consisting of sticks, stones, mud and black plastic. One of the women, Emily, was so excited that she came home and immediately started constructing her mushroom house.

It is very exciting for us to see the realization of a goal but equally, if not more, exciting for the locals. This Project: Mushrooms is an opportunity that has come about to learn a marketable skill and to be able to provide for their families. With the high unemployment numbers causing great discouragement, an opportunity like this is life-changing.

Please join us in praying that these people from Maphiveni will come to see their provider is a loving God and will come to know Him in a very real, personal, and contagious way.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Swaziland...what do you do there?

As we start the new year, we wanted to take a bit of time to go over what exactly it is that we do in Swaziland. Hopefully, this will answer your questions and help you understand what we are doing.  If you have any more questions, please contact us and we will be happy to give you more answers. 

CHIPS (Children’s HIV Intervention Program in Swaziland)
We are the field leaders for Vuvulane CHIPS. In April, 2010 we moved from Mbabane, Swaziland (where we had worked with the Hope School) to Vuvulane, Swaziland which is across the country. This move was made so that we could assist Jabulani and Mary (who are national staff) run and expand the CHIPS program.  Currently, the CHIPS program in the Vuvulane township services 5 communities, two located inside the township and 3 on the outer parameter. The villages range from areas with permanent structures such as a preschool to areas with nothing but squatter homes on the edge of sugarcane fields. Most areas have 100-300 inhabitants. The five areas serviced are Mgidzangcunu, Section 19, Macethuka, Khomba, and Maphiveni. 

Along with Jabulani and Mary, we work to provide care for minors and caregivers of minors who are HIV+. Our duties vary from screening patients for HIV, public health education, and transporting patients to and from Good Shepherd Hospital. Once patients are enlisted into the government's HIV ART (anti-retroviral therapy) program, the ART medications are free. CHIPS workers help facilitate entry into the program and then provide support as needed. 

Our CHIPS supervisors are Daran and Teresa and we are working closely with them to get the funds/permission to build a medical clinic/community center in Maphiveni. Having this community center would enable us to care for the health needs of this village while also providing a place to have classes and a central location to run the micro-industries. Another one of our projects, is to start micro-industries, in these communities, which involves teaching the local people a marketable skill so that they can then provide for their families. 

Overall, our main purpose here in Swaziland is to share the God's love and His salvation to everyone we meet, that they would come to know God as their loving Heavenly Father who has provided a way to Him through His Son Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray for us as we go about the Father's work here in Swaziland. 

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Back into the swing of things

Just a couple of updates as we get back into the swing of things here in Vulvulane.

We were encouraged at the TEAM conference and were able to renew friendships. One of our goals for the conference was for wisdom and discernment as to our role for the next year and we did receive clear direction through a lot of wise counsel. 

On the way home, we stopped by the ocean for two days and enjoyed the time of rest (also we were able to finally warm up as it was really cold in South Africa). It is good to get back and we plan to start the public health meetings in Maphiveni again on January 21st.  Our garden was under several inches of water, looking like wetlands, when we returned and looks like we've lost the tomato crop. The 2nd maize crop is doing well as well as several other vegetables.

Bonginkosi and Sifiso have been employed by the new security company but they will find out if they can stay in this village or will be transfered elsewhere. We hope they are able to stay. Mira and Luke have left the hospital and disappeared. Please pray for them wherever they are at.

The micro-industries are both doing very well. We will be visiting the mushroom houses on January 26 as one of the final steps of training before we can get that micro-industry going. The floor polish production in Section 19 has taken off very well. The people in the area around Tambankulu, where the Chips office is, often stop in and buy the floor polish. The participants in the Maphiveni jam making project started with paw-paw jam and have now increased production to include mango and lemon jam.

We are still praying and weighing how to bring Chips into Mafucula. This settlement is very spread out and there are a lot of needs to be addressed. Central points of contact would have to be established and home visits would take a lot longer. There is a lot of distances between homesteads and the main road is a steep winding dirt road that is used by smugglers since it is on the border of Mozambique and Swaziland.

Another thing that we will be focusing on now that we are back is meeting with the Chief of Maphiveni to continue our discussion of the community center that we (Chips) would like to build in Maphiveni.

Please continue to remember us in your prayers as you can see that there is a lot going on and many decisions to be made.  We greatly appreciate all of you!
Mary is holding Standiwe, whom we affectionally call Rav-4. Remember he was born in the back of the 
Rav-4 on the way to the hospital? He is doing very well!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Mozambique Mama and Baby Walk into Swaziland for Help

Mira, a 21 year old from Mozambique, walked into Swaziland about 2 weeks ago.  She came here illegally with her 1 year old son Luke. Even though the police know where she is they won't send her back because both she and her baby are very sick. We visited her just before going to the conference and tested her for HIV, which was positive, and found out  that she is destitute, homeless, penniless and did not have dry clothes for her or little Luke.  

We took her to Mary’s home where she will stay for a few days until we get her on treatment but long term we really want Mira to go back to her aunt's house in Mozambique. Her aunt is the only family that Mira has. A couple days later we took Mira and Luke to be admitted into Good Shepherd hospital. Both are very sick with HIV and malaria and we are not sure if they survive or whether they will be deported back to Mozambique. 

Please pray for Mira and Luke, that they would come to know the God who heals in a personal way. Also, pray for their physical healing and that their lives would be positively changed out of their dire situation. 

Friday, January 14, 2011

Just a reminder to pray for Ian and Jenn

Please pray for Ian and Jenn as they finish up the Team conference in South Africa. They are seeking clear direction  and wisdom for this coming year with regards on what to focus on and where to prioritize their time. Also, please pray that they would both be encouraged and strengthened by their time with other Team staff and missionaries.

After the conference is over, Ian and Jenn will be heading to the ocean for two days to spend some quiet time with God and each other. Please ask that this time would be one of renewing and refreshing as they will be getting back into the normal (if there is such a thing) schedule by Tuesday of next week.
Thank you for continuing to lift them up in your prayers especially throughout the year. A lot gets accomplished when God's people stop and pray.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Bonginkosi

We have often heard that people watch Christians to see how they live and what they do but never gave it much thought until the last few weeks. 



Bonginkosi, has been our security guard and friend since we've been here in Swaziland. He works 12 hour nights here in the village and then in the mornings went off to driving school. After six weeks of study, he passed his truck driving test. Now he will be able to get a better job to provide for his family. The sad part is that Bonginkosi will have to go to South Africa in order to get a truck driving job. His plan is to to save up money and then return here and buy a house. We are so proud of him! He has become like a son to us. 

Like a lot of Swazis, Bonginkosi had a very hard life growing up; was orphaned at a young age and did not finish school. Some months ago, we noticed how God was working in him. He would give spinach or a lettuce from his own garden to someone in need and when we told him what a great thing he was doing, he just smiled and said, 'But mummy and daddy do it all the time.'

Then Candy blessed him with his drivers license and now there is no stopping him.  A couple of weeks ago, there was an 18 year old who was abandoned by her mother outside the village(not from this area). Bonginkosi gave her food, shelter and care for 2 days until she was finally reconnected with her Gogo in Mafucula, whom she had not seen since she was a small child.  He gave us 50 onions from his garden, two for each person in the Maphiveni group. We can’t wait to see what God will do next in his life!
Bonginkosi with his drivers license   


Friday, January 7, 2011

Maize, Cabbage and Squash...coming out our ears!

Our garden has been blessed with great production this year. We've had so much produce that we are constantly giving away vegetables to those around us.

Our garden had just sprouted
And it's growing!

The maize is so tall


Just before Christmas we had a surplus of cabbage, maize and squash to give to all who attended at the meeting in Mgldzangcunu. At a recent public health meeting in Maphiveni we were able to give everyone spinach, carrots, green beans, mangos, and onions.

It is our prayer that God's word would grow abundantly in the hearts of the people that are in these villages just like our garden has grown so well. We know that God is the One who plants the seeds and causes them to grow. We are thankful that we are always under the care of the Master Gardner.

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Kids will be kids

It doesn't matter where they are born. Kids all over the world are the same. 

They like to party with hot dogs and watermelon. 


Kids have a sweet tooth (here is a boy slurping on some sugar cane)

They like making mud pies. 

Play dates are very important.

Kids love playing games and sports. 

And you can't forget the secret meetings. 

As you look at your kids, would you remember to pray for these precious children in Swaziland. Pray that God would become the Father that many of them have never known and that He would change the lives of those who are living in extreme poverty and with HIV or TB. We serve a powerful and awesome God who holds children, no matter the color of their skin or where they were born, close to His heart. 

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Section 19 Woman's Support Group Floor Polish Micro-Industry